Djokovic faces daunting Australian Open draw as Sinner begins title defence
The Serbian star faces a tough draw, with potential clashes against Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round, Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, and Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.
Novak Djokovic is set for a challenging path at the Australian Open as he aims for an unprecedented 11th title at the tournament.
Meanwhile, reigning champion Jannik Sinner starts his campaign against Nicolas Jarry, with the event kicking off on 12 January in Melbourne.
World number one Jannik Sinner, who claimed his maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne last year by defeating Daniil Medvedev, will begin his title defence amid controversy.
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Despite being cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency following two positive tests for traces of the banned substance clostebol, the 23-year-old Italian awaits the outcome of an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
As the top seed, Sinner could face Stefanos Tsitsipas or Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals and potentially meet Medvedev again in the semi-finals.
Novak Djokovic, bidding for a record 25th Grand Slam title, begins his journey against American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy. However, the Serbian star faces a tough draw, with potential clashes against Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round, Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, and Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.
Alcaraz opens his campaign against Kazakhstan's Alexander Shevchenko, who recently defeated world number 11 Tsitsipas at the United Cup. Zverev will meet French wildcard Lucas Pouille in his first match.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka will attempt to achieve a historic hat-trick of Australian Open titles, a feat last accomplished by Martina Hingis between 1997 and 1999. The Belarusian star faces a challenging start against former US Open champion Sloane Stephens.
Coco Gauff, seeded third, also faces a tough opening round against Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open winner. In contrast, second seed Iga Swiatek has a relatively straightforward first match against Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova.
Swiatek, however, is likely to encounter tougher opponents later in the tournament, with sixth seed Elena Rybakina and eighth seed Emma Navarro in her half of the draw.
If results align with seedings, Sabalenka is projected to face Zheng in the quarter-finals and Gauff in the semi-finals, while Swiatek could meet Paolini in the last four.
