Will Novak Djokovic (37) be able to capture his 100th tournament title in his favourite surroundings, or will Jannik Sinner (23) be able to defend his title? And what about Carlos Alcaraz (21), who has declared an attack on the only trophy he is missing from his Grand Slam collection? Having said that, the odds could also be upset by home-grown rebel Nick Kyrgios (29).
And it is Kyrgios who is drawing the most attention to himself. The Australian star may have played just two matches since October 2022 but he has been preparing hard for his comeback in recent months and, especially in Brisbane, he excelled in the doubles, which he played alongside Djokovic.
"It was amazing. I'm glad I was able to share the court with him on his return," said Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam winner. In the past, the two have held more of a feud.
Kyrgios' preparation for the singles was a tense match with Giovanni Mpethsi Perricard, which the Australian lost in the third set tiebreak. Kyrgios' last Grand Slam was at the 2022 US Open, where he reached the quarter-finals. However, his start will ultimately be a question until the last minute, as he announced just before the tournament that he was struggling with his fitness again.
Djokovic eyeing more history
The perhaps ageless Djokovic has been working with his former rival Andy Murray since the new season. Ironically, it was in Melbourne that he beat him four times in the final.
"Now I'm here to sabotage his chances of winning again," Murray quipped. But then he continued in a serious tone.
"Novak is not only one of the best tennis players of all time, but more importantly one of the best athletes of all time," he added.
Djokovic will be aiming to win his 11th Australian Open title and 25th Grand Slam in Melbourne. No one in history has won more. The Serbian tennis player will be a tough opponent for everyone at Melbourne Park again this year, as evidenced by his 91% win rate. A possible title would be the 100th tournament title of his career.
Sinner in a hostile environment
Sinner will be playing under a lot of pressure in Australia. It was the world number one that Kyrgios took aim at and was very outspoken in his criticism of the Italian's doping case.
"Whether it was an accident or a plan, it's ridiculous," he told the Italian tennis player.
"If he did nothing wrong, why did they take away his points and prize money? No, I won't keep quiet about it," he added.
Sinner had just captured his first Grand Slam trophy in Melbourne last year and added a second at another hard major in New York. A possible clash with Kyrgios, which the Australian was keen to see, is only possible in an eventual final.
The second-seeded player at the Melbourne Grand Slam is last year's semi-finalist Alexander Zverev of Germany, thanks to the current rankings. But more attention will be focused on Spain's Alcaraz. "I would like to get a tattoo of a kangaroo," Alcaraz recently told Spanish newspaper Marca, referring to the custom of immortalizing his great triumphs on his skin.
"Yes, my goal is to win the Grand Slam in Melbourne," he added. If he succeeds, he will complete a career slam and become the youngest player in history ever to do so. But he also knows he could face Djokovic as early as the quarter-finals.
Follow the men's tournament here.
Sabalenka looking to extend unbeaten run
The favourite on the women's side is Aryna Sabalenka. She hasn't lost 14 matches in a row in Melbourne, winning the two previous editions. Last year, the Belarusian was accompanied to the final by China's Zheng Qinwen but this year the better chances of winning are from Poland's Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff of the USA.
Naomi Osaka, who triumphed twice in Melbourne before her pregnancy (2019 and 2021) and played some impressive matches at the Grand Slams in her comeback season last year, will also be one to watch. The dark horse will be Karolina Muchova, who starts as the 30th seed.
