Great Britain’s hopefuls for the Australian Open have been handed tough draws in round one. Jack Draper, who recently reached the semi-finals in Adelaide will play top seed and reigning champion Rafael Nadal while Andy Murray faces Matteo Berrettini, the 13th seed.
Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu will come up against world number 74 Tamara Korpatsch, although the British youngster has been struggling with an ankle issue coming into 2023.
It’s a brutal start for Draper in particular, who at just 21 was making serious progress on the ATP Tour last year. However, all is not lost. Nadal isn’t at the peak of his fitness and has lost twice already this year, so perhaps the left-hander can pull off an almighty shock in Melbourne.
READ MORE:
- Tennis needs more Naomi Osakas
- Be more kind, sports fans: Price abuse shows there's work to be done
- Rafa Nadal is 8/1 to win the Australian Open with Betfred*
Despite a recent win over Alex de Minaur, Murray is likely to find it tough against Berrettini. The Italian’s big serve is a huge weapon and despite hoping for a kind draw, the Scot, now 35, has been handed the complete opposite.
Raducanu’s opponent Korpatsch is one place above the Brit in the world rankings. It’s been a tough 18 months since she shocked the world to win the US Open and now this latest injury could make this Australian Open a difficult one, although the German is still waiting to win her first main-draw match at a Grand Slam. Meanwhile the other British woman in the draw Harriet Dart, will play Jil Teichmann of Switzerland.
Elsewhere, 11th seed Cameron Norrie has high hopes heading into this tournament and has been given a decent draw against French wildcard Luca van Assche, while 25th seed Dan Evans faces Argentina's Facundo Bagnis.
The final British male, Kyle Edmund, reached the semi-final in Melbourne back in 2018 but looks some way off repeating that feat after repetitive knee issues. That injury has required surgery no less than three times, but he is now working his way back to the big time, and will face Jannik Sinner, the Italian that is seeded 15th.
Favourite to win the men’s title and centre of the media attention, Novak Djokovic is in Australia having been deported this time last year due to his vaccination status. He’s made a winning start by taking the Adelaide title and will face Roberto Carballés Baena up first, as he targets his tenth Australian Open title.
Betfred have him as the 5/4 outright favourite to win the tournament, and given he has lost just once in 25 matches, you can see why. The Serbian is desperate to win his 22nd major title that would see him equal Nadal’s men’s record, having missed out this time last year.
World number one in the women’s game Iga Swiatek was beaten in the semi-finals by Danielle Collins in 2022 and will be hoping to win the Australian Open for the very first time. She faces a tricky opponent in Jule Niemeier, the German that reached the last eight of Wimbledon last year.
*18+ | Be Gamble Aware
