clean slate for Sinner and Swiatek, more difficult for Djokovic and Sabalenka

The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the tennis season, starts on Sunday January 12 and the draw, made four days earlier, was lenient with the title holder, Jannik Sinner. The Italian is sure to avoid his three main rivals – Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic – ahead of the final. The world number 1 could find on his way the Dane Holger Rune (seeded number 13) or the Pole Hubert Hurkacz (18), in the eighth, before a possible quarter against the “local” Alex de Minaur (8). In the semi-finals, he could again face the Russian Daniil Medvedev (5), whom he beat in the final last year, or even the American Taylor Fritz (4).

Novak Djokovic will have to fight hard if he wants to win a 25^e Grand Slam title, which would be an absolute record. From the third round, the Serbian could cross paths with the American Reilly Opelka, who beat him last week in Brisbane (Australia), before meeting the always solid Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (10) in the round of 16. The prospect of then successively facing Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner amounts to a major challenge for the one who is only 7^e world player.

Among women, Aryna Sabalenka, world number 1 and double title holder, inherited a more crowded field than that of her main rival, the Polish Iga Swiatek. After a tricky first round against the American Sloane Stephens, winner of the 2017 US Open, the Belarusian should find the young Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva (17 years old), then the Chinese Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng in the quarters, before a shock in the semis. -finals against the American Coco Gauff.

In the lower part of the women’s table, Iga Swiatek’s path seems simpler since the world number 2 would find on her way the Russian Anna Kalinskaya (seeded number 14) in the eighth, the American Emma Navarro (8) in the quarterfinals. then the Kazakh Elena Rybakina (6) or the Italian Jasmine Paolini (4) in the semi-finals.

A duel of generations

Eleven French players and five French players are on the starting line. On the French side, the best poster of the first round will be the duel of generations between Gaël Monfils (38 years old, 52^e world) and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (21 years, 30^e), especially since the two men are in good shape and have never met. The youngest, who reached the final four of the ATP 250 tournament in Brisbane last week, will start as favorite in this meeting which promises explosive tennis.

Another 100% tricolor poster is looming in the third round: Ugo Humbert (seeded number 14) could face Arthur Fils (20), with the prospect of an eighth against Alexander Zverev. In the first round, the German will first have to get rid of Lucas Pouille, 104^e at the ATP and beneficiary of an invitation. There will also be a question of great performance, from the 1st^is round, for Arthur Rinderknech (60) against the American Frances Tiafoe (17) and for Adrian Mannarino (73) against the Russian Karen Khachanov (19).

There are five French people in total to have inherited a seed in the first round, including Arthur Cazaux, who caused a sensation last year in Melbourne by reaching the eighth. The Montpellier, 80^e world, will be opposed to the Argentinian Sebastian Baez (28). Alexandre Muller (56), who has just won the first ATP 250 tournament of his career in Hong Kong, will face the Portuguese Nuno Borges, 20 ranks ahead of him in the rankings.

For her big return to competition after a two-month break, the French Caroline Garcia (58) will meet the Japanese Naomi Osaka (50) for her entry into the running, hoping to repeat their duel from last year where she had beaten at this stage of the competition. For Diane Parry (66), the challenge will also be taken up against the Croatian Donna Vekic, seeded number 19. The only survivor among the 23 Tricolores entered during the qualifications, Léolia Jeanjean (149) will have her chance in the first round against the British Jodie Burrage (173).