Federer takes on Istomin in Round 1
▶ Serena Williams handed tough draw in quest for record 24th Slam
Double defending champion Roger Federer will start his bid for a hat trick of Australian Open titles next week against unseeded world No.99 Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, who caused a huge upset when he defeated Novak Djokovic in the second round two years ago.
The draw for the first Grand Slam of the season was made on Thursday and the top seeds could face some early tests of their title credentials when play gets underway on Monday.
The six-time Australian Open champion Federer, who beat Marin Cilic in last year’s final, could meet the Croat in the quarterfinals, should the Swiss come through a potentially tricky fourthround against Greek prospect Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The 37-year-old, seeded third, is bidding to extend his all-time leading men’s Grand Slam record to 21 titles and would capture a 100th ATP tournament win in the process.
Men’s top seed Djokovic will first meet a qualifier in his bid for a record seventh Melbourne title and third Grand Slam crown in succession following wins at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Serb Djokovic could then play a rematch of his 2008 final triumph over Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the second round, with a possible quarterfinal against Kei Nishikori to follow.
Second seed Rafael Nadal, under an injury cloud after pulling out of the Brisbane International, will open against unseeded local James Duckworth. The 2009 champion Nadal could meet old rival Federer in the last four should his body hold up.
In the women’s tournament, Serena Williams’ bid for a record-equaling 24th Grand Slam title and eighth at Melbourne Park will kick off against German world No.71 Tatjana Maria.
The American great, beaten by Naomi Osaka in the 2018 US Open final after a fiery tirade against the chair umpire, faces a tough run to the quarterfinals, with top seed and last year’s finalist Simona Halep a possible fourth-round encounter.
Halep, however, may be reluctant to look beyond the first round, having drawn her US Open nemesis Kaia Kanepi.
Unseeded Estonian Kanepi knocked Halep out of the first round at Flushing Meadows last year, making the Romanian the first top seed to lose at that tournament’s earliest stage.
Venus Williams, defeated by younger sister Serena in the 2017 Melbourne final, also looms as a possible thirdround opponent for Halep.
Fourth seed Osaka faces Poland’s Magda Linette first up and may need to battle past twice champion Victoria Azarenka in the third round.
Defending champion Wozniacki, who broke through for her maiden Grand Slam title with victory over Halep in last year’s final, is in line to face former winner Maria Sharapova in a mouth-watering third round showdown.
Second seed and 2016 champion Angelique Kerber, bidding for a fourth Grand Slam title, will open against Slovenian Polona Hercog.