Jacob Fearnley sets up blockbuster Australian Open debut against Nick Kyrgios

Great Britain’s Jacob Fearnley was handed a blockbuster Australian Open debut against Nick Kyrgios.

Scot Fearnley was still at college in the United States during last year’s tournament but has rocketed up to 86 in the world after a stunning start to his professional tennis career, which included taking a set off Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.

That earned the 23-year-old a main-draw spot at Melbourne Park, and it is set to be an occasion to remember against home star Kyrgios – providing the former Wimbledon finalist is fit enough to compete.

Kyrgios has not played in his home slam since 2022 after two years on the sidelines following knee and wrist surgeries.

He admitted after making his return at the Brisbane International last week that he is not sure if his wrist will hold up to best-of-five-set tennis, while he also has a minor abdominal strain.

Among the other British players, Emma Raducanu was the only one to draw a seed.

The former US Open champion pulled out of her scheduled warm-up tournament in Auckland with a back niggle but has been practising at Melbourne Park this week.

Raducanu will have to be sharp from the start after being paired with 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Katie Boulter, who is seeded for the first time here at 22, will take on Canada’s Rebecca Marino hoping to build on her encouraging start to the season at the United Cup while men’s 15th seed Jack Draper faces Argentina’s Mariano Navone.

Like Raducanu, Draper’s preparations have been disrupted by injury, with a hip problem delaying his journey to Australia, but the US Open semi-finalist will hope for another deep run providing his body holds up.

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

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

Number one seed Jannik Sinner, who is defending a grand-slam title for the first time, is away from all his rivals in the top half and opens against Chilean Nicolas Jarry.

Also in that section is British number two Cameron Norrie, who has been given a difficult first match against former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini.

Jodie Burrage will make her grand slam return against French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean after wrist and ankle problems last year while debutante Sonay Kartal faces Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

The winner of that clash is likely to face two-time defending champion and top seed Aryna Sabalenka, who has an eye-catching opener against former US Open winner Sloane Stephens.

Sabalenka is bidding to become only the sixth woman in the Open era to win three Australian Open titles in a row and the first since Martina Hingis in the 1990s.

After carrying the trophy through Melbourne Park, Sabalenka said: “I have a lot of great memories and to be back here and walk with this beautiful trophy is something really special. I hope that I can keep doing what I’m doing here in Australia. Being next to these legends, it’s something special.”

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

Second seed Iga Swiatek faces Katerina Siniakova while a rematch of last year’s first round pits Naomi Osaka against Caroline Garcia.