Draper has climbed into the top 40 in the world after being ranked outside the top 250 a year ago. Dates: 16-29 January Venue: Melbourne Park Coverage: Daily radio commentary on the 5 Sports Extra/BBC Sport website and app, with live text commentary and selected match reports on the website and app
British rising star Jack Draper will play top seed Rafael Nadal in the first round of the Australian Open, with Andy Murray also in a tough draw.
Murray faces 13th seed Matteo Berrettini, while Novak Djokovic returns to Melbourne against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena.
Emma Raducanu, who has suffered an ankle injury, has been drawn against Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch.
Raducanu, 20, could face seventh seed Coco Gauff in the second round.
The Australian Open, which is the first Grand Slam tournament of the new season, takes place at Melbourne Park from January 16 to 29.
Draper and Murray expect tough draws
Andy Murray (left) was defeated by Matteo Berrettini (right) in the third round of last year’s US Open.
Draper, 21, emerged as one of the rising stars on the ATP Tour last year and the left-hander has continued his rapid progress this season by reaching the semi-finals in Adelaide.
But his debut in the main draw at Melbourne Park couldn’t have been much tougher.
Nadal, 36, is the reigning champion, and while he has struggled with injuries and lost both of his matches so far this year, he remains a daunting prospect for most rivals.
However, the 22-time major champion also wouldn’t want to start against a young talent who possesses the power and confidence of the 40th-ranked Draper.
Former world number one Murray will also be cursing his misfortune.
The 35-year-old Scot impressed earlier on Thursday by beating Australia’s Alex de Minaur in an exhibition match at the Kooyang Classic, and said he was looking forward to a friendly draw at Melbourne Park afterwards.
Instead, he threw himself against Italy’s Berrettini, whose big serve causes problems for most opponents and who reached the semi-finals last year.
What about the other Brits?
Emma Raducanu said this week that she is trying “not to expect too much” but hopes to be fit for the tournament.
Raducanu, who stunned the world by winning the 2021 US Open as a teenage qualifier, suffered what she described as more bad luck when she rolled her ankle in Auckland last week.
It raised doubts about whether she would be fit to play in Melbourne, but has been practicing on the court in recent days with her movement seemingly improving with each session.
Raducanu is ranked one spot below Korspatch at 75th in the world, but the 27-year-old German has never won a main draw match at a major.
Britain’s top seed and 11th seed Cameron Norrie takes on French wildcard Luca van Assche, while 25th seed Dan Evans takes on Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis.
Another tough challenge for a British player saw Kyle Edmund, a semi-finalist in 2018 but on the comeback trail after three knee operations, take on Italian 15th seed Jannik Sinner.
Harriet Dart, the only other Briton in the women’s draw, starts against Switzerland’s 32nd seed Jil Teichmann.
Djokovic learns his opponent on the return
New-time champion Djokovic missed last year’s event after back-to-back deportations from Australia over his vaccination status and returns after winning the title in Adelaide last week.
The 35-year-old Serbian, who is also aiming for a 22nd major title which would match Nadal’s men’s record, has lost just one of his last 25 matches.
Seeded fourth, Djokovic would not face Nadal until the final but could face home favorite Nick Kyrgios in the quarter-finals.
In the women’s draw, world number one Iga Swiatek, who reached the semi-finals last year, faces recent German Wimbledon quarter-finalist Jule Niemeier.
Another attractive draw sees Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka and American Sofia Kenin, both former champions, in the first round.