Australian Open: Nadal may not face Djokovic until final

As he contemplates his defence of the Australian Open title, the good news for Rafael Nadal is that he cannot face his arch-rival Novak Djokovic before the final.

If he is to advance that far, however, the top-seeded Spaniard will need to navigate a path strewn with danger, starting with Britain’s Jack Draper in the opening round.

Draper, ranked 40th and making his first appearance at Melbourne Park, is no stranger to facing a big name in the first round of a major.

Two summers ago, the 21-year-old marked his Wimbledon debut by claiming the opening set against Novak Djokovic on Centre Court.

Draper has come on in leaps and bounds since, upsetting Felix Auger-Aliassime at last year’s US Open and claiming a first top-10 win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in Montreal. 

Nadal, who has struggled for form since withdrawing from the Wimbledon semi-finals with an abdominal injury six months ago, will need to hit the ground running.  

“It will be amazing to play on a big court against him,” said Draper, who is through to the second ATP semi-final of his career after defeating third seed Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 in Adelaide. “He is a great champion, there are a lot of emotions, thinking about playing him, but I have to still got to do well in this week’s tournament. 

“Whatever happens it will be a special occasion for me, still very young in my career, so it’s great to have these sort of experiences and exposure to playing Rafa on a big court like that. I’ll just be trying to play well and do the best that I can.”

If he finds a way past Draper, Nadal could face Brandon Nakashima, the Next Gen ATP Finals champion, in the second round ahead of a potential last-16 meeting with Frances Tiafoe, who scored an emotionally charged victory over the Spaniard at the same stage of the US Open. 

Should the seedings hold, Nadal would then play Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals, where the Russian seventh seed would no doubt be eager to exact revenge for a shattering defeat from sets to love up in last year’s final.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who defeated the Spaniard in the quarter-finals two years ago, would be next up before a 60th career meeting with Djokovic. 

Nadal is not the only grand slam champion facing an onerous draw. 

Iga Swiatek, the women’s top seed, has been handed a tough opening assignment against Germany’s Jule Niemeier, who reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last summer and led the Polish world No 1 by a set and a break in the fourth round of last September’s US Open.

In a bizarre twist of fate, Victoria Azarenka and Sofia Kenin, both of whom know what it is to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, will vie for a place in the second round. And Bianca Andreescu, the former US Open champion, opens against Marie Bouzkova, the Czech 25th seed.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Andy Murray will play Matteo Berrettini, the big-serving Italian and former Wimbledon finalist, for the second major in succession. Berrettini, the 13th seed, prevailed in four sets when the pair met in the third round of the US Open in September.

Dominic Thiem, meanwhile, the 2020 US Open champion and Australian Open finalist, has been pitted against Andrey Rublev, the Russian fifth seed.

There are fewer obvious pitfalls in the path of Djokovic, who opens his challenge for a record-extending 10th title at Melbourne Park against Spain’s Roberto Carballés Baena. 

Djokovic, the fourth seed and title favourite, finds himself in the same quarter as Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios – where Holger Rune, the Danish teenager who consigned him to a shock defeat in the Paris Masters final, also lurks.

Kyrgios and Rune could cross swords in the third round, although first the Australian must find a way past Russia’s Roman Safiullin, whom he will face in his opener. Kyrgios does not want for belief.

“I am one of the best players in the world,” declared Kyrgios. “So I’m definitely going to go into the Australian Open, any tournament, with confidence.”

Djokovic is seeded to play Rublev in the quarter-finals before renewing acquaintances with Norway’s Casper Ruud, the second seed, whom he defeated in Turin two months ago to win the ATP Finals.

Swiatek is expected to face Coco Gauff in the last eight, in what would be a repeat of last year’s French Open final, which was won convincingly by the Pole.

Jessica Pegula, the American third seed, is likely to await in the semi-finals. Pegula, who has started the season in outstanding form, brushed aside a tearful Swiatek in the semi-finals of the United Cup last week.

In the bottom half of the draw, Ons Jabeur will continue her ongoing quest for a maiden grand slam title against former French Open semi-finalist Tamara Zidansek.

Jabeur, seeded second, is projected to meet Aryna Sabalenka, the champion in Adelaide last week, in the quarter-finals. Caroline Garcia, the fourth seed and WTA Finals champion, is expected to obstruct the Tunisian’s path to a third consecutive slam final.