Rafael Nadal will look to clinch his third Australian Open and total twenty third Grand Slam title when the primary Main of the 12 months begins in Melbourne on January 16.
World No. 2 Nadal is the highest seed within the males’s singles draw within the absence of compatriot and World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who’s out resulting from an harm.
Defending champion Nadal begins his marketing campaign with a first-round conflict towards Nice Britain’s Jack Draper.
Right here’s the potential path to a 3rd Australian Open title for Nadal:
First Spherical: Jack Draper (Nice Britain)
FILE PHOTO: Nice Britain’s Jack Draper.
| Picture Credit score: GETTY IMAGES
Nadal’s opening-round opponent is Jack Draper, the 21-year-old from Nice Britain. Just like the Spaniard, Draper can also be left-handed. World No. 40 Draper made his Grand Slam debut in a first-round defeat towards Novak Djokovic on the 2021 Wimbledon. Draper and Nadal have by no means performed towards one another.
Second Spherical: Brandon Nakashima (USA)
FILE PHOTO: Brandon Nakashima of the USA.
| Picture Credit score: GETTY IMAGES
A win towards Draper might arrange a second-round conflict for Nadal with American Brandon Nakashima, one other 21-year-old. It is going to be a primary time assembly between the Spaniard and World No. 47 Nakashima, who received his maiden tour-level title in San Diego in 2022. Nakashima’s greatest efficiency at a Main got here at 2022 Wimbledon the place he reached the Spherical of 16 earlier than shedding to eventual runner-up Nick Kyrgios in 5 units.
Third Spherical: Yoshihito Nishioka (Japan)
FILE PHOTO: Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan.
| Picture Credit score: GETTY IMAGES
Nadal might face his first seeded opponent in Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka within the third spherical. Nishioka, seeded thirty first, had his greatest efficiency on the Australian Open in 2020 when he reached the third spherical. The 27-year-old from Japan, who’s ranked thirty third on this planet, has confronted Nadal twice on the ATP Tour and has misplaced the battle between the 2 left-handers on each events.
Spherical of 16: Frances Tiafoe (USA)
FILE PHOTO: Frances Tiafoe (proper) of the USA shakes arms after defeating Rafael Nadal of Spain within the fourth spherical of the 2022 US Open on September 05, 2022 in New York.
| Picture Credit score: GETTY IMAGES
Nadal’s potential fourth-round opponent is Frances Tiafoe, the sixteenth seeded American. The 24-year-old Tiafoe had the season of his life in 2022 the place he beat the Spaniard on his strategy to a maiden semifinal look on the US Open. He additionally made the tour-level finals in Tokyo and Estoril, and was a member of Workforce World which received its first Laver Cup title. World No. 17 Tiafoe started 2023 by profitable the inaugural United Cup with USA. Nadal has a 2-1 head-to-head report towards Tiafoe. Of their one and solely assembly on the Australian Open, Nadal beat Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 within the quarterfinals in 2019.
Quarterfinal: Daniil Medvedev (Russia)
Champion Nadal and runner-up Daniil Medvedev (proper) of Russia pose throughout the trophy presentation of Males’s Singles on the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 30, 2022 in Melbourne.
| Picture Credit score: GETTY IMAGES
Nadal might have a potential quarterfinal conflict towards seventh-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev in a rematch of final 12 months’s Australian Open ultimate when the Spaniard got here from two units right down to clinch the title. World No. 8 Medvedev had additionally reached the ultimate in 2021 when he misplaced to Djokovic in straight units. Nadal and Medvedev have confronted one another six instances with the Russian’s sole victory coming within the semifinals of the 2020 ATP Finals.
Semifinal: Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece)
Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece might face one another on this 12 months’s semifinal. World No. 4 Tsitsipas is seeded third on the 2023 version. Nadal and Tsitsipas have performed towards one another 9 instances beforehand with the Spaniard main the head-to-head report at 7-2. So far as Australian Open conferences are involved, the head-to-head report between Nadal and Tsitsipas stands at one-all. Whereas Nadal received the primary assembly 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 within the 2019 semifinal, Tsitsipas got here from two units right down to beat the Spaniard 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 7-5 within the 2021 quarterfinal.
Closing: Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
FILE PHOTO: Champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia (left) and runner-up Nadal (proper) after the lads’s ultimate of the 2012 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 29, 2012 in Melbourne.
| Picture Credit score: GETTY IMAGES
Nadal might face nine-time champion Djokovic within the summit conflict of this 12 months’s Australian Open. The Serbian, who’s seeded fourth, returns to Melbourne a 12 months after being deported from the nation on the eve of the 2022 match resulting from being unvaccinated towards Covid-19. Nadal and Djokovic have met a report 59 instances on the ATP Tour with the Serbian main the head-to-head report at 30-29. On the Australian Open, the 2 have met twice – each instances within the ultimate. Djokovic received a marathon 2012 summit conflict 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 in 5 hours and 53 minutes. Seven years later, the Serbian had a extra snug 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victory over the Spaniard within the ultimate.
