Top five male singles players to look forward to in Australian Open 2022

These players are regarded as some of the best the sport has to offer.

The Australian Open is just a week away but it has already generated quite a buzz amidst the Novak Djokovic controversy. This incident has to be one of the most notable incidents that has kept the sporting community at its toes in recent times.

The saga has overshadowed some of the recent pull-outs at the Australian Open. That includes the likes of Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem and Kei Nishikori in the men's division, along with the likes of Serena Williams and Bianca Andreescu in women's singles. In spite of all the ensuing chaos and the withdrawals of stars, there are many talents in the qualified roster.

With Djokovic missing out, the tournament will witness a number of other top male singles players who will play it out to win the top honour. These players will definitely be the center of attention at the Melbourne Park and they have the resume for it. Let's check out the top five male singles players participating in the Australian Open 2022.

5. Andrey Rublev

Daniil Medvedev might be the new face of men's tennis but his compatriot Andrey Rublev is not far behind. Andrey is currently ranked No. 5 in the world and has eight ATP singles titles to his name. Moreover, he is also high on confidence after winning the mixed doubles title at the Tokyo Olympics.

Despite the fact that a singles match is much different, he will draw a lot of momentum from that victory. Rublev is yet to win a Grand Slam and this might just be the year for him. In fact, in his previous performance at the Australian Open, he reached the quarter finals. He was beaten by his countryman Medvedev in a straight set defeat (7-5,6-3.6-2).

Rublev would want nothing more than to turn the tables in this edition. Will he be the next Russian Grand Slam winner right after Daniil's memorable US Open victory ? That remains to be seen.

4. Rafael Nadal

The presence of Rafael Nadal is always a threat for his opponents. The 20-time Grand Slam winner can turn things in his favour in minutes. Considered to be one of the hardest workers on court with his tenacious coverage, he just keeps getting better.

Even though his previous win at the Australian Open came in 2009, ruling Nadal out is foolishness. The Spaniard is returning to the Grand Slams after missing out on the Wimbledon and US Open due to a foot injury. So it will be crucial to see how he performs here. Similar to Rublev, his previous outing at the Melbourne Park also concluded at the quarter finals, after a five set classic against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Rafa would like to keep that a distant memory and focus on getting back to Grand Slam victories.

3. Stefanos Tsitsipas

Last year's semi finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas might have something to say about Rafael Nadal eyeing the Australian Open in 2022. The Greek star made the comeback of the year against Nadal in their last meeting at Melbourne Park. Trailing by two sets, he turned things around in the third set by winning a very competitive tie breaker. He later went on to win the remaining two sets to make his way to the semis.

His magical victory in the quarters could not help him clear his way in the semifinals as he lost to Medvedev. Stefanos has a 73% winning rate at the Australian Open. He is also on a good run of form and his performances at the Monte Carlo Masters, Canadian Open and Cincinnati Masters speak volumes to that.

2. Alexander Zverev

German superstar and world No. 3 Alexander Zverev could possibly have his shining moment at the Australian Open. Zverev, who had a great year at the Grand Slams in 2021, could take it even further this year. His two semifinal appearances, one quarterfinal showdown demonstrated the golden patch he is going through in his career. Added to that, his maiden gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics only speaks volumes of his abilities.

Moreover, he also won the ATP Finals in Turin in 2021 over Daniil Medvedev in straight sets (6-4,6-4). The German could well be on his way to win his first ever Grand Slam in 2022. His prior performances at the Melbourne Park in 2020 and 2021, where he reached the semifinals and quarterfinals respectively, will definitely boost his morale.

1. Daniil Medvedev

Last but not the least, we come down to the man who just recently won his first major Grand Slam. The Russian denied Novak Djokovic to win his first-ever career Grand Slam in 2021. Daniil Medvedev's win also ended Novak's one-sided dominance throughout 2021.

The victory over Novak in the US Open must have felt like sweet redemption. Moreover, it was as if Daniil's career had came full circle. He lost his first Grand Slam of the year in 2021 at the Australian Open. Daniil lost that match in straight sets 7-5,6-2,6-2 against Novak in the finals. Following the defeat, the Russian star put up consistent performances and finally won the US Open, his first-ever major Grand Slam conquest.

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