Novak Djokovic was positioned on the alternative facet of the draw to defending champion and top-seeded Rafael Nadal on the Australian Open on Thursday, that means they’ll solely meet within the last at Melbourne Park.
In his return to Melbourne after final yr’s immigration controversy, fourth-seeded Djokovic will open his bid for a tenth Australian Open title towards Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena.
However the primary first-round focus will likely be on Nadal, who faces a doubtlessly difficult match towards British participant Jack Draper. Draper, who’s 21, was a semifinalist within the Subsequent Gen Championships in November and also will play in a semifinal of the Adelaide Worldwide on Friday.
One other opening-round spotlight has five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray towards Italian Matteo Berrettini, a former Wimbledon finalist who’s the No. 13-seeded participant.
Australian Nick Kyrgios has drawn Roman Safiullin, who’s ranked 98th, in his first match.
The potential males’s quarterfinals by seeding are: Nadal vs. No. 7 Daniil Medvedev in what can be a rematch of final yr’s last at Melbourne Park, gained by Nadal after dropping the preliminary two units, and No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. No. 6 Felix Auger-Aliassime within the high half; and Djokovic vs. No. 5 Andrey Rublev, and No. 2 Casper Ruud vs. No. 8 Taylor Fritz within the backside half.
Iga Swiatek, the ladies’s world No. 1, performs German Jule Niemeier, who’s ranked No.68, within the opening spherical. The Polish participant was a semifinalist at Melbourne Park in 2022, a yr wherein she claimed the French and U.S. Open titles.
Ons Jabeur, who reached each the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals in 2022, is seeded second and performs Tarama Zidansek.
World No. 3 Jessica Pegula, who led the U.S. crew that claimed the blended groups United Cup in Sydney final week, faces Jacqueline Cristian from Romania.
Seventh-seeded Coco Gauff, who gained a match in Auckland final week, faces a tricky first-round check towards Katerina Siniakova, who defeated her within the Billie Jean King Cup finals in November.
The potential ladies’s quarterfinals are: Swiatek vs. Gauff in what can be a rematch of final yr’s French Open last, gained by Swiatek, and Pegula vs. No. 6 Maria Sakkari within the high half of the bracket; and Jabeur vs. No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka, and No. 4 Caroline Garcia vs. No. 8 Daria Kasatkina within the backside half.
One other large first-round match is two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka towards Sofia Kenin, who gained the title at Melbourne Park in 2020.
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports