Awaits Federer Serena handed tough draw in quest for record 24th Slam

over Frenchman Jo-wilfried Tsonga in the second round, with a possible quarter-final against Kei Nishikori to follow.

Second seed Rafa Nadal, under an injury cloud after pulling out of the Brisbane International, will open against unseeded local James Duckworth. Last year’s semi-finalist Kyle Edmund looms as a possible fourth round match-up for the Spaniard, who could then face big-serving Kevin Anderson in the quarter-finals.

The 2009 champion Nadal, who retired hurt in the quarter-finals against Cilic last year, could meet old rival Federer in the last four should his body hold up.

PRAJNESH CLOSES IN

MELBOURNE: In-form Prajnesh Gunneswaran inched closer to his maiden Grand Slam appearance with another straight-set win but Ankita Raina and Ramkumar Ramanathan were ousted from the Australian Open Qualifiers after suffering narrow defeats, here Thursday.

Prajnesh, seeded sixth, got the better of Spain’s Enrique Lopez Perez 6-3, 6-3 in the men’s singles second round. “I played a better match than yesterday and remained solid throughout. I broke three times and there were not too many games where my serve was in danger. I played good mentally as well,” Prajnesh said.

“I did the right things, attacked when I got chances. Looking forward to the final round tomorrow,” he added. The world number 112 will next take on Japan’s Yosuke Watanaki, ranked 192 in the world.

› Coming back as defending champion, it’s something I always dreamed of. I feel at home here. These courts are suited for me. CAROLINE WOZNIACKI, On Oz Open