The Australian Open is the hardest of the grand slams to predict because it's the first tournament of the year and you're never sure what's been going on in the off season with the players. But, looking at it, you'd have to think Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are the favourites. For me, the next one is Stan Wawrinka, and then you've got Milos Raonic, Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori.
I don't think Roger Federer can realistically win. He's coming in seeded 17 and going to have too many tough fights to get through. But I'm sure the top seeds will be looking anxiously at the draw hoping they won't meet him in round 32. He is – what would you call it? – the Black Knight they've got to watch out for.
Two of the players I'm interested in seeing are the German Alexander Zverev, who's only 19. I'm very impressed with his game. He's got a really good all-court game. He's sure to be a grand slam winner in the next couple of years.
Nick Kyrgios will be interesting to watch, too. I worry about the number of physical injuries he seems to get. I hope he's doing the correct amount of off-court training to protect his body. Only time will tell. If he remains healthy, there's no doubt he will win a grand slam or two, but the physical condition is the question mark.
The women's field is interesting. I think Angelique Kerber has changed the nature of women's tennis. She's proven to the other girls that you don't have to be a superstar as a teenager to win grand slams. She's 28, and she's played the best tennis of her career in the past 12 months.
It also seems to me that some of the young girls have got themselves extremely fit. Not that they weren't fit before but there's a difference between being 80 per cent fit and thinking you're 100 per cent fit, and actually being 100 per cent fit. It seems to me the girls coming up are getting that extra fitness.
Kerber and Williams are obviously the favourites, but I have a feeling this tournament could go to Karolina Pliskova, who just won the Brisbane International. I'm very impressed with her game. She's got a lot of power. All she has to do is believe she can win a grand slam. I think she's ready.
I was also pretty impressed with Elina Svitolina, watching her in Brisbane. She had a terrific year last year coming back from injury. She looks like she's going to be doing some really good things this year.
Agnieszka Radwanska is the No. 3 seed but I don't think she can win a slam. She doesn't have enough power. She's such a good player and a good tactician she will stay at the top of rankings for the year. She just lacks a bit of power.
Zverev a future star
Of the Australians, I'm hoping Samantha Stosur does really well, but we will have to wait and see. I thought she played well in Brisbane. And I won't be surprised to see Ashleigh Barty move into the top 50 by the end of the year.
The exciting thing in the first eight or nine days of the Australian Open is to observe the new young talent coming through and who you think is going to be there for real. Then there's the fact a number of top players are getting near the end of their careers. Murray and Djokovic are getting near the end. In a couple of years, Wawrinka and Nadal will be too – and, of course, Federer. Someone's got to occupy those positions; they are there for the taking.
That's why I see someone like Zverev from Germany as one of the top players of the future. There's a young guy with really good fire in his belly and he looks very serious about what he wants to accomplish.
There is some really good young talent coming up among the girls, like the young American Shelby Rogers. I liked her all-court game. I've also noticed a lot of the girls have really improved their service actions. This Australian Open will show us four or five young girls who are going to be the ones to watch over the next 10 years.
I'm really interested to follow 16-year-old Destanee Aiava. I like all of her game – her serves, her ground shots, her volleys and her court movement. And she seems to have a good match temperament. If she continues to surround herself with good people she's destined to be a top 10 player.
On the men's side I'm really impressed with 22-year-old Australian Jordan Thompson. What a good job he's done in the past 12 months. He's really improved his temperament and the physical side of his game. I'm not going to be surprised to see him firmly implanted in the top 50 by the end of the year.
I'm hoping that Thanasi Kokkinakis' injuries stay away. If they do he will be in the top 50 too.
We've got it covered
Each grand slam has its really good qualities but the Australian Open has been a forerunner in recent years in having covered courts – and that has forced other slams to follow suit. It's forced Wimbledon to go indoors and the US Open now has a roof. But we're still ahead because we now have three courts with roofs. That's a huge plus for the fans and for television.
From the players' perspective, the Australian Open is known as the most friendly tournament. I don't want to say the other slams are not friendly but Australia is probably the friendliest. Everything's underground, so you eat in the players' restaurant and it's right near the dressing rooms and just a short walk to the Rod Laver and Margaret Court arenas. You never have to go outside.
Grand slam fans are good all around the world but I think the fans at the Australian Open are probably the friendliest. They're very fair. They will obviously cheer an Australian player, but they will cheer just as loudly for other players' great shots.
I think Australia should be very proud of what Tennis Australia has developed in the facility in Melbourne. For a country of 23 million people, we're at least the equal of Wimbledon and the US and French Opens. For two weeks we're watched by at least half a billion people around the world. Day and night. That's something that Australia should be very, very proud of.
We are at the top of the world in one of the great international sports.
As told to Charis Perkins
NEED TO KNOW Australian Open
When January 16 to 29
Where Melbourne Park
See it on Channel 7, 7TWO, 7mate and the 7TENNIS app
