Australian Open: Top female contenders

Wozniacki, Kvitova, Zarenka, Sharapova, Na Williams or Clijsters? Here's the vital stats on the top female players considered the contenders for the women's title.

Crowd favourite: China's Li Na. (Getty)

Here's the vital statistics on the top female players considered the main contenders for the Australian Open women's title.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN)

World ranking: 1

Birthdate: July 11, 1990

Birthplace: Odense, Denmark

Residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco

Height: 5'10" (177 cm)

Weight: 128 lbs (58 kg)

Plays: Right-handed

Turned pro: 2005

Career singles titles: 18

Grand slam singles titles: 0

Career prize money: $11,778,802

Best Australian Open result: Semi-finalist (2011)

- The Dane finished both 2010 and 2011 as the world number one, but her top ranking is under immediate threat from number two Petra Kvitova. Wozniacki has never won a grand slam, leading to constant questions about her status as the best women's player.

PETRA KVITOVA (CZE)

World ranking: 2

Birthdate: March 8, 1990

Birthplace: Bilovec, Czech Republic

Residence: Fulnek, Czech Republic

Height: 6' (182 cm)

Weight: 154 lbs (70 kg)

Plays: Left-handed

Turned pro: 2006

Career singles titles: 7

Grand slam singles titles: 1 (Wimbledon 2011)

Career prize money: $6,343,383

Best Australian Open result: Quarter-finalist (2011)

- Kvitova, closing in on the world number one ranking, won six tour titles including her first grand slam at Wimbledon and the WTA Championships in a breakthrough season in 2011. She had finished 2010 ranked 34.

VICTORIA AZARENKA (BLR)

World ranking: 3

Birthdate: July 31, 1989

Birthplace: Minsk, Belarus

Residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco

Height: 6' (183 cm)

Weight: 145 lbs (66 kg)

Plays: Right-handed

Turned pro: 2003

Career singles titles: 9

Grand slam singles titles: 0

Career prize money: $9,040,357

Best Australian Open result: Quarter-final (2010)

- Azarenka comes into the Australian Open as one of the form players after beating China's Li Na in the final of last week's Sydney International tournament to claim her ninth career title.

MARIA SHARAPOVA (RUS)

World ranking: 4

Birthdate: April 19, 1987

Birthplace: Nyagan, Russia

Residence: Bradenton, Florida, USA

Height: 6'2" (188 cm)

Weight: 130 lbs (59 kg)

Plays: Right-handed

Turned pro: 2001

Career singles titles: 24

Grand slam singles titles: 3 (Australian Open 2008, Wimbledon 2004, US Open 2006)

Career prize money: $16,643,327

Best Australian Open result: Champion (2008)

- Sharapova, who lost to Kvitova in the final of last year's Wimbledon, will be looking to put late-season injury problems behind her to lift her first grand slam title since the Australian Open in 2008.

LI NA (CHN)

World ranking: 6

Birthdate: February 26, 1982

Birthplace: Wuhan, China

Residence: Wuhan, China

Height: 5'7 3/4" (172 cm)

Weight: 143 lbs (65 kg)

Plays: Right-handed

Turned pro: 1999

Career singles titles: 5

Grand slam singles titles: 1 (French Open 2011)

Career prize money: $7,093,058

Best Australian Open result: Finalist (2011)

- Li is aiming to go one better than last year, when she reached the final of the Australian Open before becoming the first Asian to win a grand slam singles title, at the French Open. She reached the final of last week's Sydney International and says she has recovered her desire after a post-Roland Garros slump.

SERENA WILLIAMS (USA)

World ranking: 12

Birthdate: September 26, 1981

Birthplace: Saginaw, Michigan, USA

Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Weight: 155 lbs (70 kg)

Plays: Right-handed

Turned pro: 1995

Career singles titles: 39

Grand slam singles titles: 13 (Australian Open 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, French Open 2002, Wimbledon 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, US Open 1999, 2002, 2008)

Career prize money: $34,767,934

Best Australian Open result: Champion (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010)

- Williams has faced major injury problems in the past two seasons but she remains the most feared women's player despite slipping down the rankings. She sprained an ankle in Brisbane earlier this month but says she feels good ahead of the start of the Australian Open.

KIM CLIJSTERS (BEL)

World ranking: 14

Birthdate: June 8, 1983

Birthplace: Bilzen, Belgium

Residence: Bree, Belgium

Height: 5'8 1/2" (174 cm)

Weight: 150 lbs (68 kg)

Plays: Right-handed

Turned pro: 1997

Career singles titles: 41

Grand slam singles titles: 4 (Australian Open 2011, US Open 2005, 2009, 2010)

Career prize money: $23,788,657

Best Australian Open result: Champion (2011)

- Clijsters will be looking to put an injury-ravaged 2011 behind her and defend her Australian Open title, which was her fourth grand slam win. The former world number one says she intends to retire this year.

SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS)

World ranking: 6

Birthdate: March 30, 1984

Birthplace: Brisbane, Australia

Height: 175cm

Weight: 65kg

Plays: Right-handed

Career singles titles: 6

Grand slam singles titles: 1 (US Open 2010)

Best Australian Open result: Fourth round, 2010

Stosur will have the crowd behind her as Australia's first women's grand slam champion in decades, but she has already admitted feeling the pressure after early exits in Brisbane and Sydney this month.