Andy Murray is a man who badly needs the next 12 months to go well. With Murray forced to watch on in 2011 as Novak Djokovic as good as humiliated all those who tried to get near him on court, while spending the majority of the years before last in the game suffering in the shadows while Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer dominated the sporting back pages between them, the Scot has to believe that, as 2011 was Djokovic’s year, so 2012 could be his year.

Murray will use the upcoming Australian Open to prove that his quest for his maiden Grand Slam title is a serious one and one that he intends to make happen sooner rather than later. The player found out this week that he has been seeded fourth behind the main players in men’s tennis at the moment, placed just in front of the likes of David Ferrer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, another nearly man of men’s tennis who needs that one lucky break. Those looking at the Australian open 2012 betting should remember this.

Should Murray want to prove that 2012 could be the year his long-suffering fans finally have something to truly boast about, he’ll need to at least reach the final in Australia before mounting a strong display, if not a win on a surface that he makes no secret of not being his favourite, in that match. Anyone looking at the Tennis betting odds needs to remember this.

With nobody suspecting Djokovic of being about to enjoy such a record-breaking year in tennis this time in 2011, could it be that this time in 2013 we’re left reflecting on a great year for British sport that hopefully encompasses a Murray Grand Slam or two alongside a successful Olympic Games in London and a good showing from the football team in the Euros?

David Ferrer says his preparation for the Australian Open begins now as he takes on Joe Wilfried-Tsonga in the season-opening Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.

The event is technically an exhibition tournament but such is the proximity of the Australian Open in a fortnight, many of the world’s top players are present. People looking at the best Australian Open odds online will be keeping an eye on things.

The conditions are set to be similar to what they will be like in Melbourne next month so it is likely to be a competitive few days in Abu Dhabi.

Ferrer says he is treating it like an ATP Tournament due to the involvement of the world’s top three Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer.

The world number five said: “It’s no different to playing an ATP tournament with the likes of Nadal, Federer and Djokovic.

“Tsonga is going to be difficult and I know I will need to play my very best in order to beat him, but the conditions in Abu Dhabi are perfect so I look forward to it.”

A win for Ferrer over Tsonga would set up a clash with fellow Spaniard Nadal, the defending champion in the Mubadala Championship, in the last four.

Novak Djokovic will go into the 2012 season following a career defining year in 2011.

The Serbian won three of the four Grand Slam titles over the past 12 months and has risen to the top of the world rankings after a 41-match winning streak at the start of the season.

Djokovic fell one match short of John McEnroe’s record set in 1985 when he won his opening 42 matches of the campaign.

Before the start of this year, Djokovic had only previously won one Grand Slam, that came in 2008 when he beat Jo Wilfried-Tsonga in the final of the Australian Open. The world number one began the year with success at Melbourne Park and later added Wimbledon and the US Open for the very time. Anyone looking at the best online tennis betting will know this.

The 24-year old was delighted with the run of victories that came to an end when he was defeated in the semi-final of the French Open at the hands of Roger Federer.

“It was incredible,” he said. “I made so many wins in a row that I really didn’t count any more. I was just trying to play one match at the time and trying to think how long the streak will go on, not when it will end.”

Four of Djokovic’s defeats in 2011 came after his success at Flushing Meadows when the number of matches played in the season caught up with his body.

The Siberian was disappointing at the World Tour Finals in November, failing to progress from the group stage at the 02 Arena in London after losing two of his three matches.

It is odd to describe a 24-year-old as one of the old guard, but Maria Sharapova, starting her 10th season on the WTA tour, is exactly that. She has already experienced so much in a rollercoaster career – five slam finals, the number one ranking, huge wealth and crippling injuries that saw her drop to number 126 – that she must be considered a senior player in a similar vein to the Williams sisters.

The Russian starts 2012 with confidence restored. She will never again be the athletic powerhouse with a huge serve who surged to the Wimbledon as a 17-year-old in 2004, but physical limitations have been offset by a better tactical approach and a champion’s attitude that is as strong as ever. Anyone with a Australian Open Tennis Free Bet should remember this.

The world number four reached the semi finals at Roland Garros before being shocked by Petra Kvitova at Wimbledon to confirm her return to the elite of major challengers. Victories at the Sony Ericsson Open, Rome and Cincinnati proved she can again win big events.

