The Australian Open singles draw ceremony was held on Friday in Melbourne. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are in the top half, while Rafael Nadal is in the same quarter as Stan Wawrinka.
Djokovic faces teenage sensation Hyeon Chung of Korea in the first round but should ultimately coast into the second week. The five-set champion Down Under is on course for a fourth-round showdown with Ivo Karlovic and a possible quarterfinal date with either Kei Nishikori or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Prior to a highly-anticipated semifinal clash against Djokovic, Federer would have to navigate a difficult path. The 34-year-old Swiss could run into Alexandr Dolgopolov in round two, Grigor Dimitrov in the last 32, and either Dominic Thiem or David Goffin for a spot in the quarters. Also in the second section of the draw are Tomas Berdych, Marin Cilic, and Nick Kyrgios.
Nadal will open with a rematch one of the best matches ever played–at the Australian Open and perhaps anywhere. The Spaniard is set to face countryman Fernando Verdasco, whom he outlasted in an epic 2009 five-set semifinal en route to his first Australian Open title. The 14-time major champion could face Jeremy Chardy in the third round and either Kevin Anderson or Gael Monfils in the last 16.
Andy Murray is expected to advance from an intriguing final quarter of the bracket, but it is far from a guarantee. Entertainment in this section should be in store for the Melbourne faithful from start to finish. Murray could be challenged by the likes of David Ferrer, John Isner, and Bernard Tomic. Contesting the last tournament of his career, Lleyton Hewitt will kick off his campaign against fellow Aussie James Duckworth.
Link to draw on the official Australian Open website.
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discuss
Djokovic vs XYZ in the final!
Feels like Djoker’s chance to win just increased by a whole lot. I just don’t think Wawrinka is consistent enough to make it through Milos, Rafa, Murray.
Roger should make it to semis, but he’s got pretty tricky opponents. On a good day, Dolgo, Dimitrov, Cilic, Kyrgios, Berdych could give Fed a lot of trouble.
Crazy early prediction… Kyrgios making the semis…
seems a little heavy on Novak’s side. matches I think will be interesting-Pospisil/Simon, Tsonga/Baghdatis, Nadal/Verdasco, Bedene/Johnson, Muller/Fognini and Zverev/Murray
Fed didn’t get an easy draw, that’s for sure! He’s got some tricky guys waiting for him.
Verdasco wouldn’t be an easy opponent, but Rafa will know what to expect. It’s not one of those qualifiers who can come out and play the match of their life on any given day. He knows what he’s up against.
All things considered, I think Rafa’s draw is very good. The big news is that he avoided being in Novak’s half of the draw. That’s the most important thing.
I can’t see anyone stopping Novak in his part of the draw. Nishi hasn’t looked that great recently. Tsonga can be dangerous, but can’t stay with Novak mentally in a best of five set match. Novak also has Karlovic and that’s never a day at the beach. Better for him to meet him than Rafa!
This is going to be very interesting!
Very happy with nadals draw except verdasco in first round
Happy to see fed land in djokos half
well it’s good for Nadal. It’s bad for the viewing public.
Fed can take it to Djokovic.
Only easier qtrfinalist for rafa was fed but stan is okay too. It’s a 50 50.
Fed can’t take it to Novak at the AO. He can’t take it to Novak in a best of five set match. He tried to do that in two slam finals last year and we all know how that turned out. Novak has a stellar record at this slam and there’s a reason for it.
Fed also has to get there first.
Happy to see rafa avoided kyrgios
@ sanju 2:23,
I love seeing Nick nowhere near Rafa… 🙂
I also think that Fed can make Nole work for his money…if anyone can do it it’s Fed and Stan…I am pleased Fed will play Novak in the semis…Fed’s draw is not easy but he should be able to reach semis…
I wish for Stan and Fed to swap places and that will be perfect.
Why?
‘Cos I want Stan to meet Djoko in the SF.
Fed has a better chance of beating Djokovic
+1
Stan has a better chance of beating Novak at the AO. Fed lost all his AO matches to Novak when they meet. AO is no Dubai or Cincy.
Stan at least won one out of three five sets encounters with Novak at the AO.
exactly!! Just read this post and I basically said the same thing in my post above addressed at sanju…
sorry, my post of 1:07 is an agreement with Ricky at 4:39 am
Ricky why do u think Stan has worse chance to beat Nole than fed? Consistency? Just wondering because everyone else seems to think Stan. I don’t really know to be honest it would depend on how Stan or Roger was playing fo course and how Novak was too.
Stan is not a big threat to Rafa any more than Fed is. The only player Rafa needs to worry about is Djoker and that’s only based on their last match in Doha. Having said that, Rafa will most likely play differently next time he plays Djoker.
Rafa couldn’t have had a better draw if he was ranked 1 or 2.
