Thursday draw for the Australian Open has revealed a series of intense matchups between the contenders for the prestigious Grand Slam title. The tourney is set to embark on 14th January until Sunday 28th January.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek’s pursuit for her Australian Open title is off to a difficult start against 2020 champion Sofia Kenin in the opening round. In the second round, she could face 2016 champion Angelique Kerber or Danielle Collins.
Iga Swiatek is the top seed going into the Australian Open in 2024. Undefeated in singles since September 2023, Swiatek is determined to capture another Grand Slam title. Her incredible 2023 season included victories at the French Open and the US Open, with a perfect record of 68-15 in Grand Slam play.
Novak Djokovic will start his pursuit for a record-extending 11th Australian Open title and 25th Grand Slam victory overall against a qualifier. After suffering his first loss in Australia in six years last week in the United Cup at the hands of Alex de Minaur, Djokovic needed treatment for a wrist injury. However, he can move past that setback with a strong start to his most successful major.
The 36-year-old Serb may face the seventh-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals, setting up an exciting rematch of last year’s championship match
A hip issue has caused Rafael Nadal to retire from the forthcoming Australian Open. Prior to the Grand Slam, the Spaniard underwent medical testing while recuperating from hip surgery, and the results showed that he had a hip muscle rupture in the same hip. The 22-time Grand Slam champion made the decision to skip the tourney in order to return to Spain and tend to the injury.
With no competitive matches under his belt this season, Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz returns to Melbourne Park for the year’s first Grand Slam on Sunday. The Spaniard will take on French veteran Richard Gasquet.
The 20-year-old second seed is expected to face the revitalised Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals, who will face fellow German Dominik Koepfer.
Another intriguing opening matchup is Tsitsipas playing against Matteo Berrettini, while Daniil Medvedev, a two-time finalist, will begin against a qualifier.
Botic van de Zandschulp will be up against Italian prodigy Jannik Sinner, who is predicted to go strong at Melbourne Park.
U.S. Open champion, Coco Gauff will face Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, and Naomi Osaka, the four-time major winner, will make her Grand Slam comeback against Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, after a 2022 hiatus.
Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 champion, didn’t compete until Brisbane after missing 15 months giving birth to her first child in July.
