Stan Wawrinka will embark on his first-ever grand slam defence confident he has the game to win back-to-back Australian Open titles.

Wawrinka, 29, entered last year’s Open hoping he could win it, but after a life-changing year where he was also part of the Swiss Davis Cup-winning team, he now knows he can claim a second major win if he plays his best tennis.

“It changes everything in your career, for sure,” Wawrinka said on Friday.

“When you win a grand slam you really start to be a part of the history of tennis.

“It changed my life and my tennis.

“I feel good and happy to be back.

“I’m playing well and have confidence in my game.

“It’s the first grand slam of the year, everything starts from zero again, and you have to be ready for the two weeks.”

Wawrinka defeated Rafael Nadal, who struggled with a back injury during the final, in four sets to claim his first grand slam title, but he pinpointed his epic quarter-final win against Novak Djokovic as the catalyst for his career-defining year.

“To finish that match as the winner, it gave me confidence and put me in the semi-final,” he said.

“My game was there and physically I was feeling great. Since that match I know I have the level to win a grand slam.”

Wawrinka has replicated last year’s preparation for the Australian Open with a win at the Chennai Open.

He is seeded fourth at this year’s tournament and will face Turkey’s Marsel Ilhan in the first round.