Jannik Sinner on semi-final collision course with Novak Djokovic at Australian Open

MELBOURNE – Italian superstar Jannik Sinner was drawn on Jan 15 against France’s Hugo Gaston to start his Australian Open defence and is on a collision course to meet 10-time champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia in a blockbuster semi-final.

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz opens against home hope Adam Walton in his bid for a career Grand Slam and first Melbourne Park title.

The Spanish star, 22, is on the same side of the draw as 2025’s beaten finalist Alexander Zverev of Germany and is scheduled to meet him in the last four.

Second-ranked Sinner saw off Zverev in straight sets a year back to retain his title and went on to add the Wimbledon and ATP Finals crowns to his growing collection. If the 24-year-old makes it three in a row, he would join Djokovic as the only men in the Open era to do so.

The Serbian great, 38, is aiming for a record 25th Slam title and will meet 71st-ranked Spaniard Pedro Martinez first up.

“The draw is very difficult. It doesn’t matter who you play,” said Sinner at the draw ceremony.

“We are the best players in the world and the way is very, very long and very far. We will go day by day.”

World No. 3 Zverev faces big-serving Gabriel Diallo of Canada, while sixth seed Alex de Minaur has a tough encounter against former No. 6 and 2022 semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini of Italy.

In the women’s draw, defending champion Madison Keys will take on Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova, while world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka kicks off against French wild card Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah.

Keys stunned then two-time defending champion Sabalenka 12 months ago in a classic three-set final to win her first Major at age 29.

But the American failed to kick on from there, not winning another tournament all year, and Keys, the world No. 9, will have a target on her back as defending champion.

Sabalenka and world No. 3 Coco Gauff are on the same side of the draw and will meet in the semi-finals if they make it that far.

Gauff gets under way against Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova and could meet veteran Venus Williams, handed a wild card aged 45, in the second round.

Second seed and six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek will play Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue in the first round and could meet fourth seed Amanda Anisimova in the final four.

The Pole, 24, has won the French Open, US Open and Wimbledon but is yet to go past the semi-finals in Melbourne.

The Australian Open starts on Jan 18.

Meanwhile, an erratic Keys committed 41 unforced errors on Jan 15 as the 30-year-old crashed out of her final warmup for the Australian Open to Victoria Mboko.

The Canadian world No. 17 withstood a second-set fightback from Keys to win 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the quarter-finals of the Adelaide International.

Keys won the Adelaide tournament in 2025 on her way to lifting her maiden Slam title in Melbourne.

“There were ups and downs in the match. I had to weather the storm,” 19-year-old Mboko said.

“She won here last year, so I know coming in this would be a big fight. I’m glad I was able to get it done.

“Madison is a tough player. She didn’t get to where she is without a reason. It’s nice to play a former champion to see what I can do.”

Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu also suffered a setback, as she crashed 6-2, 6-4 to Australia’s Taylah Preston in the Hobart International quarter-finals.

Sloane Stephens, also a former winner at Flushing Meadows, battled through qualifying for the Australian Open to make her first Major tournament in a year.

The American eased past Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 7-5 to book her place in the main draw, as she returns from a foot injury that kept her sidelined for most of 2025.
AFP, REUTERS