Australian Open 2018: Who were the winners and losers after the draw?

THE path is there for Nick Kyrgios to go all the way but the news wasn’t as good for some other massive names. See who the winners and losers were after the Australian Open draw.

Nick Kyrgios is in prime position for a big Australian Open. Picture: Getty Images

AFTER what has already been a massive summer of tennis, we are just hours away from the first balls being hit at Melbourne Park.

But following Thursday night’s draw, who is smiling about their prospects and who is feeling unlucky?

Catch up on the big winners and losers after the draw.

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WINNERS

RAFAEL NADAL

Yes he’s had an injury cloud hanging over him in recent weeks and has never won a grand slam without completing a pre-tournament event, but the tennis Gods have looked kindly on the world No 1 who gets his campaign underway against world No 83 Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic. The 2017 runner-up has a potential fourth-round match against John Isner and a quarter-final against Marin Cilic and we could see a re-match of last year’s semi-final which saw the Spaniard beat Dimitrov in a five-set epic.

Rafael Nadal has copped a nice Australian Open draw. Picture: Getty Images

ROGER FEDERER

Roger Federer would have been very happy to see a couple of familiar names in his section of the draw. The Fed Express holds a 16-2 win/loss advantage over potential third round opponent Richard Gasquet and a 10-3 advantage over likely fourth round foe Milos Raonic. Given he has battled poor health recently, Raonic is no certainty to even make it that far. A potential quarter final against US Open conqueror Juan Martin Del Potro is where things heat up but all in all, it should be a pretty care free opening week for Federer.

NICK KYRGIOS

Golden opportunity for the Australian, question won’t be on his form or ability but solely on how he copes with the expectation. The 22-year-old has avoided the prospect of running into grand slam giants Roger Federer, world No. 1 Rafael Nadal or Djokovic until at least the semi-finals. Kyrgios will launch his Open campaign against Brazil’s world No. 100 Rogerio Dutra Silva for the right to meet either Australian wildcard Alex Bolt or Serbian Viktor Troicki. His first big test will come in round three where he’ll likely face Tsonga or Shapovalov.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

The world No. 2 has arguably fared the best of the women’s seeds with a seemingly smooth path to the fourth round, where she could face No. 15 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Her projected quarterfinal match-up is against Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko who hasn’t had the best start to 2018 despite beating Serena Williams in an exhibition match. Wozniacki, if she can produce the form she showed at the WTA finals where she beat Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep, should go deep into the second week.

Caroline Wozniacki warms up ahead of the Australian Open. Picture: Getty Images

MARIA SHARAPOVA

Given she had no protection in the draw after failing to secure a seeding, Maria Sharapova was certainly a winner on Thursday night. The Russian Grand Slam champion will take on world No. 46 Tatjana Maria in the first round. Then she will likely face Anastasija Sevastova in the second round, a player who has never beaten a top 20 opponent at Melbourne Park. A potential fourth round against Wimbledon champion Garbiñe Muguruza is where things would get tricky for Sharapova.

LOSERS

SAM STOSUR

Veteran Sam Stosur finds it hard enough to win in Australia without having to face the 2017 Rio gold medallist Monica Puig in the opening round at Melbourne Park. Stosur does lead the head-to-head 4-1 against the world No. 58. If she managed to win that she’ll face a potential match-up with No. 24 seed Dominika Cibulkova and a possible third-round with 2017 semi-finalist and No. 10 seed CoCo Vandeweghe. Trouble for the Aussie.

ASH BARTY

If Ash Barty is going to make a big run through this year’s Australian Open, she is going to have to be at her best. Barty should be able to navigate her way through the early rounds but a third round match against Russian Elena Vesnina is where things get tough. The winner of that match will face either Simona Halep or Petra Kvitova. With that carnage taking place before the quarter-finals, it could be tough going for Aussie Ash.

Ash Barty has a tough run through the Australian Open. Picture: AP Photo

SLOANE STEPHENS

Following her US Open win, Sloane Stephens finished the year on a six match losing streak. That’s not pretty reading. Things aren’t about to get any easier for the American who has copped one of the toughest first round match ups in the draw. Stephens has been drawn to play China’s Shuai Zhang, who is ranked No. 35 in the world. Zhang just missed out on a seeding. This could be the toughest first round match in the Open.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Out of action for six months with an elbow injury, the former world No 1 has not been handed the kindest of reintroductions to the grand slam circuit. Seeded a lowly 14th this time around, Djokovic finds himself in the same quarter as world No 4 Alexander Zverev and could be tested by the ever-flamboyant Gael Monfils as early as round two if he comes through his opener against Donald Young. Stan Wawrinka and David Goffin also loom in latter rounds should they progress unscathed.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

Sure the Frenchman opens against a qualifier but that’s about as easy as this ride will get. Seeded 15th, Tsonga faces a potential second round clash with giant slayer Denis Shapovalov and if he comes through that unscathed then it’s likely Nick Kyrgios awaits him in round three. Given the Aussie will request all his matches take place on Hisense, it’ll be interesting to see who the crowd goes with; home grown talent or the Frenchman who earned himself legions two years ago when he halted play to come to the aid of an unwell ball girl. Should he get through to week 2 Grigor Dimitrov will likely be waiting.

Things will get very tough, very quickly for Jo-Wilfred Tsonga. Picture: Tim Carrafa

TEN MUST-SEE ROUND 1 MATCHES

Venus Williams v Belinda Bencic

Destanee Aiava v Simona Halep

Sam Stosur v Monica Puig

Agnieska Radwanska v Kristyna Pliskova

Shuai Zhang v Sloane Stephens

Matthew Ebden v John Isner

Nick Kyrgios v Rogerio Dutra Silva

Alex De Minaur v Tomas Berdych

Novak Djokovic v Donald Young

David Ferrer v Andrey Rublev

AUSTRALIAN OPEN MEN’S WINNER FROM TAB

(price changes since the draw was announced)

$2.90 Roger Federer (out from $2.80)

$5.50 Rafael Nadal (in from $7)

$7.50 Novak Djokovic (out from $7)

$12 Grigor Dimitrov (out from $11)

$17 Alexander Zverev (out from $17)

$17 Nick Kyrgios (out from $16)

$18+ Others Quoted

Australian Open Women’s Winner

$8.50 Evina Svitolina (in from $10)

$9 Simona Halep

$9 Karolina Pliskova

$11 Caroline Wozniacki (in from $13)

$12 Garbine Muguruza (out from $11)

$12 Angelique Kerber (in from $13)

$13 Maria Sharapova

$21+ Others Quoted

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