Australia’s tennis hopes have copped a tough draw at the Paris Olympics, with superstars Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff and Daniil Medvedev in their way in the first round.
The draw was held at Roland-Garros on Thursday and Australia’s Matthew Ebden – a late injury replacement for Holger Rune – has the daunting task of a date with Serbia’s Djokovic, the all-time leading men’s grand slam winner.
Ajla Tomljanovic is Australia’s only women’s singles player in Paris and she faces a huge round one task against the USA’s world No.2 Gauff.
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Aussie Rinky Hijikata has been drawn against fourth seed Medvedev – a Russian competing at the Games as an “individual neutral athlete”.
Fifth seed Alex de Minaur is Australia’s leading singles hopes and will play Germany’s world No.34 Jan-Lennard Struff in the first round.
De Minaur, who enters the tournament under an injury cloud after pulling out of Roland-Garros, holds a 4-2 career record against Struff.
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Australia has a strong medal chance in the mixed doubles with Ebden and Ellen Perez entering as the second seeds.
They will play Spain’s Sara Sorribes and Marcel Granollers in their opener.
Ebden is also competing in the men’s doubles with Tokyo bronze medallist John Peers.
The pair will take on Lebanon’s Benjamin Hassan and Hady Habib in the first round.
Perez and Daria Saville, meanwhile, have a horror draw against top-seeded Americans Gauff and Jessica Pegula in the women’s doubles.
Tomljanovic and Olivia Gadecki and Ajla Tomljanovic will meanwhile play “neutral athletes” Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider.
Djokovic, should he beat Ebden, could meet his longtime rival Rafael Nadal in the second round of the men’s singles.
Nadal faces Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in round one.
The 38-year-old Nadal won a record 14 of his 22 major trophies at the French Open.
“Roland-Garros as everybody knows is the most special place in tennis for me,” Nadal said after the draw.
“I am enjoying the fact I am back on stage for the Olympics
“I am just trying to enjoy every single moment.”
French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz takes on Lebanese player Hady Habib in round one.
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland faces Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania in the first round of the women’s draw.
Men’s and women’s first round play begins on Saturday.
Two-time Olympic champion Andy Murray has withdrawn from singles but will play in men’s doubles alongside Dan Evans in his adieu from tennis.
They face Japanese pair Daniel and Kei Nishikori.
The 37-year-old Murray, a three-time slam champion, won gold in singles at London in 2012 and Rio four years later.
Since having hip replacement surgery in 2019, he has struggled with various injuries and withdrew from singles at Wimbledon because he needed a procedure to remove a cyst from his spine.
“The Olympics has been incredibly special to me. I’m really happy I get to do this one more time,” Murray said.
“I just ran out of time really (to play singles), but happy to be in the doubles with Dan and we play well together.”
AUSTRALIAN TENNIS DRAW AT PARIS 2024
Men’s singles first round
- Alex de Minaur vs Jan-Lennard Struff (Germany)
- Rinky Hijikata vs Daniil Medvedev (Individual Neutral Athlete)
- Alexei Popyrin vs Nicolas Jarry (Chile)
- Matthew Ebden vs Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
Women’s singles first round
- Ajla Tomljanovic vs Coco Gauff (USA)
Men’s doubles first round
- John Peers/Ebden vs Benjamin Hassan/Hady Habib (Lebanon)
- Alexei Popyrin/Alex de Minaur vs Austin Krajicek/Rajeev Ram (USA)
Women’s doubles first round
- Ellen Perez/Daria Saville vs Coco Gauff/Jessica Pegula (USA)
- Olivia Gadecki/Ajla Tomljanovic vs Mirra Andreeva/Diana Shnaider (Individual Neutral Athlete)
Mixed doubles first round
- Matthew Ebden/Ellen Perez vs Sara Sorribes/Marcel Granollers (Spain)