Australian Open 2012: 10 Reasons This Year's Event Is Must-See TV

The 2012 Australian Open is only a week away, and there are many reasons to tune into the year's first Grand Slam event.

The biggest news revolves around former world No. 1's Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters, both of whom recently had to pull out of their respective tournaments due to injuries.

After Novak Djokovic dominated the tournament just a year ago, the playing field has been looking rather level on the men's side of the bracket.

The women's side still has many question marks remaining, including what impact past champions like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will have to get the year started out on the right track.

There will be a lot to look forward to going into the Aussie Open, and that will make the tournament must-watch TV.

Will Roger Federer Be Able to Bounce Back from Mediocrity?

It remains to be seen if Roger Federer will be able to play at this year's Australian Open, but the field should always be scared of the 16-time Grand Slam champion.

Federer is dealing with some back problems, which could put his potential bounce-back performance at this year's tournament in jeopardy.

The world No. 3 is coming off of a championship performance at the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals and is looking like he has returned to top form.

This past season was the first time Federer didn't claim a Grand Slam title since his streak started in 2003. It remains to be seen how his health with stand throughout the tournament, but there is no denying that arguably the greatest player ever still has enough left in the tank to potentially take this tournament by storm.

Can Maria Sharapova Win Her First Grand Slam Since 2008?

Maria Sharapova has been all over the tennis world since her days as world No. 1, but she could be in a good position to possibly win her first Slam title since 2008. Currently, she is ranked No. 4 in the world, and now may be her last chance to really take a shot to reclaim the Australian Open title.

Last season, Sharapova managed to make it only to the fourth round even though she was the 14th seed in the tournament. She dropped that round to Andrea Petkovic, and it didn't even seem like she was the same player who has played so well in the past.

Now, she may be able to finally come in and do something.

Sharapova can never be guaranteed, but now seems like the best time to have some confidence in the Russian star.

Will Andy Murray Finally Win a Grand Slam?

Andy Murray has managed to make three Grand Slam finals over his career, as well as reaching the semifinals on five different attempts. Still, he has never been able to claim a title of his own, and he must be hoping that this will be the year things change.

In order to get there, Murray will likely have to get through at least one of the Big Four, even though it is just as likely that he would need to defeat two of the four to be the final man standing.

He will be looking to make it a third straight trip to the finals, as he has reached the big stage in both 2010 and 2011.

In last year's tournament, he fell to Novak Djokovic. Can he make a miracle run again to only be disappointed, or will he be able to finally pull through? It remains to be seen.

Will Anyone from Outside the Big Four Make Some Noise?

While all the talk will be about the Big Four (Federer, Nadal, Murray and Djokovic), the chance always remains that an outsider can make it into the semifinals and beyond.

It remains to be seen who could potentially dethrone one of these four, but there are candidates who always pose the threat of doing so.

One guy who could possibly come in and upset the field is Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The Frenchman reached this tournament's final back in 2008, and he may be able to make a second trip this year. He recently lost to Federer at the ATP World Tour Finals, but he is looking like he could be back in top form.

Another guy to watch out for is David Ferrer. The journeyman has risen to No. 5 in the world rankings, and he has proven time and again that he is a guy that you can never dismiss no matter who he is put up against.

The Big Four are never easy to get by, but they are still human.

Will Rafael Nadal Continue to Struggle at the Australian Open?

Despite all the success he has had over his career, the one place where Rafael Nadal has a hard time finding some consistency is Down Under.

While he did win the Australian Open back in 2009, the tournament remains to be the only one that the Spaniard has failed to reach the final more than once. He has been knocked out of the quarterfinals three times, including the last two years.

Will Nadal be able to finally shine in Australia, or will the tournament continue to be his Achilles' heel?

Will Serena Williams Continue to Dominate Australia?

Serena Williams missed last year's Australian Open due to ligament ailments, but there is no denying what kind of success the five-time winner of this tournament can do when healthy.

Currently ranked No. 14 in the world, Williams will not exactly get an easy draw. That shouldn't be a problem though, as she managed to win the 2007 title as an unseeded player.

Williams will need a huge bounce back after an inconsistent 2011, but her increased rest should only scare the rest of the field.

If Williams wants this title, it can easily be hers.

Will Novak Djokovic's Reign of Hard Court Terror Continue?

Current world No. 1 and defending champ Novak Djokovic was just a beast last season. He had a season-ending record of 70-6, while also claiming three of the four Slam titles. Could his reign continue into 2012?

Can't see why not.

Djokovic will have a chance to repeat as champion, but it remains to be seen what form he will be in. His back was troubling him at the 2011 ATP World Tour Finals—the only final he didn't make between this and the slams.

If Djokovic can find himself healthy when this tournament begins, everyone better watch out. This guy had a remarkable 2011, and he could be in a position to make even bigger things happen.

Will Donald Young Restore American Hope?

Will Donald Young be able to come through for American tennis at this year's Australian Open? It remains to be seen, but after reaching the fourth round of the US Open, he could just be able to provide a spark of hope.

Young didn't fare all that well at last year's open, when he managed to fall in just the second round. Still, he possesses the most potential for American tennis for making a run at doing something in the year's first Slam.

It is an extreme long-shot that he will be able to win this tournament, but perhaps a deep run will provide Americans with a new hope for the coming years.

They need something, and the 22-year-old from Chicago, Illinois just may be that guy.

Will World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki Actually Win a Grand Slam?

Despite being the No. 1-ranked player in the world, Caroline Wozniacki has failed to ever win a Grand Slam title.

The only final she has made was back in 2009 at the US Open, but perhaps now will be the time that she will finally capture her first Slam title.

Last season at the Australian Open, Wozniacki managed to reach the semifinals. She has certainly taken a step in the right direction, but she still has a lot to prove despite her current ranking.

She is going to have to make a deep run, as anything less than an appearance in the final could cost her the top spot amongst her peers.

Is Juan Martin Del Potro on His Way Back to the Top?

When Juan Martin Del Potro won the 2009 US Open, it is fair to say that many tennis fans were shocked. Who was this guy not named Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal?

Unfortunately, the spark that was Del Potro quickly faded, as he suffered from a wrist injury that slowed down his play for many seasons. What once seemed to be a competitive force to the rest of the field, Del Potro was turning into a "one and done."

That was so until this past season, where he started to make a comeback. He hasn't returned to Slam-champion form just yet, but being currently ranked No. 11 has the former Slam champion eyeing a return to the top 10.

It is no secret that Del Potro can potentially upset anyone in the field, though it remains to be seen which version of him will show up.