Tomic, Azarenka move into top 16 in Australian Open seedings
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Defending champions and No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams top the Australian Open seedings lists, which follow rankings ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament of 2016.
Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka moved back into the top 16 with her victory at the Brisbane International last week, her first title since 2013. She finished last season at No. 22 but moved up the rankings with her title run in the Australian Open warmup tournament and was seeded No. 14 at Melbourne Park, meaning she avoids early-round encounters with the top-ranked players.
A win over 2014 U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori and a run to the semifinals at the Brisbane International lifted Australia's Bernard Tomic to a No. 16 seeding in the men's draw.
Four-time finalist Andy Murray was seeded No. 2, 17-time major winner Roger Federer was No. 3 and 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka was No. 4, one higher than Rafael Nadal. John Isner was No. 10 and Milos Raonic, who beat Federer in the Brisbane final last weekend, was at No. 13.
On the women's side, Simona Halep was No. 2, Garbine Muguruza was No. 3, Agieszka Radwanska was No. 4 and Maria Sharapova, the 2008 champion and finalist last year, was No. 5.
The Australian Open draw will take place on Friday.
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Seeding lists.
Men's
1. Novak Djokovic, Serbia
2. Andy Murray, Britain
3. Roger Federer, Switzerland
4. Stan Wawrinka , Switzerland
5. Rafael Nadal, Spain
6. Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic
7. Kei Nishikori, Japan
8. David Ferrer, Spain
9. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France
10. John Isner, United States
11. Kevin Anderson, South Africa
12. Marin Cilic, Croatia
13. Milos Raonic, Canada
14. Gilles Simon, France
15. David Goffin, Belgium
16. Bernard Tomic, Australia
17. Benoit Paire, France
18. Feliciano Lopez, Spain
19. Dominic Thiem, Austria
20. Fabio Fognini, Italy
21. Viktor Troicki, Serbia
22. Ivo Karlovic, Croatia
23. Gael Monfils, France
24. Roberto Bautista Agut, Spain
25. Jack Sock, United States
26. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Spain
27. Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria
28. Andreas Seppi, Italy
29. Nick Kyrgios, Australia
30. Jeremy Chardy, France
31. Steve Johnson, United States
32. Joao Sousa, Portugal
Women's
1. Serena Williams, United States
2. Simona Halep, Romania
3. Garbine Muguruza, Spain
4. Agnieszka Radwanska, Poland
5. Maria Sharapova, Russia
6. Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic
7. Angelique Kerber, Germany
8. Venus Williams, United States
9. Karolina Pliskova, Czech Republic
10. Carla Suarez Navarro, Spain
11. Timea Bacsinszky, Switzerland
12. Belinda Bencic, Switzerland
13. Roberta Vinci, Italy
14. Victoria Azarenka, Belarus
15. Madison Keys, United States
16. Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark
17. Sara Errani, Italy
18. Elina Svitolina, Ukraine
19. Jelena Jankovic, Serbia
20. Ana Ivanovic, Serbia
21. Ekaterina Makarova, Russia
22. Andrea Petkovic, Germany
23. Svetlana Kuznetsova, Russia
24. Sloane Stephens, United States
25. Samantha Stosur, Australia
26. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia
27. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, Slovakia
28. Kristina Mladenovic, France
29. Irina-Camelia Begu, Romania
30. Sabine Lisicki, Germany
31. Lesia Tsurenko, Ukraine
32. Caroline Garcia, France
