Number one in the world for 64 weeks on-and-off throughout her career, Simona Halep finally tasted Grand Slam success in 2018. Taking home the French Open of that year before a Wimbledon conquest last season, the 28-year-old Romanian has been within touching distance of the Australian title in the past with a runner-up performance her best. As she aims to go one better, which I believe she will, she faces Elise Mertens early on before clashing with Karolina Pliskova in the semi-final.

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Her ranking may not be what it used to be, her tournament play may be down, but it would be a crime to count Serena Williams out of Australian Open contention. A clinical, breezy Auckland win saw her take home her first title in almost three years - and her first since motherhood - and sees her in dominant, dangerous form that has the potential to win her eighth Australian crown and equalise Margaret Court's 24 Grand Slams.

Missing a Grand Slam from her list of achievements so far, Karolina Pliskova will certainly be out to tick that box this year. Having only reached a major final on one occasion (US Open 2016) and being a regular at the top of women's tennis, the priority is there for the Czech.

Yet again starting her season off with a singles title, taking out her third Brisbane International, the No.2 seed has been a bridesmaid so far in her career and would love to be the one getting married as she faces Kristina Mladenovic in a mouth-watering first round.

Floating around the sport's top level for the past few seasons, Svitolina finished 2019 with two semi-final Grand Slam berths. Is 2020 the year she pushes on with it? Her draw suggests not quite yet - facing a tough path against Garbine Muguruza and Kiki Bertens before falling to Pliskova in her attempt for a maiden slam.

I know what you're thinking, why is someone who's best AO performance the second round featuring in a Grand Slam preview? Sofia Kenin is a serious smoky for a hard run at the title. It could be a selection that backfires or it could prove me to be a mastermind, as the 21-year-old has the game to turn heads despite losing to countrywoman Danielle Collins (whose draw is the only thing keeping her from this spot). Having beaten the likes of Osaka, Svitolina, Barty and Williams in 2019, Kenin's draw of a qualifier in the first round and Sloane Stephens in the latter stages will define her run.

Slipping down the rankings due to injury and performance struggles, Kerber's name in the bottom-half of the seeded players will certainly scare the higher-ranked stars. One of the more consistent players in women's tennis before last season's slip, the 31-year-old Polish-born German has been hampered by injury and faces a qualifier in the first round before Vondrousova cuts her run short.

The final hurrah. Set to hang up the boots at the end of the tournament, Wozniacki's 2020 campaign will be emotional, heartfelt but more importantly to this preview, dangerous. An unseeded player with plenty of giant-killing potential, the 29-year-old, who sits fourth in career prizemoney earnings, will have the Australian crowd eating out of the palm of her hands come January 20. Unseeded, Wozniacki clashes with Kristie Ahn before the in-form Yastremska destroys the fairytale.

Last year's winner Osaka started the season off with an absolute bang. While the year trickled off towards the end, changing coach and getting injured, the Japanese star is set to shake things up in her title defence. A semi-final run at the Brisbane International shows the 22-year-old is in form and ready to rock as she faces Sofia Kenin early on with a potential showdown with Serena Williams on the cards.

One of only three Australians that sit within the top 100, the former Croatian representative can certainly hit a tennis ball and is capable of causing an upset, last year defeating Bertens, Aryna Sabalenka and Johanna Konta. Battling Halep in Adelaide, the 26-year-old pushed the world No.3, going down 6-4 7-5 and showing her potential ceiling.

Originally, Sam Stosur's spot in this preview was purely as a place-holder, one of a small bunch of Australian women gaining direct acceptance into the tournament.

So far this summer, we have seen the best and worst of the 35-year-old with a win over Angelique Kerber in Brisbane closely followed by a snappy loss in Hobart. It would take most of the cards falling into place for her just to better her previous best here but when zoned in, she can be hard to beat, especially with Rennae Stubbs on her side.

Other Australians in the draw include Astra Sharma, Priscilla Hon, Lizette Cabrera and Arina Rodionova.