TNIE online desk
Men’s second seed and two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner will be looking to make it three in a row in Melbourne. If the 24-year-old wins the Australian Open, he would join Djokovic as the only men in the Open era to do so.
While Sinner is the defending champion, Alcaraz leads 10-6 in their head-to-head record and bumped Sinner from the season-ending world number one spot. Should he snap his Australia drought at the tournament starting on Sunday, Alcaraz would become the youngest man to bank a career Grand Slam, surpassing retired compatriot Rafael Nadal.
The Serb is back again at his most successful hunting ground, but there are questions over his fitness and form with the 38-year-old pulling out of this week's Adelaide International. Still chasing a record 25th major crown, Novak Djokovic could be at his last Australian Open and will be desperate to win there again.
Alexander Zverev, the runner up a year ago, will enter the tournament as the third seed.
Three-time Australian Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev will be an underdog at the opening Grand Slam of the year.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka is favourite to win a third Australian Open in four years but faces strong competition from a United States contingent led by Coco Gauff and defending champion Madison Keys.