Not only is the Australian Open the first Grand Slam of the year, it also marks the opportunity for those involved with, and who follow tennis, to measure the pulse of the sport in Australia against the rest of the world.

If we get a player or two into the second week, then prognostications are good. Early carnage and another long year would appear to be in store, and the heavyweights at Tennis Australia will again be plaved under great, and deserved scrutiny.

Sam Stosur will be at the forefront once again. Her stuttering start to the year in Brisbane and Sydney has some worried, but more that likely, her preparation has been tailored, or should that be 'Taylored (her coach is David Taylor), much in the fashion of Bart Cummings, to peak for the last two weeks of January. With a big serve and a ripping forehand, Stosur has the tools to win at Melbourne Park. But with memories of the French Open in our minds, and probably hers, does she have the mental resolve because the longer she progresses through the championship?

Jamrmila Groth is the other Australian woman to follow. She won in Hobart on Saturday to become just the second Australian player to win the that event. She has a tough opener against 17th seed Yanina Wickmayer, but a few good wins early in the year and she could expect to be seeded herself for the later Grand Slams this year.

Anastasia Rodionova is the third Australian inside the top 100 and there is talk of another five joining making the leap over the course of the year. Let's reassess that in a fortnight.

Lleyton Hewitt - again - will be the focus for the Australian men. He played well at the Hopman Cup and even won Kooyong, but most importantly he has the miles in the legs. Get over David Nalbandian in the of those "the whole nation will be watching the tennis" clashes in the opening round and the draw opens up a little.

The big picture of course is Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Nadal is aiming for the 'Rafa Slam' and goes into Melbourne Park as the reigning champion at the French and US Opens and Wimbledon. The Grand Slam Master, Rod Laver reckons Nadal needs to win all four Slams in the same year, but still, to be holding all four trophies at once is a pretty big deal in our opinion.

A touch of the mystique between the pair has disappeared just a bit. They appear just that bit too friendly towards each other too much for this to be a fearsome rivalry and they also play each other a fair bit. Nadal leads the series 14-8 with a few exhibitions - including two late last year - thrown in as well. Still, there is a fair gap between them and even the next best great players so expect meaningful match 23 between the pair in two weeks from now.

Caroline Woznoacki is the number one women's seed and can expect to play in front of packed houses every time. The perv factor count will count for some of the appeal, but for the purists comes the opportunity to pick apart the game of yet another woman who has risen all the way to no.1 in the world without having won a Grand Slam title.

It is for that reason alone that Stosur has to fancy her chances over the next two weeks.