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In the first round of the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal, the defending champion, is set to compete against young British player Jack Draper. Nadal hopes to retain his 2022 title and increase his total grand slam wins. Though world number one, Carlos Alcaraz, will be absent due to injury, the return of Novak Djokovic to the tournament might pose a challenge to Nadal’s goal.
If Nadal prevails over world number 40, Draper, he could next face Brandon Nakashima, the current champion of the Next Gen ATP Finals. Further down the line, a quarterfinal match against Daniil Medvedev could be in store for the Spaniard. Medvedev lost to Nadal in an epic five-set final in 2022 and has twice appeared in the finals.
A 2021 finals rematch could be on the horizon with Djokovic positioned in the opposite half of the draw from Nadal and Medvedev. Djokovic will be competing against another Spanish player, Roberto Carballes Baena, in the first round and may face local favorite Nick Kyrgios in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, female tennis star Iga Światek enters the tournament as the top seed following Ashleigh Barty’s retirement. Światek could potentially face American rising star Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals. Gauff is set to compete against 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu in the second round, depending on Raducanu’s recovery from an ankle injury.
In the other half of the draw, Ons Jabeur, the second seed, is eager to improve on her past performances and win a grand slam. She made it to the finals for both Wimbledon and U.S Open last year. She opens this year against Tamara Zidanšek, potentially followed by a match against recent Adelaide 1 winner, Aryna Sabalenka.
American player Jessica Pegula is drawn in the same segment as Maria Sakkari. Pegula’s recent success at the United Cup sets her up for a potential semifinal showdown against her United Cup opponent.
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