Emma Raducanu will open her Australian Open campaign against German Tamara Korpatsch if she recovers from injury; men's draw throws up two first-round crackers as top seed Rafael Nadal takes on British hopeful Jack Draper and Andy Murray faces Matteo Berrettini
Thursday 12 January 2023 15:02, UK
Emma Raducanu will open her Australian Open campaign against German world No 74 Tamara Korpatsch, while Andy Murray and Jack Draper have been handed blockbuster encounters with Matteo Berrettini and Rafa Nadal following Thursday's draw in Melbourne.
Raducanu is battling to overcome an ankle injury she suffered in Auckland last week and at least has avoided a seed, instead drawing 74th-ranked Korpatsch.
The German claimed the first WTA 125 title of her career in Budapest last September, but British No 1 Raducanu will fancy her chances of progressing through to the second round where she could meet seventh seed Coco Gauff.
Defending champion and top seed Rafael Nadal goes up against hot British prospect Jack Draper - with Daniil Medvedev in the same quarter.
Draper, 21, has risen fast up the rankings and has begun the season in good form, beating Karen Khachanov to reach the semi-finals of the Adelaide International on Thursday.
Nadal battled to a 21st Grand Slam title in sensational fashion in Melbourne 12 months ago but is yet to win a match in 2023 and has lost six of his last seven.
There is no doubt Draper, who played Novak Djokovic on his Wimbledon debut in 2021, will relish the occasion as he looks to make a huge statement.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray will be cursing his luck after finding himself paired with 13th seed Berrettini.
The Italian reached the final at the All England Club in 2021 and was a semi-finalist at Melbourne Park 12 months ago, while he defeated Murray in the third round of the US Open last summer.
The two British seeds fared better, with 11th seed Cameron Norrie drawing young French wild card Luca Van Assche while 25th seed Dan Evans will meet Argentina's Facundo Bagnis.
Title favourite Djokovic will meet Roberto Carballes Baena and is in the same quarter of the draw as Nick Kyrgios, who meets Roman Safiullin.
World No 1 Iga Swiatek, who has largely dominated the women's game after the retirement last year of Australian Ashleigh Barty following her triumph at Melbourne Park, faces a potentially tough opener against Wimbledon quarter-finalist Jule Niemeier.
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.
And Sofia Kenin and Victoria Azarenka will meet in an opening round clash featuring two former Australian Open champions.
Kyle Edmund, playing at the tournament for the first time since 2020 following three knee operations, meets 15th seed Jannik Sinner, while British No 2 Harriet Dart has been handed a difficult draw against 32nd seed Jil Teichmann.
