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 Stan Wawrinka holds the title and a band of young upstarts are
determined to topple the 'Big Four', but Djokovic has the fitness
and the momentum to reassert himself on the blue courts by the banks
of the Yarra River, where he claimed three successive titles from
2011-13 and his first in 2008.
Though upended a year ago by Wawrinka in a cataclysmic
quarter-final, a match seen as the beginning of the end for the old
guard, Djokovic finished the year with victory at the World Tour
Finals, the top ranking and the respect of his greatest rivals.
"The only guy who was really consistent was Novak," Roger Federer
said at the Brisbane International last week.
"He was still there when it mattered the most."
Adding to Djokovic's chances are a kind draw and fitness doubts over
his biggest threats.
With Federer, Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal bunched on the other side
of the draw, only one could meet the Wimbledon champion in the
final.
 TOUGH YEAR
Barring his record ninth French Open trophy, Nadal had a tough 2014.
Having lost to Wawrinka in the Melbourne Park final when battling a
back injury, the second half of his year was wiped out by a wrist
problem and appendicitis.
The Spaniard's new campaign got off to a miserable start at the
Qatar Open last week where he was dumped from the first round by
German journeyman Michael Berrer.
Sixth seed Murray, though recovered from back surgery in 2013,
struggled to find his best tennis last year and has had a major
shakeup in his entourage, parting ways with assistant coach Dani
Vallverdu and fitness trainer Jez Green in November.
Federer may be the best placed to stop Djokovic and the Swiss
master's 1,000th career win, reached by beating Milos Raonic in the
Brisbane International final, proved he still has the hunger to
challenge at the age of 33.
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Federer's last grand slam triumph was at Wimbledon in 2012, however,
and his ability to win seven matches of best-of-five-set tennis
remains the biggest question mark.
Wawrinka's quarter-final upset of Djokovic in a five-set thriller
was arguably the match of the tournament last year, and avenged his
defeat in another marathon against the Serb at Melbourne Park in
2013.
Though the 29-year-old Swiss failed to reach his Australian heights
at the other three grand slams, the fourth seed is peaking at the
right time.
Sharing in a morale-boosting Davis Cup win with Federer at the end
of the year, Wawrinka also won at Chennai in the leadup and is on
collision course for a mouth-watering semi-final against Djokovic.
To get there he may need to overcome Japanese trailblazer Kei
Nishikori, who became the first man from an Asian country to contest
a grand slam singles final at the U.S. Open.
Like 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov and eighth seed Raonic, the
clean-hitting Nishikori, who stunned Djokovic in the Flushing
Meadows semi-finals, is considered among the brightest hopes to rock
the establishment.
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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