The Chennai Open, India’s only ATP World Tour stop, is one of three tournaments held in the opening week of the season alongside Brisbane and Qatar. Swiss Stan Wawrinka returns to defend his crown but faces a stiff challenge from Feliciano Lopez, Bautista Agut and David Goffin, among others. Here’s a low-down on the World Tour 250 event:

Wawrinka’s title defence

Fresh from helping Switzerland to a historic Davis Cup triumph, World No. 4 Stanislas Wawrinka will begin his 2015 campaign looking to repeat 2014’s winning formula.

The 29-year-old defeated Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the Chennai final before going on to win his maiden Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open. Stan would surely love to repeat his memorable January run once again.

Key challengers

At a career-high World No. 14 in the ATP Rankings, 33-year-old Feliciano Lopez will play in Chennai for the first time, looking to win his fifth World Tour title. Voted the Most Improved Player of the Year in 2014, Roberto Bautista Agut will make his third appearance in Chennai. The Spaniard reached his first ATP World Tour final in Chennai three years ago, where he lost to Janko Tipsarevic.

Another player who’ll be keen to make his presence felt is David Goffin. Named 2014 Comeback Player of the Year, Goffin goes into 2015 at a career-high World No. 22 in the rankings chart. The Belgian reached the Chennai Open quarterfinals in 2012.

Somdev leads Indian charge

Somdev Devvarman will once again spearhead the Indian challenge, aiming to return to the top-100 after a miserable 2014. He got a wildcard for the event along with youngster Ramkumar Ramanathan, who rose to prominence after humbling Devvarman in the opening round in Chennai last year. Leander Paes could run into his estranged doubles partner Mahesh Bhupathi, who returns to the court after nine months. Yuki Bhambri stumbled in the final round of qualifying, losing to unheralded N Prashanth.

Paes’s 25th year on tour

Doubles ace Leander Paes will begin his 25th year on the ATP World Tour in Chennai.

It’s also a year where he will begin the long climb back after ending 2014 with a lowest-ever ranking in the year-end list in more than a decade.

Problems on personal as well as professional front saw his ranking drop to 35 before he brought it up to 29. The 41-year-old will team up with South Africa’s Raven Klaasen, his 99th doubles partner, in Chennai.

And after the ‘hardest year as a pro athlete’, Paes will hope his 25th year on the circuit will be much better.