Just eight weeks have passed since Novak Djokovic was crowned as the ATP World Tour Finals champion in London, but already the best players in the men's game are preparing themselves to hit the ground running at the first Grand Slam of the Year in Melbourne.
The Australian Open has always been an event that is enjoyed by competitors at both ends of the world rankings due to the hospitality offered at the tournament, but once the pleasantries are over, it's the ideal setting for the players to try to achieve some ranking points in the Race to London as well as creating some momentum for the rest of the year.
Due to his status as world number one and a four-time winner in Australia, most eyes will be on Djokovic, whose form at the end of 2014 put him on a pedestal above his main rivals. The tennis that he produced at the O2 Arena is widely considered to be the most dominant ever seen at an end-of-season finals, and although Roger Federer's withdrawal from the final led to his triumph being something of an anti-climax, he fully deserved the title to end a year that saw him pick up a second Wimbledon trophy.
However, after he suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Ivo Karlovic in Doha, he has arguably handed over the tag of pre-tournament favourite to Federer, who only seems to be getting better with age. There was a time when the legendary Swiss appeared to be wilting, but under the guidance of Stefan Edberg, the 33-year-old has enjoyed a renaissance at the top end of the sport as he targets an 18th Grand Slam crown.
After an impressive 2014 that also saw him help Switzerland to Davis Cup glory, it was unclear how Federer would return after the off-season but back-to-back successes over Grigor Dimitrov and Milos Raonic resulted in Federer winning in Brisbane, and after a week's break from competitive tennis, he should be revitalised ahead of his bid to win his first Australian Open title since 2010.
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Then there is Rafael Nadal, a player who is impossible to discount despite the number of injuries that he has suffered in recent years. As well as constant issues with his knees, a wrist injury and appendicitis curtailed the second half of the last campaign, but such was Nadal's quality during the first six months that he had already done enough to remain in third position in the world rankings - an achievement in itself.
The Spaniard looked a shadow of his normal self when he was thrashed by Andy Murray in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, but improved outings, albeit against Mark Philippoussis and Fernando Verdasco, in a 'Fast4' event added a bit more belief to Nadal's repertoire and with the left-hander under less pressure than usual, he has the potential to slip under the radar before becoming a threat in the latter stages.
A player who slipped under the radar 12 months ago ended up winning his first Grand Slam title. Stanislas Wawrinka already had a tendency to perform well in Melbourne - the court surface suits his flat hitting to a tee - but it was still regarded as one of the biggest shocks in recent years when he overcame Djokovic and Nadal on the way to glory on Australia's South Coast.
The Swiss number two had spent all of his career in the shadow of Federer but he grabbed his opportunity with both hands to establish himself as the top gun outside of the "big three". It remains to be seen how Wawrinka will handle the pressure of defending his trophy in front of an expectant audience, but he still possesses the same game as last year and he can beat any of his main rivals when producing his 'A' game.
Below the top four in the world, much of the attention will centre around Murray, who has gone close in Australia on three occasions before falling at the final hurdle. After a disappointing showing at the ATP Tour Finals, Murray has started this season by impressing in the Abu Dhabi exhibition event and the Hopman Cup, but he's under pressure to perform in a major after only making one semi-final last year.
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After changes to his backroom staff, it will be interesting to see the Scot's mentality heading into the tournament. The two-time Grand Slam winner has the game to add another trophy to his cabinet, but any negativity in his gameplan has often seen him come unstuck against high-level opposition and that's something that he will need to eradicate if he is to have a chance of winning seven matches in conditions that are likely to favour aggressive hitting.
The likes of Kei Nishikori, Tomas Berdych and Raonic are all expected to be contenders, too. Nishikori now possesses the big-match experience to take him further than the quarter-finals that he achieved in 2012, Berdych comfortably made the semis last year before falling to Wawrinka, while the firepower of Raonic is capable of defeating anyone in the world providing that he can find the consistency to go with it. Dimitrov also has potential, but much will depend on which quarter of the draw he is allocated when it takes place on Thursday night.
As far as home hopes lie, Australian number one Nick Kyrgios is an injury doubt while Bernard Tomic remains as unpredictable as when he made his tournament debut all the way back in 2009. Lleyton Hewitt will be looking to find some inspiration from somewhere to help out his quest to remain inside the world's top 100, while the local challenge is strengthened by wildcards being handed to Thanasi Kokkinakis, James Duckworth, Luke Saville and John Millman, who took a set off Federer in Brisbane last week.
However the opening major of the year pans out, expect plenty of surprise results, whether that's due to poor preparation or players struggling in the intense Melbourne heat. Taking last year's US Open out of the equation, this is the Grand Slam tournament that usually throws up the most upsets, and with a fresh batch of youngsters coming through the system to try to make their mark in the sport, this year's offering should be no different.
Darren Plant
