On Novak Djokovic:
I know Novak professionally and personally a little bit, but he always has motivation. Not just because what happened last year. For me, it was huge for Novak to win last week, because he came back to Australia again after what happened last year and I think it was very important for him to feel the heat and the love for from the people from Australia again.

Last year, there was a lot of controversy. But going there and see how the people are fully into his matches, wanted to see him, wanted to take pictures with him, wanted to be next to him... And for him to control the emotions of winning the first tournament of the year back in Australia, I think it's such a relief for him to start Melbourne clean. Now going into Melbourne, I think he will feel much calmer that if he would just go straight to there without feeling any sort of contact with the fans.

I think it's going to be good to see how the fans share the love for the players. For Novak, for Rafa, for Medvedev. I hope that people will go there to have fun and to watch tennis, to leave everything else.

Novak didn't do anything against anyone. He did what he felt he needed to do and he went there and at the end, when they said that he couldn’t play, he left. They told him to leave so there is nothing that he should feel bad about. I hope people will respect him as he's been respecting everyone else, and I think it's going to be such a great tournament for Novak. I think he's ready and he looks fresh.

The fact that he didn't play that many tournaments last year, it still ended up in such a good way and he's starting well. So, I think this season for Novak is going to be, in my opinion very good.

Nadal v Djokovic rivalry:
I don't think Novak or Rafa thinks about Novak or Rafa. They just go play day by day. Everyone has his own feelings, like Novak started the season winning a tournament and he's already raised his level really high and he will keep on improving the next week. Rafa needs to play a little bit more matches to get at the top of his game, which he usually does during the first week of the of the Slam, as it's happened in last year.

Last year, Rafa gets to Melbourne without too many matches, only plays one tournament, and all of a sudden, he ended up winning the tournament, so there is no extra pressure.

Who will make the men’s final?
This is impossible to know because it depends on the draw. It depends on how they go during the first rounds. You need to know that before the tournament starts.

Who can surprise us?
Australia is always tricky because it's the beginning of the year. But you know, like guy's like Felix Auger-Aliassime has playing very well Some others too, you never know Nick Kyrgios is going to be in Australia because with the crowd factor and if he's healthy… He already played well and won lots at Wimbledon. It can happen and lots of things can happen. Look at Canada last week, he showed that he's in a good spot to play well this year. Francis Tiafoe played such a great US Open too.

I also think Holger Rune will be one of the top guys this year, he is improving and working like an animal. I want to see how far he will go this year.

I also want to see how Zverev recovers from his injury and will come stronger than before. He will be tough because he went down, and when you suffer so much and recover, you appreciate many more things. He is someone I have a feeling that something good is going to happen to him this year.

On Rafael Nadal:
With Rafa, you can always expect the best because he's been surprising us for so long. times. I think the end of the season, it wasn't as good as he expected, of course. But he needed to play some matches, he played some exhibitions. And now he started the season playing the United Cup and even if he didn't win those matches, I think it was good for him to play long matches. Because when you don't play too many matches before, it is nice to get the rhythm, I'm sure as the tournament will go on, he might feel better.

It will also depends on the draw to see how he play, if he plays day sessions or night sessions, it makes a lot of differences at the Australian Open. But I think with Rafa, you always have to count on him because he proved already that when we think that he is not ready he is. He needs to make a big effort to get the best shape he can but I don't have any doubt that he will be he will be ready.

Are Carlos Alcaraz’s injuries a concern?
No, it's just it's temporary. I mean it’s a pity because he was working very hard to play well in Australia. I think the major effort that he made to win the US Open and become number one, all this other stuff, I mean, it's normal that it takes a lot of energy out of you, and it takes a little while to understand also what's going on to be number one and the expectations that come with it.

But he is going to be soon ready again. He will be in a good position to play well, either in Miami or then during the clay court season, where he will be one of the toughest guys to beat.

I don't think he needs to be obsessed with number one, I don't think it should be his goal right now to just defend that ranking because otherwise it’s an extra, not just pressure, but it's an extra weight on your shoulders that you don't need to do, especially when you’re at that age.

I think he is still learning and the explosion he had last year was huge. It was difficult to deal with all the new situations for him after winning the US Open. This step back from the Australian Open is a shame as I think it can suit him very well. He should be fresh for the clay court season though and keep on improving.

Can Alcaraz surpass the big three in future?
That that would be a miracle. I don't think I don't think anyone will ever pass Djokovic, Federer or Nadal. That's my opinion. I think he's going to have an unbelievable career, but I don't think he will go over Roger, Rafa or Novak because that I see it as mission impossible.

Can anyone beat Swiatek?
I think it was very important for her to win the US Open, I think, for her mindset, you know, knowing that she can win a major on hardcourts, it might help her believe that he can do it again, also in Melbourne. I think, her game can sit very well. She is moving well, she has unbelievable, great defensive skills. She has a great backhand, she returns well. I think he's she's going to be one of the toughest girls to beat for sure.

You can also consider Aryna Sabalenka how does, she won last week. And then Caroline Garcia who won the Masters at the end of the year, and maybe she found her way to hurt her opponents. The ball bounces quite high in Melbourne and she likes the kick out surface so I don't know. Maybe Ons Jabeur, let’s see what she can do. It's going to be very interesting.

I think Swiatek is a little bit on top of the others because she has been winning more matches. But when you start the year, you know, everybody started from zero. So, at the end, anything can happen.

Alex Corretja is an expert for Warner Bros. Discovery Sport's coverage of the Australian Open in Europe. Coverage starts on discovery+, Eurosport and Eurosport App from Monday 16 January.