Australian Open draw: See the full men’s and women’s draws for 2021
From unseeded floaters to extensive head-to-head backgrounds and off-court drama, here are the 10 matches to watch in the first round of the Australian Open.
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The randomised Australian Open draw spat out a number of fascinating first-round match-ups that will be fought out on Monday and Tuesday.
Here are 10 of the best of them, from unseeded floaters to extensive head-to-head backgrounds and even some off-court drama.
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1-Novak Djokovic v Jeremy Chardy
Chardy’s had a great run at this week’s Murray River Open and was outspoken about Djokovic and co. being able to complete their quarantine in Adelaide in what he felt were preferential conditions. However, the top seed and eight-times Australian Open champion has never dropped a set to Chardy in 13 meetings.
18-Grigor Dimitrov v Marin Cilic
Two high-quality players who have a love affair with Melbourne Park. Cilic was runner-up in 2018 and made a semi-final in 2010, while Dimitrov’s made at least the quarter-finals three times. The big-striking Cilic holds a 4-2 edge over the elegant Dimitrov, but the Bulgarian won a thrilling five-setter at the 2019 French Open.
Kei Nishikori v 15-Pablo Carreno Busta
Nishikori’s struggled with a right elbow injury in recent years, but he remains competitive, as evidenced by his five-set defeat of Dan Evans at last year’s French Open. The only previous meeting was at the 2019 Australian Open, when Nishikori prevailed in a fifth-set tie-breaker. Carreno Busta’s been in great form at the ATP Cup, but has a back issue.
11-Denis Shapovalov v Jannik Sinner
Generation Next is fast becoming Generation Now. Shapovalov, 21, is on the verge of the top 10, while 19-year-old Sinner slashed his ranking more than 40 spots to No.37 last year. Sinner reached his maiden grand slam quarter-final at the 2020 French Open, while Shapovalov did the same at the US Open. This will be the first of likely many clashes between these two.
9-Matteo Berrettini v Kevin Anderson
Ball-crusher Berrettini gatecrashed the top 10 in late 2019 and has remained there ever since, while former world No.5 Anderson is in the twilight of his career. The interesting part for Berrettini is he’s won only once in three tries at Melbourne Park. He’ll try to change that in his first match against Anderson, who’s made second round the past two years.
21-Alex de Minaur v Tennys Sandgren
The young Aussie against the polarising American who’s made the quarter-finals at two of the past three Australian Opens. This is another first-time meeting and one that’s sure to attract plenty of attention, particularly given de Minaur’s presence. Injury kept de Minaur out of the 2020 edition and he’s keen to surpass his previous best effort of the third round.
Kristina Mladenovic v 20-Maria Sakkari
Anything can happen in a match involving former top-tenner Mladenovic, who’s slid into the 60s in the rankings. Sakkari is an accomplished player who made the round of 16 at last year’s Australian and US Opens. The Greek star won their only other clash in three sets on Rome clay.
26-Yulia Putintseva v Sloane Stephens
The Kazakhstan firecracker – one of the quarantine whingers – will have her work cut out for her against the 2017 US Open champion, who’s won their past two contests after losing the opening two. Stephens hasn’t been the same player in recent seasons and slipped to No.40 in the rankings, but she may have turned the corner with her third-round showing at last year’s US Open.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v 3-Naomi Osaka
Osaka is the Australian Open favourite and the 2019 champion, so her every move is watched closely, especially after her surprise withdrawal from the Gippsland Trophy semi-finals. Former world No.13 Pavlyuchenkova is a dangerous floater, but Osaka comfortably beat her in 2019 after suffering a straight-sets loss in 2017.
32-Veronika Kudermetova-Marta Kostyuk
This is a rematch of their Abu Dhabi clash last month, which Kudermetova won 7-6(8) 6-4. Kostyuk, 18, is five years Kudermetova’s junior, but her round-of-32 run at Melbourne Park is still in the memory bank – an effort she matched at last year’s US Open. Kudermetova is yet to win a match at the Australian Open.
Aus Open draw: See who every Aussie will play
- Scott Gullan
A third-round blockbuster match-up against last year’s finalist Dominic Thiem awaits Australia’s great local hope Nick Kyrgios.
