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RAFAEL NADAL

SPAIN. Age: 31. World ranking: 1.

Aust Open record: Best result: Champion (2009). W-L: 51–11 (82.3%). BACK as world No.1 after claiming the French and US Open crowns last year, but is struggling with a knee injury that forced him out of the year-ending ATP Finals and Brisbane International. Has lost three of the past six finals in Melbourne.

ROGER FEDERER

SWITZERLAND. Age: 36. World ranking: 2. Aust Open record: Best result: Champion (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17). W-L: 87–13 (87%). THE ‘part-timer’ enjoyed a fairytale season that began when he beat Nadal in an Aussie Open throwback final 12 months ago. An eighth Wimbledon crown would follow. Coming off a win for Switzerland in the Hopman Cup in Perth.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

BULGARIA. Age: 26. World ranking: 3. Aust Open record: Best result:

SF (2017). W-L: 16–7 (70%) CLAIMED four titles in 2017 – including the year-ending ATP Finals tournament – to reach a career-high ranking of 3. But remains a grand slam failure. Knocked out by Nadal in the semis in Australia last year – his best result at a major.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV

GERMANY. Age: 20. World ranking: 4. Aust Open record: Best result: 3rd round (2017). W-L: 2–2 (50%).

THE next big thing – he is 198cm – came of age in 2017 with five singles titles. Only Federer (7) and Nadal (6) earned more. Beat Fed in the final in Montreal, but yet to make an impact at a major, his best result a quarter-final berth at Wimbledon.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

SERBIA. Age: 30. World ranking: 14. Aust Open record: Best result: Champion (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16). W-L: 58–7 (89%). ARRIVED in Melbourne this time last year at the peak of his powers, having contested seven of the past eight grand slam finals, winning five of them. Since then has been cut down by an elbow injury. Can he replicate Nadal and Federer’s resurgence?

NICK KYRGIOS

AUSTRALIA. Age: 22. World ranking: 17. Aust Open record: Best result: QF (2015). W-L: 8–4 (67%).

HAS hit the ground running in 2018, claiming a first crown on home soil in Brisbane. Went through 2017 without a title – and didn’t make it past the second round at a grand slam – but underlined his talent in beating Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Zverev.