Australian Open 2023: Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek, Daniil Medvedev in action on star-studded opening day
Day 1 of the Australian Open is set to witness a number of stars taking part.
Last year’s men’s finalists Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal will be in action. Nadal, who will be looking to win his 23rd Grand Slam, will lock horns with Britain’s Jack Draper at the Rod Laver Arena, the very venue where he defeated Medvedev in a thrilling five-setter in the final last year.
Nadal would be going into the championship as the No.1 seed after World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz withdrew due to a knee injury. In the women’s draw, World No.11 Paula Badosa and two-time Australian Open champion won’t be available for certain reasons.
Iga Swiatek won the French Open twice and the US Open once. However, she is yet to get her hands on the Australian Open with their best performance being a semi-final finish last year. But having already won a hard-court tournament last year at Flushing Meadows, she will be high on confidence.
Coco Gauff recently won the ASB Classic in Auckland and a lot would be expected of her as well. After playing her maiden Grand Slam final last year against Swiatek in the French Open, can the teenage sensation get her hands on a major?
Jessica Pegula, the third seed in the women’s draw, will also be in action. Pegula was a part of the USA team that won the inaugural edition of the United Cup.
The focus will also be on the likes of Italy’s Jannik Sinner, Greece’s Maria Sakkari, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas and Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Revised Australian Open order of play for Monday 16 January.#AusOpen #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/XOyG0EViJS — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 14, 2023
Australian Open Order of Play Day 1
Rod Laver Arena
Morning session (5:30 am IST)
Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) vs 7-Coco Gauff (U.S.)
Yuan Yue (China) vs 6-Maria Sakkari (Greece)
1-Rafa Nadal (Spain) vs Jack Draper (Britain)
Night session (01:30 pm IST)
1-Iga Swiatek (Poland) vs Jule Niemeier (Germany)
Marcos Giron (U.S.) vs 7-Daniil Medvedev (Russia)
Margaret Court Arena
Morning session (5:30 am IST)
3-Jessica Pegula (U.S.) vs Jaqueline Cristian (Romania)
10-Hubert Hurkacz (Poland) vs Pedro Martinez (Spain)
Sofia Kenin (U.S.) vs 24-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)
Night session (01:30 pm IST)
3-Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) v Quentin Halys (France)
10-Madison Keys (U.S.) v Anna Blinkova (Russia)
John Cain Arena
Morning session (5:30 am IST)
Kyle Edmund (Britain) v 15-Jannik Sinner (Italy)
Alison van Uytvanck (Belgium) v 15-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic)
Sebastian Baez (Argentina) v Jason Kubler (Australia)
Vasek Pospisil (Canada) v 6-Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada)