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The 2022 Australian Open draws were revealed earlier on Thursday and there are plenty of exciting matches to look forward to over the next fortnight.
World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty and defending champion Naomi Osaka are projected to meet in the fourth round.
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Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are also in the same half of the draw, with the duo on course for a semi-final showdown. Denis Shapovalov and 2021 ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev could meet in the fourth round, as can Felix Auger-Aliassime and Andrey Rublev.
Garbine Muguruza and Simona Halep, both former World No. 1s and two-time Grand Slam champions, could face off in the fourth round as well. But before we get to the later rounds, here are some of the exciting first-round matches to keep an eye on.
#1 Emma Raducanu vs Sloane Stephens
Emma Raducanu will face off against Sloane Stephens in a battle between Grand Slam champions. The Brit will be making her debut in the Australian Open, while the American is a former semifinalist.
Raducanu had a rough start to her 2022 season as she lost 6-0, 6-1 to Elena Rybakina in the opening round of the Sydney Tennis Classic. Following her triumph at the US Open, Raducanu has won just two matches across four tournaments.
Stephens, meanwhile, hasn't competed since losing in the second round at Indian Wells in October last year. Her best result at a Grand Slam in 2021 was a fourth-round appearance at Roland Garros, while a semifinal showing at the WTA 250 event in Parma was her best result on tour. She ended the year ranked 64.
Competing on the biggest stage often brings out the best in players and that might just be the case with Stephens and Raducanu.
#2 Andy Murray vs Nikoloz Basilashvili
Five-time Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray will lock horns with 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in the opening round of the 2022 Australian Open. The former World No. 1 defeated the Georgian at the Sydney Tennis Classic on Wednesday, in a match that lasted more than three hours.
Murray will be the favorite to come through that clash, given his recent form. He is currently in the Sydney semifinals, while Basilashvili hasn't won a match in 2022.
Murray will be competing at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2019, when he lost in the first round. He'll look to make a winning return at a venue where he's had considerable success in the past.
#3 Sofia Kenin vs Madison Keys
2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys will clash in the first round.
Kenin's title defense in 2021 ended in the second round and she struggled with form and injuries for the rest of the season. She started her 2022 season on a good note, reaching the quarterfinals of the Adelaide International, where she lost to Ashleigh Barty. But she suffered a first-round loss to Daria Kasatkina at the Sydney Tennis Classic soon after.
Keys had a subpar 2021 campaign as well, but started the 2022 season quite well. She is currently in the quarterfinals of the Adelaide International, having defeated Elina Svitolina and Tereza Martincova en route.
The American knows what it takes to make a deep run in Melbourne, having made it to the semifinals in 2015.
If both players find their best form, this will be an exciting match to witness.
#4 Alex De Minaur vs Lorenzo Musetti
The first-round encounter between Alex De Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti promises to be an exciting one. De Minaur started the year well by recording wins over Ugo Humbert and Matteo Berrettini in the ATP Cup.
His best performances at the Australian Open were third-round appearances in 2019 and 2021.
Musetti, meanwhile, is a promising young talent. The 19-year-old led Novak Djokovic by two sets in the fourth round of the French Open last year, before dropping off and losing in five.
The Italian has the ability to make a deep run at the Australian Open in his maiden appearance.
#5 Angelique Kerber vs Kaia Kanepi
Angelique Kerber won her first Grand Slam title at the 2016 Australian Open by defeating Serena Williams in the final. In the 2022 edition, she will open against Kaia Kanepi, who's renowned for taking out big-name players, especially at the Slams. Kanepi has 13 top-10 wins to her name, eight of which have come at the Grand Slam level.
The Estonian has reached the quarterfinals of all the Grand Slams except the Australian Open, a record she'll be looking to change this month.
Kerber, meanwhile, played some amazing tennis in the second half of 2021, winning her first title in three years at the Bad Homburg Open and reaching the semifinals of Wimbledon, where she lost to Barty. But she hasn't played a match this year due to a positive COVID-19 test in December.
