Melbourne, Australia – Contenders Novak Djokovic And Rafael Nadal They have been positioned into the 2 halves of the Australian Open in Thursday’s draw, that means the 43-times Grand Slam champions can solely meet within the closing at Melbourne Park.
9-time Australian champion Djokovic is again within the grueling event after lacking it final yr when his visa was revoked and he was deported from the nation as a result of he was not vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19. He additionally couldn’t compete within the 2022 US Open.
Fourth seed Djokovic will open his bid for a tenth Australian Open title in opposition to the Spaniard Roberto Karpeles Baena In a event that begins on Monday.
Iga Swiatekthe No. 1 ranked participant within the ladies’s event, faces Germany Julie Niemeyerwhich was ranked No. 68 within the opening spherical. The Polish participant reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park in 2022, the yr she gained the French and US Open titles.
However the principle focus within the first spherical might be on Nadal, who faces a probably robust showdown in opposition to a British participant Jack Draper. Draper, 21, was a semi-finalist on the Subsequent Technology Championships in November and also will play a semi-finalist on the Adelaide Worldwide on Friday.
Her final five-time Australian Open finalist is a spherical opener Britain’s Andy Murray in opposition to italian Matteo Berettinithe earlier Wimbledon finalist and is seeded No. 13.
Murray defeated the Australian Alex de Minor 6-3, 6-3 in an exhibition sport on Thursday and he’s completely happy together with his type.
“It is at all times tough to play in exhibition matches prefer it’s the primary spherical of a grand slam, however I needed to let all of it out on the courtroom to provide my physique the most effective preparation, see how I used to be transferring, see how I used to be serving, and it labored out nicely,” Murray mentioned. .
Potential males’s quarter-finals by seeding are: Nadal vs. No. 7 Daniel Medvedev In what may very well be a rematch of final yr’s closing at Melbourne Park, which Nadal gained after dropping the primary two units, and ending third. Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. No. 6 Felix Auger-Aliassime Within the prime half and Djokovic in opposition to No. 5 Andrey Rublevand No. 2 Casper Street vs. No. 8 Taylor Fritz within the decrease half.
Nadal has a career-leading 22 Grand Slam titles, greater than Djokovic.
Wimbledon closing Nick Kyrgioswho faces Roman Cifullin Within the opening spherical, Djokovic will play an exhibition match on Friday in Melbourne.
“I’m among the finest gamers on the earth, so I’ll undoubtedly go into the Australian Open and any main tournaments with confidence,” mentioned Kyrgios.
Anas JaberAnd she or he ranked second, who reached the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open in 2022, and performs with Tamara Zidancic within the ladies’s draw.
Quantity 3 Jessica Pegulawho captained the US crew that gained the United Combined Nationals Cup in Sydney final week, faces Jacqueline Christian Romania within the first spherical.
Australia Cup captain Billie Jean King Alicia Molickwho attended the draw at Melbourne Park, mentioned Pegula was the contender.
“I really feel like she has psychological stability and I actually really feel she may very well be right here within the later stage of the Australian Open,” Molik mentioned.
The seventh seed Coco Jovewho gained a event in Auckland final week, faces a tricky first-round take a look at in opposition to him Katerina Sinyakovawho defeated her within the finals of the Billie Jean King Cup in November.
Former US Open Champion for Nice Britain Emma RaducanoShe’s going to face world quantity 74 Germany, who withdrew from their spherical of 16 match on the ASB Traditional as a consequence of damage final week. Tamara Korbach.
Potential ladies’s quarterfinal matches are: Swiatek in opposition to Gauff in what might be a rematch of final yr’s French Open closing, gained by Swiatek, and Pegula in opposition to seed 6. Maria Scary within the higher half of the arch; And Jaber reverse No. 5 Arina Sabalenkaand quantity 4 Caroline Garcia vs. No. 8 Daria Kasatkina within the decrease half.
One other huge first spherical match is the two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka in opposition to Sophia Keninwho gained the title at Melbourne Park in 2020.