Local hopes Nick Kyrgios and Ajla Tomljnanovic strike tough opponents in shocking Australian Open draw – and bad boy could face Novak Djokovic in the quarter finals
- Kyrgios’s first round opponent is Russian world No.99 Roman Safiullin
- Tomljanovic paid price for missing a seeding with brutal run in tournament
- Aussie men’s singles hope in same half of draw as countryman de Minaur
Nick Kyrgios and his fellow Aussie grand slam title hope Ajla Tomljanovic have been handed less than ideal draws at the Australian Open, with the men’s world No.21 getting a difficult first-round opponent while his ex-girlfriend can look forward to a very tough test in round two.
Kyrgios has drawn Russian world No.99 Roman Safiullin in the first round, while fellow home seed Alex de Minaur is in the same half of the draw as his countryman and will start against a qualifier.
Former top Australian women’s player Alicia Molik said Safiullin is a ‘tough ask’ to begin the tournament with, and described Kyrgios’ possible second round opponent, the dangerous 9th seed Holger Rune, as a ‘big server’.
World No.21 Kyrgios will face world No.99 Roman Safiullin in the first round – and the Russian is no pushover
Ajla Tomljanovic was punished for narrowly missing a seeding as she’s due to face either 2020 champion Sofia Kenin or two-time Open winner Victoria Azarenka if she gets to round two
If he wins his opener, Kyrgios could face a different Frenchman next – veteran Richard Gasquet.
Which dangerman Kyrgios could strike in the third round was the most compelling question to be answered at Thursday’s draw in Melbourne.
Seeded 19th, Kyrgios is guaranteed to avoid a top-eight rival until at least the second week – if he makes it that far.
Potentially standing in the way of Australia’s chief title hope and a place in the last 16 were a batch of exciting youngsters and some of the heaviest hitters in men’s tennis.
He landed Rune, the Scandinavian prodigy who has just gatecrashed the world’s top 10 after a breakout 2022 highlighted by a run to the French Open quarter-finals.
If it’s not Rune, Kyrgios could face a testing third-round encounter with crafty American serve-volleyer Maxime Cressy.
Paying the price for narrowly missing a seeding, Ajla Tomljanovic copped a horror draw.
Kyrgios could strike highly rated youngster Holger Rune in the second round – and if he wins through to the quarters it’s likely his Wimbledon nemesis Novak Djokovic will be waiting
Aussie tennis fans got more bad news when Alex de Minaur (pictured at the Kooyong Classic) ended up in the same half of the draw as Kyrgios
The Australian should ease through her opening match against Argentina’s world No.192 Nadia Podoroska.
But then it gets treacherous for the world No.35.
Tomljanovic could face 2020 champion Sofia Kenin or two-time Open winner Victoria Azarenka in round two.
It won’t get any easier if the 2022 Wimbledon and US Open quarter-finalist makes it to the third round, with in-form 10th seed Madison Keys – a semi-final loser to Ash Barty last year – potentially waiting there.
Tomljanovic could also play sixth seed Maria Sakkari in the last 16 and world No.3 Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals.
Kyrgios’ doubles partner, Thanasi Kokkinakis, has drawn Fabio Fognini of Italy in the first round, with women’s world No.1 Iga Swiatek to face Jule Niemeier and Rafael Nadal getting a tough first-up opponent in Britain’s Jack Draper.