Djokovic seeks team glory, while Nadal and Osaka gear up for their return at Brisbane.

Djokovic had an exceptional year in 2023, securing victories in three out of the four Grand Slams, starting with his triumph at Melbourne Park. However, unlike the previous season where he warmed up at Adelaide, the 36-year-old will be the center of attention at the 18-nation event commencing on Friday.

The second edition of this $10 million event will feature nine of the world's top 20 men's players, including the 24-time major champion Djokovic, runner-up at Melbourne Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev ranked seventh in the world, and Casper Ruud ranked eleventh.

On the women's side, world number one and French Open champion Iga Swiatek leads the pack as she aims to guide Poland to victory in the revamped event. This year, the tournament will have fewer matches and will be held in Perth and Sydney. Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, Jessica Pegula, and Maria Sakkari will also be participating.

The opening day will witness Spain facing Brazil, followed by Britain taking on hosts Australia. The United States, who emerged as the defending champions after a dominant performance in the previous final against Italy, will also be in the mix.

Nadal faced two defeats in the inaugural edition and suffered a hip injury at this year's Australian Open, which significantly impacted his season. The Spaniard is eagerly anticipated to make his comeback at the Brisbane International from December 31 to January 7, where he last competed in 2017.

The 37-year-old, who has been plagued by injuries, underwent surgery in June and anticipates that 2024 will be his final season on the tour.

The Brisbane tournament, which returns as an Australian Open warm-up for the first time since 2020, will also mark Osaka's return after a 15-month break. The four-time Grand Slam champion last participated in a WTA event at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in late September 2022 and became a mother in July this year.

Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning Australian Open champion, will also be part of the highly competitive field, while Coco Gauff, the U.S. Open holder, will kick off her season at the Auckland Classic from January 1 to 7.

Carlos Alcaraz, the second-ranked male player in the world, will embark on his journey to the Australian Open starting on January 14th without participating in any warm-up tournaments. Unfortunately, he was unable to compete in this year's edition due to an injury. It is worth mentioning that Alcaraz thwarted Djokovic's attempt at a Grand Slam sweep by securing victory at Wimbledon.