Novak Djokovic starts Australian Open title defense against qualifier

Novak Djokovic is set to embark on his pursuit of a record-extending 11th Australian Open title and his 25th Grand Slam overall against a qualifier, as revealed in Thursday’s draw. The world No. 1 faced a wrist issue during his recent United Cup match against Alex de Minaur, marking his first defeat in Australia in six years. Eager to put that setback behind him, Djokovic aims for a strong start at his most successful major.

A potential quarter-final clash looms with Greek seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, offering a tantalizing rematch of last year’s title showdown. On the women’s side, top-ranked Iga Swiatek faces a challenging test against 2020 champion Sofia Kenin in the opening rounds.

Defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka starts her campaign against a qualifier, while Elena Rybakina, who recently triumphed over the world No. 2 in Brisbane, goes head-to-head with former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova.

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Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, entering the Australian Open without any competitive matches this season, kicks off against French veteran Richard Gasquet. The 20-year-old Spaniard, seeded second, could potentially meet the resurgent Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals, with Zverev set to face fellow German Dominik Koepfer.

Additional intriguing matchups include Tsitsipas against Matteo Berrettini and twice-finalist Daniil Medvedev starting his campaign against a qualifier. The year’s opening Grand Slam promises exciting battles as these top players vie for success on the Melbourne Park courts starting this Sunday.