Emma Raducanu will open her Australian Open marketing campaign towards German world No 74 Tamara Korpatsch, whereas Andy Murray has been handed a blockbuster encounter with Matteo Berrettini following Thursday’s attract Melbourne.
Raducanu is battling to beat an ankle harm she suffered in Auckland final week and not less than has averted a seed, as a substitute drawing 74th-ranked Korpatsch.
The German claimed the primary WTA 125 title of her profession in Budapest final September, however British No 1 Raducanu will fancy her probabilities of progressing via to the second spherical the place she might meet seventh seed Coco Gauff.
Younger British hopeful Jack Draper will battle prime seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal
Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray will tackle former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini in a blockbuster opening conflict within the males’s draw with prime seed, whereas defending champion Rafael Nadal goes up towards sizzling British prospect Jack Draper with Daniil Medvedev in the identical quarter.
Draper, 21, has risen quick up the rankings and has begun the season in good kind, beating Karen Khachanov to achieve the semi-finals of the Adelaide Worldwide on Thursday.
Nadal battled to a twenty first Grand Slam title in sensational trend in Melbourne 12 months in the past however is but to win a match in 2023 and has misplaced six of his final seven matches.
There is no such thing as a doubt Draper, who performed Novak Djokovic on his Wimbledon debut in 2021, will relish the event as he appears to make an enormous assertion.
Murray will probably be cursing his luck after discovering himself paired with thirteenth seed Berrettini.
The Italian reached the ultimate on the All England Membership in 2021 and was a semi-finalist at Melbourne Park 12 months in the past, whereas he defeated Murray within the third spherical of the US Open final summer time.
The 2 British seeds fared higher, with eleventh seed Cameron Norrie drawing younger French wild card Luca Van Assche whereas twenty fifth seed Dan Evans will meet Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis.
Title favorite Djokovic will meet Roberto Carballes Baena and is in the identical quarter of the draw as Nick Kyrgios, who meets Roman Safiullin.
World No 1 Iga Swiatek, who has largely dominated the ladies’s sport after the retirement final 12 months of Australian Ashleigh Barty following her triumph at Melbourne Park, faces a probably robust opener towards Wimbledon quarter-finalist Jule Niemeier.
Ons Jabeur will start her newest try to grow to be the primary Arab participant to assert a Grand Slam singles title when she performs Tamara Zidansek. Tunisian Jabeur was runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open final 12 months.
And Sofia Kenin and Victoria Azarenka will meet in a gap spherical conflict that includes two former Australian Open champions.
Kyle Edmund, enjoying on the match for the primary time since 2020 following three knee operations, meets eleventh seed Jannik Sinner, whereas British No 2 Harriet Dart has been handed a tough draw towards thirty second seed Jil Teichmann.
