Ash on Osaka collision course
ASH Barty has been done no favours in the draw for her home grand slam.
The world No.1 is on a collision course with a two-time Australian Open champion as she chases her third major title.
The Australian star will meet a qualifier in the opening round of the Australian Open, which will begin on Monday, but then seeded players await should she progress beyond the second round.
Barty, 25, is bidding to become the first Australian since 1978 to claim grand slam honours on home soil.
Italian Camila Giorgi, seeded 30th, could await in the third round before a potential clash against 13th seed Naomi Osaka, who won the tournament last year.
Barty, who has been training on Rod Laver Arena in recent days, said that while “there are so many different variables” to her lead-in form, she felt in a good place.
“I feel good leading up to an Australian Open, like I have every year,” she said earlier this week.
“Each and every preparation is unique, each and every preparation is different.
“So we take it for what comes and what it is, move on, try and do the best that we can in every opportunity.”
Osaka withdrew from the recent Melbourne Summer Set because of an abdominal injury as she prepares to play in her first tournament in four months.
She will need to beat world No.23 Belinda Bencic to reach the second week.
Osaka recently said that her only goal in Melbourne was “to feel like every time I step on the court ... that I’m having fun”.
“I can walk off the court knowing that even if I lost, I tried as hard as I could,” Osaka said.
“Honestly, (the break from tennis) was much shorter than I anticipated.
“I actually really thought I wasn’t going to play for most of this year.
“I’m really happy with myself that I love the sport that much.”
Storm Sanders will hope that hard-hitting Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed, is still dealing with her serving yips when they meet in the first round.
Ajla Tomljanovic (No.8 Paula Badosa) and wildcards Maddison Inglis (No.23 Leylah Fernandez) and Priscilla Hon (No.31 Marketa Vondrousova) all copped seeded opponents.
Badosa beat Tomljanovic 6-3, 6-4 at the Sydney Tennis Classic on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, Daria Saville will play Rebecca Peterson, Astra Sharma has drawn talented teenager Clara Tauson and retiring great Sam Stosur will face fellow wildcard Robin Anderson of the US.