Andy Murray will play a qualifier in the Australian Open first round but faces a tough route if he is to reach a fourth Melbourne final.
The 27-year-old Briton, a runner-up three times, has been drawn in the same half as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Murray could also face Grigor Dimitrov, the man who ended his Wimbledon reign last summer, as early as the last 16.
James Ward takes on Spain’s Fernando Verdasco, while Heather Watson plays Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova.
Four-time champion Novak Djokovic begins against a qualifier and is in the same half as champion Stan Wawrinka, while Federer plays Yen-Hsun Lu and Nadal faces Mikhail Youzhny.
In the women’s draw, world number one and five-time champion Serena Williams plays unseeded Belgian Alison van Uytvanck, while second seed Maria Sharapova opens against a qualifier.
Andy Murray’s potential route |
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|---|---|
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Round one |
Qualifier |
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Round two |
Marinko Matosevic (Aus, ranking 80) |
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Round three |
Martin Klizan (Svk, 34) |
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Round four |
Grigor Dimitrov (Bul, 11) |
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Quarter-final |
Roger Federer (Swi, 2) |
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Semi-final |
Rafael Nadal (Spa, 3) |
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Final |
Novak Djokovic (Ser, 1)
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Murray, seeded sixth, has made an encouraging start to 2015 with an early exhibition win over Nadal followed by three victories at the Hopman Cup in Perth.
The Scot changed his support team during the off-season, with coach Dani Vallverdu and fitness trainer Jez Green departing, leaving Amelie Mauresmo to take sole charge of coaching duties in Melbourne.
Murray could play a fellow Briton in round one, with Kyle Edmund and Liam Broady in the final round of qualifying on Saturday.
Ward, 27, is assured of a place in the main draw after qualifying directly for the first time thanks to a solid run of form that has taken him close to the world’s top 100.
Watson will be the only British woman in the singles draw in the absence of Laura Robson, who has yet to return from the wrist injury that has kept her out since last year’s Australian Open.
The 22-year-old from Guernsey has a 2-2 record against Pironkova and won their most recent match on grass in Eastbourne last summer.
In the same section of the draw, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka – unseeded after an injury-ravaged 2014 – has been drawn against American Sloane Stephens for the third year running.
That pair have met at the tournament for the last two years, with the 2013 semi-final notable for accusations of gamesmanship after Azarenka took a medical timeout.
The winner will play Caroline Wozniacki or American teenager Taylor Townsend in a tough part of the draw.
Monday’s order of play will be released after qualifying concludes on Saturday, with the first round played across Monday and Tuesday.
