The 2017 Australian Open draw ceremony has taken place in Melbourne on Friday.
Novak is no.2 seed and six-time defending champion at the first Grand Slam event of the season (January 16-29). 128 players will be fighting during two weeks for the championship trophy and 2000 points.
The Serb has been victorious in Melbourne six times (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016). Last year, he claimed the title in an astonishing final, beating Andy Murray 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (3) to become the most successful player at the Australian Open alongside Roy Emerson.
Novak will start his bid for 13th Grand Slam trophy against world no.40 Fernando Verdasco of Spain. It will be their 14th career meeting (9-4 H2H).
In the second round, Djokovic will face the winner of the match between Denis Istomin (UZB, WC) and a qualifier.
The earliest seed he could meet is no.30, Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP), in round three.
Novak’s potential opponents in the later stages of the tournament:
Fourth round: Grigor Dimitrov (BUL, 15), Richard Gasquet (FRA, 18)
Quarter-finals: Dominic Thiem (AUT, 8), David Goffin (BEL, 11), Ivo Karlovic (CRO, 20)
Semi-finals: Milos Raonic (CAN, 3), Rafael Nadal (ESP, 9), David Ferrer (ESP, 21)
No.1 seed Andy Murray (GBR) is in the top half of the draw, as well as Stan Wawrinka (SUI, 4), Kei Nishikori (JPN, 5), Marin Cilic (CRO, 7), Tomas Berdych (CZE, 10), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA, 12), Roger Federer (SUI, 17)…
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