{"id":413876,"date":"2024-07-25T14:35:53","date_gmt":"2024-07-25T14:35:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=413876"},"modified":"2024-07-25T23:08:51","modified_gmt":"2024-07-25T23:08:51","slug":"aussies-cop-brutal-draw-as-djokovic-gauff-loom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=413876","title":{"rendered":"Aussies cop brutal draw as Djokovic, Gauff loom"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australia's tennis hopes have copped a tough draw at the Paris Olympics<\/a>, with superstars Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff and Daniil Medvedev in their way in the first round.<\/p>\n

The draw was held at Roland-Garros<\/a> on Thursday \ufeffand 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Watch every moment, every medal of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 live and free on Channel 9 and<\/strong><\/em> 9Now<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. Plus, every event streaming ad free, live and on demand with 4K on<\/strong><\/em> Stan Sport<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Aussie Rinky Hijikata has been drawn against fourth seed Medvedev – a Russian competing at the Games as an "individual neutral athlete".<\/p>\n

Fifth seed Alex de Minaur is Australia's \ufeffleading singles hopes and will play Germany's world No.34 Jan-Lennard Struff in the first round.<\/p>\n

De Minaur, who enters the tournament under an injury cloud after pulling out of Roland-Garros, holds a 4-2 career record against \ufeffStruff.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Top Australian swimming coach faces expulsion<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> LA Olympics in jeopardy over China doping case<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Medal hope treated for injury after Teahupo'o wipeout<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"'Hungry'<\/p>\n

Australia has a strong medal chance in the mixed doubles with Ebden and \ufeffEllen Perez entering as the second seeds.<\/p>\n

They will play \ufeffSpain's Sara Sorribes and Marcel Granollers in their opener.<\/p>\n

Ebden is also competing in the men's doubles with Tokyo bronze medallist \ufeffJohn Peers.<\/p>\n

\"Matt<\/p>\n

The pair \ufeffwill take on Lebanon's Benjamin Hassan and Hady Habib in the first round.<\/p>\n

Perez and \ufeffDaria Saville, meanwhile, have a horror draw against top-seeded Americans Gauff and Jessica Pegula in the women's doubles.<\/p>\n

Tomljanovic and Olivia Gadecki and Ajla Tomljanovic will meanwhile play "neutral athletes" Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider.<\/p>\n

\"'Crazy'<\/p>\n

Djokovic, should he beat Ebden, could meet his longtime rival Rafael Nadal in the second round of the men's singles.<\/p>\n

Nadal faces Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in round one.<\/p>\n

The 38-year-old Nadal won a record 14 of his 22 major trophies at the French Open.<\/p>\n

\"Nadal<\/p>\n

"Roland-Garros as everybody knows is the most special place in tennis for me," Nadal said after the draw.<\/p>\n

"I am enjoying the fact I am back on stage for the Olympics<\/p>\n

"I am just trying to enjoy every single moment."<\/p>\n

\"Djokovic<\/p>\n

French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz takes on Lebanese player Hady Habib in round one.<\/p>\n

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland faces Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania in the first round of the women's draw.<\/p>\n

Men's and women's first round play begins on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\"Aussie<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

They face Japanese pair Daniel and Kei Nishikori.<\/p>\n

The 37-year-old Murray, a three-time slam champion, won gold in singles at London in 2012 and Rio four years later.<\/p>\n

\"Andy<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

"The Olympics has been incredibly special to me. I'm really happy I get to do this one more time," Murray said.<\/p>\n

"I just ran out of time really (to play singles), but happy to be in the doubles with Dan and we play well together."<\/p>\n

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS DRAW \ufeffAT PARIS 2024<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Men's singles first round<\/strong><\/p>\n