Stan is a tougher opponent than Fed is at the AO slow HCs. Moreover Rafa has a mental edge over Fed.
A match with Fed would tend to be shorter than one with Stan and Rafa if he wins would want to conserve his energy for the SF which most likely is against Murray.
Fed is having a tricky draw – Dolgo, Dimi, Thiem, Kygrios – so many young guns and some triky ones.
I doubt Fed or anyone could stop Novak from reaching the final. A bad draw for Fed.
Karlovic could stop Djoker, for a start.
No way.
Whey not? Karlovic leads Djoker 3-1 in their h2h.
BO5 on a slow HC is very difficult for Ivo to beat Novak.
Karlovic can beat anyone on any surface Bo5 or not.
Lucky exhibits her superior tennis knowledge.
lucky,
Yes, in a Bo5 match it’s a whole other thing entirely. Karlovic is not beating Novak at the AO.
What?! I just looked it up you’re right. The matches were a while ago though. It was like a win for Ivo in 2005 then a win for each in 2008 and of course Ivo’s win at Doha last year. Still if they play I doubt Novak even drops a set and if he does it’ll only be one. I have Pospisil beating dr Ivo in third round anyways lol.
Fed will not win the AO, he’s in Novak’s half. Course I’m not sure at this point who can beat Novak.
V Hensley, you will soon find out who can beat Djoker.
Hope so! it would be nice to see someone else win!
When nadline??? When???
LOL.
Yes, pray tell when will we find out who will beat Novak? Inquiring minds want to know! 🙂
Qfs
Djokovic nishikori
Krygios vs fed
Rafa vs Stan
David. S murray
Sfs
Djokovic vs krygios
Stan vs murray
F
Nole vs Stan
Hole and Stan met in R16 then QFS then SF and now F
Love it
phenomenal point about Djokovic and Wawrinka!
Fed isn’t going to beat Novak at the AO. He’s going to have his hands full with his draw. He got the ones that I wanted Rafa to avoid.
Rafa at least knows who he’s facing. There are no surprises. There are no dangerous big serving guys. He’s got Anderson possibly in the fourth round, but if he had to face anyone then I would want it to be him.
Fed would have been a better quarterfinal opponent, but what if for some reason he doesn’t get through his part of the draw? You never know. Then Rafa might be facing someone like Kyrgios, Theim, Dolgo, Dimi. We can never assume that the top players will get through. They should, but there is no guarantee.
As far as Stan, he also has to get there. That’s why I try not to look too far ahead. Everyone has to get to the second week. So Rafa will take it one match at a time, like he always does.
This is the best draw that Rafa could have had considering he is the #5 seed.
No, Fed and Stan only to swap places, not Fed’s whole qtr to swap; meaning Rafa meeting Fed in QF possibly, and not Stan.
lucky,
Yes, I get your point that you wish Fed would be there instead of Stan. That assumption is that Fed gets through his part of the draw. I get it. But I am merely pointing out that we don’t know how this will play out. You never know what can happen in a slam and Fed’s draw is not a piece of cake.
But obviously, the preferred opponent for Rafa in the quarterfinals would always be Fed. I am just relieved that Rafa will not have to face Novak. If we can’t have Fed, then at least it’s Stan.
Let Stan get past raonic first. That match is no gimme for stan .
Stan can hit rafa off the court yes but rafa has equally good chance to beat stan over best of 5.
Stan can get erroneous at times
Any idea about wonens draw. Where did azarenka land ? In whose qtr
Ricky set up a WTA thread. Ratcliff is a fan of the women’s game and I am sure he’s got it all broken down over there.
Nny, I’m a chick 😀
ratcliff,
I am so sorry for making a wrong assumption! Please accept my apologies. 🙂
Completely understandable…how would anybody know? shh…don’t tell anyone.
Sanju – I just posted a link and comment. Kinda lame of me. Very tired tonight.
https://tenngrand.com/social/wta/#comment-76376
So apart from karlovic Novak has no one tough? Nishi is not tough for djokovic
Novak could face either Nishi or Tsonga in the quarterfinals.
I’m disappointed that both of them are not playing their best at the moment. Tsonga is slugging it out with Agut at Auckland now in the third set and lost finally.
Tsonga should have stuck with his S&V game of AO2008(just like Rafa should have stuck with his more aggressive game of 2004 on the HCs), at least he would have more chances of winning matches quickly instead of slugging to win from the baseline. He’s so good at the net but like Rafa is not willing to go there more often.
Kei is injury prone and he’s not able to repeat what he did at USO2014, its a shame. At top form he could at least put up a decent fight vs Novak.
Wow! Tsonga lost to RBA in Auckland? I haven’t been home to check any results yet. I knew that RBA was playing well there, but picked Tsonga in 2 sets. So much for that pick!
