Entering a major unseeded for the first time in more than three years, Nick Kyrgios has been dealt a horror opening round assignment - former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic. And the assignment doesn’t get any easier for fellow Australian Bernard Tomic with the two-time grand slam quarter-finalist drawing last year’s Australian Open finalist Marin Cilic. Kyrgios was unfazed after his ranking dropped outside the world’s top 50 this month but the reality is he’ll probably need to beat a string of well-credentialled opponents just to reach the second week at Melbourne Park. Tough draw: Bernard Tomic. Credit:AAP If Kyrgios defeats 16th seed Raonic, the next player waiting in the wings could be 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka - one of a host of dangerous unseeded players in Melbourne - with world No.4 Alexander Zverev a projected fourth-round opponent.<doc-sep>Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic have been dealt severely tough hands ahead of their home Grand Slam next week. Kyrgios looms as a potential threat when the Open gets underway, with Darren Cahill labelling him the “most dangerous floater”. But as the draw has revealed, the enigmatic Aussie faces an enormous task to simply get out of the very first round. Heading into the Open without a seed is always going to ensure you’re in a bracket against one of the most dangerous players, but Kyrgios wouldn’t have been pleased seeing his name drawn alongside number 16 seed Milos Raonic. The power serving Canadian poses an enormous threat to send Kyrgios packing in the very first contest of the Australian Open. If Kyrgios is to get through the opener, he faces a potential second round clash against Swiss maestro Stan Wawrinka. Similiarily to Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic didn’t fare any better as he drew number 6 seed Marin Cilic in the opening round. James Duckworth also faces a huge task with an opening-round appointment with second seed Rafael Nadal. Thankfully there is some good news for the Aussies with No.1 Alex de Minaur earning a much smoother path to the second round, the 27th seed opening against Portugal’s Pedro Sousa. Wow- #AusOpen draw gods inflicted pain on Tomic and Kyrgios. Tomic gets Marin Cilic in first round. Kyrgios gets Milos Raonic in first round.#ouch — Shane McInnes (@shanemcinnes) January 10, 2019 The cruelty wasn’t just restricted to the men’s draw, with the Australian women also facing tall orders to escape the opening week. Crowd favourite Daria Gavrilova takes on Tamara Zidansek in the opening round but a potential second round showdown with US Open champion Naomi Osaka looms. Destanee Aiava was handed a wildcard for the Open, but has been drawn up against American number 17 seed Madison Keys. Former Slam winner Sam Stosur also faces a tough task in her opening clash, drawing in-form teenager Dayana Yastremska. The only seeded Australian woman Ash Barty will take on Thai player Luksika Kumkhum in her opening clash. #Breaking Johanna Konta will face Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the first round of the Australian Open #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/T4v4s3ZzX1 — PA Sport (@pasport) January 10, 2019 Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are each aiming for a record seventh men’s Australian Open title and the draw has ensured they can’t play each other at Melbourne Park until the final. Serena Williams already has seven Aussie titles, and is a strong contender to add another after skipping her title defense in 2018 while she was on leave after having a baby. Now seeded 16th, Williams was drawn into the same section Thursday as No. 1-ranked Simona Halep, the runner-up here last year. The pair could meet in the fourth round. No. 1-ranked Djokovic starts at the top of the draw and will open against a qualifier. He has the potential of a second-round meeting against wildcard entry Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. He defeated Tsonga in the 2008 Australian final. Djokovic also has a potential quarterfinal against No. 8-seeded Kei Nishikori. No. 4 Alexander Zverev is in the same half and looms in the semifinals if both players advance that far. Defending champion Federer is in the bottom half of the draw with No. 2-ranked Rafael Nadal. Aiming for a third consecutive Australian title and a 21st Grand Slam crown, Federer will open against Denis Istomin. And with No. 6 Marin Cilic in the same quarter, there’s potential for a rematch of the 2018 final a few rounds early. Cilic has Andy Murray, who is coming back from a long-term hip