Australian Open begins Jan. 12 in Melbourne, and the draws for the men’s and women’s singles are intriguing — and have thrown up some blockbuster first-round matches. The Athletic’s tennis writers, Matthew Futterman and Charlie Eccleshare,

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns the ball to Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor during the Davis Cup final tennis match between Netherlands and Italy at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Credit: AP/Manu Fernandez

India's top-ranked Sumit Nagal has been drawn against the world No.25 Tomas Machac in the men's singles first round at the Australian Open 2025. The 10-time champion Novak Djokovic will begin his campaign against unseeded Nishesh Basavareddy at Melbourne Park.

Jannik Sinner begins his Australian Open title defence against Nicolas Jarry while women's champion Aryna Sabalenka takes on 2017 U.S. Open winner Sloane Stephens after the draw for the year's first Grand Slam was made at Melbourne Park on Thursday.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic have landed in opposite sides of the draw for the season’s first major, ruling out a replay of last year’s semifinal encounter.

World number one Jannik Sinner was drawn on Thursday (January 9, 2025) against big-hitting Nicolas Jarry to start his Australian Open defence while Novak Djokovic is on a collision course to meet Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic have landed in opposite sides of the draw for the season's first major, with Carlos Alcaraz in the same quarter as Djokovic.