The Australian Open, the first grand slam of the year, is upon us after the shortest off season in world sport.
The Melbourne Park grand slam is always a favourite among players and fans alike.
Here's everything you need to know.
When is the Australian Open?
The main draw gets underway on Monday, January 16 in Melbourne with the men's and women's singles main draw.
The men's and women's doubles starts on Wednesday, January 18, while the mixed doubles competition starts the following day, Thursday, January 19.
The men's and women's wheelchair singles starts in the second week, on Tuesday January 24, with the doubles on Wednesday, January 25.
The women's semifinals will take place from Thursday, January 26, with the men's getting underway on the Friday.
When are the Australian Open finals?
The women's final is set for Saturday, January 28.
The men's final will take place on Sunday, January 29.
The prize money for the winners is a record $2,975,000, as part of a record prize pool of $76.5 million.
Who are the top women to watch?
World number one Iga Świątek has won two of the last three grand slam titles — and she's seeded number one at Melbourne Park as a heavy favourite.
The 21-year-old appears set to improve on her semifinal appearance last year, but did suffer a heavy United Cup defeat to Australian Open third seed Jessica Pegula in Sydney 6-2, 6-2.
With Ash Barty's retirement, two-time champ Naomi Osaka withdrawing and the suspension of two-time grand slam winner Simona Halep, the women's field could be considered a little bare.
In fact, of the last four Australian Open champions only 2020 victor Sofia Kenin is playing, although the litany of injures she has suffered since winning the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup has seen her ranking plummet below 200.
Other contenders include Tunisian star Ons Jabeur (2), with Caroline Garcia (4) of France also ranked highly.
You would be a fool to rule out Belarus's Adelaide International 1 champion and fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka, despite the aggressive 24-year-old never having gone past the fourth round at the Australian Open.
Other women's top seeds include Maria Sakkari (6), Coco Gauff (7) and Madison Keys (10).
Who are the top men to watch?
While the women's field does have some notable absentees, the top of the seeding list in the men's draw sees two very familiar names take their place in Rafael Nadal (1) and Novak Djokovic (4).
After the unfortunate withdrawal of 19-year-old US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz, the new generation is led by a man who Alcaraz beat in the final at Flushing Meadows, Casper Ruud (2).
Djokovic comes in as favourite with the bookies, but Daniil Medvedev (7) is not far behind him.
Djokovic won their semifinal meeting at the Adelaide International despite a hamstring injury scare, but the Russian star will be hoping he can put that to one side and reach a third-straight Australian Open final.
Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas is the third seed, with Andrey Rublev (5), Felix Auger-Aliassiame (6), Taylor Fritz (8), Holger Rune (9) and Hubert Hurkacz (10) making up the top ten seeds.
So Novak Djokovic is playing?
He sure is.
Last year's calamitous ejection of the 21-time grand slam champion is firmly in the past after the Serbian star had his three-year ban from entering the country overturned.
Djokovic is bidding to win an astonishing tenth Australian Open crown but may have to battle through a left leg injury to do so.
Still, he warmed up for this year's event by winning the Adelaide International 1 after a tough three-set work out against American world number 31, Sebastian Korda.
He's still not vaccinated against COVID though, meaning he'll likely miss the ATP tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami.
Nick Kyrgios leads the Australian contingent
Defending women's champion Ash Barty will, of course, not be playing at this year's tournament after her shock retirement last year.
And, disappointingly for Australia, neither will Ajla Tomljanović, who withdrew after failing to recover from a knee injury.
That means, on the women's side of the draw, only Jaimee Fourlis, Olivia Gadecki, Storm Hunter, Talia Gibson and Kimberly Birrell are in contention, after all received wildcards.
On the men's side of the draw, Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios (19) and Alex de Minaur (22) will headline Australia's charge.
Chris O'Connell, Jordan Thompson and Thanasi Kokkinakis are all unseeded, while Jason Kubler, Rinky Hijikata and Alexi Popyrin have accepted wildcards.
Max Purcell and Aleksandar Vukic made their way through qualifying to take their spot in the main draw.
Will we see a repeat of the Special Ks?
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis combined at last year's tournament and took the Australian Open by storm.
And this year, they're back to rock the show courts under lights as they bid to go back-to-back.
How can I watch the Australian Open?
Channel 9 is the host broadcaster for the Australian Open this year, with coverage of every court on its streaming service, 9NOW.
ABC Sport will be running a blog of all the action from Melbourne Park.
