Tennis superstars Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner have now identified their first spherical opponents after attracts for the 2025 Australian Open has been made.
World primary Jannik Sinner will face Chile’s big-hitting Nicolas Jarry in his opening match as he defends his Australian Open title. The Italian gained his first Grand Slam final 12 months in Melbourne, defeating Daniil Medvedev within the remaining, earlier than additionally claiming the US Open and ATP Finals trophies.
Nevertheless, Sinner’s title defence comes amid controversy. He has been concerned in a doping case after testing constructive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March. Though he was cleared by the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company, the World Anti-Doping Company has appealed the choice, and the matter stays unresolved.
The 23-year-old may meet Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas or Australian Alex de Minaur within the quarter-finals and Medvedev within the semi-finals.
Novak Djokovic, who’s seeking to win a document eleventh Australian Open and twenty fifth Grand Slam title, faces a tricky path. The Serbian drew American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy in his first match however is anticipated to satisfy world quantity 10 Grigor Dimitrov in spherical 4. Within the quarter-finals, Djokovic is prone to face Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, with a possible semi-final conflict in opposition to Alexander Zverev.
Alcaraz begins his match in opposition to Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko, who just lately defeated world quantity 11 Tsitsipas on the United Cup. Zverev, in the meantime, will play French wildcard Lucas Pouille.
Within the ladies’s draw, world primary Aryna Sabalenka will start her title defence in opposition to American Sloane Stephens. Sabalenka is aiming to develop into the primary girl since Martina Hingis in 1999 to win three consecutive Australian Open titles.
Third-seed Coco Gauff could have a difficult begin, dealing with 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. Second seed Iga Swiatek, however, faces Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova, who’s ranked forty sixth, in what is taken into account a neater first-round match.
Swiatek’s path may develop into more durable as she is in the identical half of the draw as sixth-seed Elena Rybakina and eighth-seed Emma Navarro. Fourth-seed Jasmine Paolini will play a qualifier, as will fifth-seed Zheng Qinwen, who misplaced to Sabalenka in final 12 months’s remaining.
In one other notable match, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka will face Caroline Garcia, in a repeat of their first-round encounter final 12 months, which Garcia gained.
If all goes to plan, Sabalenka may meet Zheng within the quarter-finals and Gauff within the semis, whereas Swiatek would possibly face Paolini within the final 4.
The 2025 Australian Open begins this Sunday with Djokovic and Sinner among the many favourites for the crown.
