Australian Open 2024 draw takeaways: Andy Murray could face Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz tough paths
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Published 11/01/2024 at 12:10 GMT
The draw for the 2024 Australian Open has been made. We highlight our main takeaways from the draw, which includes some big matches in the first week. Novak Djokovic will be aiming for an 11th title at the Australian Open and could meet old rival Andy Murray in the third round. Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz have tricky draws, while Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter could face off.
Djokovic shows off flexibility and balance ahead of Australian Open
The 2024 Australian Open draw has thrown up some blockbuster first-round clashes.
We pointed out earlier this week the many dangers lurking in the draw due to protected rankings and players coming back from injuries, and some of them have been pitted against the top seeds.
Not only that, but there’s the potential for some huge clashes later in the first week (Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic in round three anyone?).
With just three days to go until the first ball is hit at the Australian Open, we run through the top takeaways from the draw.
Murray v Djokovic on the cards
The last time Andy Murray faced Novak Djokovic in 2017, they were No. 1 and No. 2 in the world, and were meeting in the final of a tournament for a seventh straight time.
They have practised together since and were due to meet in Madrid in 2022 only for Murray to withdraw due to food poisoning.
There appears a real chance that a 27th career meeting could happen in Melbourne.
Murray has drawn a seed in the first round, but it’s the 30th seed, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, who he beat once and lost to once last year.
If Murray gets past Etcheverry, a second-round clash with fellow veteran Gael Monfils or world No. 45 Yannick Hanfmann appears winnable.
Then a likely showdown with Djokovic awaits, which could, with uncertainty over the futures of Murray and Rafael Nadal beyond this season, perhaps be the last-ever ‘Big Four’ meeting.
Sinner smiling, Alcaraz to be tested
Jannik Sinner looks to have every chance of making a deep run at the Australian Open.
Having finished 2023 as arguably the form player on the ATP Tour, he has avoided any big names early in the draw and the highest seed he could face before the quarter-finals is 15th seed Karen Khachanov.
A quarter-final clash against either Andrey Rublev or Alex de Minaur looks favourable, before a potential showdown with Novak Djokovic in the semis.
Aside from landing on the same half as Djokovic, Sinner looks to have a kinder draw than Carlos Alcaraz.
The world No. 2 starts against veteran Richard Gasquet and then could take on Dan Evans. Alexander Zverev, who beat Alcaraz at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals, is a potential quarter-final opponent, and Daniil Medvedev might await in the last four.
Look out for Draper
Mark Jack Draper down as a certified ‘one to watch’ in Melbourne.
Currently enjoying an impressive start to his season in Adelaide, Draper looks to have a path to a second successive Grand Slam fourth round.
He opens against world No. 49 Marcos Giron and then could next face 14th seed Tommy Paul, who he beat convincingly in Adelaide this week.
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Draper demolishes top seed Paul to reach Adelaide semi-finals
Jan-Lennard Struff could be a tricky third-round opponent, but if Draper can reel off three wins in a row then a potential last-16 clash with Carlos Alcaraz is on the cards.
That would likely be one of the highlights of the round.
Raducanu lands favourable openers
After grabbing a late automatic entry spot, and seemingly exercising caution by withdrawing from two exhibition events this week, Emma Raducanu could probably not have asked for more from the Australian Open draw.
First up she has world No. 156 Shelby Rogers, who, like Raducanu, underwent surgery in 2023 and hasn’t played since July.
Raducanu dropped just three games when she last met Rogers on her way to the US Open title in 2021.
Raducanu also won her only previous meeting against potential second-round opponent Sorana Cirstea in straight sets.
If Raducanu manages to make the third round, which she hasn’t done at a Grand Slam since she won in New York, then she could face fellow Brit Katie Boulter.
British No. 1 Boulter would, though, likely need to pull off an upset in the second round as she could face 12th seed Qinwen Zheng.
Swiatek handed tough draw
Iga Swiatek might have just become an ambassador for LEGO, but there is no toying around with her draw at the Australian Open.
The world No. 1 has looked in excellent form over the last few months, crushing the competition at the WTA Finals and then starring as Poland reached the United Cup final.
But she has a banana-skin opener against 2020 champion Sofia Kenin, who is ranked at No. 38 in the world and just missed out on a seeded spot.
In the second round, Swiatek could face another Australian Open winner, Angelique Kerber, or a former runner-up, Danielle Collins, who beat Swiatek in the semi-finals in 2022.
There could be further danger ahead in the last 16 with Elina Svitolina, who made the Auckland final to start the year and toppled Swiatek at Wimbledon last summer.
And that's not all, as there's a potential semi-final against third seed Elena Rybakina, who dispatched Swiatek in straight sets in Melbourne last year.
The world No. 1 will need to be at her best if she is to land a first Australian Open title.
Osaka, Wozniacki may have openings
Neither Naomi Osaka nor Caroline Wozniacki appear to have got particularly favourable starters as they make their comebacks after giving birth.
The two former Australian Open winners have both been drawn against seeds in the first round: Osaka plays 16th seed Caroline Garcia and Wozniacki meets 20th seed Magda Linette.
It could, though, have been worse.
And the draw does then open up slightly for Osaka, who showed positive signs in her return in Brisbane, and Wozniacki, who was impressive in making the last 16 at the US Open last summer in her first Grand Slam in three years.
Osaka could be scheduled to meet fourth seed Coco Gauff in the fourth round and Wozniacki could face 10th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the third round.
Berrettini v Tsitsipas headlines huge first round
It’s probably a good job the first round of the Australian Open is spread over three days this year as there a lot of big matches to highlight.
On the men’s side the standout one is perhaps former Australian Open semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini against last year’s runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Felix Auger-Aliassime v Dominic Thiem should also be a cracker with both players looking for a confidence-boosting run, while Frances Tiafoe v Borna Coric is certainly one to watch.
Alex de Minaur has had a very good start to the season and will be looking to avoid a first-round upset when he meets former Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic.
Elena Rybakina’s bid to win a second Grand Slam title starts with a meeting against former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova.
Beatriz Haddad Maia faces rising 18-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova and 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova has a tricky start against the returning Amanda Anisimova.
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