Australian Open 2012 live stream

‘Less is more’ has to be the thinking of several big names heading into their opening-round matches at the Australian Open today.
 
Defending champion Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Andy Roddick, Samantha Stosur, Lleyton Hewitt and Maria Sharapova have all played a minimal amount either at the end of 2011 or the beginning of 2012.
 
Djokovic, who had back and shoulder injuries related to over-playing late in the 2011 season, has only played exhibition matches this year. More than two weeks ago in Abu Dhabi, he looked strong in beating Monfils, Federer and Ferrer and will certainly be fresh against Paolo Lorenzi in Rod Laver Arena this afternoon.
 
Roddick has just played two matches in 2012, at the Kooyong exhibition, heading into his first-round against Robin Haase, who took the opening set of their third-round meeting at Melbourne Park 12 months ago. Hewitt, facing No. 83-ranked Cedrik-Marcel Stebe of Germany, had three Hopman Cup matches but only played one in Sydney. His last tennis in 2011 was during Davis Cup versus Sweden in September because of a toe issue. Wins by him and Roddick would tee up a tantalising second round.
 
The Sharapova – Dulko match-up is the best example of players who enter 2012’s first Grand Slam underdone. Sharapova (ankle) has only played two tournament matches – losses to Stosur and Li in Istanbul in November – since September, 2011. Dulko’s last match was at the beginning of October.
 
Sharapova leads the Argentine 2-1 but her victories were in 2004 and 2005 before Dulko famously won 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in Wimbledon’s second round in 2009.
For Williams, entering a tournament short on competitive play is nothing new. Since the 2011 US Open, she has only the two matches she won in Brisbane before withdrawing with an ankle injury. Her No. 45-ranked Austrian opponent, Tamira Paszek, lost first round in both Brisbane and Sydney. She is remembered by many for her 12-10 in the final set loss to Jelena Jankovic at Melbourne Park in 2008.
 
Disappointing straight-sets losses to Iveta Benesova in Brisbane and Francesca Schiavone in Sydney have local favourite Samantha Stosur entering the Australian with doubts after only one 2012 win – over Anastasiya Yakimova in Brisbane. She takes on No. 59-ranked Sorana Cirstea whom she has beaten convincingly in two previous encounters.
 
Ana Ivanovic, facing Lourdes Dominguez Lino, has also just played three matches in 2012 (1-2), looking shaky in a first-round 7-6(5), 6-2 loss to Lucie Safarova in Sydney.
Aussie Jarmila Gajdosova has already banked six matches in 2012 (Hopman Cup and Hobart) heading into her first round against Maria Kirilenko, 1-1 in the Sydney qualifying last week. The Russian is now far removed from her new boyfriend, ice hockey superstar Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.
 
Probably second-seed Petra Kvitova, matched against Vera Dushevina, had the ideal run-up – four matches in winning the Hopman Cup and three in reaching the Sydney semi-finals.