CNN
In the opening round, Rafael Nadal, the champion of defence, will take on Jack Draper, an English teenager. This is in an attempt to keep his 2022 crown and increase his grand slam total.
No. World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz might be out of the tournament due to injury but Nadal will be able to defend his title with the return Novak Djokovic.
The draw on Thursday was not favorable to the 22-time major winner. If he loses to the world No. He could face Brandon Nakashima, the current Next Gen ATP Finals champ.
The Spaniard could be in the quarterfinal against Daniil Mevedev, who was Nadal’s opponent last year in the epic five-set final. Medvedev will attempt to reach the third consecutive finals after his defeat to Djokovic 2021 and Nadal 2022.
Djokovic will be playing in the opposing half of Nadal or Medvedev’s 2021 final. In the opening round, Roberto Carballes Baena (a Spaniard) is facing the nine-time Australian Open champion. He will then face Nick Kyrgios, the home favorite, in the final eight.
This tournament is 12 months after Djokovic, an Australian immigration minister, was expelled from Australia. He had previously opposed the Covid-19 vaccine being forced on people, and he could be considered an “icon” to anti-vaxxers.
The minister made the decision to exile the former world No. 1. He was originally banned from entering the country for three years.
The thrilling section of the draw that includes Holger Rune and Dan Evans, as well as Andrey Rublev, features nineteenth-seeded Kyrgios.
Russian Rublev is fifth in the Australian Open, but was knocked out by world No. In the Adelaide 2. Rublev will face a thrilling opening round match against the former world No. Dominic Thiem, the 2020 Australian Open finalist, is in Round 3.
Andy Murray is the pick of the round, as he takes on 13th-seeded Matteo Berrettini. The three-time grand slam champion beat by the Italian in four sets at 2022 US Open. He has also beaten the Scotsman in three of their four ATP meetings.
You have nothing to lose with no Barty
Iga Swiatek, the top seed in the tournament, has taken over tennis after Ashleigh Barty, the reigning champion, retired last year. The Pole will face Jule Niemeier, a German tennis champion, but she could also meet Coco Gauff, an American hot prospect.
The 18-year old superstar is in great form and has won the ASB Classic without dropping any sets. She will be looking to continue her stellar 2022, which saw her reach Roland Garros’ final where Swiatek defeated her.
Gauff will face Emma Raducanu, 2021 US Open champion, in the second round. Raducanu is racing against time after sustaining an ankle injury.
Ons Jabeur, second seed, starts her 2023 year trying to do better than last year. Although Tunisian was able to reach the Wimbledon and US Open finals, she fell short of her goal to be the first Arab or North African woman to win the grand slam.
Jabeur, who missed the 2022 Open, opens her 2023 account against Tamara Zidansek. She could also face Aryna Sabalenka, who just won Adelaide 1, her 11th career title.
American Jessica Pegula was drawn in the same draw as Maria Sakkari. Pegula led Team USA to victory at the inaugural United Cup. It featured an impressive straight-set win against Swiatek. She is a back-to-back quarterfinalist in Melbourne, and she is at the top her game. She will be trying to make it exciting with her United Cup opponent.
