With the 2020 tennis season set to kick off tomorrow in Australia, we check in on the progress of some of the game’s biggest stars.
Rafael Nadal
The world No.1 has enjoyed some relaxing time soaking up the sights and sounds of Perth as he and his Spanish teammates prepare for their ATP Cup campaign at RAC Arena.
Rafa got the selfie! ?
— ATPCup (@ATPCup) January 1, 2020
?: @RafaelNadal | @ATPCup pic.twitter.com/TcuZAmOVgE
Yet as focused as ever, Nadal has the inaugural tournament trophy firmly in his sights ahead of the Australian Open, where he won the title in 2009.
"We are not taking this competition like preparation for another one, even if the Australian Open is around the corner," he said.
"It's a tournament that we want to compete well in, and then we'll have a week before the Australian Open for me personally to practice … so we are very focused on trying to be ready for this competition.
"We are a team that gives the maximum. But there are other teams that are also prepared for that."
Spain opens against Georgia on Saturday night (4 January) in Perth.
Ashleigh Barty
Barty’s 2019 breakthrough has positioned her as one of the biggest stars and storylines of the Australian summer in 2020.
Yet the newest women’s world No.1 is not yet thinking about Melbourne, instead preparing for the WTA Brisbane International in her home city.
World No:1 @ashbarty on the practise courts this morning ahead of the start of the @TennisAustralia Brisbane International beginning on Monday @wwos @9NewsQueensland @AdamJackson_9 will have all your details #9News pic.twitter.com/KgFCZGv5cE
— Howie Bennett (@HowieBennett9) January 2, 2020
Barty, Australia’s first female No.1 since 1976, has been practising at the Queensland Tennis Centre ahead of the Premier-level tournament, which begins Monday 6 January.
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic has changed up his January schedule this year, bypassing the ATP event in Doha to instead represent Serbia at the ATP Cup.
Djokovic and his teammates are in Brisbane where they have landed in a group also featuring South Africa, France and Chile.
The world No.2 loves this time of year, and will head to Melbourne after the ATP Cup seeking a record-extending eighth Australian Open title.
"I haven't been playing any Aussie opening week of the season tournament for a while. I have been playing mostly in Qatar,” said the defending AO champion.
"I am here earlier than most years. I get acclimatised. I love being here – it feeds me with positive energy."
Naomi Osaka
World No.3 Osaka is returning to a happy place in Australia, where in 2019 she advanced to the semifinals of the Brisbane International before winning her second straight major title at the Australian Open.
The Japanese star will again kick off her season in Brisbane, where she joins a star-studded field featuring seven Grand Slam champions.
Osaka has been practising at the Queensland Tennis Centre ahead of the tournament, which kicks off on Monday.
Dominic Thiem
Fresh off a career-best season in 2019, world No.4 Dominic Thiem has landed in Sydney to spearhead Team Austria at the ATP Cup.
Welcome to Sydney, @ThiemDomi and ?? #TeamAustria! They are ready for the #ATPCup. pic.twitter.com/4a9DopOfVH
— ATPCup (@ATPCup) December 31, 2019
The fourth-ranked Thiem enjoyed a breakthrough on hard courts last year, winning titles at Indian Wells, Beijing and Vienna before closing his season with an appearance in the championships match at the ATP Finals.
It stands him in good stead for the Aussie summer, where he will unfurl his power game on Ken Rosewall Arena’s hard court before heading to Melbourne to do the same at the Australian Open.
The Austrians will take on Croatia in their first outing of ATP Cup on Saturday night in Sydney.
Simona Halep
The reigning Wimbledon champion is bound for South Australia to commence her 2020 season at the Adelaide International.
Halep has before spent time training in Adelaide, the hometown of her Australian coach Darren Cahill.
2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣0️⃣ here we come! ✈️
— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) January 1, 2020
See you soon @AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/E3x6f6mx14
The Romanian, an Australian Open finalist in 2018 and currently ranked No.4, will join fellow Grand Slam champions Ash Barty, Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber, Sloane Stephens and Venus Williams at Memorial Drive.
The Adelaide International begins on 12 January.
Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev has arrived in Perth with Karen Khachanov and Russian captain Marat Safin ahead of the ATP Cup.
Medvedev and Khachanov form a strong duo in Group D, where Russia have landed alongside Italy – who they face on Friday night – as well as the United States and Norway.
Medvedev, the world No.4, commences the new season imbued with confidence after a breakthrough 2019 during which he came close to beating Rafael Nadal in a stunning US Open final.
"Being in the Grand Slam final makes you confident for the next slam, because you know it's possible to achieve it," he said.
"Before the US Open, the fourth round was my best result … Now I know that it's possible, but the other question is, is it going to happen again?
“I'm going to try to do my best."
Elina Svitolina
The consistent Ukrainian has again decided to begin her season at the Brisbane International, where she was a champion in 2018.
The world No.6 has been enjoying her time in the Queensland capital with boyfriend Gael Monfils as well as training at the Queensland Tennis Centre for her first event of the new season.
Great to have @ElinaSvitolina & @Gael_Monfils in our great city! Enjoy the sights you two! #brisbaneanyday pic.twitter.com/gA1WaFb2zy
— #BrisbaneTennis (@BrisbaneTennis) December 27, 2019
In 2019 Svitolina reached her first two Grand Slam semifinals – back-to-back at Wimbledon and the US Open – and closed her season with a runner-up finish at the WTA Finals in Shenzhen.
She’ll be looking to carry that form into Australia, where she was a quarterfinalist at Melbourne Park last year.
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Tsistipas, along with the rest of Team Greece, have headed to Brisbane where they will take part in the ATP Cup.
They have landed in a stellar group also featuring Australia, Canada and Germany – countries loaded with talented rising stars.
Good night from #Brisbane ??! pic.twitter.com/vz1Kx8fItg
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) December 28, 2019
Tsitsipas will spearhead his team after a breakthrough 2019 season, which he opened with his first Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open, and closed with victory at the ATP Finals.
Ranked No.6, Tsitsipas will kick off 2020 with a clash against Denis Shapovalov, when Greece take on Canada on Friday morning at Pat Rafter Arena.