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Australian Tennis Open 2023: WINNERS
Australian Open 2023 Preview: Djokovic, Nadal, Raducanu & Murray Set For Melbourne
Australian Open 2023 Dates: 16-29 January Venue: Melbourne Park
Novak Djokovic received a rapturous welcome on his return to the court in Australia at the Adelaide International last week
BBC 16 JAN 2023
Novak Djokovic returns to the Australian Open a year on from his controversial deportation, again primed as the man to beat at the opening Grand Slam tournament of the 2023 season.
The 35-year-old Serb, aiming for a record-extending 10th title in Melbourne and a record-equalling 22nd men's major, has warmed up by winning an ATP title in Adelaide.
Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz, ranked the world's best men's player, has pulled out with a knee injury and is one of several high-profile names to miss out.
British women's number one Emma Raducanu suffered an ankle injury in the build-up, initially putting her participation in doubt but the 20-year-old says she is "ready to play".
Raducanu will be one of seven Britons playing in the singles main draws, with 11th seed Cameron Norrie and Andy Murray headlining the men's interest.
This will also be the first Grand Slam event following the retirements of veteran superstars Serena Williams and Roger Federer.
With the tournament starting on Monday, BBC Sport runs through the major talking points.
Djokovic is still the man to beat
The build-up to this year's tournament has been much quieter than 12 months ago - but Djokovic remains the centre of most of the attention.
After a cancelled visa, detention in an immigration centre, multiple court cases and eventual deportation - all as a consequence of him being unvaccinated against Covid-19 - Djokovic was unable to play in the 2022 edition of a tournament which he has long dominated.
On his return, the Serb will be glad to focus on the tennis and looks well placed to regain his stranglehold on the trophy.
The nine-time champion has won the title on his past three appearances and has lost only three matches at Melbourne Park since 2011.
A limited schedule, partly down to not being allowed to enter the United States last year because of his vaccination status, means he is ranked fifth in the world but a strong end to last season, and confident start to this year, shows he still remains the man to beat.
Winning the Adelaide title last week came after triumphs in Tel Aviv, Astana and the ATP Tour Finals in 2022, with the only defeat in his past 25 matches inflicted by Holger Rune in the Paris Masters final.
Plus, one would imagine a player who has regularly thrived when he feels he has a point to prove will have extra fire in his belly after last year's chaos.
If he wins the title, Djokovic will also regain the world number one ranking.
Who can challenge in Alcaraz's absence?
Spain's Rafael Nadal was the main beneficiary of Djokovic's absence last year, winning a record 21st major men's title and extending his overall tally with another victory at the French Open.
Nadal, 36, is one ahead of Djokovic, who reduced the gap at Wimbledon, in the race to finish with the most silverware which is regularly used to determine the greatest players of all time.
Like Djokovic, Nadal can never be underestimated and ruled out of contention at a major. The two-time champion will be the top seed following US Open winner Alcaraz's withdrawal.
But, after an abdominal injury ruined the second half of last season for him, and having started this season with two consecutive defeats at the United Cup, another Nadal triumph looks to be a long shot.
A tough draw - which begins with a first-round match against rising British star Jack Draper - could also be problematic.
Norway's Casper Ruud will look to continue his upward trajectory following runs to the French Open and US Open finals last year, while Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas is also aiming to finally land his first major at a venue where he has a strong record.
Ruud and Tsitsipas also have the opportunity to become the world number one for the first time, guaranteed to replace Alcaraz if they win the title.
Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios will be the centre of attention for the home fans, Russia's Daniil Medvedev - who lost the 2022 final after a stunning fightback by Nadal - is aiming to recapture his best form, while Danish teenager Holger Rune aims to continue his swift ascent.
Rafael Nadal is the top seed in the men's singles, followed by Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Novak Djokovic, Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev and Taylor Fritz
Swiatek aiming to continue dominance
For the first time since Serena Williams was in her pomp almost a decade ago, the WTA season was completely dominated by a single player last year.
Iga Swiatek rose to the top of the world rankings when Australia's Ashleigh Barty announced her shock retirement in March, a time the 21-year-old from Poland was almost midway through a 37-match winning streak and on the way to winning the third of six titles in a row.
One of those triumphs came at the French Open - the second time she had won at Roland Garros - and she finished a productive season with another major trophy at the US Open.
The signs remain Swiatek will continue this year where she left off, although a defeat by American Jessica Pegula last week left the Pole in tears on the court and she subsequently pulled out of a tournament in Adelaide citing a shoulder injury.
Pegula, one of the most consistent players last season but still to land a major, also withdrew from the warm-up event after inspiring the US to victory at the inaugural United Cup.
The world number three is expected to challenge Swiatek at Melbourne Park, where a new champion will be crowned after Barty - who announced last week she is pregnant - ended Australia's 44-year wait for a major singles champion.
Tunisia's second seed Ons Jabeur is aiming to finally land a major after defeats in the Wimbledon and US Open finals last year, France's Caroline Garcia and American teenager Coco Gauff will look to build further on impressive seasons, while China's Zheng Qinwen is another talented youngster with a burgeoning reputation.
Two-time champion Naomi Osaka withdrew before announcing she is pregnant and 42-year-old Venus Williams - given a wildcard by organisers - pulled out through injury.
Iga Swiatek in the top seed in the women's singles, followed by Ons Jabeur, Jessica Pegula, Caroline Garcia, Aryna Sabalenka, Maria Sakkari, Coco Gauff and Daria Kasatkina
Raducanu fit to lead British bid
When Raducanu curtailed her 2022 season and shortly after started a two-month training block to build up her body for the rigours of the tour, she was hoping to put her injury problems behind her.
Then came the ankle injury - suffered in her second match of the year, when she played Slovakia's Viktoria Kuzmova in Auckland - which Raducanu described as an "accident" she could not avoid.
The 2021 US Open champion's mobility during practice at Melbourne Park this week initially looked difficult and she said her recovery progress would be assessed "day by day".
By Thursday - when the draw was made - she was moving freely and looked in good enough shape to play.
"We were thrown a bit of a curveball but we remained optimistic," she said on Saturday. "I fully trust my ankle and I'm ready to play."
Raducanu was tearful when she left the Auckland court after retiring with an ankle injury, but has been upbeat this week about her chances of playing the Australian Open
Harriet Dart, ranked 96th, is Britain's only other representative in the women's singles.
British men's number one Norrie, 27, is aiming to maintain his stunning progress over the past couple of years, showing his intent with a career-best victory over Nadal at the recent United Cup.
Norrie vowed after a first-round exit in Melbourne last year to tailor his schedule to peak at the majors, going on to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals and now hopes to avoid falling at the first hurdle in Australia for the fourth time in five years.
Dan Evans is the only other British seed in the men's singles, with rising star Jack Draper and former world number one Murray ranked in the world's top 50 but just outside the seeds.
Kyle Edmund, a semi-finalist in 2018, returns to Melbourne Park using a protected ranking as he continues his comeback after three knee operations.
In the men's doubles, world number one Neal Skupski and 2020 Australian Open champion Joe Salisbury lead the British hopes with their respective partners Wesley Koolhof and Rajeev Ram.
Lloyd Glasspool, Jamie Murray, plus all-British partnership Julian Cash and Henry Patten, are also in the draw, with Olivia Nicholls and Alicia Barnett - who made their breakthrough last year and starred for Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals - in the women's doubles along with Heather Watson.
In the wheelchair event, 17-year-old Ben Bartram has been awarded a wildcard and joins Alfie Hewett, Gordon Reid, Lucy Shuker and Andy Lapthorne.
Australian Open
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