With the barrage of early season injuries, the draw at the Australian Open could be as open as it has in recent memory. With several top ranked players battling through adversity, the door has opened for a potential dark horse to sweep in and seize their opportunity to grab a major title. While there are a number of players who fit that bill, here are some whose opportunities stand out.

Victoria Azarenka

It seems unfair to label the Belarusian as a “dark horse” but after a long battle with injury, Azarenka’s ranking significantly dropped during the past two seasons. However, lately she has systematically climbed to her current position of 16 as her play has elevated with her improved health. Now, she appears at a point where her game is beginning to resemble the one that carried her to titles at Melbourne in 2012 and 2013.

Any doubt that she has the capability to add a third Australian Open title to her trophy case was answered last week in Brisbane. There, she won the title with an exclamation point dropping just 16 games in her five matches. Azarenka would defeat 10th ranked Angelique Kerber in the final after disposing of U. S. Open finalist Roberta Vinci in the quarterfinals.

The 26-year-old has the intangibles required to win additional grand slams which include strong self-confidence, a fierce mental approach and the psyche to embrace a challenge. She will not be a top seed in Melbourne, but she is a competitor that no player wants to see in their side of the bracket.

Sloane Stephens

With Americans Madison Keys, Coco Vandeweghe and Madison Brengle making strides over the last year, Stephens became somewhat forgotten during that period of time. With a game that has tended to get lost occasionally, she has seen her ranking become stagnant since flirting with the top 10 in 2013.

However, last week in Auckland, a different player emerged from the one seen over the last couple of seasons. An even-keeled, aggressive and confident attack surfaced as the 22-year old battled for the championship. A criticism of Stephens has been her nonchalant approach at times, but she was fully engaged in New Zealand where she would overwhelm Caroline Wozniacki and Julia Goerges in the semis and final.

Stephens has typically elevated her intensity at majors and it has reflected in her play. If she brings the competitive drive seen last week to Melbourne, she will certainly be a factor at the first grand slam event of the season. A deep run could be in the cards for the world no. 26.

Caroline Wozniacki

After injuries and a sputtering last quarter of 2015, Wozniacki appeared refreshed, healthy and sharp at Auckland prior to facing a focused Stephens in the semifinals last week. She would make quick work of opponents in her first three matches of the season before falling to the American.

In 2011, Wozniacki found success in Australia as she advanced to the semifinals. Now, five years later she hopes to begin the grand slam season in successful fashion after a season where the round-of-16 was her peak result at a major. With several top players dealing with injuries, the Dane’s experience could be a benefit in Melbourne. Although still young herself, Wozniacki is a veteran of the grand slams and a former world number one while a number of top-20 players are relatively new to those positions and the expectations that come with it. An invigorated Wozniacki, who now appears healthy, should be a tough out for any player in the singles draw during the next fortnight.

Madison Keys

It was only a year ago when Keys would power her way to the semifinals in Australia defeating the likes of Petra Kvitova and Venus Williams before falling to Serena Williams. It appeared that the young American was on the verge of vaulting towards the top-10. And though that did not happen in 2015, she will return to the friendly courts in Melbourne with the hope of building on last year’s success.

Her big serve and ground strokes are an opponent’s nightmare on the fast courts down under and this season she will own a 15-seed when play begins next week. Another player who appeared to wear down towards the end of last season, Keys is now revitalized and enters the Australian Open with a new coach. She is now working with former ATP player Jesse Levine after parting ways with Lindsay Davenport. It is a fresh start in a new year for the 20-year old who hopes to catch fire once again during the next two weeks.

Ekaterina Makarova

Makarova feels right at home at the Australian Open after a semifinal run last season. Additionally, she has advanced to at least the quarterfinals there in three of the last four seasons. Her big-hitting, power game suits the hard courts at Melbourne Park where she has defeated an impressive list of top players such as Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova and Angelique Kerber over the last several years.

The 27-year-old from Russia has quietly been productive in most of the majors over the last few seasons. Aside from her semifinal run in Melbourne last season, she has also advanced to a semi on the hard courts at Flushing Meadows in 2014 as well as the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in the same season.

Currently ranked 23rd, Makarova will be a difficult opponent that a higher seeded player will likely be forced to meet fairly early in the tournament. She will look to advance behind her big groundstrokes once again this season as she embraces the congenial surface.