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The year 2018 turned out to be an interesting year for the world of tennis, with the old warhorses Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal winning the year's first two Grand Slams respectively. They threatened to continue the same trend as they did in the 2017 season, winning the 4 Grand Slams alternately.
However, a mid-season resurgence from Novak Djokovic meant that the road was not too easy for the two tennis legends.
The Serbian player dominated the second half of 2018, winning at Wimbledon and the US, hence returning to his No. 1 ranking after a streak of losses.
With the Australian Open having begun today, the year's first Major will be an extremely interesting prospect - with the return of Andy Murray (and the probability of this being his last ever tournament) increasing the excitement manifold.
The return of Murray means that the Big Four (as they are fondly called) will compete in the same tournament after a long hiatus. Here we take a look at their prospects at the 2019 Australian Open.
1. Roger Federer
If tennis was an art, Federer would have been the greatest artist on the planet. The 20 time Grand Slam champion will be vying for his 7th Australian Open title and a third in succession as he takes on Denis Istomin to kick-start his tournament.
The Swiss World No. 3 has had an amazing couple of years in Melbourne, winning the last 2 Majors in Australia. Though many believed Federer's winning streak in the last 2 years coincided with a major dip in form for Djokovic as well as an extended injury break for Murray, Federer would be unperturbed by such reasoning having seen it all in his long career.
The major threat this year could well be in the quarter-finals, where he is most likely to face Croation giant Marin Cilic. With age not on his side, Federer would like to break little sweat in the initial rounds as he is expected to play Nadal in the semis as well, who we all know can be extremely exhausting for opponents.
With 20 Slams already in his kitty and the title of the greatest of all time, Federer and his fans would want an encore of last year's performance from the defending champion.
2. Novak Djokovic
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic had a dream 2018, coming into his own in the second half of the year. Djokovic won the last two Majors - at Wimbledon and the Flushing Meadows - with the latter culminating into his 14th Grand Slam victory.
With strong performances last year, a rejuvenated Djokovic is the favourite to lift his 15th Major at the Rod Laver Arena. Being in the other half of the group than Nadal and Federer would mean that the Serbian would have his way slightly easier.
The major competition is expected in the semi-finals where he is expected to play either Alexander Zverev or Dominic Thiem.
The return of form for Djokovic has only reignited the interest of the tennis fans across the world, making things extremely exciting in the ever competitive game. A resurgent Djokovic would be vying for his 7th Australian Open title, a record that would take him ahead of the great Federer.
3. Rafael Nadal
Like Federer, Rafael Nadal had has a dream couple of years, winning 3 Majors in this period. He even went on to reclaim the World No. 1 spot after a barren run that prompted many to change his coaching staff.
Nadal looked promising in the year ending Slam at the US Open until he had to retire midway during his crucial semi-final clash against Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro.
The Mallorca born player has had numerous trysts with injuries, which could well be a concern for him at the Australian Open. Nadal didn't have a full-fledged preparation for the first Major of the year, as he had to pull out of the Brisbane event courtesy a recurring knee injury.
Though Nadal now feels 100% healthy, the lack of proper match practice could be a factor in his progress at the all important event in Melbourne.
Nadal is certainly not the favourite for the tournament, but counting out a player of his calibre would be foolish to say the least. He has shown exemplary strength, both physical and mental, to overcome all odds in the past and it would be no different this time around.
Coming back from the surgery, the major challenge for Nadal would be to maintain his fitness, as we all know Nadal at his 100% is nearly unstoppable.
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