Australian Open 2019: 5 Players to watch out for

The first Grand Slam of the year is about to begin, and all the players will be eager to start the year on a positive note. The recently concluded Hopman Cup (which was played in Perth) and the Brisbane International served as tune-up events for the players ahead of the Australian Open.

The Auckland Open and Sydney International, as well as the Kooyong Classic, also gave an opportunity to some of the upcoming players to get much-needed match practice ahead of the big event. Roger Federer started the year on a positive note as he helped Switzerland win the Hopman Cup along with Belinda Bencic.

The Swiss legend will be hoping to continue his good run of form at the upcoming Australian Open. Federer won last year’s title by beating Croatian Marin Cilic in the final, and had also lifted the trophy in 2017 by beating Spaniard Rafael Nadal in the final. He will be hoping for a hat-trick of Australian Open titles.

Novak Djokovic too will be aiming to start the year on a positive note; the Serbian looked in terrific form last year as he won Wimbledon and the US Open. The 31-year-old triumphed at SW19 by beating Kevin Anderson of South Africa in the final and at Flushing Meadows by beating Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina in the final.

Djokovic will once again be among the favorites to lift the title as he is looking in good shape. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal too will be eager to begin the year on a high. The Spaniard faced some injury problems last year but the 32-year-old has on several occasions in the past shown the determination to make a comeback after suffering from injuries.

Nadal won last year’s French Open and lost against Djokovic in the semi-final of Wimbledon. He had to retire midway through the semi-final of the US Open against Del Potro, and will be eager to make a comeback with some spirited performances.

Andy Murray too, faced injury problems last year due to which he missed out on some events.The Scot recently announced that he will be retiring this year as he is unable to bear the pain caused due to his hip injury, and has hinted that the Australian Open could be his last event.

Apart from the big four, there are several other players who are slowly making a mark in the tennis circuit. Those players will be eager to prove their class and need to be on top of their game to match the quality of some the heavyweights.

Here, we take a look at five such players who could be in the limelight at the 2019 Australian Open.

#1 Dominic Thiem

Dominic Thiem is considered to be the next big thing in tennis circles. Thiem had a satisfactory 2018 and will be hoping to continue with the decent run of form in 2019 too.

The 25-year-old produced some fine performances last year by winning the Lyon Open in May and finishing runner-up at the Madrid Open in the same month. The Austrian also finished runner up against Rafael Nadal at the French Open last year.

Thiem's destructive forehands combined with his solid serve can trouble any opponent. His quick groundstrokes have outdone even the best, while his topspin is quite effective on high-bouncing surfaces.

While the Australian Open courts have been playing quicker the last couple of years, Thiem’s calmness could help him during pressure situations. He will be a real threat to all the top players in Melbourne this year.

# 2 Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev has been touted as the next big thing like Dominic Thiem, but the German hasn’t lived up to his billing so far. The German seemingly needs some more time to develop the temperament needed to excel in Grand Slams, especially in the early rounds when the German tends to get a bit nervous. Zverev also tends to get a bit erratic during pressure situations.

But 2019 could be the year which sees his rise as a legitimate star of the sport. The number 4 seed had stated that doing well in Grand Slam events will help him grow as a player, and he could well fulfill that prophecy in Melbourne.

The 22-year-old won the Madrid Masters in May last year by beating Dominic Thiem in the final, and was runner up at the Miami Masters and Rome Masters in March and May respectively. He also won the Munich event in April.

The German's biggest win of 2018 though was at the ATP Finals in London. He beat Novak Djokovic in the final of that tournament.

Zverev finished as the runner up along with Angelique Kerber in the Hopman Cup this year, losing to Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic. His rasping serves can outclass his rivals, while he has the ability to surprise his opponents with his powerful backhand too.

# 3 Marin Cilic

Marin Cilic is another player who hasn’t done full justice to his talent. The Croatian was the runner up at Wimbledon 2017, where he lost his way because of an injury. Cilic was also a runner-up at the Australian Open last year, losing to Roger Federer in the final.

The 2014 US Open champion has stated that doing well in the upcoming Australian Open will give him a much-required boost in his career. Cilic was also a part of the Croatian team that won the Davis Cup final last year, beating France 3-1.

His sublime baseline strikes have always unsettled his opponents, and combined with his powerful serve make him a dangerous opponent for anyone. He can also execute some exceptional drop shots, and can cover a lot of ground with his reach and quick moves.

# 4 Kevin Anderson

Kevin Anderson looked in decent form in 2018 and will look to carry on with the same this year. The 32-year-old made it to the final of last year’s Wimbledon where he lost to Novak Djokovic. He also made it to the semifinals of the Madrid Open and the Canadian Open in May and August respectively.

The South African can be a tricky customer because of his precise power. Anderson can outclass his opponents with his destructive forehands, and he is also a quick mover on the court.

The 2017 US Open finalist recently won the Maharashtra Open in Pune which could act as a morale booster ahead of the Australian Open. The big-serving South African will be a handful for whoever he faces in Melbourne.

# 5 Kei Nishikori

Kei Nishikori is the torch bearer of Asian tennis, and the 29-year-old will be eager to produce some gritty performances in Melbourne.

Nishikori's two-handed backhand can unsettle any opponent, while his forehand and nimble movement have been quite effective too. Nishikori has the ability to play long rallies, and his deceptive moves can trouble his opponents during the run of play.

Nishikori made it to the finals of the Vienna Open in October last year, losing to Kevin Anderson of South Africa. He made it to the Monte Carlo Masters final in April last year and was runner up at the Tokyo Open in October too.

Nishikori started the new year on a positive note by winning the Brisbane International by beating Daniil Medvedev in the final.

The Japanese will be eager to carry on with the momentum at the upcoming Australian Open. It will be interesting to see how he plays during pressure situations.

Edited by Musab Abid