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2016 Australian Open women's seed report

2016 Australian Open: Jon Wertheim breaks down each seeded player in the women's draw and makes his predictions.
Jon Wertheim|
2016 Australian Open women's seed report
2016 Australian Open women's seed report

Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim breaks down the women's seeds at the 2016 Australian Open. Read on for the dark horses, top first-round matchups and predictions, and find the men's seed report here. 

1. Serena Williams

It’s all about the body. If her knee is as bad as we’ve heard it to be, she could lose any time. Virtually no match play coming in. But we’ve seen her win majors at less than 100% and—on track record alone—she has to be considered a big favorite.

2. Simona Halep

Like Serena, health and fitness are key. The ankle/Achilles injuries that troubled her in 2015 still appear to be waging war. Draw will help and she may not get a top-100 opponent until round three.

3. Garbine Muguruza

More players, more injuries. Retired in Brisbane with a left foot injury. If it heals, the Spaniard has a real chance to claim her first major.

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* Assumes reasonable—if not full—health

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Jon Wertheim
JON WERTHEIM

Jon Wertheim is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and has been part of the full-time SI writing staff since 1997, largely focusing on the tennis beat, sports business and social issues, and enterprise journalism. In addition to his work at SI, he is a correspondent for “60 Minutes” and a commentator for The Tennis Channel. He has authored 11 books and has been honored with two Emmys, numerous writing and investigative journalism awards, and the Eugene Scott Award from the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Wertheim is a longtime member of the New York Bar Association (retired), the International Tennis Writers Association and the Writers Guild of America. He has a bachelor’s in history from Yale University and received a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He resides in New York City and Paris with his wife, who is a divorce mediator and adjunct law professor. They have two children.

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