injury, in his section. THE COMPLETE AUSSIE OPENING ROUND DRAW 15-Ash Barty v Luksika Kumkhum (Tha) Daria Gavrilova v Tamara Zidansek (Slo) Ajla Tomljanovic v Johanna Konta (Gbr) Sam Stosur v Dayana Yastremska (Ukr) Priscilla Hon v Qualifier Kimberly Birrell v Qualifier Destanee Aiava v 17-Madison Keys (US) Ellen Perez v Wang Yafan (Chn) Zoe Hives v Bethanie Mattek-Sands (US) 27-Alex de Minaur v Pedro Sousa (Por) Nick Kyrgios v 16-Milos Raonic (Can) John Millman v Federico Delbonis (Arg) Matt Ebden v Jan-Lennard Struff (Ger) Bernard Tomic v 6-Marin Cilic (Cro) Jordan Thompson v Feliciano Lopez (Spa) Jason Kubler v Thomas Fabbiano (Ita) James Duckworth v 2-Rafael Nadal (Spa) Alexei Popyrin v Mischa Zverev (Ger) Marc Polmans v Robin Haase (Ned) Alex Bolt v Jack Sock (US) Men’s Draw Il main draw maschile degli #AusOpen 2019 è fatto! Quali sono i match di 1° turno più interessanti secondo voi? Possibili QF Djokovic vs Nishikori Zverev vs Thiem Cilic vs Federer Andersen vs Nadal#tennis pic.twitter.com/MeuN0RcFGp — SuperTennis TV (@SuperTennisTv) January 10, 2019 Women’s Draw #AusOpen, ecco il tabellone maschile! 🎾😍 Federer sorteggiato dalla parte di Nadal, per Djokovic possibile secondo turno con Tsonga, Fognini trova Munar ► https://t.co/8fioGawuS8#EurosportTENNIS | https://t.co/yeuDfRYfGo pic.twitter.com/n294SLdV88 — Eurosport IT (@Eurosport_IT) January 10, 2019 Men’s singles 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB), 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP). 3. Roger Federer (SUI), 4, Alexander Zverev (GER). 5. Kevin Anderson (RSA), 6. Marin Cilic (CRO), 7. Dominic Thiem (AUT), 8. Kei Nishikori (JPN), 9. John Isner (USA). 10. Karen Khachanov (RUS), 11. Borna Coric (CRO), 12. Fabio Fognini (ITA), 13. Kyle Edmund (GBR), 14. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE), 15. Daniil Medvedev (RUS), 16. Milos Raonic (CAN), 17. Marco Cecchinato (ITA), 18. Diego Schwartzman (ARG), 19. Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO), 20.Grigor Dimitrov (BUL), 21. David Goffin (BEL), 22. Roberto Agut Bautista (ESP), 23. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP), 24. Chung Hyeon (KOR), 25. Denis Shapovalov (CAN), 26. Fernando Verdasco (ESP), 27. Alex de Minaur (AUS), 28. Lucas Pouille (FRA), 29. Gilles Simon (FRA), 30. Gael Monfils (FRA), 31. Steve Johnson (USA), 32. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) Women’s singles 1. Simona Halep (ROU), 2. Angelique Kerber (GER), 3. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN), 4. Naomi Osaka (JPN), 5. Sloane Stephens (USA), 6. Elina Svitolina (UKR), 7. Karolina Pliskova (CZE), 8. Petra Kvitova (CZE), 9. Kiki Bertens (NED), 10. Daria Kasatkina (RUS), 11. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 12. Elise Mertens (BEL), 13. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT), 14. Julia Goerges (GER), 15. Ashleigh Barty (AUS), 16. Serena Williams (USA), 17. Madison Keys (USA), 18. Garbine Muguruza (ESP), 19. Caroline Garcia (FRA), 20. Anett Kontaveit (EST), 21. Qiang Wang (CHN), 22. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT), 23. Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP), 24. Lesia Tsurenko (UKR), 25. Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU), 26. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK), 27. Camila Giorgi (ITA), 28. Hsieh Suwei (TPE), 29. Donna Vekic (CRO), 30. Maria Sharapova (RUS), 31. Petra Martic (CRO), 32. Barbora Strycova (CZE) — with AAP<doc-sep>After more than 15 years on tour, Rafael Nadal is closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but remains adamant he can still challenge for all four majors in 2019. As injuries plagued him over the last few years, it wouldn’t have shocked many if the 17-time grand slam champion decided to hang up the racquet, and while he says he has plans in place for life post-tennis, he says he isn’t considering retiring any time soon. Even if the 32-year-old says his golf game will benefit greatly from the added free time. Speaking openly after appearing at the Fast4 in Sydney earlier in the week, Nadal gave an insight into what he will do once he eventually decides to step away. MORE: Ash Barty's ominous message ahead of Aus Open | Nadal showers praise on Nick Kyrgios It’s not all beaches and beers. “I prepared my future, I have a tennis academy , I have a foundation , I have different things around the world I have to take care of in the future,” Nadal told Sporting News . “I will not be the guy that finished the tennis career and is gonna stay at home fishing and playing golf every day. Of course, I would like to do it more often than what I