10 players to look out for at the Australian Open

The new grand slam season kicks off with Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka defending their titles at the Australian Open.

Usual suspects Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Serena Williams will once again be among the title favourites when play gets under way at Melbourne Park on January 20.

Here, the PA news agency picks out 10 other names to look out for.

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Daniil Medvedev

Denis Shapovalov

Still only 20, Shapovalov seems to have dealt with the choppy waters that nearly always follow a big breakthrough and come out the other side as a serious contender. With passion and exuberance in bucket-loads, the Canadian looks to be heading for the top 10.

Andrey Rublev

Somewhat in the shadow of his fellow young guns, Russian Rublev was the first of them to make a slam quarter-final at the US Open in 2017. Injury set him back but the 22-year-old is on the up again and won the ATP title in Doha last week. His shots pack a huge punch and he brings a great intensity.

Jannik Sinner

The hottest young teenage talent in tennis, 18-year-old Italian Sinner burst into the top 100 last season before producing a staggering performance to beat Alex De Minaur and win the Next Gen ATP Finals. Possesses explosive power off both wings and a competitive zeal to match.

Ashleigh Barty

Melbourne has not had an Australian women’s singles champion since Chris O’Neil in 1978 but Barty goes in as the world number one having won her maiden grand slam title in Paris last year. A quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park 12 months ago, her profile has sky-rocketed since.

Karolina Pliskova

Amanda Anisimova

Anisimova reached the fourth round in Melbourne last January as a 17-year-old and went on to make the semi-finals in Paris. Tragedy followed with the sudden death of her father and coach, Konstantin, in August. Tennis understandably took a back seat but she is a huge talent with a love of the big stage.

Caroline Wozniacki

Coco Gauff