By Darren Walton
Young guns Ashleigh Barty and Alex de Minaur are locked in an apparent two-way battle for the Newcombe Medal.
Australia's most outstanding tennis player of 2018 will be crowned in Melbourne on Monday night, with Roger Federer-slayer John Millman and wheelchair champion Dylan Alcott the other two nominees.
Contender: Ashleigh Barty.Credit: AP
While Millman undoubtedly provided the moment of the year with his stunning fourth-round US Open victory over Federer and Alcott again excelled, it was the class and consistency of Barty and de Minaur that stood out.
Last year's medallist Barty is a deserving favourite to join Samantha Stosur (2010, 2011, 2012) as only the second multiple winner in the award's nine-year history.
The 22-year-old enjoyed a stellar 2018, climbing to a career-high ranking of No.15 in singles and No.5 in doubles.
The former Wimbledon junior champion is one of only two women ranked inside the world's top 20 in both singles and doubles.
Alex de Minaur has also had a brilliant season.Credit: AP
Barty won the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai, another singles title on grass in Nottingham as well as four doubles titles - including her maiden grand slam alongside American Coco Vandeweghe in New York.
She amassed 46 singles wins for the season, reaching the Sydney final, semi-finals in Strasbourg, Montreal and Wuhan and making a career-best fourth-round run at the US Open in addition to her two title successes.
De Minaur was named the ATP's Newcomer of the Year after rocketing from No.208 to a career-high 31st in the rankings in 2018.
The 19-year-old's breakout season began with runs to the Brisbane semi-finals and Sydney final, which earned the teenager a Davis Cup debut, where he pushed then-world No.4 Alexander Zverev to five sets.
He reached the Washington final before rounding out his year with a runner-up showing at Next Gen ATP Finals.
Millman's quarter-final effort at Flushing Meadows helped propel the 29-year-old to a career-high No.33 in the world and earned him a nomination as the ATP's comeback player of the season.
Alcott - the 2016 Newcombe medallist - added a sixth grand slam title to his CV with a second victory in the US Open quad wheelchair singles.
AAP