Five men to watch at the Australian Open tennis

Five players to watch in men's draw at Australian Open, first Grand Slam tournament of season, which starts on Monday: 

1. vak Djokovic 

Much like changeable wear, superb Serb's success in Melbourne is almost a given. Djokovic is going for a record-extending eighth title after making his Grand Slam breakthrough on azure courts way back in 2008.

Djokovic, who has w amassed 16 major tournament wins, thrashed his old sparring partner Rafael Nal in last year's final to kick off ar phemenal year where he won his fifth Wimbledon title and collected five tournament victories to take his career tally to 77.

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w 32 and ranked world number two, body is betting against 'le' putting toger a similar season this year.

2. Roger Federer 

Crowd favourite Federer is rapidly becoming oldest swinger in town but even at 38, he still has tools to d to his all-time record of 20 Grand Slam titles. At this st in his career, retirement talk is never far away but re are few signs Federer will call a halt this year when he will look to fill only gap in his trophy cabinet -- Olympic singles gold.

Like Djokovic, Federer also has a liking for Melbourne Park, winning two of last three men's singles titles, and he will hope to bounce back from last year's chastening fourth-round defeat to Greek Stefas Tsitsipas, who is 17 years his junior.

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3. Rafael Nal 

Top-ranked Nal, so often Federer's nemesis, can deliver ultimate slap to great Swiss by equalling his 20 Major titles in Melbourne. Mallorcan, w first man to be world number one in three different deces, won 2009 final against a tearful Federer but that remains his best showing in Australia, with four runner-up finishes to his name.

Nal, 33, has been gallant loser in two of last three deciders but it would be just like indomitable Spaniard to hit back with a long-awaited second Australian Open title on February 2.

4. Stefas Tsitsipas 

Greece has never h a player like Tsitsipas and expectations are high for 21-year-old, who stunned Federer last year en route to Melbourne semi-finals. 1.93m (6ft 4in) Tsitsipas h quite season in 2019, lifting his second, third and fourth ATP trophies and beating Dominic Thiem to win ATP Finals.

Apart from his Melbourne run, however, Tsitsipas wasn't such a threat at Grand Slams, as he was a first-round loser at Wimbledon and US Open and fell to Stan Wawrinka in fourth round at Roland Garros. w Tsitsipas needs to show he can take next step this season -- and break Big Three's stranglehold on Major titles.

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5. Nick Kyrgios 

When Kyrgios plays, controversy is never far away and re is doubt that combustible Canberran will provide some fireworks at Melbourne Park.Kyrgios is possessed of a huge forehand and serve -- when he's t serving underarm -- but by general consensus, he needs to curb his sparring with umpires, fans and fellow players if he is to threaten at his home Grand Slam.

Kyrgios, 24, is also playing under a suspended 16-week ban, meaning consequences will be severe if he lets his temper get better of him. 

(Im Courtesy: AP)

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