Australian Open draw: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic learn fate
Roger Federer will begin his Australian Open title defence against Aljaz Bedene, with David Goffin, Milos Raonic and Juan Martin del Potro all lurking in his quarter.
Last year’s runner-up Rafael Nadal opens up against Victor Estrella Burgos, and has a favourable route to the second week of the first Slam of 2018, with Marin Cilic due to be his quarter-final opponent (according to seeding).
Novak Djokovic, who opens against America’s Donald Young, is in line to meet Alexander Zverev in the fourth round, and is in the same half as Federer.
In his half, Grigor Dimitrov and Nick Kyrgios appear to be the biggest threats, with the pair due to meet in round four, while talented youngsters Andrey Rublev and Denis Shapovalov are in the same quarter.
In Andy Murray’s absence due to a hip injury, Johanna Konta – a former semi-finalist – remains Britain’s best hope for the title and she begins against Madison Brengle, while Kyle Edmund faces a tricky opener against US Open runner-up Kevin Anderson.
World No. 1 Simona Halep opens up against wildcard Destanee Aiava, with a potential second-round match against Eugenie Bouchard on the cards and, even more excitingly, she could meet Petra Kvitova in round three.
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Meanwhile, Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza is due to meet 2016 champion Angelique Kerber in the fourth round, while the German is also set to face Maria Sharapova – making her first appearance since failing a drugs test in Melbourne two years ago, in the third round.
The 2017 event saw Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal in a five-set thriller in the final, with the pair considered as the favourites for this event.
Serena Williams captured the women’s crown, beating sister Venus to lift the trophy, but she has been forced to skip the event as she pushes to return to full fitness after giving birth in September.
Australian Open seeds
Men’s
1 Rafael Nadal (ESP)
2 Roger Federer (SUI)
3 Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
4 Alexander Zverev (GER)
5 Dominic Thiem (AUT)
6 Marin Cilic (CRO)
7 David Goffin (BEL)
8 Jack Sock (USA)
9 Stan Wawrinka (SUI)
10 Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)
11 Kevin Anderson (RSA)
12 Juan Martin del Potro (ARG)
13 Sam Querrey (USA)
14 Novak Djokovic (SRB)
15 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)
16 John Isner (USA)
17 Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
18 Lucas Pouille (FRA)
19 Tomas Berdych (CZE)
20 Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
21 Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP)
22 Milos Raonic (CAN)
23 Gilles Muller (LUX)
24 Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
25 Fabio Fognini (ITA)
26 Adrian Mannarino (FRA)
27 Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)
28 Damir Dzumhur (BIH)
29 Richard Gasquet (FRA)
30 Andrey Rublev (RUS)
31 Pablo Cuevas (URU)
32 Mischa Zverev (GER)
Women’s
1 Simona Halep (ROU)
2 Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
3 Garbine Muguruza (ESP)
4 Elina Svitolina (UKR)
5 Venus Williams (USA)
6 Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
7 Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
8 Caroline Garcia (FRA)
9 Johanna Konta (GBR)
10 CoCo Vandeweghe (USA)
11 Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)
12 Julia Goerges (GER)
13 Sloane Stephens (USA)
14 Anastasija Sevastova (LAT)
15 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
16 Elena Vesnina (RUS)
17 Madison Keys (USA)
18 Ashleigh Barty (AUS)
19 Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK)
20 Barbora Strycova (CZE)
21 Angelique Kerber (GER)
22 Daria Kasatkina (RUS)
23 Daria Gavrilova (AUS)
24 Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
25 Shuai Peng (CHN)
26 Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
27 Petra Kvitova (CZE)
28 Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO)
29 Lucie Safarova (CZE)
30 Kiki Bertens (NED)
31 Ekaterina Makarova (RUS)
32 Anett Kontaveit (EST)
Federer said ahead of the draw: ‘‘It’s great to be back. I don’t like normally going to draws, it freaks me out who I’m going to play. It was an amazing final [last year], and it’s great to be back here.
‘I felt physically I would be alright but the wins weren’t going to come. I thought I’d get to the quarters, semis maybe but I thought I’d run into a red hot Murray or Djokovic but they came.
‘The fifth set [against Nadal] was one of the best I’d ever played – it was definitely one of the highlights of the year, it even beats Wimbledon.’
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