Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Rafael Nadal fought back from a career-threatening knee injury to take 2013 by storm, winning 10 titles including the French Open and US Open, and also edged Novak Djokovic to finish as the year-end world No 1. He started this year with a win in Doha and he will be keen to make up for his injury-forced absence from Melbourne last year.

World ranking: 1

Birthdate: June 3, 1986

Birthplace: Manacor, Mallorca, Spain

Residence: Manacor, Mallorca, Spain

Height: 6ft 1in (1.85m)

Weight: 188lbs (85kg)

Plays: Left-handed

Turned pro: 2001

Coach: Toni Nadal

Career titles: 61

Grand Slam singles titles: 13

Career prize money: $64,826,283

Best Australian Open result: Champion (2009)

Roger Federer (SUI)

The all-time Grand Slam record-holder, now 32, faces a challenge to remain at the top of men's tennis after falling to world No 6. Federer, with only one major title in the past three years, and just one win last year, started the year by reaching the final in Brisbane where he suffered a shock loss to fellow veteran Lleyton Hewitt. He has enlisted childhood idol Stefan Edberg as a coach this year.

World ranking: 6

Birthdate: Aug 8, 1981

Birthplace: Basel, Switzerland

Residence: Bottmingen, Switzerland

Height: 6ft 1in (1.85m)

Weight: 187lbs (85kg)

Plays: Right-handed

Turned pro: 1998

Coach: Severin Luthi, Stefan Edberg

Career titles: 77

Grand Slam singles titles: 17

Career prize money: $79,265,175

Best Australian Open result: Champion (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010)

Novak Djokovic (SRB)

Must be regarded as the favorite after winning his first Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park in 2008 and reclaiming the trophy in 2011, 2012, 2013, the first hat-trick of the Open era. Won four tournaments in a row at the end of last season, including the World Tour Finals. Djokovic has made the surprise addition of Boris Becker to his coaching team in a bid to find a new dimension.

World ranking: 2

Birthdate: May 22, 1987

Birthplace: Belgrade

Residence: Monte Carlo

Height: 6ft 2in (1.88m)

Weight: 176lbs (80kg)

Plays: Right-handed

Turned pro: 2003

Coach: Boris Becker, Marian Vajda

Career titles: 41

Grand Slam singles titles: 6

Career prize money: $58,134,445

Best Australian Open result: Champion (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013)

Andy Murray (GBR)

Murray emotionally ended Britain's 77-year men's Wimbledon title drought last year but he will be doing well to reach his fourth Melbourne final after undergoing back surgery in September. Murray returned to action late last month and has been in tentative form with defeats to Florian Mayer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

World ranking: 4

Birthdate: May 15, 1987

Birthplace: Dunblane, Scotland

Residence: London

Height: 6ft 3in (1.90m)

Weight: 185lbs (84kg)

Plays: Right-handed

Turned pro: 2005

Coach: Ivan Lendl

Career titles: 28

Grand Slam singles titles: 2

Career prize money: $30,294,823

Best Australian Open result: Runner-up (2010, 2011, 2013)

(China Daily 01/12/2014 page12)