As the 2023 edition of the Australian Open heats up, fans and tennis lovers are starting to get a spring in their step as the air fills with excitement.
Arguably the most anticipated Grand Slam on the tennis calendar, the Melbourne tournament has everything and this year won't be different.
Ranging from interactive activities to some of the biggest names in the world, the Australian Open doesn't disappoint.
Looking back, the 2022 event was nothing short of outstanding.
Australian Ash Barty broke a 44-year-old record to claim her first Grand Slam on her home turf.
While Rafael Nadal - who notched his 21st Grand Slam - remarkably came back from two sets to love to defeat 2021 US Open (tournament before Aus Open) champion Daniil Medvedev.
Here's how it played out.
Women's singles champion
Ash Barty (Australia) vs Danielle Collins
Barty came into the tournament ranked no.1 in the world and knew what it took to win a Grand Slam.
Having previously won at Wimbledon (2021) and the French Open (2019), the Queenslander wanted to take home the prize that meant the most: a trophy on her home soil.
Despite the pressure of expectation to take out the 2022 championship, Barty's form never wavered throughout the two weeks, resulting in no sets lost.
In the final, the Australian came up against American, Danielle Collins, who she had the reign over in previous battles.
The first set was on serve until Barty broke, giving her the lead at 4-2. From there, the then 25-year-old closed out the opening set in 32 minutes.
However, the second set displayed a different Collins, who immediately broke the Australian - her second service game of the tournament - to jump out to 2-0.
Barty managed to stem the momentum but was outmatched for majority of the set, resulting in the American holding a 5-1 lead.
Barty said after the match that she needed to change her tactics at this stage or face a deciding set.
“Once I was 1-5 down, I just wanted to try and shift and be a little more aggressive, adjust a couple of things tactically just to get momentum if we went to a third,” Barty said.
“Tennis is a funny game with the scoring system. Things can change so quickly it feels like at times.”
The Australian reeled off five of the next six games to force a tiebreak.
A calm Barty then sealed a sensational victory in 87 minutes, roaring as she struck a forehand winner to win the tiebreak and secure the title in front of a home crowd.
Barty became the first Australian to win an Australian Open women's singles title in 44 years.
Men's singles champion
Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs Daniil Medvedev
Following Barty's record-breaking win, Nadal put together arguably his best performance of his career.
Facing a young, strong Medvedev (25), the 35-year-old had a chance to push clear of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic for most men's Grand Slam titles.
History suggest that Nadal would find it hard to win on the hard court, having lost four finals at the Australian Open since winning his first in 2009.
Medvedev opened his account with a dominant first set (6-2) as well as holding on in a tie-break (7-5) in the second.
However, in typical Nadal fashion, he wouldn't give up and clawed his way back to force a fifth set.
It was on serve when the Spaniard broke at 5-5 and then held serve to claim his 21st Grand Slam singles title.
Former player Todd Woodbridge said shortly after that Nadal now stands above Federer and Djokovic.
"It's 21 for Rafa and he stands alone at the summit of men's tennis," Woodbridge said.
"A remarkable match, a remarkable comeback and a remarkable champion."
