Injuries
It's often seemed to me that despite the change of year number the Australian season is more of a continuation of last year, and the new year really starts around Indian Wells. For example, the WTA player dominant in 2003 won the 2004 AO, the 2002 dominant player won the 2003 AO, and so on. This year, the pattern that's continuing seems to be injuries: Sharapova is out of Adelaide, Nadal is out of Chenna and maybe Sydney, and so on. It's truly dismaying, but it's hardly surprising. Federer this week was quoted in a story as saying that it doesn't really feel to him like a new anything because the off-season is so short. (And it's even shorter for players who, like Sharapova, spent December playing exhibitions, not the smartest thing to do if you already have a shoulder injury).
I suppose it's some kind of balance that we're getting Hingis back. Although why do John McEnroe and Pat Cash have to follow her?
wg