Sharapova ended 2011 inside the top five of the rankings for the first time since 2007 and although the apparent wide-open nature of slams makes her an attractive proposition for punters, caution must be urged. People following the Betfair Tennis Betting Odds should remember this.

The remodelled serve was on the verge of collapsing at Wimbledon, where 13 semi final double faults and a first serve percentage of 48% against Sabine Lisicki would have been punished by a more ruthless opponent.

Injuries returned in the form of a viral illness and an ankle problem and the hot conditions downunder will be a severe test of her preseason preparations. Sharapova is a serious contender, which considering the depths she sank to in 2009, is something she will be thankful for in itself.

A memorable year for Samantha Stosur has ended on a down, after she suffered a surprise defeat in her build-up to the Australian Open.

The US Open champion will head into the first Grand Slam of 2012 as the big home hope, after winning her first major title in 2011. Those placing a tennis Bet on Australian Open matches will know she looks a tough player to beat.

The Queenslander made three regular WTA Tour Finals over the course of the year, but will now have to deal with growing expectation after her victory over Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows.

Stosur will go into January’s tournament a much different player to the one that crashed out in round three in 2011 and she insists that she fears no-one.

But the 27-year-old will have had her confidence dented slightly after losing to Flavia Pennetta at the Singapore Women’s Tennis Exhibition.

The Italian, currently ranked 20th in the world rankings, bounced back from losing the first set to beat Stosur 5-7 7-6 (7/3) 6-2.

Pennetta may be behind 14 places behind Stosur in the standings, but she does have an impressive record against the Australian Open – winning all five meetings between the pair. People looking at the Betfair Tennis Free Betting should remember this.

Stosur will have a quick chance to right the wrongs of her display in the Far East, with two important tournaments on the horizon.

The world number six will prepare for the Australian Open by playing in the high-profile events in Brisbane and Sydney early in January.

There were three seeded first round losers in the 2011 Australian Open. There are plenty of top 32 players with enough reason to sweat ahead of the draw – who are the players punters can identify as being vulnerable to an early exit?

Nicolas Almagro appears to be going in the right direction as a top player, having earned a place in the world’s top 10 in the second half of this season. His greater consistency is reflected by his improvement at the Australian Open, reaching the last 16 in the last two events and the third round in 2009 after four consecutive first round exits. People looking at the Tennis Australian Open betting should bear this in mind.

However, in 2011 the Spaniard saved three match points in the second round against Igor Andreev and needed four sets to see off the unheralded Stéphane Robert in his opener. His lofty ranking relies heavily on his form during the clay court season and punters should be on alert for an upset if Almagro receives a tricky first round draw.

Andy Roddick has struggled for form since losing an epic Wimbledon final to Roger Federer in 2009,reaching just two slam quarter finals in eight appearances. Injury problems have plagued him and the former world number one’s powerful serve-based game is suddenly vulnerable. A series of shock defeats have seen him slip to 14thin the rankings and whilst first round exits at the hard and grass court slams are rare – just two in a 12-year career – another cannot be ruled out. People placing tennis free bets should remember this.

Further down the ranking list Marcel Granollers, Juan Monaco and, in particular, Juan Ignacio Chela, who has suffered three first round exits in his last three appearances downunder, will be playing close attention to the draw.

Kim Clijsters has made a successful return from injury and looks to be on course to defend her title at the Australian Open in January.

The Belgian has been sidelined since August with a stomach muscle injury and there were some concerns that she would not be fit enough to take her place in Melbourne. Anyone looking at the Australian open 2012 betting will be wondering what she can do.

But Clijsters stepped up her comeback with an impressive win over world number one Caroline Wozniacki in an exhibition match on home soil.

The two players went head-to-head in front of 10,000 fans at the Antwerp Sports Palace and it was the Australian Open champion than ran out a 6-2 7-6 winner and the latest tennis betting odds suggest she is getting back to her best.

Former world number one Clijsters is upbeat about her fitness, following her first competitive match for four months.

The four-time Grand Slam winner revealed: “Everything felt really great. Now I am good to get on the plane and fly to Australia.

“It’s been a year of many more downs than ups. Physically, I feel extremely well, perhaps fitter than ever.”

Clijsters will be an ever popular participant in Melbourne, not only because of her victory on the Rod Laver Arena in 2011.

