With the Australian Open kicking off the new 2010 tennis year, the action is officially back. There are many players rounding out a field that finds itself more competitive than it’s been in quite a few years.

While recent years seemingly belonged to Federer and Nadal and their classic rivalry with one another, there are a few more players in the mix who should pose a threat to them both.

Though Federer and Nadal occupy the top two spots in the world, there are a few players who could end up the year ranked at number one. Let’s take a look at the most likely finishers now.

Obviously, there’s Roger Federer. He should always be considered the favorite to finish at the top of the rankings, as he’s done so nearly every year during the course of the last decade. Still, his age of 29 means he’s getting up there in years.

If Rafael Nadal can stay healthy, there’s no reason to believe that he can’t finish there. In fact, many believe that he would have finished there in 2009 had he not been forced to miss Wimbledon due to his knee injury.

On the rise is the young 20 year old Juan Martin Del Potro, whose incredible win at the US Open shocked many tennis fans. To knowledgeable ones, the Argentine’s emergence wasn’t such a surprise. The kid is incredibly talented and has what it takes to capture the world’s top ranking this year.

Rounding out the field are two more potential players. Let’s take a look at them both.

One is Novak Djokovic, who seems to be playing some great tennis after a brief lull last year. He’s won a grand slam before and there’s no reason to believe that he can’t win some more. Since he’s ranked third in the world right now, a close eye should be kept on him.

One final player worth mentioning is Andy Murray. Since he reached the world’s number two rank last year, his consistent showing at major events could put him in a position to surprise many fans should he capture a slam or two.

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