Novak Djokovic was drawn yesterday to play Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena on his return to the Australian Open and could meet Nick Kyrgios in the last eight. The Serbian star, who was deported a year ago, will kickstart his bid for a 10th Melbourne title and a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam crown against a player ranked 75th in the world.
In the absence of injured world number one Carlos Alcaraz, defending champion Rafael Nadal takes the top seed and starts against Britain’s promising Jack Draper.
On the women’s side, top seed and world number one Iga Swiatek will meet Germany’s Jule Niemeier as she targets a maiden Grand Slam title in Australia.
There is an injury cloud hanging over Djokovic after he tweaked his hamstring on the way to winning the season-opening Adelaide International last week.
He cut short a practice match on Wednesday to get more treatment. The 35-year-old was ejected from Australia on the eve of the 2022 tournament over his Covid vaccination stance after a legal battle. He also missed the US Open for similar reasons.
The move divided opinion in Melbourne, a city that endured some of the longest lockdowns in the world at the height of the pandemic. How he is received remains to be seen. The fourth seed is due to play a charity match against Australian Kyrgios today and could meet him in the quarter-finals if both get that far. Kyrgios would first potentially have to get past ninth seed Holger Rune and fifth seed Andrey Rublev.
Should Nadal progress to the second week he could run into recent United Cup champion and US Open conqueror from last year, 16th seed Frances Tiafoe, with the man he vanquished from two sets down in last year’s final, seventh seed Daniil Medvedev a projected quarter-final foe. Third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas remains the last person to defeat Nadal at Melbourne Park, having done so in the quarterfinals two years ago.
Second seed Casper Ruud, who suffered a shock loss in his first match at the Auckland Classic yesterday, was pitted first up against Czech player Tomas Machac.
Medvedev, finalist at the last two Australian Opens, takes on American Marcos Giron. Tsitsipas has a tough match against France’s Quentin Halys. The Greek‘s section includes a potential fourth round against 15th seed Jannik Sinner and a possible quarter-final against sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Former Grand Slam winner Andy Murray meets Italian Matteo Berrettini in a headline first-round clash while Rublev is up against former finalist Dominic Thiem.
Five-time Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray has not reached the second week at Melbourne Park since 2017 but the Briton remains capable of causing damage on his day. He will need to do so from the off when he faces 13th seed Matteo Berrettini at the first hurdle.
Former No 6 Berrettini holds a 3-1 record against the 35-year-old and has regained valuable matchplay after picking up three wins from five United Cup matches leading in.
Swiatek, who has largely dominated the women’s game after the retirement last year of Australian Ash Barty following her triumph at Melbourne Park, starts her bid for a fourth major with a potentially tricky clash against German Niemeier. The Polish player could face seventh seed Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals and third seed Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals.
Women’s world number two Ons Jabeur will begin her latest attempt to become the first Arab player to claim a Grand Slam singles title when she plays Tamara Zidansek. Tunisian Jabeur was runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open last year.
American Jessica Pegula takes on Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian. Sofia Kenin and Victoria Azarenka will face off in an opening round clash featuring two former champions.
France’s Caroline Garcia, seeded four, meets a qualifier or lucky loser while world number five Aryna Sabalenka, who won the Adelaide International last week, is against Tereza Martincova of the Czech Republic.