The Australian Open is just over a week out, and people will soon name their favorites as those most likely to make a deep run.  Due to its early position in the calendar, the Australian Open has a reputation for being more wide open than its sister slams.  It is one of the best chances other players have of knocking off the established elite before they can fully find their groove.  An added wrinkle in 2018 is that Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Novak Djokovic have stumbled out of the gates, with all three having to withdraw from their scheduled events this week. With Murray already out and Nadal's and Djokovic's odds of competing in Melbourne in various degrees of doubt, the door to the title for a select few just got a little wider.

A man least in need of a more open field but will gladly take it if offered is Roger Federer.  The Swiss was already going to be the favorite to defend his title.  The Australian Open has been a happy hunting ground for him in the past, and after proving that he was still capable of winning majors by picking up two slams last season, he may be feeling even less pressure coming into Melbourne this year.  Couple that with the wealth of experience he enjoys at this level – an edge that becomes even greater in the event that his historically closest rivals are absent – and he really must like his chances.  None of this is to say that he is immune to the nerves or an upset, but Federer is increasingly looking like a heavier favorite with each passing day.

A player keen to break the stranglehold the Big 4 have enjoyed at the majors is Grigor Dimitrov, and he enters this year's Australian Open with a few more fans believing he might actually find a way to do it.  Someone who has always been touted as a major talent, the Bulgarian has steadily looked like he is now psychologically ready to seize the moment.  He played brilliantly Down Under last year, including making the final four in Melbourne, but it is what he did the back half of last season that has folks believing.  In the summer, he won what was the biggest title of his career at the Masters event in Cincinnati, and he followed that up by going one better with his title run at the ATP World Tour Finals in London.  Both could prove crucial springboards to helping him take advantage of the situation at this year's Australian Open.

Another competitor eager to make the most of an open field at the year's first major is Alexander Zverev. The German announced his arrival to the professional ranks in emphatic fashion last season.  Aged only twenty, he catapulted into the Top 5, captured two Masters titles, and qualified for the year-end championships in London.  With all that he has already accomplished and the talent he has exhibited, it is nothing short of shocking that a glaring gap in his growing list of accomplishments is the fact that he has yet to reach the second week of a major.  It must be said that despite admirably shouldering the increased expectations on a regular basis, he has looked nervous when under the microscope at the majors.  He has had the offseason to adjust and clean the slate clean though, and after having the chance to recover from what was a surprisingly long 2017, he may now be physically and mentally ready to take another important step in his burgeoning career.

Only time will tell which man will seize the moment and make the most of the opportunity that lies before him in Melbourne.  It could be a familiar face, who when all is said and done proves that it is still business as usual.  It could be a newcomer to the winner's circle, hoping to serve as a spark for a shift in the men's game.  Either way, it should be entertaining to see how this one unfolds to set the tone for the 2018 season.