You could say that the Australian Open is the tournament that really gives the “official” starting signal to a season. At the start of the year, the United Cup and some 250 tournaments have already taken place in Australia and New Zealand, but all eyes are on the first Grand Slam of this season.

When a tournament of this caliber hits the screen, you have to know who the big favorites are to win the title. However, there are tennis players who will not play the tournament due to injury who were among the candidates. Without a doubt, the most notorious loss This is the number 1 of the ATP, Carlos Alcarazthe other is the Croatian Marin CilicGrand Slam winner and runner-up here in 2018.

The 5 favorites to win the Australian Open

1. Novak Djokovic. There is no doubt, in this tournament and with an ultra-motivated Novak after not playing last year’s edition, no player has more possibilities and options to win the Australian Open . The Serb is heading for his 10th win here and with Rafa Nadal and his 22 Grand Slams on the horizon. If Djokovic wins in Australia, he would equal the best rival of his career and the two would arrive at Roland Garros tied at 22. The Balkan have just won in Adelaide and have won 22 of their last 23 official matches. He loves this surface and the desire for “revenge” will be felt from the start, we will see if it benefits him or harms him. He also had good luck with painting. On paper, this should prevail.

2. Daniel Medvedev. The Russian, winner of the US Open 2021, has chained two consecutive finals at the Australian Open, two years ago he lost 3-0 to Djokovic and last year he suffered the historic comeback of Nadal who lifted the Spaniard to the top of the rankings. world tennis surpassing Federer’s 20 GS. Daniil topped the rest 2-0, 3-2 and 40-0 when ‘the Beast’ woke up. He is still one step away from beating the two members of the Big Three in the Grand Final (he lost to Djokovic at Australia 2021 and to Nadal at US Open 2019 and Australia 2022). The last tournament he won was in Vienna (October). He will surely reach the final stages.

3. Raphael Nadal. Some people are probably wondering what it does Nadal among the 5 candidates. Others don’t. But gentlemen, how deluded we would be if we didn’t put the Balearics among the favorites for a Grand Slam. Rafa has won 22 and ‘only’ two in Australia, but the way he prevailed here last year (he hadn’t competed for almost six months) was a lesson we can’t forget . Either way, it has to be taken into account. He is the greatest of all time until Djokovic says otherwise. He has just lost 6 of the last 7 matches but in the big tournaments he always shows his face and above all, he usually comes with options until the last rounds. From there, it’s time to dream. Will the 23rd happen?

4. Stefanos Tsitsipas. Surely this is one of the most harmed by the last? shots of the “Big Two” (Djokovic and Nadal). The world number 4 is 24 years old and has not yet won a Grand Slam, he played, dominated, came close, but lost the only final he played, that of Roland Garros 2021 against Novak Djokovic. He repeatedly beat the Serb and Nadal. He fell in the semi-finals in the last edition of Australia but beware, in this tournament he is a giant killer: he eliminated Nadal in the quarter-finals of 2021 and Federer in the round of 16 of 2019. He is good on this terrain and is more than comfortable in these conditions. He has just won his 4 matches in the United Cup and can advance with “comfort” in the draw until the final rounds. This can be your tournament.

5. Felix Auger-Aliassime. Choosing a fifth candidate is the most difficult. There are many names in the list. From Casper Ruud, world number 2, to Matteo Berrettini, via Zverev, Rublev, Fritz… However, the 22-year-old Canadian is number 7 in the ATP and last year he finally won the final , he won 4 out of 5 titles, before losing the 8 finals he played. He beat Djokovic (Laver Cup) and Nadal (ATP Finals) in the home stretch of 2022. Champion of the last Davis Cup, semi-finalist at Paris Bercy, champion of Basel, Antwerp and Florence in the second half of the year. In last year’s edition, he reached the quarter-finals where he fell in 5 sets against Medvedev. Like Greek… and why not?