The Australian Open starts at Melbourne Park on Monday, January 16 and will finish on Sunday, January 29. We will bring you extensive live coverage thanks to our dedicated blog and live scores page over the next fortnight
Thursday 12 January 2023 15:22, UK
What are the match-ups after Thursday's first-round draw? Will Britain's Emma Raducanu be fit? Who are the favourites for the men's and women's singles titles? Here are all the questions answered ahead of this year's Australian Open.
Rafael Nadal defends his Australian Open title and Novak Djokovic returns, while Iga Swiatek heads the women's field in Melbourne.
The absence of world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz is a blow for the tournament as well as the next generation's hopes of gaining more ground in the men's game, and home star Ashleigh Barty will also be missed after retiring following her 2022 triumph.
The action at Melbourne Park begins overnight on Sunday in the UK with the night sessions starting at 8am. We will bring you a live running commentary of all the big matches in our dedicated blog, along with reports, news and views at the first Grand Slam of the year.
The British No 1 was in tears after rolling her left ankle at the ASB Classic in Auckland last week which put her participation at the opening Grand Slam of the year in doubt.
But during a recent interview with Tennis Australia, she talked up her chances of appearing in the first major of 2023, saying: "Hopefully by Monday or whenever the tournament starts (for me) I'll be OK and ready."
Raducanu was out on Court 10 hitting balls with strapping on the ankle on Wednesday morning before moving onto Margaret Court for another hour of practice. She stepped up her preparations on Thursday over on Court 17 and looks on course to open her campaign against German Tamara Korpatsch.
With the clock ticking, she will hope to recover from her sprained ankle in time to face her first-round opponent.
Andy Murray enjoyed a remarkable 2022 season. He made the final at Stuttgart, won his 700th ATP Tour match and returned to the top 50 in the world, all while playing with a metal hip.
A deep run at one of the major tournaments is the only thing he has not been able to manage, not making it past the third round since his hip troubles and a tough first-round test against former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini doesn't help matters.
Jack Draper at 21 has risen fast up the rankings and has begun the season in good form.
He is now ranked inside the top 50 and will want to at least match his run to the third round of the US Open, but he faces top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal in his opening clash.
Cameron Norrie is perhaps Britain's best hope in the men's draw while Dan Evans has had success in Australia in the past. Alongside Raducanu, Harriet Dart will be hoping for joy after Jodie Burrage and Katie Boulter missed out on qualification.
After years of instability in the women's game, Swiatek seized the No 1 mantle following Ashleigh Barty's shock retirement and made it her own, dominating on clay and then winning a third Grand Slam title at the US Open.
The 21-year-old Pole is less of a sure thing on hard courts but showed her competitive mettle in New York and is a clear favourite.
Ons Jabeur, Jessica Pegula and Caroline Garcia ought to be her main challengers, but on the women's tour, you never know.
It seems almost written in the stars that Novak Djokovic will put last year's drama behind him to return to Melbourne and win a 10th singles title.
Twelve months ago, the Serbian was deported after being denied entry to Australia having refused a Covid-19 vaccine.
Now, with entry requirements relaxed, the 35-year-old is free to target a perfect 10, having won in Adelaide last week, and few would bet against him doing it.
Top seed in the absence of his compatriot Alcaraz, Nadal returns to the scene of arguably the most remarkable of his 22 Grand Slam victories.
Fearing a chronic foot problem might end his career, Nadal instead claimed his first title in Melbourne since 2009.
The 36-year-old goes into the tournament on the worst run of results of his career. He has yet to win a match in 2023 and has lost six of his last seven matches, but is a master at playing himself into form.
With his run to the Wimbledon final, Kyrgios proved to the tennis world - and himself - that he can be more than an entertaining sideshow.
Now 27, he has a taste for Grand Slam success and, after winning a first major title in doubles in Melbourne last year, will hope to challenge for the singles crown.
"I am one of the best players in the world so I'm definitely going to go into the Australian Open, any tournament, with confidence," he said.
Ashleigh Barty ended a 44-year drought for Australia by winning the 2022 women's title against Danielle Collins before announcing her shock retirement from the sport in March.
Spaniard Rafael Nadal fought back from two sets down to defeat Daniil Medvedev and win his 21st Grand Slam title. He followed that triumph up by winning his 14th French Open.
16-17 January - First round (from 12am GMT, night session from 8am)
18-19 January - Second round (from 12am, night session from 8am)
20-21 January - Third round (from 12am, night session from 8am)
22-23 January - Fourth round (from 12am, night session from 8am)
24-25 January - Quarter-finals (from 12am, night session from 8/8:30am)
26 January - Semi-finals (from 5am)
27 January - Semi-finals (first one 5am, second one not before 8:30am)
28 January - Women's final (8:30am)
29 January - Men's final (8:30am)
The Australian Open total prize pool is $76.5 million, up 3.4 per cent on 2022. The singles champions will each take home $2.975 million, so just over £2.47 million.
