Australian Open 2024: Iga Swiatek targets maiden glory in Melbourne as host of players return

Iga Swiatek has set lofty standards for herself and for this new generation of women's tennis in the post-Serena Williams era. She called 2023 as "the most difficult year of my career" where she lost her World No 1 ranking and suffered disappointing quarter-final and fourth round defeats at Wimbledon and US Open respectively.This was also the year where she won the most titles on the WTA Tour (6), had most match wins (68), most wins on clay courts (19), second-most wins on hard courts (42), most wins over top-10 players (13) and most wins over top-5 players (7).Even though her top ranking slipped away during the year, she came back to win 17 of her last 18 matches while clinching the season-ending WTA Finals to regain the top spot.Read | Players to watch out for at Melbourne ParkThe Pole has picked up from where she left off to win all five of her singles matches at the United Cup last week. The unbeaten streak saw her clinch the maiden MVP Award in the mixed team event.The 22-year-old's previous best at Melbourne Park was reaching the semi-finals in 2022. An attempt at winning her maiden title would be a massive challenge after being handed a rather tough draw.Swiatek starts her Australian Open campaign against 2020 champion Sofia Kenin. If she comes though that, there's one of 2022 finalist Danielle Collins or 2016 winner Angelique Kerber waiting in the second round. Potential meetings against Elina Svitolina, Marketa Vondrousova, two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and Jelena Ostapenko are also on the cards.[caption id="attachment_13603052" align="alignnone" width="640"]

Aryna Sabalenka is the reigning Australian Open champion. She beat Elena Rybakina in the final. AP[/caption]Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who last year became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach at least the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams, poses the biggest threat to Swiatek's title bid.The Belarusian took the World No 1 spot from Swiatek in September and looked to be on course to finish the year as the highest ranked player until the Pole won the season-ending WTA Finals in Mexico.The 25-year-old Sabalenka had been on a 15-match winning streak in Australia before being destroyed 0-6, 3-6 in the Brisbane International final by Rybakina in a re-run of last year's Australian Open championship match.World No 3 Rybakina will also be one of the favourites for this year's Grand Slam.

"We (Sabalenka) always push each other and I think that's great," said the Russian-born Kazakh. "We improve this way, so hopefully we continue."The 2022 Wimbledon champion has a tough start against former World No 1 Karolina Pliskova when they meet in the first round. Pliskova, the highest-ranked unseeded player in the women's singles draw, was an Australian Open quarter-finalist last year. However, Rybakina has won all three of their previous clashes.Coco Gauff, 19, who won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in September, rounds out a powerful group of four at the top of the rankings.Comeback trail for the mumsNaomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber are among a number of mothers returning at the event after giving birth, a group that also includes the 2018 champion, Caroline Wozniacki.Another recent mum, Svitolina, is hoping to build on her impressive form after coming back in April last year.She was in great touch in Auckland last week, beating former Grand Slam champions Wozniacki and Emma Raducanu before losing a tight three-set final to Gauff.Two-time Australian Open champion Osaka returned to the tennis courts last week after taking a 15-month break, initially for mental health concerns. Last year she gave birth to daughter Shai.The 26-year-old looked in good touch against Tamara Korpatsch in her comeback match but the rustiness showed in the next versus Pliskova. The 2019 and 2021 Australian Open champion wasn't able to convert 10 of 12 break opportunities as the Czech player served her way out of trouble. Despite the loss, Osaka looked at the bright side."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."Osaka makes her Melbourne Park return against Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia and has a potential fourth round with Gauff.Wozniacki, 33, who had made the fourth round of 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, told the AO Show Podcast.Away from the mothers, Britain's Emma Raducanu is another player on the comeback trail after an injury-blighted 2023 season.The 2021 US Open champion, who boasts a huge media profile and lucrative endorsement deals, has only played twice in Melbourne and has never been past the second round.She reached the Round of 16 in Auckland but there are some concerns already about her preparations. She, and Osaka, opted out of a charity match in Melbourne. The 21-year-old Raducanu complained of "feeling sore" after a two hour practice session a night before.