MELBOURNE – Spare a thought, for the top seeds. Oh, they’re still with us—at least of this writing. But life ain’t always so easy.
For 127 players in each draw, there is a mountain to ascend. Some can see the summit. Some have been there before. For others, the top is barely in focus. But the GPS makes it clear. The intended destination is up.
For one player in each draw—and one player only— the trajectory is different. By definition, the No. 1 seeds are already at the top. Pick your metaphor. They’ve ridden the elevator to the highest floor.