Australian Open 2014: Experts' picks for the women's draw

4. Champion

Serena Williams

Abhishek Desikan: The top seed Serena Williams is head and shoulders above her competition, and is in prime position to claim her 6th Australian Open crown this year.

Adnan Akhtar: For the past year, whenever I have had to decide a women’s favourite at a Grand Slam, I have been stuck at just one name: Serena Williams. With the type of form she is in, it would only require another Serena Williams to topple her.

Avantika Tikmany: World No. 1 Serena Williams is the clear, undisputed choice. Not many questions or doubts can be raised here.

BallnRacquet: One might argue that Serena Williams is ageing or that she would have to run out of fire eventually. But that is not happening right now. She is well poised to be crowned the champion in Melbourne yet again. A loss to Sharapova or Azarenka is not expected, though another Lisciki or Stephens episode cannot be discounted, however remote the chance of that happening might be.

Musab Abid: I want to say a name other than Serena Williams, I really do. Not because I have anything against the all-conquering American, but because it is simply far too mainstream to pick her as the favourite for every Slam. But what other choice do we have?

Roh: Serena Williams won her first title in the new season at Brisbane, without dropping a set. She’s in scintillating form and as such is the unequivocal favourite to win Australian Open this year.

Varun Jog: I typed ‘Sere’ and then furiously hit the backspace key. Perhaps this is the best indicator of the dominance Serena has had on the game in recent times – her name is naturally associated with the word ‘champion’. But I shall be bold and pick Victoria Azarenka for a hat-trick of titles. If there is anyone who has come remotely close to giving a fight to Serena, it is Azarenka, who has narrowly lost the past two US Open finals to the American. Azarenka can be mentally suspect, but knows how to win here, and will do it again, perhaps beating Serena in the final.