Australian Open draw: Emma Raducanu endured a tough first round match while Katie Boulter and Jack Draper also learn their fate | Tennis News

Emma Raducanu is the only British player to be seeded at the Australian Open after meeting Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in round one.

Former US Open champion Raducanu had to cancel her planned warm-up tournament in Auckland due to a back problem, but trained at Melbourne Park this week.

The British No.2 will need to be sharp from the start of her season after being paired with 26th seed Alexandrova.

Katie BoulterSeeded here for the first time at 22, she will face Canada’s Rebecca Marino and will be hoping to build on her encouraging start to the season at the United Cup, while in the men’s event she is seeded 15th and ranked No. 1 in Great Britain Jack Draper meets Argentine Mariano Navone.

Like Raducanu, Draper’s preparations have been disrupted by injury as a hip problem delayed his trip to Australia, but the US Open semi-finalist is hoping for another deep run provided his body holds up.

Elsewhere in the draw: Great Britain Jacob Fearnley was given a blockbuster debut against Nick Kyrgios.

British duo Harriet Dart and Billy Harris will not feature in the first round, having both lost in the final stages of qualifying. Dart was beaten in straight sets by Japan’s Nao Hibino 6-4, 7-5. Meanwhile, Harris lost 7-5, 6-2 to Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak.

Should Draper reach the fourth round, he could face third seed Carlos Alcaraz, while Novak Djokovic is also in this quarter of the draw.

The Serb, who has slipped to seventh in the rankings, will have new coach Andy Murray in his box for the first time in his opening game against young American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy.

Scot Fearnley was still at college in the US during last year’s tournament, but has shot his way up the world rankings after a stunning start to his professional tennis career that saw him beat Djokovic by a set at Wimbledon.

This secured the 23-year-old a place in the main draw at Melbourne Park, and it should be an unforgettable event against home star Kyrgios – assuming the former Wimbledon finalist is fit enough to compete.

Kyrgios has not competed in his home slam since 2022 after being sidelined for two years following knee and wrist operations.

After his return at the Brisbane International last week, he admitted he wasn’t sure his wrist would be able to withstand best-of-five set tennis and he was also suffering from a mild abdominal strain.

Men’s No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner, defending a Grand Slam title for the first time, is in the top half of all his rivals, starting against Chile’s Nicolas Jarry.

The British No. 2 is also located in this section Cameron Norriewho faced a difficult first game against former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini.

Jodie Burrage will make her Grand Slam comeback against a qualifier after suffering wrist and ankle problems last year, while debutant Sonay Kartal faces Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

The winner of this duel will likely face two-time defending champion and top seed Aryna Sabalenka, who is off to an eye-catching start against former US Open champion Sloane Stephens.

Sabalenka is aiming to become just the sixth woman in the Open era to win three consecutive Australian Open titles, and the first since Martina Hingis in the 1990s.

The Belarusian is in the same half of the draw as Coco Gauff, who will face former champion Sofia Kenin – the player she lost to in the first round of Wimbledon in 2023.

Second seed Iga Swiatek faces Katerina Siniakova, while Naomi Osaka takes on Caroline Garcia in a rematch of last year’s first round.

Watch the ATP and WTA tours as well as the US Open in New York in 2025 live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW.