Serena still Australian Open favourite

MELBOURNE, Jan 17 (AFP): Serena Williams remains the red-hot favourite for the Australian Open, despite some patchy form in the lead up to her campaign for a 19th career Grand Slam.

Arch-rival Maria Sharapova is again expected to be the American's main challenger, with injuries marring the preparation of other leading hopefuls including Simona Halep, Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka.

Melbourne Park has been a happy hunting ground for Williams, who claimed five of her 18 career majors at the venue-the first way back in 2003.

But the 33-year-old's most recent success Down Under was in 2010 and her erratic form in this month's Hopman Cup raised fears she faces a failure similar to last year, when she crashed out in the fourth round.

Always supremely confident, Williams, who will meet Belgian Alison van Uytvanck in the first round, blamed her early season troubles on fatigue and declared she can play "two thousand times better".

"I feel like I'm getting back into the groove... I'm getting there," she said.

Williams held on to the top ranking for the entire 2014 season, ending the year with a flourish to take the US Open and the WTA Tour Championship.

Another Australian title would take her to clear second on the all-time Grand Slam winners list behind Steffi Graf's 22, having joined Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on 18 with her win at Flushing Meadows.