MONDAY marks the start of Australia’s most prestigious tennis tournament, with the Australian Open kicking off at Melbourne Park. The first round contains 128 players – including 32 qualifiers – 64 of whom will take to the courts on the opening day. We take a look at the Australian Open women’s singles field, and how the event might pan out.

REIGNING CHAMPION

In an unusual circumstance, there will be a new champion crowned in 2023 – be it a past winner or first-time winner – but it will not be the reigning champion. In the past, reigning champions have missed due to injury, but of course in this case, it is due to retirement. The 2022 Australian Open champion was none other than Ash Barty, with the Australian world number one achieving her goal of winning a home Grand Slam, then retiring to focus on pursuits outside of tennis, and now her first child.

REIGNING RUNNER-UP

American Danielle Collins wowed Melbourne Park last year as she surprised plenty by reaching the Australian Open final. Though ultimately beaten by an incredible Barty, Collins returns to the event in 2023 to try again. With lots of points in liability if she cannot reach the final, there is plenty on the line for the 13th seed. She has a tough draw though, starting with Russian Anna Kalinskaya, followed by tricky Czech Karolina Muchova. Two Grand Slam winners follow with Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and top seed Iga Swiatek all in her eighth, so she will need to beat them just to reach the quarter finals.

2023 FAVOURITE

Swiatek is unsurprisingly the favourite, coming in as the number one seed. Though her first two rounds should be pretty steady, she has a tough draw from the third round onwards. German Jule Niemeier is up first, with potentially Colombian young gun Maria Camila Osorio Serrano next. Canadian US Open winner Bianca Andreescu is a huge danger who could be there in the Round of 32, followed by Rybakina or Collins. A quarter finals matchup with red-hot American Coco Gauff, followed by either Jessica Pegula or Maria Sakkari in the semi, makes it a very tough draw.

CONTENDERS

IS IT COCO’S TIME?

The American heads into the Australian Open unbeaten in Auckland, taking out the WTA 250 title there as her preparation for the Grand Slam. Her form there was scintillating, and was only really challenged by fellow American Sofia Kenin on her way to the title. The quality of competition put a huge asterisk next to Gauff heading into this, much like any sport where an incredibly talented athlete competes against weaker competition, but now has to step up. Still a huge chance on form alone, Gauff has the likes of Katerina Siniakova, Emma Raducanu, Qinwen Zheng and Paula Badosa before a potential quarter finals clash with one of the stars from Collins and Swiatek’s eighth of the draw.

PEGULA POWER?

Another American from the top half of the draw who could really give the Australian Open title a shake is third seed Jessica Pegula. An easier draw than those named above, she still has past Grand Slam winners and tricky players in her quarter, but should get to the quarter finals at least. Talented, but inconsistent players like Amanda Anisimova, Petra Kvitova and Barbora Krejcikova stand in her way between the third and fourth rounds, but she should feature in the last eight without too many troubles, and might benefit against a Swiatek of Gauff from the easier draw in the semi if she can overcome sith seed, Maria Sakkari.

ONS-WARD AND UPWARDS

Tunisian second seed Ons Jabeur has an easier draw being in the second half of the overall draw, and though Marketa Vondrousova is potentially a tricky second round matchup but has a good chance at going deep. Fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka is her biggest threat, with the powerful Belarusian another huge chance here, while Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic is another one who could cause some headaches for Jabeur.

UNSEEDED PICK

Canadian Leylah Fernandez is always a danger when she is on, blitzing through Auckland until having a bad day out and completely going to pieces. That is the danger with the young US Open runner-up, but when she is red-hot she can do so much damage. Fernandez meets Alize Cornet up first and then foruth seed Caroline Garcia, but otherwise has as friendly of a draw as one could hope for, with the lowerst possible seeds in their spots of Anett Kontaveit (16th, fourth round) and Daria Kasatkina (eighth, quarter finals) the next in-line.

TIP:

Winner: Coco Gauff (USA)
Runner-up: Ons Jabeur (TUN)