Novak Djokovic returns to the Australian Open a year after his controversial expulsion, once again named the man to beat at the first Grand Slam tournament of the 2023 season.
The 35-year-old Serb, who is aiming for a record 10th title in Melbourne and a record-tying 22nd men’s major, warmed up by winning an ATP title in Adelaide.
spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz, rated the best men’s player in the world, retired with a knee injury and is one of many top names to miss.
British women’s number one Emma Raducanu suffered an ankle injury during training, initially putting his participation in doubt, but the 20-year-old now appears to be winning her fitness battle.
Raducanu hopes to be one of seven Britons to play in the singles main draw, with the 11th seed Cameron Norrie and Andy Murray headlining male interest.
It will also be the first Grand Slam event following the retirements of veteran superstars Serena Williams and Roger Federer.
With the tournament starting on Monday, BBC Sport goes over the main talking points.
Djokovic is still the man to beat
Preparation for this year’s tournament has been much calmer than 12 months ago – but Djokovic remains the center of attention.
After a canceled visa, detention in an immigration center, multiple trials and possible deportation – all due to his non-vaccination against Covid-19 – Djokovic was unable to participate in the 2022 edition of a tournament he has long dominated.
On his return, the Serb will be content to focus on tennis and seems well placed to regain control of the trophy.
The nine-time champion has won the title in his last three appearances and has lost just three matches at Melbourne Park since 2011.
A limited schedule, in part due to not being allowed to enter the United States last year due to his vaccine status, means he is ranked fifth in the world, but a solid end to last season and a confident start to this year show he is still the man to beat.
Winning the title from Adelaide last week came after triumphs in Tel Aviv, Astana and the ATP Tour Finals in 2022, with the only loss in their last 25 games inflicted by Holger Rune in the Masters final of Paris.
Plus, one would imagine that a player who has consistently thrived when he feels he has a point to prove will have extra fire in his stomach after last year’s chaos.
If he wins the title, Djokovic will also regain the world number one spot.
Who can challenge in the absence of Alcaraz?
spain Rafael Nadal was the main beneficiary of Djokovic’s absence last year, winning a record 21st major men’s title and extending his tally with another victory at Roland Garros.
Nadal, 36, leads Djokovic, who closed the gap at Wimbledon, in the race to finish with the most silverware that is regularly used to determine the greatest players of all time.
Like Djokovic, Nadal can never be underestimated and left out of competition at a major tournament. The two-time champion will be the top seed after US Open winner Alcaraz withdrew.
But, after an abdominal injury ruined the second half of last season for him, and after starting this season with back-to-back United Cup defeats, another Nadal triumph seems like a long shot.
A tough draw – which begins with a first-round match against rising British star Jack Draper – could also be problematic.
Norway Casper Ruud will look to continue their upward trajectory after races to the French Open and US Open finals last year, while Greece Stefanos Tsitsipas also aims to finally land his first major at a venue where he has a strong track record.
Ruud and Tsitsipas also have the opportunity to become world number one for the first time, guaranteed to replace Alcaraz if they win the title.
Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios will be the center of attention for home fans, the Russians Daniel Medvedev – who lost the 2022 final after a superb Nadal fightback – is aiming to regain his best form, while a Danish teenager Holger Rune aims to continue its rapid ascent.
Swiatek wants to continue to dominate
For the first time since Serena Williams was in her prime nearly a decade ago, the WTA season was completely dominated by a single player last year.
Iga Swiatek rose to the top of the world rankings when Australia’s Ashleigh Barty announced her surprise retirement in March, once the 21-year-old Pole was almost halfway through a 37-game winning streak and close to claiming the third of six titles in a row.
One of those triumphs came at Roland Garros – her second time winning at Roland Garros – and she ended a productive season with another major trophy at the US Open.
Signs remain Swiatek will continue this year where she left off, albeit a loss to the American Jessica Pegula last week left the Pole in tears on the pitch and she subsequently withdrew from a tournament in Adelaide citing a shoulder injury.
Pegula, one of last season’s most consistent performers but yet to pick up a major, also withdrew from the warm-up event after inspiring the United States to victory in the first United Cup.
The world number three is set to challenge Swiatek at Melbourne Park, where a new champion will be crowned after Barty – who last week announced she was pregnant – ended Australia’s 44-year wait for a big singles champion.
Tunisia’s second seed Ons Jabeur finally aiming to clinch a major tournament after defeats in the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open last year, France Caroline Garcia and american teenager Coco Gauff will look to build on impressive seasons, while China Zheng Qinwen is another talented youngster with a booming reputation.
Double champion Naomi Osaka removed before announces she is pregnant and 42 years old Venus Williams – given a wildcard by the organizers – withdrawn through injury.
Raducanu hopes to lead UK bid
When Raducanu cut short her 2022 season and soon after began a two-month training block to strengthen her body for the rigors of the tour, she hoped to put her injury troubles behind her.
Then came the ankle injury – suffered in her second game of the year, when she faced Slovak Viktoria Kuzmova in Auckland – which Raducanu described as an ‘accident’ she couldn’t avoid .
The 2021 US Open champion’s mobility during training at Melbourne Park this week initially seemed difficult and she said her recovery progress would be assessed “day by day”.
By Thursday – when the draw was made – she was moving freely and looked in good enough shape to play.
Harriet Dard, ranked 96th, is the only other representative of Great Britain in women’s singles.
Britain’s men’s number one Norrie, 27, is aiming to maintain his stunning progress over the past two years, showing his intent with a career-best win over Nadal in the recent United Cup.
Norrie has vowed after a first-round exit in Melbourne last year to adapt his schedule to reach the top of the majors, to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals and now hopes to avoid falling at the first hurdle in Australia for the fourth time in five years. .
Dan Evans is the only other British men’s singles seed, with a rising star jack draper and former world number one Murray made it into the world top 50 but just outside the top seeds.
Kyle Edmond, semi-finalist in 2018, returns to Melbourne Park using a protected ranking as he continues his comeback after three knee operations.
In men’s doubles, world number one Neal Skupski and 2020 Australian Open champion Joe Salisbury lead British hopes with their respective partners Wesley Koolhof and Rajeev Ram.
Lloyd Glasspool, Jamie Murray, no longer an all-British partnership Julien Cash and Henry Patten, are also in the draw, with Olivia Nicholls and Alicia Barnett – who made her breakthrough last year and played for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup final – in women’s doubles with Heather Watson.
In the wheelchair event, 17 years old Ben Bartram received a wildcard and joined Alfie Hewett, Gordon Reid, Lucy Shuker and Andy Lapthorne.
