This is a big year for the Serbian duo Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic.
The pair have been at the top of the women's game for the eight months since the shock retirement of Justine Henin in May, but to say they have failed to convince would be an understatement.
A new year is a new chance for them and the rest of the young players at the top end of the WTA rankings to show they are ready to propel the women's game to an exciting new level, rather than the mediocrity that was at best the level watched at Wimbledon and the US Open and the second half of last season.
The Williams sisters won Wimbledon (Venus) and the US Open (Serena) and looked to be a class above anything else in the field, which makes a mockery of the current rankings that have Serena second and Venus sixth.
The rankings at present reward consistency rather than impressive victories, with it coming across that the Williams sisters win when it matters and allow the lesser mortals to pick up the scraps that they are not too bothered about.
But it is up to Jankovic, Ivanovic and the Russian brigade to prove this view wrong and show they can win on the big stage, starting on Monday when the Australian Open, the first grand slam of the season, begins in Melbourne.
The men's world No 2 Roger Federer criticised the rankings last week for allowing Jankovic, who is yet to win a grand slam, to be No 1 and it is down to the Serbian to prove she is worth that status by doing her talking on the court.
She has the game to do well in Australia as her run to the semi-finals last year demonstrated, but illness and injury have hurt her build-up and her form.
For the rankings and her own credibility she needs to put in a strong showing and win her first grand slam, although even at her best she may not have enough if the Williams sisters bring their A game to proceedings.
But the draw has been kind to her and she will not have to face a Williams before the final, and the only player who really should trouble her is Dinara Safina, who she could meet in the last four.
She plays the Austrian Yvonne Meusburger in the first round.
The world No 5 Ivanovic was the last non-Williams player to win a grand slam at the French Open last year, but her game fell apart after she claimed her first major.
Being No 1 seemed to hinder her rather than inspire her, and she put in woeful display at Wimbledon, getting knocked out in the second round after being lucky to get through the first.
Lack of confidence and poor serving ensured she fell down the rankings from No 1. More belief in her ability and more consistency is needed if Ivanovic, 21, is to get back to the top.
However, her disappointing loss to Amelie Mauresmo in Brisbane earlier this month indicates she is still some way from her best, and it would be a surprise if she featured strongly in the latter rounds in Melbourne and matched last year's runners-up spot.
But in truth the Australian Open is going to be all about the Williams sisters - or rather what mood they are in.
If they arrive focused and determined they will be a frightening prospect. But if their minds are not on the job in hand then the field will have a chance.
Serena, 27, the No 2 seed, has won the title three times, most recently in 2007, while Venus, who is seeded sixth, has never won in Melbourne, despite her dominance and power, with a runners-up spot in 2003, when she was beaten by her sister, the best she has done.
That will be something she will want to put right this year, and her string of wins in exhibition play in Hong Kong indicates she is in good form.
Serena is likely to be the person who stands in her way and they are scheduled to meet in the semi-finals, and it will be a shock if that clash doesn't happen.
If the last few months of last year were anything to go by, the Williams sisters still have a class advantage, and if they play to their potential then it is going to take something very special from someone to stop either Venus or Serena lifting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup on Saturday Jan 31.
gcaygill@thenational.ae
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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The Gentlemen
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant
Three out of five stars
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
- Saturday 15 January: UAE beat Canada by 49 runs
- Thursday 20 January: v England
- Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad:
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles
Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly,
Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya
Shetty, Kai Smith
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Results
1. New Zealand Daniel Meech – Fine (name of horse), Richard Gardner – Calisto, Bruce Goodin - Backatorps Danny V, Samantha McIntosh – Check In. Team total First round: 200.22; Second round: 201.75 – Penalties 12 (jump-off 40.16 seconds) Prize €64,000
2. Ireland Cameron Hanley – Aiyetoro, David Simpson – Keoki, Paul Kennedy – Cartown Danger Mouse, Shane Breen – Laith. Team total 200.25/202.84 – P 12 (jump-off 51.79 – P17) Prize €40,000
3. Italy Luca Maria Moneta – Connery, Luca Coata – Crandessa, Simone Coata – Dardonge, Natale Chiaudani – Almero. Team total 130.82/198.-4 – P20. Prize €32,000
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
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MWTC info
Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
