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Rivalries & records - Australian Open key questions
Comes around fast, doesn't it?
After another off-season break deemed too short by some, the first Grand Slam of the year is about to begin.
So what are the main Australian Open storylines to be aware of before play gets under way on Sunday?
This is the question everyone has been asking.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are not just the best two players on the ATP Tour – they are operating in a class of their own.
The pair have claimed the past eight major titles between them, with Italy's Sinner targeting a third Melbourne title in a row.
Sinner's relentlessly metronomic baseline game marries perfectly with the medium-fast hard courts. The looser, more creative Alcaraz has not managed to master the Melbourne surface and has yet to go beyond the quarter-finals here.
That, however, is down to lack of rhythm at the start of the year, rather than a lack of adaptability.
If the 22-year-old Spaniard does hit the ground running – as he starts a new era without long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero – he will become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.
Alcaraz said at the end of last season that in 2026 he would "rather win my first Australian Open than retain my French Open and US Open titles".
Alcaraz is not the only player aiming to complete a clean sweep of Slam titles.
Like Alcaraz, Poland's Iga Swiatek has six Grand Slam titles to her name, and the Australian Open is the missing piece of the jigsaw.
The 24-year-old has already cemented her place as a future great after a Wimbledon triumph last year which few predicted - including herself.
However, defeats by Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic at the curtain-raising United Cup showed Swiatek will need to quickly iron a few things out in Melbourne.
Swiatek says she can "hear" the talk about the career Slam, but she is intent on shutting out any thoughts of achieving it.
"Obviously it would be a dream come true. This is not my clear goal that I wake up with. I'm thinking more about how I want to play, what I want to improve day by day," she said.
Gauff joins Swiatek as part of a triumvirate who has won nine of the past 12 majors, but it is the third member - two-time Melbourne champion Aryna Sabalenka - who is the pre-tournament favourite.
World number one Sabalenka warmed up by winning the Brisbane title last week, although she believes that counts for little.
"It's tennis - that's why it's so beautiful because you cannot predict anything," said the 27-year-old Belarusian, who lost to Madison Keys in last year's Australian Open final.
Every day you go out there and prove your level.
The problem with emerging as a teenage superstar is that expectations suddenly rocket and, in Emma Raducanu's case, become almost unmanageable.
Now into the fifth season since her scarcely believable US Open triumph, there is no escaping that the 23-year-old needs to prove she belongs at the top of the WTA Tour.
The challenge for Raducanu this season is closing the gulf to the very best in terms of head-to-head results and ranking.
The signs last year were encouraging and regaining her place in the world's top 30 means she will be seeded at the Australian Open – but the prospect of Sabalenka in the third round looms large.
Raducanu is one of seven British players in the men's and women's singles draws, and she is the highest-ranked following Jack Draper's withdrawal with injury.
Cameron Norrie, Jacob Fearnley, Francesca Jones, Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter all earned direct entry, while Arthur Fery came through qualifying.
Australia has felt like a home away from home for Novak Djokovic for the majority of his career.
The Serb has won 10 of his 24 Grand Slam titles on Rod Laver Arena and the smart money goes on him winning again in Melbourne if he is to finally pull clear of Margaret Court with a standalone all-time record 25th.
There is no escaping that Father Time is catching up with the 38-year-old.
In the past two seasons he has struggled to match Alcaraz and Sinner physically over five sets, yet he remains the player most capable of beating them with his technical ability and single-mindedness.
Last season Djokovic reached the semi-finals of all four majors - a remarkable feat of consistency at the highest level.
Predicting what the world number four might achieve this year is difficult. It would also be foolish to write him off.
A few factors have helped the Australian Open market itself as the 'Happy Slam'.
Sun-soaked Melbourne summer days boost the dopamine levels, while the feelgood factor is helped by the party atmosphere around the grounds.
Superstar DJs, hot bands, hip restaurant link-ups and premium alcohol brands are available around the site, which is based in the heart of Melbourne's central district.
Tournament director Craig Tiley understands the importance of closing the gap on Wimbledon, the French Open and US Open in terms of status and commercial pull.
Players talk glowingly about the event, with particular emphasis placed on the quality of facilities behind the scenes.
However, a group of leading players are said to be "disappointed" the organisers still don't provide a greater share of the total revenue - even though a record prize pot of £55m is available this year.
Wider concerns remain over player welfare and, with the Australian Open having a history of issues with heat and late-night finishes, those issues could come to the fore again over the next fortnight.
Source: BBC
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