While a refreshed Kyrgios has been tipped by many to be a contender at this year’s Australian Open, an injury scare and tough draw is set to temper those expectations.
It was certainly better news for world No.1 Ash Barty who has avoided Serena Williams in her half of the draw but potentially has an all-Australian second round match-up with Daria Gavrilova.
Kyrgios, the world No.47, was hampered by a knee injury in his third-round loss to Croatia’s Borna Coric in the Murray River Open on Friday.
His opening match next week is against Portugal’s qualifier Frederico Ferrera Silva but then he faces a much tougher task against No.29 seed Ugo Humbert.
The prospect of a third-round match-up with reigning US Open champion Thiem, who lost in five sets to Novak Djokovic in last year’s final, is a promoter’s dream.
Australia’s only men’s seed Alex de Minaur received no favours with a tough first-round opponent in American Tennys Sandgren, a quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park last year.
If he gets through that encounter the 21-year-old potentially runs into No.2 seed Rafael Nadal in the fourth round.
Barty, who is undefeated in her return to the court this week after an 11-month lay-off, takes on Montenegro’s world No.77 Danka Kovinic in the opening round.
The possible all-Australian second round match-up would require Gavrilova to defeat Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo first-up.
Last year’s winner Sofia Kenin - who plays Australian wildcard Maddison Inglis in Round 1 - is in Barty’s half of the draw but the pair will potentially only meet in the semi-finals.
The 2021 women’s main draw @AustralianOpen. pic.twitter.com/JodhXuGwKn
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 5, 2021
— Marc McGowan 🗣âœï¸ðŸ‘¨ðŸ»â€ðŸ’»ðŸ“° (@ByMarcMcGowan) February 5, 2021
Williams, who is searching to equal Margaret Court’s grand slam record, is in the tougher section of the draw with No.2 seed Simona Halep and 2019 winner Naomi Osaka.
Halep plays Australian wildcard Lizette Cabrera in the opening round while veteran Sam Stosur comes up against fellow local wildcard Destanee Aiava.
Other interesting match-ups for the Aussie men include John Millman taking on Frenchman Corentin Moutet before a potential tough second round against big-serving No.14 seed Milos Raonic.
Bernard Tomic, who won a spot in the main draw through qualifying, plays Japan’s Yuichi Sugita.
Wildcard Alexei Popyrin has a tough opening gig against 13th seed David Goffin while Jordan Thompson also faces a seed, world No.24 Casper Ruud.
Thanasi Kokkinakis plays Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon first-up before a possible showdown with Greece’s No.5 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.
WHO EVERY AUSSIE WILL PLAY
1] Ash Barty (AUS) 1 v Danka Kovinic (MNE) 77
Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 69 v Misaki Doi (JPN) 84
[WC] Sam Stosur (AUS) 112 v [WC] Destanee Aiava (AUS) 218
[WC] Astra Sharma (AUS) 129 vNao Hibino (JPN)73
[WC] Maddison Inglis (AUS) 130 v [4] Sofia Kenin (USA) 4
[WC] Lizette Cabrera (AUS) 140 v [2] Simona Halep (ROU) 2
[WC] Arina Rodionova (AUS) 169 v Madison Brengle (USA) 83
[WC] Daria Gavrilova (AUS) 452 v Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 62
[WC] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) 747 v [Q] Rebecca Marino (CAN) 316
[21] Alex de Minaur (AUS) 23 v Tennys Sandgren (USA) 50
John Millman (AUS) 38 v Corentin Moutet (FRA) 80
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 47 v [Q] Frederico Ferreira Silva (POR) 184
Jordan Thompson (AUS) 52 v [24] Casper Ruud (NOR) 27
James Duckworth (AUS) 105 v [LL] Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 120
[WC] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 114 v [13] David Goffin (BEL) 14
[WC] Christopher O’Connell (AUS) 120 v Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 37
[WC] Marc Polmans (AUS) 125 v Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 55
[WC] Alex Bolt (AUS) 174 v Norbert Gombos (SVK) 89
[WC] Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 195 v [19] Karen Khachanov (RUS) 20
[Q] Bernard Tomic (AUS) 228 v Yuichi Sugita (JPN) 104
[WC] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 266 v Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) 97
[WC] Li Tu (AUS) v Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 63
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