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Demon handed tricky French Open draw as world No.1 stands in his way again
Demon handed tricky French Open draw as world No.1 stands in his way again
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Australiaâs Alex de Minaur is yet again on a collision course with world No.1 Jannik Sinner at a grand slam, but he must first navigate a tricky path through the field at Roland Garros when the French Open starts on Sunday night Australian time.
De Minaurâs draw lines up for a potential quarter-final rematch with Sinner after the Australian Open champion thrashed the local hope in straight sets at Melbourne Park.
The ninth seed de Minaur, who has made the final eight at the last four grand slams, will meet Serbian Laslo Djere, who has beaten in all three of their previous meetings, in the first round.
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A possible second round date with fellow Australian James Duckworth, after they met in the first round at Wimbledon last year, awaits if Duckworth can get past the hot-and-cold Kazakh Alexander Bublik.
De Minaurâs potential third round match with 19-year-old 19th seed Jakub MenĹĄĂk of Czechia shapes as a difficult test before a likely Round of 16 meeting with fifth seed Jack Draper.
The Brit has been in excellent form, making the final in Madrid and the quarter-finals in Rome, while de Minaur made the Round of 16 in Rome and Madrid after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in a quarter-final in Barcelona, and making a semi-final in Monte Carlo.
Sinner is likely to await in the quarter-finals before potential meetings with Novak Djokovic or defending champion Alcaraz if de Minaur could prevail against the Italian for the first time.
The 26-year-old Sydneysider headlines the 15 Australians across the menâs and womenâs fields.
Australia's Alex de Minaur plays a backhand return to Italy's Luca Nardi during their men's singles match of the ATP Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 10, 2025. (Photo by PIERO CRUCIATTI / AFP)Source: AFPAustralia is guaranteed a female in the second round with 19-year-old Maya Joint to face Ajla TomljanoviÄ in her main draw debut in Paris.
The pair will be familiar with one another as they first meet in the semi-final of the Morocco Open on Friday night Australian time.
Australiaâs other seeded male, world No. 25 Alexei Popyrin, faces a difficult clash with Japanese world no. 75 Yoshihito Nishioka, who made the fourth round at Roland Garros two years ago.
Meanwhile, Chris OâConnell and Aleksandar Vukic will take on underdog status in their respective clashes with 22nd seed Ugo Humbert and 24th seed Karen Khachanov.
But 23-year-old Olivia Gadecki has the hardest first round match up of all the Australians, a likely centre court clash with world No.2 Coco Gauff.
Daria Kasatkina, the 17th seed in her first grand slam with the Australian flag next to her name, will face KateĹina SiniakovĂĄ, the Czech doubles world No.1.
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - APRIL 02: Daria Kasatkina of Australia celebrates her win against Lauren Davis of United States during the Credit One Charleston Open at Credit One Stadium on April 02, 2025 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images- First round draw for Australian players -
Menâs singles
(9) Alex de Minaur v Laslo Djere (SRB)
(25) Alexei Popyrin v Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN)
Jordan Thompson v JiĹĂ LeheÄka (CZE)
Aleksandar Vukic v (24) Karen Khachanov (RUS)
Rinky Hijikata v Reilly Opelka (USA)
Adam Walton v Qualifier
Christopher OâConnell v (22) Ugo Humbert (FRA)
James Duckworth v Alexander Bublik (KAZ)
Tristan Schoolkate v MĂĄrton Fucsovics (HUN)
Womenâs singles
(17) Daria Kasatkina v KateĹina SiniakovĂĄ (CZE)
Kim Birrell v Jaqueline Cristian (ROM)
Ajla TomljanoviÄ v Maya Joint
Olivia Gadecki v (2) Coco Gauff (USA)
Destanee Aiava v Dayana Yastremska (UKR)
Jelena Dokic confirms death of father | 00:34
- Alcaraz handed tough opener -
Carlos Alcaraz will begin his French Open title defence against Japanâs Kei Nishikori as Iga Swiatek faces a difficult route to a fourth successive Roland Garros title after a year-long trophy drought.
Jannik Sinner takes on home hope Arthur Rinderknech in the world no.1âs first Grand Slam match since serving a three-month doping ban.
Alcaraz and Sinner have combined to win each of the last five menâs Grand Slam titles and are the two chief contenders again in Paris.
Novak Djokovic, who had not won a clay-court match this season before this week, starts his latest quest for a record-setting 25th major against American Mackenzie McDonald.
Seeded sixth, Djokovic could have been drawn to meet either Alcaraz or Sinner in the quarter-finals, but Thursdayâs draw spared him from that prospect.
Instead, he could run into 2024 runner-up Alexander Zverev in the last eight before a potential semi-final against Sinner. Alcaraz is in the other half of the draw.
Zverev opens against US teenager Learner Tien.
Alcaraz could play Fabian Marozsan or Luca Nardi in the second round, with towering Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard a possible third round-opponent.
The Spaniard is on course to meet 2021 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas or Ben Shelton in the last 16. Two-time finalist Casper Ruud is seeded to face him in the quarter-finals.
In-form Lorenzo Musetti and fourth seed Taylor Fritz are also in that half of the field.
Sinner slayer! Alcaraz wins Italian Open | 00:51
âThe confidence is really high right now. Iâve been playing great matches, Iâve got great wins in this clay season. Iâm excited,â Alcaraz said on Thursday.
The 22-year-old has won in Monte Carlo and Rome this season. He also reached the final in Barcelona.
Should Sinner get past the 72nd-ranked Rinderknech, he could go up against Richard Gasquet in what is the 38-year-old Frenchmanâs final tournament before retirement.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina potentially lurks in the third round with Andrey Rublev and Arthur Fils possible rivals in the last 16.
Sinner could meet fifth seed Jack Draper or Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals ahead of what would be a blockbuster clash with Djokovic.
Three-time French Open titlist Djokovic would likely have to get beyond the likes of Denis Shapovalov and Daniil Medvedev to make another deep run.
The 38-year-old Djokovic is appearing at Roland Garros for the 20th time. He has reached the quarter-finals or better at every edition of Roland Garros since 2010.
Zverev puts on a show in hometown event | 01:15
- Struggling Swiatek handed tricky draw -
Swiatek will need to rediscover her best form to retain the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen following a troubled past 12 months.
The Pole, who has dropped to fifth in the world, is in the same quarter as last yearâs finalist Jasmine Paolini, former champion Jelena Ostapenko and 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina.
Swiatek plays Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova in the first round before a possible meeting with Britainâs Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open winner making just her second visit to Paris.
Elina Svitolina, Belinda Bencic, Donna Vekic and Marta Kostyuk also feature alongside Swiatek in a loaded section.
âEvery year is different,â said Swiatek, who has not won a title since last yearâs French Open.
âThis season has had more ups and downs than the years before but I know my game is there. I just need to figure out how to use it in the most important moments.â
'You don't need to be that close to me!" | 00:32
Four-time French Open champion Swiatek is in the same half of the draw as top seed Aryna Sabalenka, who gets under way against Kamilla Rakhimova from Russia.
Zheng Qinwen, the winner of Olympic gold on Court Philippe Chatrier last August, could await Sabalenka in the last eight.
Second-ranked Coco Gauff plays Australian Olivia Gadecki in round one and is one of four seeded Americans in the bottom quarter of the womenâs draw.
The 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, attempting to become the youngest Grand Slam singles champion since compatriot Maria Sharapova in 2004, starts against Cristina Bucsa of Spain.
Naomi Osaka plays 10th seed Paula Badosa in an eye-catching first round tie, while eighth seed Zheng takes on former finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
