Andy Murray is facing a tough road to the Wimbledon title which could see him face former world number one Rafael Nadal and seven-time tournament champion Roger Federer en route to the final.
Murray will be hopeful of a good start to his campaign in the first round, as he faces Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin, who is ranked 58th in the world and has fallen to Murray in their two previous meetings.
The second round will see him face Robin Haase or Alejandro Falla, ranked 73rd and 103rd, with 25th seed Andreas Seppi the likely third-round opponent.
Murray’s second week look like his most testing, with a likely last 32 tie against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a quarter final against Nadal and a semi-final against Federer.
Thanks to the outcome of the draw, Murray cannot meet Djokovic until the final.
The world number one will begin a challenging defence of the title with a clash against Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, ranked 33rd in the world and who only narrowly missed out on a seeding at the tournament.
He is also in the same half as Stan Wawrinka, who recently snatched a shock victory against Djokovic in the final of the French Open.
Britain’s James Ward is up against a formidable opponent for his first game, drawing against Spain’s David Ferrer.
In the ladies’ draw, Laura Robson will kick off the tournament against world number 101 Evgeniya Rodina of Russia.
Robson, from Wimbledon, received a wildcard for the tournament as she only returned from a wrist injury that has kept her out for 17 months, this week.
British number one Heather Watson will be pitted against France’s Caroline Garcia in round one, and may face number one seed Serena Williams in a daunting third-round match.
Johanna Konta, the British number two, has drawn a short straw, taking on former victor and fourth seed Maria Sharapova in the first round.
The tournament may throw up a family clash in the fourth round, with Serena coming face to face with sister Venus.
Image courtesy of Australian Open TV via YouTube, with thanks
