The Australian Open draws have been released and just two days separate us from main draw action, which kicks off on Sunday at Melbourne Park.
Here’s a look at some of the main talking points surrounding the first Grand Slam of the season.
Alcaraz, Swiatek out to complete career Grand Slam
You know you have the chance to do something really cool if Roger Federer is hyped for it.
Both Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek enter this Australian Open with an opportunity to complete the career Grand Slam.
Having already triumphed at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, a title at Melbourne Park is the only one remaining from Alcaraz’s and Swiatek’s resumes.
If Alcaraz pulls it off, the 22-year-old Spaniard would become the youngest man in history to complete a career Grand Slam.
Federer, who is in Melbourne for the opening ceremony, spoke to reporters on Thursday about the possibility of Alcaraz achieving that feat.
“It’s like Rory [McIlroy] going for the Masters, those things are tough. At his young age, completing the career Grand Slam would be crazy,” said Federer, who completed his box set of majors when he was 27.
“Let’s see if he is able to do crazy this week. I hope he does because for the game, it would be an unbelievably special moment.”
Victory for Alcaraz this fortnight would also make him the youngest man to win seven majors.
Meanwhile, Swiatek would join an exclusive group of just 10 women who have achieved the career slam.
The 24-year-old Pole had mixed results in the build-up to this Australian Open, with three wins and two losses at the United Cup last week, but the Pole was still able to secure the title with victories in men’s singles and mixed doubles in the final against Switzerland.
Sinner going for 'threepeat'
If you’re not counting his defeat in Wednesday’s 1 Point Slam against Aussie amateur Jordan Smith, Jannik Sinner has not lost a match at the Australian Open since his fourth-round exit to Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2023.
The Italian is bidding to become just the fourth player in history to win three consecutive men’s singles titles at the Australian Open, and only the second in the Open Era after Novak Djokovic, who has achieved the feat twice.
Sinner anchors the men’s draw as the No 2 seed and shares a quarter with eighth-seeded Ben Shelton, who lost to the Italian in last year’s Australian Open semi-finals and Wimbledon quarter-finals.
An exciting prospect possibly awaits Sinner in the third round in the form of Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca. It would be a first meeting between the two.
Potential semi-final opponents for Sinner include fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic (who opens against Pedro Martinez), fifth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, ninth-seeded Taylor Fritz, and an unseeded and extremely dangerous Hubert Hurkacz, who returned from knee surgery with a bang last week at the United Cup.
A fourth consecutive grand slam final meeting between Alcaraz and Sinner seems inevitable, and it would take a monumental effort for someone to end the pair’s duopoly at the majors; they have combined to win the last eight slams.
Alcaraz shares the top half of the draw with last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev and has home favourite Alex de Minaur as a potential quarter-final foe.
Others to look out for in Alcaraz’s possible route are Tommy Paul or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the fourth round, top-10 debutant and freshly-crowned Hong Kong champion Alexander Bublik in the quarter-finals, and Brisbane champion Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Learner Tien or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-finals.
Sabalenka handed kind draw
World No 1 and a two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka is the favourite in Melbourne. She’s been a given a manageable draw that should allow her to reach the final without facing any serious trouble.
The Belarusian shares the top half of the draw with third-seeded Coco Gauff and has seventh-seeded Jasmina Paolini as a potential quarter-final opponent.
The first seed in Sabalenka’s path is No 28 Emma Raducanu, who could take her on in the third round.
An in-form Victoria Mboko, who beat Australian Open champion Madison Keys in Adelaide on Thursday, could be a fun fourth-round opponent for Sabalenka.
Auckland champion Elina Svitolina, 19th-seeded Karolina Muchova, and Brisbane runner-up Marta Kostyuk are all in that top of the draw.
The 45-year-old Venus Williams has a tricky opener against Serbian lefty Olga Danilovic but could square off with Gauff in what would be a highly-anticipated second round.
Defending champion Madison Keys is in the bottom half of the draw with second-seeded Swiatek, and shares a quarter with fellow Americans Jessica Pegula, the No 6 seed, and Amanda Anisimova, the No 4 seed.
That loaded quarter also includes Leylah Fernandez, Paula Badosa, and a returning Karolina Pliskova.
Swiatek’s quarter is littered with land mines with the likes of Elena Rybakina, Belinda Bencic, Naomi Osaka, and Anna Kalinskaya all in the vicinity.
Exciting openers
Men’s
Matteo Berrettini (ITA) v Alex de Minaur (AUS x6)
Alexander Zverev (GER x3) v Gabriel Diallo (CAN)
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) v Tomas Machac (CZE)
Hubert Hurkacz (POL) v Zizou Bergs (BEL)
Ben Shelton (USA x8) v Ugo Humbert (FRA)
Karen Khachanov (RUS x15) v Alex Michelsen (USA)
Women’s
Olga Danilovic (SRB) v Venus Williams (USA)
Donna Vekic (CRO) v Mirra Andreeva (RUS)
Leylah Fernandez (CAN) v Janice Tjen (INA)
Victoria Mboko (CAN x17) v Emerson Jones (AUS)
Tereza Valentova (CZE) v Maya Joint (AUS)
Katie Boulter (GBR) v Belinda Bencic (SUI x10)
