The Australian Open draw was revealed on Friday afternoon at Melbourne Park. A brutal top half features Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Roger Federer. Nadal will open against Bernard Tomic.
No. 1 seeds are not immune to ghastly draws; if nothing else, the 2014 Australian Open men’s singles bracket proved as much.
Rafael Nadal headlines a loaded top half of the draw along with Andy Murray, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Roger Federer. As tough as that foursome looks, Nadal will have to focus on potentially taxing roadblocks long before he reaches the point of facing fellow Top 10 players. Up first for the top-ranked Spaniard is current Sydney semifinalist Bernard Tomic, who has reached at least the third round of three straight Aussie Opens and has never lost in the first round.
Nadal could face Gael Monfils during third-round action in what would be a rematch of the Doha title match, which Nadal won in three sets. Lleyton Hewitt has a seemingly nice path through to the second week before he would run into Nadal.
If seeds hold to form in the top half, far from a certainty given the startling lineup of contenders, quarterfinal showdowns would pit Nadal against Del Potro and Murray against Federer. Federer, however, could be in the line for another battle versus Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as early as the last 16. Murray may have to face John Isner at that stage.
Relatively speaking, the bottom half of the bracket is an inaugural Melbourne Challenger. Novak Djokovic’s only potential danger in his entire section–unless Ernests Gulbis is still to be taken seriously–is Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals. Djokovic and Wawrinka, of course, arguably played the match of the year in the 2013 Australian Open fourth round (won by the Serb 12-10 in the fifth set). In the third quarter, familiar foes David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych are on a collision course for the last eight.
full draw here – http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/draws/ms/index.html
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