The 28-year-old is nicknamed “Aussie Kim” by the Australian tennis fans, after her former relationship – which ended in 2004 – with Lleyton Hewitt.

Clijsters has an excellent record at Melbourne Park as well, with no fewer than four semi-final appearances, and reaching the final twice – losing in 2004 and winning in 2011.

The tennis fans over at Unibet DK HQ take a look at the latest news in the sport:

The world of tennis has been dealt a blow today with the news that Indian player Rohan Bopanna and Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi have brought a sudden end to their symbolic doubles partnership, which had for a number of years handed hope to the two nations that friendship and peace between the rival countries is possible despite the obvious difficulties.

The Indian Express newspaper revealed that Bopanna would be joining up with fellow Indian player Mahesh Bhupathi next season as he seeks to make an impression throughout the 2012 events, with Bopanna clearly keen to make a fresh start in the world of tennis doubles after he lost three World Tour Finals fixtures in London at the O2 arena with Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi.

Bopanna was fairly reluctant to go into details about the reasons behind his decision to change partner, the player simply stating that who he wants “to play with” is his own decision. It is, nevertheless, a sad end to a partnership that started when the two men were in their early twenties.

As for Qureshi, he’s planning on joining up with Holland’s Jean-Julien Rojer ahead of the 2012 Australian Open, and the pair will be hoping to get some extended practice sessions in before the build-up to the widely anticipated tennis event really starts to hot up.

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Unibet DK take a look at the latest tennis odds and news:

Andy Murray has been fired a warning by Henri Leconte, the former world number five revealing that the Scot will fail to break his Grand Slam duck unless he eases the pressure that he piles on his own shoulders.

Murray once again went through the season without winning a Grand Slam, despite a couple of decent runs that suggested he might have been about to secure glory, and Leconte believes that unless Murray starts to take life on court a little less seriously, he’ll forever be the sport’s nearly man.

In his career to date, Murray has competed in three Grand Slam finals, including two appearances in the final of the Australian Open this year and last year, but he hasn’t even won a single set during those contests.

Leconte revealed that “he has the talent” needed to succeed at the top level, but needs to take a moment on court to just appreciate the experience of playing in a Grand Slam final event, rather than worrying about putting “pressure on himself”.

If Murray can enjoy the time he now has off away from the game before the build-up to the Australian Open begins in earnest in January, he may yet be able to change his mindset so that he feels less personal pressure at the business end of big events. After all, this is a man who has changed from being a fiery, at times purely angry, character on court to one who seems to allow himself a joke and a laugh with his opponents, so change is certainly possible for Britain’s great tennis hope.

Keep an eye on his odds for next season’s Grand Slams on the Unibet site!

Laura Robson has been dealt a blow in her planning for the Australian Open, after being forced to pull out of a training trip.

The British teenager was due to head to Las Vegas to prepare for the new year and specifically for the Australian Open, but injury has scuppered her plans.

Robson was due to spend three weeks in America at the Adidas player development programme, where she was due to work with the likes of Darren Cahill, who has been a coach for Andy Murray, and Andre Agassi’s former trainer Gil Reyes.

But a stress fracture in her shin has forced the 17-year-old to alter her plans, although Robson remains optimistic of being fully fit for 2012. Those looking at the Australian Open women’s singles betting should keep an eye on her fitness.

Speaking on Twitter, the British number four said: “Sadly, I’m unable to go to Vegas to train due to early stages of a stress fracture in my left shin. Back in action in a few weeks so prep for Aus will start then!”

Robson, who was born in Melbourne before moving to the UK at the age of six, enjoyed an excellent second half of the 2011 season.

The teenager reached the second round of both Wimbledon, where she was beaten by Maria Sharapova, and the US Open, which helped her reach 131 in the world standings – her highest ranking to date.

Robson, a two-time Australian Open Junior finalists, will be targeting a place in the top 100 and a big step towards that will be to reach the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time.

The British ace missed two months at the start of 2011, after suffering an injury in the Hopman Cup, before going on to record her best performance in a WTA event, when reaching the semi-finals at Indian Harbor Beach.

Meanwhile, British fans will be keeping an eye on Andy Murray in the Men’s singles tennis betting as he bids to win his first ever Grand Slam title.