I agree about Nishi. He is so injury prone and just didn’t look that great in the closing months of last year or so far this year. That’s not to say that he can’t get back into good form, but right now I don’t see him being able to take out Novak.
I agree in top form he could make a battle of it with Novak. But he doesn’t seem to be there yet.
Well point about Novak Stan above that was made. Going by that logic stan should win final too 🙂
Novak won lost won ??
🙂
Stan’s draw is by far the toughest of all.
But if he is really willing to slug it out, i give him an equal chance to make it to the final along with Muzz and Rafa.
Why is stans draw tough who is so tough apart from raonic
did u watch the Auckland semis?
Haha exactly. Sock was a beast against Ferrer.
Sock in R32
Raonic in R16
Rafa in Qf
Muzz in Sf
How’s that not tough?
The only one that’s tough for Stan is Rafa. Over BO5 I dont think Raonic can harm Stan. Sock too I’m not sure of him over five sets.
Sock? Please.
As far as Fed is concerned, regardless of tricky opponents, I feel he will make it to the semis.
That will be the end of road for him.
Er..unless he meets an in the zone Cilic!
Or Cilic meets a in the zone Federer!
Heck Roger can even lose against a zoned in Berdych. Never ruled that out.
But I still feel, Fed will overcome them somehow and will probably get beaten in straights again by Nole.
Cilic? Please.
#GangnamStyle
lucky,
I remember how much you liked Cilic! Are you still a fan? It’s just that Cilic didn’t look as good last year as he did in 2014 when he won the USO.
Still wish for Cilic to do well. He has shoulder injury after winning the USO and after that become inconsistent again. He did fight hard to at least reach the SF at USO last year for pride sake, though he lost meekly to Novak in the SF.
He may have a chance vs Berdych in R4 if Berdych get past Kygrios. He has no point to defend at AO as he missed it last year, so if he gets to QF he will add points and reach no.10 as Gasquet is not playing and is losing points.
Speaking of Cilic…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH1XGdu-hzQ
On paper, Rafa has a dream draw. Hope it all works out that way for him and we see him in the final against anyone.
Vamos Rafa!
I’ll still say that Muzza has the easiest draw!
RT Carole Bouchard (Journalist): “AO men and women’s top half to play on Monday.”
agree with points made by lucky that stan has the best chance of beating nole so i would have preferred if he was on the other side of the draw. also, fed is a better bet for rafa…stan is stanimal now and he plays very well at the AO – if his game is on then he can beat anyone. don’t think fed will get through his loaded quarter anyway….
although i am rooting for rafa…i have to say that a nole-stan final could be awesome given their history here. if it does come to pass then nole will not be relaxed or as confident as he has been at other events…(also big ghosts of RG will be at the back of his mind….)
Amy, that’s a far fetched reason for not wanting Rafa to make the final if I ever heard one.
what are you talking about??!! i said i was rooting for rafa BUT if he couldn’t get through that would be a great final.
if you want to twist my words that’s entirely up to you..but it’s not what i said, nor can it reasonably be construed otherwise.
Lucky, Rafa is 5:0 against Karlovic one of them at the AO and I still can’t say 100% that Karlovic can’t beat Rafa. In fact, Rafa is 17:1 against Karlovic, Isner and Raonic and I still don’t want any of them in his draw on any surface best of 5 or not.
It could be what you meant but it’s not what you said:
amy JANUARY 15, 2016 AT 10:48 AM
“although i am rooting for rafa…i have to say that a nole-stan final could be awesome given their history here. if it does come to pass then nole will not be relaxed or as confident as he has been at other events…(also big ghosts of RG will be at the back of his mind….)”
There is no unwritten law to support Rafa, everyone is free to wish for the final they want.
Actually that IS what she said (and meant).
Congratulations!
the draw was so generous to Rafa! I hope he will know how to make use of it!
I certainly expect Rafa to make it to the finals…if he is focused and trustful of his own game and abilities he sure will! For me the best finals is only when Rafa is in it! it will be that way as long as Rafa is on the tour…
Vamos!
+1
You must have missed the last 18 months.
I am guilty as charged…did not watch live any of the finals this year (only reruns)… 🙂 I am only sorry that I did not watch the whole RG final…I thought it was given for Nole to win it and started watching when it got really interesting…
of course, meant LAST (2015) year…
FO final was probably the most interesting of the year.
Honourable mention goes to USO final.
someone on Twitter said Nadal had a tough draw. Hahahaha.
Ricky, AT 2:58 PM
Also, the staff of the Australian Open:
https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/687841257196945408
Now that is laughable!
