Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!

Welcome to Melbourne 2014.  Among the many storylines that will unfold over the next two weeks…

1. How is Rafa’s knee?  He reportedly has a new training regimen that will minimize stress on the joint, but it’s hard to imagine that the toll his physically brutal style of tennis won’t be the same once he gets back into a regular tournament schedule.  He is reportedly healthy and ready to go…
2. Will Federer’s bigger racquet make a difference?  Will it give him more penetrating groundstrokes off the backhand?  Give him a little more oomph on his serve?  Or will it throw off his touch?
3. The New Coaches:  Boris and Edberg back again, looking to supplant Ivan as the retired legends with the best horses in the race.  Becker seems to be in the best camp, but it will be fascinating to see if either he or Edberg has anywhere near the substantial effect on their players as Lendl has had on Murray.  And then there’s Thomas Hogstedt with Woz.  Will he bring to her game what he brought to Sharapova’s game when she made her return to the top ranking?
4. The return of not only Murray and Sharapova, but also former world number 2, Vera Zvonerva.  All three are bound to be a bit rusty as they are just coming back, but that doesn’t provide much solace for any player in the draw that has to face any of them.  It’s good to see John Isner back as well and playing very well, indeed.
5. Who will be the young breakout players this season?  Can Sloane Stephens push through to the next level?  Or will Sabine Lisicki continue to improve her mental game to join the best at the top?  Or will Eugenie Bouchard be the next young superstar?  On the men’s side Jerzy and Benoit have already shown their mettle, but how about Jack Sock?
6. And of course what upsets are on the horizon?

More to come, but excited for Day One!