Australian Open 2020 draw: Ash Barty at the ready to break drought

Ash Barty has been handed a tricky draw as she seeks to end a 42-year local drought.

Ash Barty, who is finetuning her preparation in Adelaide for the year’s first grand slam, will face world No 120 Lesia Tsurenko in the opening round. Picture: Getty

Ash Barty has been handed a tricky draw as the world No 1 seeks to end a local drought of 42 years at the Australian Open.

The Queenslander, who is finetuning her preparation in Adelaide for the year’s first grand slam, will face world No 120 Lesia Tsurenko in the opening round.

Tsurenko trounced Barty 6-3 6-2 the last time they met in 2018, but the Ukrainian’s world ranking has slumped from a high of 23 less than a year ago.

Top seed Ash Barty opens against Lesia Tsurenko in the first round.#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/GUgC6WBvoh

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2020

The 23-year-old Barty, who is seeking to become the first Australian since Chris O’Neil in 1978 to claim the championship, is not scheduled to face a player ranked in the top 30 in the first week.

But it gets perilous after that.

Barty is on a collision course with Alison Riske for the round of 16, the American who knocked her out of Wimbledon last year. Grand slam winners Petra Kvitova, Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams are also lurking on the same half of the draw.

Ash Barty will face Alison Riske, who knocked her out of Wimbledon last year. Picture: AP

Should all go to plan Barty will meet 2019 finalist Kvitova in the final eight — a rematch of last year’s quarter-final.

Barty, who has shown a semblance of her best form in Adelaide, could then face either defending champion Osaka or Serena Williams in a semi-final if all goes to plan.

“I’m not going to think about it until whenever we are done here,” said Barty in Adelaide of the draw.

“Sunday night, Monday morning, we’ll worry about that then. I have seen that we’ll play on Monday.

“Looking forward to tomorrow first before focusing on anything for next week.”

Barty said she was getting better and better with each match she played.

“I think that’s just a gradual progression of spending time on court and spending time in that competition mode.

“There are a few things that I’d like to fix for tomorrow. I mean, I’m not really concerned about Monday at the moment.

“The beauty is I have done enough to get myself in a position where, you know, I get another opportunity to try and rectify and fix those things.”

Serena Williams is seeking to level Margaret Court’s record of 24 major titles and started the season in impressive fashion with a triumph in Auckland.

The 38-year-old will play Russian Anastasia Potapova in the opening round at Melbourne Park but if the American is to claim an eighth Australian Open title and draw level with Court, it will be deserved given the quality in her quarter of the draw.

Osaka opens her defence against Marie Bouzkova and in the third round could face the winner of the mouth-watering first round clash between 15-year-old Coco Gauff and 39-year-old Venus Williams.

Wimbledon champion Simona Halep faces an early test on the other side of the draw against Jennifer Brady, the American who defeated Barty in Brisbane last week.

In the men’s draw, seven-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic and 20-time major winner Roger Federer have been placed in the same half of the draw and could meet in a semi-final.

Third seed Roger Federer takes on Steve Johnson in the third quarter of the men's draw.#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/PvdoKoTpog

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2020

A potential blockbuster round of 16 clash looms between Nick Kyrgios and world No 1 Rafael Nadal, should the Australian maintain his form and composure.

The pair shared Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday night for a charity outing but there is an edge between them.

A potential blockbuster round of 16 clash looms between Nick Kyrgios and world No 1 Rafael Nadal. Picture: AAP

Nadal, who opens his campaign against Bolivian Hugo Dellien, has complained in the past about the Australian’s antics on court and been critical of his professionalism.

Kyrgios, who defeated the Spanish legend on the way to claiming a title in Acapulco, described the Spaniard as a “salty” when questioning his ability to deal with losses.

The men's draw is out, with top seed Rafael Nadal up against Hugo Dellien in round one. #AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/I66CMwFLGF

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2020

Should the fourth-round clash eventuate, fans are in for a treat. Their second-round clash at Wimbledon last year, claimed by Nadal in a fourth set tiebreaker to give him a 4-3 lead in their head-to-head rivalry, was one of the best matches of the season.

For this to occur, Kyrgios must initially defeat Lorenzo Sonego, an Italian he edged in Cincinnati last year prior to badly losing his temper in a tantrum that has the Australian playing under probation.

Asked after a win at Kooyong on Thursday whether he cared who he would play, the 23rd seeded Australian said it did not matter. “Regardless of who I play, I need to serve big, play big and bring the same energy (I have this summer),” he said.

Russian Karen Khachanov, who was beaten by John Millman in Auckland this week, is seeded to meet Kyrgios in the third round.

Millman will open against Ugo Humbert and could face Federer in the third round.

Federer is coming in fresh after skipping the ATP Cup and will play tough American Steve Johnson, who ousted Alex de Minaur at Wimbledon last year.

Djokovic, who is aiming for an eighth Australian Open title, rated his thrashing of Nadal in last year’s decider as the best performance of his career.

Having led Serbia to the inaugural ATP Cup and going unbeaten in six singles matches and two doubles, he is the $2.20 favourite to win the title and will open against German Jan-Lennard Struff.

The men's and women's singles draws are complete:

Men's draw 👉 https://t.co/525e2Zgnnu
Women's draw 👉 https://t.co/vXYoxLua5j #AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/frhS4bhz1L

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2020

Before Thursday’s draw on Margaret Court Arena, Djokovic stressed that there was plenty of talent in the new generation making their name on the tour.

But he said the big three of Nadal, Federer and himself were working as hard as ever.

“I think tennis is in good hands. We have a very good next generation of players,” he said.

“We are hoping it is not going to be this year where they win a grand slam. We are working to stop that. But it is inevitable … and when it happens, it will be good for tennis.”

WHO THE AUSSIES PLAY IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FIRST ROUND

WOMEN 1-Ashleigh Barty v Lesia Tsurenko Ajla Tomljanovic v 31-Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) Samantha Stosur v qualifier Priscilla Hon v Kateryna Kozlova (UKR) Astra Sharma v 28-Anett Kontaveit (EST) Lizette Cabrera v qualifier Arina Rodionova v Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR)

MEN 23-Nick Kyrgios v Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) John Millman v Ugo Humbert (FRA) Jordan Thompson v Alexander Bublik (KAZ) Alexei Popyrin v 28-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) James Duckworth v Aljaz Bedene (SLO) Chris O’Connell v 17-Andrey Rublev (RUS) Marc Polmans v Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) Alex Bolt v Albert Vinolas Ramos (ESP) Andrew Harris v 8-Matteo Berrettini (ITA) John-Patrick Smith v 22-Guido Pella (ARG)