Australian Open 2022: Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis on collision course with stars in second round at Melbourne Park

Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis will likely have two of the game’s biggest stars waiting for them in round two at the Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios won’t have long to get up to speed at next week’s Australian Open after his Covid-19 diagnosis, with Daniil Medvedev a potential second-round opponent for him.

Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis will both start against qualifiers before likely meeting No.2 seed Medvedev and sixth seed Rafael Nadal in respective blockbuster match-ups.

A qualifier is the first hurdle in world No.1 Ash Barty’s quest to become the first local winner of the Australian Open since Chris O’Neil in 1978.

In Kyrgios’ favour is he boasts a 2-0 head-to-head record over the Russian, who was a finalist at last year’s event, from their two meetings in 2019.

But there is still no certainty he will be at the start line as he races the clock to be fit.

Nick Kyrgios could meet Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in round two. Picture: Getty Images

The 26-year-old fell outside the top 100 on Monday for the first time in almost eight years, the same day he announced he tested positive for the coronavirus.

He subsequently withdrew from this week’s Sydney Tennis Classic, after also skipping last week’s Melbourne Summer Set because of asthma, which may have been connected to his later diagnosis.

Kyrgios is used to playing big matches at the Australian Open, with memories of his extraordinary five-setter with 2020 runner-up Dominic Thiem in the third round last year still strong.

The Canberran achieved his equal-best grand slam result when he made the 2015 Australian Open quarter-finals, and he’s made the fourth round twice since and the third round two other times.

Kokkinakis has strung together two excellent weeks in his home city of Adelaide to reintroduce himself to the tennis world but a Nadal clash would be a supreme test of where he is at.

Alex de Minaur is on a collision course with top-10 star Casper Ruud, of Norway. Picture: Getty Images

Former world No.1 Nadal handed him a straight-sets thumping in the second round of his Australian Open debut in 2014.

Australia’s No.1 men’s player, Alex de Minaur, who snagged the 32nd and final seed, will take on Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti first-up but could meet No.8 seed Casper Rudd in the round of 32.

Jordan Thompson will start against Steve Johnson; James Duckworth drew Adrian Mannarino; John Millman locks horns with Feliciano Lopez; and Alexei Popyrin begins with Arthur Rinderknech.

As for the rest of the wildcards, Aleks Vukic copped the toughest opening draw, against South African 30th seed Lloyd Harris.

Chris O’Connell and Alex Bolt were pitted against Hugo Gaston and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, respectively.

Storm Sanders drew second-seeded Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in a brutal Australian Open first-round match-up. Picture: Getty Images

On the women’s side, Storm Sanders will hope hard-hitting Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed, is still dealing with her serving yips when they meet in the first round.

Ajla Tomljanovic (No.8 Paula Badosa) and wildcards Maddison Inglis (No.23 Leylah Fernandez) and Priscilla Hon (No.31 Marketa Vondrousova) all copped seeded opponents.

Badosa beat Tomljanovic 6-3 6-4 at the Sydney Tennis Classic on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Daria Saville plays Rebecca Peterson, Astra Sharma drew talented teenager Clara Tauson and retiring great Sam Stosur faces fellow wildcard Robin Anderson, of the United States.