Entering this year's Australian Open, there's no shortage of storylines.
Numerous off-season coaching changes were made by some of the world's top players — including Rafael Nadal and Milos Raonic.
Roger Federer and Nadal also make their long-awaited returns to the Grand Slam stage after injury-riddled seasons while Eugenie Bouchard's semifinal run at the Sydney International has her back on the radar.
The world No.1 ranking is also up for grabs on both the men's and women's side, an unthinkable thought a year ago with Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams rolling through competition.
Here's a look at those and other underlying stories ahead of the first Grand Slam of the tennis season:
Raonic parts with Moya
Raonic is coming off a career-best season in which he reached his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon and ended the year ranked No.3 in the world.
A huge part of his success can be attributed to former coach Carlos Moya who worked with the Canadian during the 2016 season.
Under Moya, the Thornhill, Ont., native saw a vast improvement in his return game and less reliance on his thunderous serve to win matches.
Milos Raonic's return stats from 2015, left, and 2016. (ATP World Tour)
The duo mutually parted ways in the off-season and Raonic hired former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek as Moya's replacement.
Krajicek was a big server and clinical at the net during his playing days just like Raonic.
His aggression is something the Canadian hopes will translate into his game and be the final push he needs to win his first Grand Slam.
Federer, Nadal return to Grand Slam stage
2016 was a year to forget for Federer and Nadal.
A back injury forced Federer to withdraw from the French Open, snapping his streak of 65 consecutive main draw appearances in a Grand Slam and he ended his season in July to have surgery on his left knee.
Since then, Federer's only action was at the Hopman Cup earlier this month.
The 17-time Grand Slam singles champion is ranked No.17 and could face an early test from Tomas Berdych in the third round.
Roger Federer, left, and Rafael Nadal had injury-riddled 2016 seasons. (Sajjad Hussain/Getty Images)
A nagging wrist injury forced Nadal to first withdraw from the French Open - an event he's won a record nine times - and then Wimbledon, eventually calling it a season in October.
Nadal returned to the court at last week's Brisbane International where he was defeated in the quarter-finals by Raonic.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion enters the Australian Open ranked No.9 with new coach, and former Raonic mentor, Carlos Moya.
Should Nadal win the Australian Open, he would become the first man in the Open Era to win all four Grand Slam titles at least twice.
Bouchard's resurgence?
During the 2014 season, Canada's Bouchard took the tennis world by storm when she advanced to the semifinals of the Australian Open and French Open and the Wimbledon finals en route to a career-high world ranking of No.5.
The Westmount, Que., native defeated three top 30 players, including world No.6 Dominika Cibulkova, at the Sydney International before bowing out to world No.10 Johanna Konta.
Encouraging for Eugenie Bouchard: It's the 1st time she's beaten three top-30 players at a tourney since making the Wimbledon final in '14.
— @raviubha
While three wins are nothing to get carried away about, Bouchard proved that on any given day she's more than capable of hanging with the world's best.
Like Raonic, Bouchard hired Thomas Hogstedt to replace long-time coach Nick Saviano in the hopes of rediscovering her old form.
Hogstedt coached Li Na and former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki. More recently he helped Madison Keys crack the top 10 for the first time before being relieved of his duties in November 2016.
Chase for No.1
Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber sit atop the men's and women's rankings, but Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams can reclaim the throne depending on the results.
Murray is clinging to a 780-point lead but must reach the finals to avoid losing points. A 26-match win streak to end the season, including a victory over Djokovic in the year-end ATP Finals championship match, propelled Murray to No.1.
But the Scotsman remains an underdog to Djokovic who he's lost to in four of the past six Australian Open finals and most recently at the Qatar Open finals.
Novak Djokovic, right, has had Andy Murray's number at the Australian Open. (Alastair Grant/The Associated Press)
Kerber upset Williams in last year's final but has suffered early exits in both tournaments she's played this season.
However, a favourable Australian Open draw gives Kerber an opportunity to find her groove in the early rounds.
Williams struggled in her only Australian Open tuneup match committing 88 unforced errors in a loss to world No.69 Madison Brengle.
The 35-year-old's pursuit for an Open Era record 23rd Grand Slam won't come easy in a loaded quarter of the draw, including a first round matchup with Belinda Bencic, who defeated Williams two years ago at the Rogers Cup.
Raonic's coaching change, return of injured superstars highlight storyline-rich Aussie Open
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