Djokovic faces tough draw at Australian Open, Sinner will face Jarry on Thursday to begin his bid to defend his Australian Open title, while Djokovic will face Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.
World number one Jannik Sinner was drawn on Thursday against big man Nicolas Jarry to begin his defense at the Australian Open, while Novak Djokovic will meet Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.
Italian tennis player Sinner beat Russian Daniil Medvedev in last year’s final in Melbourne to secure his first major title and then add US Open and Association of Tennis Professionals Finals crowns to his collection .
However, the top seed will begin his title defense under the shadow of doping after twice testing positive for the steroid clostebol in March.
He was cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency but is still awaiting the outcome of an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The 23-year-old tennis player can meet Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas or Australian tennis player Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals, and Medvedev in the semifinals.
Serbia’s Djokovic will face American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy as his opponent, but he has an uphill task to claim his 11th Australian Open title and record 25th Grand Slam.
He is seeded to meet world number 10 Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round and Spain’s Alcaraz in the last eight, before facing Alexander Zverev in the semifinals.
Alcaraz will face Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko, who scored a confidence-boosting win over world number 11 Tsitsipas at the recent United Cup tournament.
Zverev will meet French wildcard player Lucas Pouille.
In the women’s draw, world number one Aryna Sabalenka will begin her title defense against former US Open champion Sloane Stephens from the United States.
The top seed from Belarus will try to become the first woman tennis player since Martina Hingis (1997-99) to win three titles in a row.
World number three Coco Gauff will also face a tough start, against 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin.
However, second seed Iga Swiatek had an easier task against the Czech doubles specialist, Katerina Siniakova, who is ranked 46 .
However, the Polish star has sixth seed Elena Rybakina and eighth seed Emma Navarro in her draw.
Two-time major runner-up and fourth seed Jasmine Paolini will face the qualifying round, as will Chinese fifth seed Zheng Qinwen, who lost to Sabalenka in last year’s final.
In another key match, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka will face Caroline Garcia in a rematch of last year’s first round match which the French won.
If all goes according to plan, Sabalenka will meet Zheng in the quarterfinals and Gauff in the semifinals, with Swiatek projected to face Paolini in the last four.
The Australian Open starts on Sunday.
