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After the Women’s list of celebrated greats, let’s have a look at the revered men of the contemporary age.
1. Mats Wilander - 1983, 1984, 1988
The Australian Open in 1983 is famously regarded as the tournament in which Mats Wilander learned to volley. Having played on grass, his attacking play saw an obvious improvement during the Grand Slam and eventually, he was out-volleying famous net specialists that included the defending champion Johan Kriek in the quarterfinal and John McEnroe in the semifinal. The 19-year-old faced one other baseline specialist – Ivan Lendl in the final, beating the Czech – 6-1 6-4 6-4 to win his ninth title of the season which made him the youngest Australian Open champion since Ken Rosewall in 1953.
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Wilander’s grass court competence enhanced and he was seeded No.2 going into the 1984 Australian Open. He marched through the tournament; in his quarterfinal against Kriek, he demolished the South African 6-1 6-0 6-2 in a 63-minute semifinal. Although, the final was tougher. The Swede coming back from being one set down, to overcome Kevin Curren 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-2.
While going into the 1988 Australian Open, he was seeded No.3 behind Edberg and Lendl, he wasn’t considered much of a threat. Wilander however reached the semifinals without having lost a set. In the finals against Pat Cash, he was leading 6-3 4-1 as rain interrupted proceedings. On resumption, Cash fought back hard winning the second and third sets before faltering in the fourth. It was a 5-set game any tennis fan would have loved. Wilander saved two match points in the final set before beating Cash 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 6-1, 8-6 in 4 hours and 28-minutes.This victory made him the first man to win Grand Slam titles on grass, clay and hard courts since Jimmy Connors, and the first non-Australian to win three titles at the tournament where eventually, he had a 36-7 win-loss record.
2. Andre Agassi - 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003
Participating in his first Australian Open in 1995, the American was at the center of the Rod Laver Arena in his semifinal against Aaron Krickstein was interrupted as rainwater poured down the stands in a deluge. His final against Pete Sampras was just as theatrical when the debutant defeating the defending champion 4-6 6-1 7-6 6-4 for his second-consecutive Slam title. 
It took another five years before Agassi claimed back the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, beating old rival Sampras, 6-4 3-6 6-7 7-6 6-1 in the semifinal before he beat Kafelnikov 3-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 in the final to win. Being the proud owner of five Grand Slam trophies, Agassi defended his Australian Open title against Arnaud Clement in 2001, which was quite a one-sided match. The semi-final however, was a thriller where he came back to beat Rafter after being one set down to two in an exciting five-setter.
Agassi didn’t contest in 2002 but returned in 2003 to clinch back what was meant to be his defeating Rainer Schuettler 6-1 6-2 6-1 for the title. It was Agassi’s eighth and last title.
“I’ll never forget being here, I’ll never forget playing for you and I’ll never forget the support and the love I have always felt coming down here,” said Agassi after claiming his Australian trophy. “I feel like I’m half Australian.”
He reached the semifinal in 2004 and played his last Australian Open match in 2005, a quarterfinal against Roger Federer, holding a remarkable 48-5 win-loss record at the tournament.
3. Roger Federer - 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010 
Federer made his debut at Melbourne in 2000. In 2004, in his final against Marat Safin, sporting his trademark red shirt and white headband, he was the first Swiss man to win an Australian Open trophy and his second Grand Slam title. The victory took him to the world No.1 ranking which was the beginning of a record – his 237-week reign from that point which made him the longest-serving world No.1 in the history of the game.
He lost the semifinal of the 2005 Australian Open to Safin, letting go of a match point in the fourth set tiebreak. However, Federer came back in 2006 to win the title beating Marcos Baghdatis in the final 5-7 7-5 6-0 6-2. The occasion was momentous; Federer was presented the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup by Rod Laver – his hero, that left Federer in tears. “I hope you know how much this means to me,” he sobbed wiping tears from his eyes. The win made the Swiss man the first since Pete Sampras in 1994 to win three-consecutive majors. It was also his seventh Slam title ,tying him with greats like John McEnroe, John Newcombe and Mats Wilander.
In 2007, Federer’s third title was extraordinary. With his 7-6 6-4 6-4 win over Fernando Gonzalez, he won his tenth major and became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a Grand Slam without dropping a set. This victory was what began a winning spree that saw him claim the 2007 Wimbledon and US Open titles too. It made Federer the only man to perform that thrice ( 2004, 2006 and 2007).
Federer’s Australian Open crown in 2010, his fourth, was specifically special; the Swiss Legend winning his 16th major title to put him ahead of Pete Sampras by two. He then also became the first father to win a Grand Slam since Andre Agassi in 2003. He also was the fifth man in the Australian Open’s history to have won the trophy four times.
