amiliar names, however, are tipped to take off with the winners' trophies. The following is a list of talking points at the Australian Open:
World number one Andy Murray vowed to return as strong as ever after his bid for a maiden Australian Open title was brought to a stunning end by German Mischa Zverev on Sunday.
The World No 2 announced her commitment to the social media entrepreneur shortly before the New Year and while it was "great", she was pushing it to the back of her mind, at least until after Melbourne Park.
Known for her attention seeking clothes, Serena Williams is trying to bring pop culture to the tennis courts.
World men's tennis No. 1 Novak Djokovic headed reluctantly home on Monday after being kicked out of Australia because of his COVID-19 unvaccinated status, but the government left the door open for a possible return to his favourite Grand Slam in 2023.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic was knocked out of the Australian Open quarter-finals by Stanislas Wawrinka 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7 on Tuesday.
Images from Day 1 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday.
Rafael Nadal shrugged off his derailed bid for the Grand Slam record with a pledge to keep "fighting" but the Spaniard leaves the Australian Open with familiar regrets after bowing out to a rising talent on Wednesday.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the Australian Open in Melbourne, on Friday.
Djokovic has never failed to win the tournament after making the semi-finals and he will be heavily favoured to claim a record-extending ninth title at his favourite Slam on Sunday.
The Australian Conservation Foundation's Climate Change Program Manager Gavan McFadzean also said athletes need to step up.
Images from Sunday's action at the Australian Open, in Melbourne.
With Rafael Nadal out with injury, can Novak Djokovic go past the Spaniard and pick up a record 23rd Grand Slam title.
Nadal said he did not expect to go all the way at Melbourne Park
Images from Day 9 of the 2020 Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Top seed Andy Murray could meet Roger Federer or Kei Nishikori in the third round, while Serena faces tricky Belinda Bencic in opening round
Barty is primed to become the first local since Chris O'Neil in 1978 to win the Australian Open.
Caroline Wozniacki continued her news conference shenanigans at the Australian Open on Sunday, telling a tale of being scratched by a kangaroo and then later admitting on social networking website Twitter she had concocted the whole thing.
Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday said his government is negotiating with Cricket Australia and Tennis Australia to have crowd attendance for the city's iconic sports events -- Boxing Day Test involving India and the Australian Open.
The players have been allowed out to practise for five hours a day during their quarantine but Djokovic said he had headed to a local park on his first morning in Australia without restrictions.
Veteran Indian tennis star Leander Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek have been forced to exit the Australian Open after losing their men's doubles quarterfinals on Wednesday at Melbourne Park.
Melbourne should cut its losses and not renew its contract to host the Formula One Grand Prix when the current deal runs out in 2015, a local lawmaker told Australia's parliament on Monday.
The absence of Japan's Kei Nishikori from this year's Australian Open has turned the spotlight on Chung Hyeon as Asia waits for its first men's Grand Slam singles champion.
Novak Djokovic said any questions over whether he has genuinely been struggling with a hamstring injury at the Australian Open only give him extra strength and motivation.
The Australian Open has seen many unheralded players punching above their weight. Rediff.com takes a look at a few such unseeded players who went the distance in the new millennium.
For the fifth straight year Melbourne brought agony for Nadal. Bikash Mohapatra summarises the Spaniard's no show Down Under.
Boris Becker found himself a central part of the unfolding drama and, when his charge stumbled, fair game for tennis writers picking over Novak Djokovic's shock five-set defeat in the quarter-finals.
Cash believes there will never be a return to the golden era of serve-and-volley tennis, however, not while the court speeds were so much slower than when he was winning at the All England Club.
Boris Becker's first priority will be to help Novak Djokovic gain a 'mental edge' when the pressure rises at the grand slams, the Australian Open champion said in Melbourne on Thursday.
Jenson Button set the fastest time in a dramatic qualifying session to capture his third career pole
Shapovalov will meet Rafael Nadal for a place in the semi-finals.
Chinese tennis ace Li Na reportedly had her fans roaring with laughter with her wisecracks during her speech following her Australian Open victory on Saturday at Melbourne Park.
The volatile 17th seed had a quiet evening by his standards in his opening match on Monday, with just the one violation for unsportsmanlike behaviour when he asked spectator, in no uncertain terms, to be quiet while he was serving.
Images from all the action on Day 9 at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday
In his darkest moments last year when he doubted if he would ever get back to full fitness following his knee injury, Roger Federer clung on to one thought -- he still had the game to maybe sneak another Grand Slam title.
Nick Kyrgios has had more than his fair share of run-ins with umpires over his career
Djokovic is clubbed with Federer, Juan Martin Del Potro, David Goffin and Alexander Zverev.
Serena Williams was included on the entry list for the US Open on Wednesday along with fellow former champion Novak Djokovic, who will not be able to compete due to his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Images from Day 4 of the 2023 Australian Open, at Melbourne Park.
'They're just trying to shove us on the court because we're qualifiers'
