13. 01. 2012. ·
Photo: www.australianopen.com
The 2012 Australian Open draw has been revealed on Friday morning in Melbourne.
The first Grand Slam tournament of the season begins on Monday, January 16, at Melbourne Park. 128 players will be fighting during two weeks for the title and 2000 ATP points.
Nole lifted his first Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open 2008, and repeated the success last year when he beat Andy Murray in the finals in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.
The defending champion is given top seed and will start his bid for a fifth Grand Slam title against world no.108 Italian Paolo Lorenzi. Novak won their only encounter back in 2010.
The Serbian star will play against the winner of the match between no.51 in the ATP rankings, Santiago Giraldo of Columbia, and a qualifier in the second round.
The earliest seed the 24-year-old Belgrade native could meet would be Czech Radek Stepanek (29) in round three.
Novak’s potential rivals in the later stages of the tournament are:
4th round: Andy Roddick (USA,15), Milos Raonic (CAN,23), Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
Quarter-finals: David Ferrer (ESP,5), Janko Tipsarevic (SRB,9), Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)
Semi-finals: Andy Murray (GBR,4), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA,6), Gael Monfils (FRA,14)
Rafael Nadal (ESP,2), Roger Federer (SUI,3), Tomas Berdych (CZE,7), Mardy Fish (USA,8), Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG,11) … are in the bottom half of the draw and Novak can’t meet them before the finals.
Good luck Nole!
–
Novak Djokovic Profiled In ATP World Tour Uncovered (Video):