BTW, young guns (Kyrgios, Thiem, Goffin, Coric) were so unlucky to land in Fed’s part of the draw…they stand no chance against Fed…they all lose their matches already in the locker room when Fed is concerned…too much respect accompanied with fear of the “old fox”..Dimi and Dolgo place no threat to Fed either in a BO5…Cilic had trouble beating Hewitt the other day so he does not seem to be consistent enough…
so I would say Fed is set for the semis were Novak will be waiting…and then who knows…Fed has the intelligent strategic game which could trouble Novak…and with Ljubicic on board anything is possible 🙂
+1.
fed hasn’t beaten nole in a slam since wimby 2012 and AO is scarcely his best surface while nole has been virtually unbeatable here. i would be astonished if he beat nole. (i was hoping that nole got stan, who definitely does have a shot and rafa got fed)
also fed had that shock loss to seppi last year…wouldn’t be exactly astonished to see that happening again and his going out before the semis..
amy,
I agree with you. If Fed couldn’t beat Novak at Wimbledon or the USO, then he’s not going to get him at what has been his most successful slam.
I am also with you in thinking that Fed might not get through, although after that shocking loss to Seppi in the second round I would think he will be determined to get a better result.
These young guns don’t have any pressure. They can come out blasting and just go for their shots. Krygios, Thiem, Goffin and Coric can come out without any nerves and go for it. These young guys are hungry to get a win against one of the top players.
I will say that it’s a whole other thing to beat Fed or any of the top players in a slam. That’s why they have dominated for so long, with the lone exceptions being Cilic at the 2014 USO and Delpo at the 2009 USO.
If nole trips up at any slam, fed has done himself well to capitalize just like he did FO 2009, Wimbly 09, AO 10, Wimbly 12.
#WhenTheCatsAway…
#DoYou????
Hahahaha. Yes, yes, when the cat’s away indeedy. Might explain why Roger beat Djokovic in his best years while Nadal was getting hammered. With a whole generation gap no less. Nadal fans-,peaking at tennis ignorance since 2008. Never seen a fanbase that hands so many hypothetical majors to their boy. Despite him having never defended a title off clay no less. And struggling routinely on a remotely quick surface.
Remind me of Fed’s record against Rafa in slams since Rafa turned a mere 22 and Fed’s record against Nole in slams since Nole turned a mere 24 and get back to me.
Typical well practised federazzi revisionism at its finest.
The ignorance is all yours My fan.
Hahaha Roger was already 30 when Djokovic turned 24 with a 1000 matches in his legs. Like I said, tennis ignorance on full display. I guess giving Nadal hypothetical handouts helps you sleep better at night. And your fan? Nope. The band of your free running BS? Yep.
Hahaha Roger was already 30 when Djokovic turned 24 with a 1000 matches in his legs. Like I said, tennis ignorance on full display. I guess giving Nadal hypothetical handouts helps you sleep better at night. And your fan? Nope. The bane of your free running BS? Yep.
Fed’s wins over Nole and Rafa were before prime time.
Doesn’t change the fact that Fed could never beat Rafole in a slam when they were in their prime whereas both of them beat Fed in slams when he was in hie prime. Rafa did so on all surfaces.
hawks,
Well that’s the only scenario in which Fed would win. Rafa too, as a matter of fact. If for some reason Novak doesn’t get through, then things open up considerably.
hawks,
Oh and thanks for going after the revisionist history of Fed fans. It really does get under their skins when the subject of Rafa comes up!
I can understand why! 🙂
No. It amuses me when Nadal fans start handing out free majors and pity parties to El Martir the Perpetually Injured. Otherwise I couldn’t care less. I’ve enjoyed their matches when Roger was still in his prime regardless of the result.
Quote please where I did that.
Well kyrgios….
Fedfan,
The tone of your reply and especially your reference to El Martir, would indicate otherwise.
Why would I be respectful if someone alludes that Fed could not have won WIMBLEDON if X or Y hadn’t happened to Nadal? Nothing in Nadal’s record, even in his prime shows he’s a dead cert. for the Final. He’s struggled in week 1 practically every year barring 2008. At some point it was bound to catch up. And more importantly Fed is by far the best player on grass since 2003. And grass is probably the hardest surface to dominate due to the quick turnaround to Wimbledon and the the level of footwork required to handle the slipperiness of the court in the first week.
when did Cilic play Hewitt and what does that have anything to do with anything?
World Tennis Challenge 2016
ATP Stars, Adelaide, Australia
Lleyton Hewitt vs Marin Cilic 6:7 7:6 and Hewitt was up a mini break in the third set but ended up losing it 8:6…
I know it was just and exhibition type of match but still…I watched it and Cilic at times looked subdued and lost playing the Australian veteran…he certainly does not like such style of play where he is forced to engage in long rallies..
who won
Ricky(AT 5:07 PM),
natashao2013 wrote:”Hewitt was up a mini break in the third set but ended up losing it 8:6…”
I think, the other guy won. 🙂
No.
^^^And the correct Final Jeorpardy question is…
“What fedfans say repeatedly over and over when Fed plays Rafole?”