Australian Open women’s draw: Iga Swiatek in tricky top half; Coco Gauff could meet Emma Raducanu in second round
The 2023 Australian Open women’s draw has not been kind to Iga Swiatek as the world No 1 could face Bianca Andreescu early on with Coco Gauff, Emma Raducanu, Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari all in the top half.
Three-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek will start her bid for a maiden title at Melbourne Park against rising German star Jule Niemeier and she is projected to meet former US Open champion Andreescu in the third round.
If she gets through the first couple of rounds then either Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina or 10th seed Danielle Collins are in line to be a fourth-round opponent.
It does not get easier after that as seventh seed Coco Gauff, who takes on Katerina Siniakova in round one, is projected to be a quarter-final rival although the American also has some difficult matches if she gets the win.
The 18-year-old could face British No 1 Raducanu in the second round, but the 2021 US Open winner will have to get past Tamara Korpatsch first while 11th seed Paula Badosa is also in Section 2.
Jessica Pegula, who defeated Swiatek in straight sets at the United Cup last week, headlines Section 3 and the third-seed American faces Jaqueline Cristian in the first round with 15th seed Petra Kvitova likely to be her fourth-round opponent and Maria Sakkari a quarter-final rival.
World No 2 Ons Jabeur is the big name in the bottom half of the draw and the Tunisian sets off against Tamara Zidansek and is projected to meet fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka although the latter will in all likelihood have to get past 12th seed Belinda Bencic in the fourth round.
The Road to the Final for the top four women! 😎 pic.twitter.com/iX6a7lQ4Yu
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) January 12, 2023
Eighth seed Daria Kasatkina and ninth seed Veronika Kudermetova are set for a fourth-round collision and the winner of Section 4 is projected to meet fourth seed and WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia in the last eight.
Garcia takes on a qualifier in the first round and could meet 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez in the second round.
The draw features 11 Grand Slam winners (Swiatek, Andreescu, Raducanu, Ostapenko, Kvitova, Rybakina, Barbora Krejcikova, Sofia Kenin, Victoria Azarenka, Garbine Muguruza and Sloane Stephens), but of course Ashleigh Barty won’t be back to defend her title as she retired shortly after winning the 2022 Australian Open.