did in the last 20 years, but I like the work. “I like new experiences. I am a worker, so I like to do things.” In addition to being one of the greatest tennis players ever, Nadal is a handy golfer and keen fisherman. To the envy of many weekend hackers, he's never had any lessons and rarely hits the driving range. Instead he plays for relaxation with friends and family. Which is still good enough to be have a "1.7 - 1.8" handicap. “I am solid, more or less. I have nothing unbelievable (in my golf game),” he said. “I more or less have a good short game. I’m solid with a driver. “Being honest, I've never taken a lesson. I never go to the range and hit balls. I don’t have much time for it. “When I have the chance, I like to go and play with family and friends. “If I don’t play with family and friends, I don’t go. Even if it’s a tournament I like to play in teams. We have a teams tournament in Mallorca at my club, and I enjoy going with them, playing the tournament and having lunch. “For me it’s a hobby. I’m not crazy about going from 2 to 1.7, I just don’t care about the handicap. I just care about having fun. “Of course, I’m a competitive guy, when I do it, I try my best, but that’s it. “I don’t go to the range. If I have hours free at home, I don’t go to the range by myself.” Nadal hasn’t played a competitive match since September, when injury ended his 2018 season in the semi-finals of the US Open. Despite being forced out of the Brisbane International with injury, Nadal - who lost an entertaining match to Kyrgios at the Fast4 - says he's pain free heading into the Australian Open next week. “I did not feel the pain here,” said the 2009 Australian Open champion. "I think it was a good start for me, a good comeback to the action in front of a fantastic crowd here in Sydney. "I really enjoyed playing here. I'm happy to be back on court and happy that I'm healthy again." After losing to Kyrgios 4-0 3-4 (5-3) in the singles, Nadal teamed up with Canada's Milos Raonic in the doubles, eventually beating Kyrgios and John Millman. Asked about Kyrgios' form and potential, Nadal had nothing but praise for the 23-year-old. “He’s one of the best players in the world – no doubt – he has the passion to play,” Nadal told Sporting News of Kyrgios. “He’s one of the players that is very tough to play against, especially in this format, so it was great to play with him tonight. “I enjoyed it, he’s able to create special shots and he’s very talented. It was a great show.” Nadal will enter the 2019 Australian Open as the second seed, behind Novak Djokovic, with Roger Federer, Alexander Zverev and Kevin Anderson rounding out the top five. After only dropping one set in his first four matches of the 2018 Australian Open, Nadal retired while down a break in the fifth set of his quarter-final against Marin Cilic. The injury kept Nadal from the court for more than two months before he returned for Spain's Davis Cup win over Germany in April.<doc-sep>
The Australian Open 2019 draw was held early Thursday morning, and it revealed a tough first-round matchup for Milos Raonic and a potential second-round blockbuster for Eugenie Bouchard. Raonic is the sixteenth seed, but he drew the short straw and will open against unseeded Australian Nick Kyrgios, who is ranked No. 51 in the world. Raonic and Kyrgios have played six times, each winning three matches. Things won't get much easier for Raonic if he does beat Kyrgios, as Swiss No. 59 Stan Wawrinka looms large. MORE: How to watch the Australian Open In the women's draw, Eugenie Bouchard will come up against Chinese wildcard entrant Shuai Peng. Bouchard is 2-0 against Peng in her career. The real intrigue lies in the second round, where Serena Williams could be Bouchard's sternest test of the tournament. The Australian Open Twitter account doesn't give Bouchard much chance — it pencils Peng in for a first round win: Serena's road to 🏆 R1 Maria R2 Peng R3 Suárez Navarro R4 Halep QF Pliskova SF Svitolina F Kerber#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/lR29h7gOWF — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 10, 2019 Denis Shapovalov drew Spanish veteran Pablo Andujar to open the tournament. The two have never previously faced off. Peter Polansky has advanced to the third round of qualifying, where he will play Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis. Bianca Andreescu is also in the third qualifying round — she will take on Czech Tereza Smitkova. Australian Open 2019 first round draw — Canadian Players Men: Milos Raonic vs. Nick Kyrgios; Denis Shapovalov vs. Pablo Andujar Women: Eugenie Bouchard vs. Shuai Peng