Jannik Sinner kicks off title defence, Nick Kyrgios makes Grand Slam return at Australian Open

MELBOURNE – The first round of the Australian Open continues on Jan 13 at Melbourne Park, where top seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner targets a third Grand Slam title as Novak Djokovic begins his quest for a record-extending 25th Major.

World No. 1 Sinner is playing under the cloud of a potential two-year ban due to his doping case while 37-year-old Djokovic, a 10-time champion in Melbourne, returns to his favourite hunting ground as the seventh seed.

Sinner, 23, will start against Chilean Nicolas Jarry, and Djokovic faces Nishesh Basavareddy of the United States.

Fellow stars Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek are also in action, along with home hope Nick Kyrgios getting his chance to shine.

Here is a look at the highlights of the day.

Top men’s match: Nick Kyrgios v Jacob Fearnley

Kyrgios returns to Grand Slam action for the first time in two years when the Australian takes on Briton Jacob Fearnley.

He has been sidelined due to knee, foot and wrist problems and he returns to his home Slam as an unseeded player, still struggling with an abdominal strain and “niggles” that forced him to pull out of an exhibition event.

The 29-year-old spent some time in the broadcast booth during his break from the game, but he is confident tennis has not left him behind.

“People are always going to say, ‘Be realistic, you’re not going to be the same’. I don’t have that mindset. I always have utmost confidence in my ability,” said Kyrgios, whose best result in Melbourne was a quarter-final run in 2015.

“If I’m playing my style of tennis, my unpredictability, I have a chance against anyone.”

The Australian Open marks the 23-year-old Fearnley’s second main-draw appearance at a Grand Slam but he made his mark at his first at Wimbledon in 2024, winning his opening match and then taking a set off Djokovic on centre court.

Top women’s match: Coco Gauff v Sofia Kenin

American third seed Gauff begins her campaign against compatriot and 2020 champion Kenin, whose career has nosedived since reaching a career-high No. 4 in the world.

Kenin fell outside the top 200 due to poor form and injuries before slowly making her way back into the top 100.

However, Gauff is still wary of the 26-year-old, who beat her en route to the 2020 title and holds a career 2-1 record over her.

“I lost to her at Wimbledon (in 2023). She’s obviously a great player, she won this tournament,” Gauff, 20, said.

“I think she’s a great mover, has great groundstrokes, pretty steady player, can play aggressive, also play really good defence.

“It’s going to be a tough match... I think it’s good for me, though.”

Naomi Osaka meets Caroline Garcia – again

Japan’s two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka faces Caroline Garcia in a repeat of their 2024 first-round match, in which the Frenchwoman advanced after a straight-set win.

“New year, same draw... This is starting to be a classic,” Garcia, 31, said on X, while Osaka thought her agent was joking when she was informed of the first-round matchup.

Osaka is not at 100 per cent after pulling out of her first WTA Tour final in almost three years in Auckland, and the 27-year-old said the results of a scan on an abdominal injury were “not fantastic”. REUTERS