Novak Djokovic, Simona Halep top seeds in Australian Open singles

MELBOURNE, Australia – Top-ranked Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep, as expected, were given the No. 1 seedings on Thursday when the Australian Open announced its singles seedings list.

Defending champion Roger Federer is seeded No. 3 after Rafael Nadal, while women’s defending singles champion Caroline Wozniacki, who beat Halep in last year’s final at Melbourne Park, is No. 3 behind second-seeded and 2016 champion Angelique Kerber.

Serena Williams, who won the Australian Open in 2017 while pregnant with daughter Alexis Olympia, returns as the 16th-seeded player after missing last year’s tournament.

Fifth-ranked Juan Martin del Potro will miss the Australian Open while he recovers from a fractured right kneecap.