The Belarusian overtook Swiatek for the top ranking in September and appeared on course to finish the year as number one until the Pole won the season-ending WTA Finals in Mexico to return to the summit. The best previous result at Melbourne Park for Swiatek, 22, was reaching the semi-finals in 2022. The 25-year-old Sabalenka was on a 15-match winning streak in Australia before Sunday’s 6-0, 6-3 Brisbane International final defeat to Elena Rybakina in a rerun of last year’s Australian Open championship match.

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‘We always push each other’
The 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina, ranked third in the world, will also be one of the favourites for the year’s first Grand Slam, which will start on Sunday in a bid to reduce the amount of late-night finishes in the early rounds. “We always push each other and I think that’s great,” said the Russian-born Kazakh, 24. “We improve this way, so hopefully we continue.” 

Naomi Osaka

Japan’s Osaka and Germany’s Angelique Kerber are among a number of mothers returning at the event after giving birth, a group that includes the 2018 winner, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark. Another recent mum, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, is seeking to build on her impressive form after coming back in April last year. She was in great touch in her Auckland warm-up last week, beating former Grand Slam champions Wozniacki and Emma Raducanu before losing a tight three-set final to American Coco Gauff. 

Nineteen-year-old Gauff, who won her first major at the US Open in September, rounds out a powerful group of four at the top of the rankings. Two-time Australian Open champion Osaka returned to the court last week after taking a 15-month break from the game, initially for mental health concerns. Last year she gave birth to daughter Shai.

The 26-year-old stayed upbeat after her second-round loss to Karolina Pliskova in Brisbane last week. “I think for me even stepping on the court is a personal win because a couple of weeks ago I was even doubting if I could play with everyone,” said Osaka. “I know that if I keep training and if I keep putting in the work, then I’ll eventually get to where I want to be.” 

Wozniacki’s memories
Wozniacki, 33, who reached the fourth round at last year’s US Open, is playing at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2020, having had two children while away. “I have so many wonderful memories of Melbourne and, of course, winning the Australian Open is an all-time career highlight,” Wozniacki, who was given a wildcard to compete, told the AO Show Podcast.