Swiatek the favourite as Melbourne Park set for new Australian Open champion

DIFFERENT PROPOSITION

Swiatek was thrashed 6-4, 6-1 by Danielle Collins at Melbourne Park last year in her first hardcourt Grand Slam semi-final, and the American looms this year in the last 16 if the seedings hold.

Problem-solving is something Swiatek prides herself on, however, and Collins, the 13th seed, might find the Pole a different proposition if they meet this year.

Unsurprisingly, the bookmakers rate powerful baseliners Aryna Sabalenka, champion in Adelaide last week, and Pegula, who helped the United States win the United Cup, as the best chances of taking the title after Swiatek.

Charismatic American teenager Coco Gauff would be a popular champion, not least in the Australian Open marketing department. Last year’s French Open finalist is in form, having opened the season with the title at the Auckland Open.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina’s big serve gives her a chance of a second Grand Slam title, while world number four Caroline Garcia is enjoying a late-career renaissance and won the WTA Finals on hardcourt last year.

Collins, Barbora Krejcikova, Belinda Bencic, Daria Kasatkina and Veronika Kudermetov have all shown the sort of early season form that could augur a run deep into the tournament, which starts on Monday.

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur is seeded second after reaching the finals at the last two Grand Slams, losing to Rybakina at Wimbledon and Swiatek at Flushing Meadows.

Her reliance on dazzling racket skills rather than power might work against her on the famous blue courts but there would surely be few more popular winners than the bubbly 28-year-old.