Djokovic faces Chardy, Kenin meets Inglis at Australian Open

Sofia Kenin kisses the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after defeating Spain's Garbine Muguruza to win the 2020 Australian Open. (AP)
Sofia Kenin kisses the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after defeating Spain's Garbine Muguruza to win the 2020 Australian Open. (AP)
TT
20

Djokovic faces Chardy, Kenin meets Inglis at Australian Open

Sofia Kenin kisses the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after defeating Spain's Garbine Muguruza to win the 2020 Australian Open. (AP)
Sofia Kenin kisses the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after defeating Spain's Garbine Muguruza to win the 2020 Australian Open. (AP)

Novak Djokovic will begin his Australian Open title defense against Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, while reigning women’s champion Sofia Kenin meets wild card Maddison Inglis, following the draw for the year’s first Grand Slam on Friday.

World number one Djokovic captured a record-extending eighth title at Melbourne Park last year by beating Dominic Thiem, who is seeded third and will face Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin in the first round.

Rafa Nadal, seeking a first title at the major since 2009, will meet Serbia’s Laslo Djere in his opener.

The Spaniard is level with Roger Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles and looking to overtake the Swiss champion, who is not playing this year following knee surgery.

Top-ranked Ash Barty resumes her quest to become the first homegrown singles winner at the Australian Open since 1978 when the 24-year-old takes on Danka Kovinic.

American Serena Williams, bidding to win a record-equaling 24th major, will meet Laura Siegemund in the opening round.

Naomi Osaka, the 2019 champion, has a series of potentially tough matches starting with a clash against former quarter-finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

The Japanese player could face Caroline Garcia and Ons Jabeur in her next two rounds before a likely match-up with either Garbine Muguruza or Angelique Kerber in the fourth round.

Second seed Simona Halep of Romania, a beaten finalist at Melbourne Park three years ago, will play wild card Lizette Cabrera while fifth-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina faces Marie Bouzkova.

ATP Finals champion Daniil Medvedev, who lost in the fourth round in the previous two years, meets Canada’s Vasek Pospisil, while young guns Jannik Sinner and Denis Shapovalov are set to face off in what promises to be a blockbuster opener.

Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas has a tricky test against French veteran Gilles Simon while Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev have relatively easier first rounds against Marcos Giron and Yannick Hanfmann, respectively.

Iga Swiatek, who made her breakthrough last year by winning the French Open title, takes on Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands while Venus Williams plays Kirsten Flipkens.



Sinner Seeks to Put Disappointment of French Open Defeat Behind Him

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 8, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner with the runner up trophy after losing the men's singles final against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. (Reuters)
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 8, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner with the runner up trophy after losing the men's singles final against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. (Reuters)
TT
20

Sinner Seeks to Put Disappointment of French Open Defeat Behind Him

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 8, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner with the runner up trophy after losing the men's singles final against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. (Reuters)
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 8, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner with the runner up trophy after losing the men's singles final against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. (Reuters)

World number one Jannik Sinner wants to use the Halle Open as a chance to bounce back from sleepless nights after his agonizing loss to rival Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final this month.

In a thrilling showdown, Sinner took the first two sets and had three match points in the fourth set, but Spaniard Alcaraz persevered to grind out a 4-6 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(10-2) win in five hours and 29 minutes - the longest final at Roland Garros.

Asked if he had thought about the championship points he failed to convert, Sinner told reporters on Saturday: "Often. It happens. I don't know how it will look in the future.

"I think that it is not the most important thing, but I nevertheless try to forget the negative things and see what I can do here" in Halle.

"I think that for me to play another tournament is positive, because every match is a new beginning, and I must be mentally ready to give my all on the court. Therefore, it is great I can be here in Halle. Yes, I had already a few sleepless nights, but I think every day it gets better."

The 23-year-old Italian is the reigning champion at Halle and will seek to defend his crown at the tournament, which starts on Monday, as he gears up for Wimbledon, which will be held from June 30 to July 13 at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

"The first practice session was OK. I hadn´t played since Paris, so my general feelings on the court were not so perfect," Sinner said.

"I think a good grass-court player can move well. The ball can bounce a bit funny because of the grass, and you have to serve intelligently.

"But in general, it is a surface on which I took a step forward last year and we will see how it goes this year."