FIVE MEN TO WATCH

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

RANKED: 1 COUNTRY: Serbia 2018 SINGLES TITLES: 4 CAREER TITLES: 72 GRAND SLAM TITLES (14): Australian Open (’08, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’15, ’16), French Open (’16), Wimbledon (’11, ’14, ’15, ’18), U.S. Open (’11, ’15, ’18) ACES: Has won an ATP-best 27.4 percent of his return games against top-10 opponents over his career. TOPSPIN: Had surgery on his right elbow shortly after last year’s early departure in Melbourne and really returned to his best play in the season’s second half, winning Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

RAFAEL NADAL

RANKED: 2 COUNTRY: Spain 2018 SINGLES TITLES: 5 CAREER TITLES: 80 GRAND SLAM TITLES (17): Australian Open (’09), French Open (’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’14, ’17, ’18), Wimbledon (’08, ’10), U.S. Open (’10, ’13, ’17) ACES: Led ATP by winning 36.6 percent of return games in 2018; no one else was even at 31 percent. TOPSPIN: Pulled out of tuneup event, citing a strained thigh muscle, so fitness in Melbourne will be worth keeping an eye on early . ... Hard courts give his body trouble, but if he’s OK, could make a deep run at only Slam he hasn’t won at least twice.

ROGER FEDERER

RANKED: 3 COUNTRY: Switzerland 2018 SINGLES TITLES: 4 CAREER TITLES: 99 GRAND SLAM TITLES (20): Australian Open (’04, ’06, ’07, ’10, ’17, ’18), French Open (’09), Wimbledon (’03, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’09, ’12, ’17), U.S. Open (’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08) ACES: Will try again for his 100th career title. ... Bids for a third consecutive Australian Open trophy; only Djokovic has done that in the Open era. TOPSPIN: Everyone keeps wondering how much longer he can keep contending for majors, but still no reason to doubt him.

KEI NISHIKORI

RANKED: 9 COUNTRY: Japan 2018 SINGLES TITLES: 0 CAREER TITLES: 12 GRAND SLAM TITLES (0): Best: runner-up, U.S. Open (’14) ACES: Held in 81.4 percent of his service games last season, the lowest rate of any member of the year-end top 10. TOPSPIN: If the bracket breaks in his favor, could make a deep run. Past four exits in Melbourne came against Federer, Djokovic, Nadal and Wawrinka, who’ve all won the tournament.

JOHN ISNER

RANKED: 10 COUNTRY: United States 2018 SINGLES TITLES: 2 CAREER TITLES: 14 GRAND SLAM TITLES (0): Best: semifinal, Wimbledon (’18) ACES: Led ATP last year by winning 93.6 percent of his service games . ... Led tour with 1,213 aces in 2018. TOPSPIN: After quick exit in Australia, the former Georgia Bulldog wound up having best season of career in 2018; maybe he channels last year’s Grand Slam success at Wimbledon, U.S. Open and making his first quarterfinal in Melbourne.