The tennis year is just over two weeks old but already we are on the eve of the first Grand Slam event of the calendar with the Australian Open firmly in sight.
Yes, the sport's showpiece events only happen four times a year, and one guaranteed to give you drama, intrigue and thirst-quenching moments is undoubtedly the hard court major from Down Under.
Has it really been 12 months since Rafael Nadal defied all the odds to come from two-sets down and win his 21st Grand Slam title?
Will we see a revenge-driven Djokovic determined to prove he his still the King of the Melbourne courts after his deportation drama in 2022 or will a new, fresh-faced Prince in the form of Holger Rune announce he is really ready to dominate the Tour.
Who knows; but it's guaranteed to be a fortnight of fortune, fascination and frenetic tennis where one man will be left as the last one standing on the Rod Laver Arena stage.
128 men kick-off in Round One in just a few hours time and here, we pick five of the most interesting matches to keep your eye on.
Rafael Nadal (1) vs Jack Draper
Quite possibly the tie of the round, Rafael Nadal swatted away all those who dared to doubt his ability on the hard courts last year as he won his second Australian Open title.
But it was the manner he did so, from a tough half of the draw and staring at defeat against then US Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the final.
The firm favourite amongst those in the Rod Laver willed the Spaniard to mount an unlikely comeback, but comeback he did in a match that few who witnessed it will soon forget.
However, Nadal suffered a decline in form and fitness after he withdrew from the Wimbledon semi-finals and he started the year losing his first two matches - the first time he has done so.
Throw in promising Brit Jack Draper and you have a real potential for an all mighty shock on the cards.
The Englishman has picked up where he left off in 2022, already notching up wins over Tommy Paul, Lorenzo Sonego and Karen Khachanov and he is a real danger to Nadal's hopes of building his way into the tournament and some form.
Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini (13)
Who can forget Andy Murray bidding farewell to tennis in 2019 in Australia only to go through multiple surgeries and fight his back back into the ATP top 50.
The Scot - who now plays with a metal hip - could consider this a cruel draw to his chances in Melbourne but he'll know that playing in these events, your going to meet the big guns and a big gun Berrettini certainly is.
The pair have met on a fairly regularly basis recently, Berrettini winning in the Stuttgart final last summer and also knocking the 35-year-old Brit out of the US Open in September.
However, those who have written Murray off in the past have been left looking foolish and with his recent partnership with coach Ivan Lendl, don't be surprised if the three-time Grand Slam champion wins through.
Andrey Rublev (5) vs Dominic Thiem
Two players who absolutely love to smash the ball should prove to be one that will go longer than the allocated three sets.
It's been a long road back for Austria's Dominic Thiem but at the tail end of last year he appeared to be slowly edging back to some kind of form with back-to-back ATP semi-final showings.
However, it seems forever ago since that familiar one-handed backhand has been doing it deep into slams and this may prove an event too soon as he returns from injury.
Rublev could argue he has stepped into the void vacated by Thiem during his injury hell and the Russian enjoyed two wins at the ATP Finals in Turin to prove he can mix it with the big boys.
An intriguing match for sure but the World No.6 should be too strong.
Novak Djokovic (4) vs Roberto Carballes Baena
You can't have a 'must watch' list without including the former World No.1 and nine-time Australian Open champion.
Yes, the man from Belgrade is back and, after claiming yet another title in Adelaide last week he appears to be stronger than ever and that could spell curtains for all other players in the event.
However, rumours persist about a hamstring injury and although the player himself says he is fine, it is definitely one to keep an eye on.
He shouldn't have any problems seeing off Carballes Baena, but the spectacle of Djokovic returning to Oz after THAT deportation controversy last year is surely where all eyes will be when this one kicks off.
Juan Pablo Varillas vs Alexander Zverev (12)
Tennis is a sport filled with special moments and anyone who was watching last years French Open semi-final between Zverev and Nadal must have felt they were on the cusp of one of those moments.
Instead, everyone will remember it for the cries of pain and the resultant images of Zverev hobbling back on court in crutches to concede what was shaping up to be one of those 'all-time' matches.
History is written by the victors however and Nadal went on to claim his 22nd Grand Slam title with Zverev still looking for his first.
The German former World No.2 has hardly been seen on a tennis court since, losing to Taylor Fritz and Jirl Lehecka at the season-opening United Cup.
However, it will be fascinating to see just what kind of tennis Zverev can play as he was undoubtedly playing the best tennis of his career just when the ankle injury happened.
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