From Swiatek to Gauff: 5 women to watch at the Australian Open

MELBOURNE: World number one Iga Swiatek leads the field in an Australian Open women's draw shorn of some of its biggest recent stars.

Ashleigh Barty, who lifted the trophy 12 months ago, and Serena Williams have retired, while the 2019 and 2021 winner Naomi Osaka has pulled out.

AFP Sport picks out five players to watch:

The 21-year-old seized her opportunity after the retirement of Barty to dominate 2022, securing eight WTA titles and becoming the first woman in six years to win two Grand Slams in the same season - at Roland Garros and New York.

After losing the Australian Open semi-final to Danielle Collins, Poland's Swiatek did not look back.

She lifted the trophy in Doha a month later to kick-start an incredible 37-match winning streak that only ended in the third round at Wimbledon five months later.

Swiatek began this year's Australian Open build-up with three straight-sets victories in the United Cup.

But a 6-2, 6-2 defeat to Jessica Pegula in the semi-final left Swiatek in tears, complaining she felt "helpless" and unable to show up "physically and mentally".

The Tunisian world number two appears to be on the cusp of a Grand Slam breakthrough, having been runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open last year.

The 28-year-old has set herself a 2023 target of toppling Swiatek from the number one ranking and becoming the first Arab and African woman to win a Slam.

Late bloomer Jabeur was 26 when she lifted her maiden WTA title in 2021 at Birmingham, adding Madrid and Berlin trophies last year.

"I'm not someone that's going to give up," vowed Jabeur after losing the US Open final to Swiatek.

The 28-year-old world number three comes into Melbourne Park after starring for the victorious United States team at the United Cup, where she