DJOKOVIC NO. 14 SEED, NADAL AT NO. 1 AND FEDERER NO. 2; HALEP, WOZNIACKI LEAD WOMEN’S FIELD

MELBOURNE— Six-time champion Novak Djokovic will lurk as the 14th seed for next week’s Australian Open in Melbourne, with Rafael Nadal seeded top, organizers said on Thursday.

Nadal heads defending champion Roger Federer at the top of the men’s seedings, with Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki seeded one and two in the women’s competition.

The seedings have gone largely according to the ATP world rankings, although Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori are out injured and women’s cham- pion Serena Williams opted not to play after giving birth in September.

Djokovic made a winning return on Wednesday after six months out with an elbow injury, declaring he felt “great” after beating world number five Dominic Thiem, 6-1, 6-4, at the Kooyong Classic.

It was the 12-time Grand Slam winner’s first competitive outing since losing a Wimbledon quarterfinal to Tomas Berdych last July.

The Serbian former world No. 1 had pulled out of a warm- up tournament in Abu Dhabi, raising concerns over his fitness ahead of the year’s opening Grand Slam.

Federer, seeded second, will bid for his 20th Grand Slam title in the bottom half of the draw.

Former winner Stan Wawrinka, who hasn’t played since Wimbledon but said he has recovered sufficiently from a knee injury, is seeded at nine.

In a women’s field notably missing 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, there appear to be many chances of a new Australian Open champion this year.

Seven-time champion Williams announced last week she wouldn’t defend her title, saying she was “super close” but not quite ready to compete so soon after becoming a mother.

Spain’s Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza is seeded three, while Serena’s sister Venus has the fifth seeding.

Federer will open his title defense against Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene and has a potential quarterfinal with David Goffin.

The Swiss marvel, chasing a sixth Australian Open crown, could also face big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in the fourth round in the bottom half of the men’s draw.

Nadal starts his Australian campaign against the 83rdranked Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic in the top quarter of the draw.

Nadal withdrew from his first tour event of 2018, in Brisbane, with continuing knee problems, and has been getting in match practice in a Melbourne exhibition event this week ahead of Monday’s start to the Open.