Jack Draper faces No 5 seed in Adelaide International opener
Jack Draper has been handed a tough draw for the Adelaide International with the British youngster set to face No 5 seed Sebastian Baez in the first round.
On a positive note for Draper, he beat Baez in Monte Carlo last season in what has been the only meeting between the two players.
Draper also boasts a better 2023 win ratio despite his injury-hit season and shouldn’t feel that Baez is an obstacle he cannot overcome.
The winner of the clash between Draper and Baez will go on to face either Mackenzie McDonald or Miomir Kecmanovic in the second round before a possible last-eight meeting with the No 1 seed.
With the tournament occupying the week before the year’s Grand Slam, the field is devoid of top ten talents.
World No 14 Tommy Paul is the top seed at the event and will enjoy a bye into the second round. Paul will face a qualifier in the second round, having been drawn next to a bracket reserved for two players who come through the qualifiers this weekend.
The second quarter is headlined by No 4 seed Lorenzo Musetti, who also enjoys a bye into the second round.
Musetti will face either the vanquisher of Rafael Nadal, Jordan Thompson, or a qualifier in the Round of 16.
British No 2 Dan Evans is also in the second quarter and starts his tournament against home hope and wildcard Rinky Hijikata.
The other seed in the quarter is No 8 Alexander Bublik, who gets his bid for the Adelaide International title against a qualifier.
Bublik is seeded to meet Musetti in the last eight but could face Evans in the Round of 16 in what will be a tough matchup between players with contrasting styles.
No 3 seed Sebastian Korda will also start his tournament in the Round of 16 with a meeting against either Yannick Hanfmann or Lorenzo Sonego lying in wait for the American.
Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry is the No 6 seed and starts with a meeting against 23-year-old Russian Alexander Shevchenko. The winner of that clash will go on to face either wildcard Christopher O’Connell.
Nicolas Jarry anchors the draw as the No 2 seed and could face either Matteo Arnaldi or Marton Fucsovics in his first match of the Adelaide International.
Czech prospect Jiri Lehecka is the No 7 seed for the event and starts his tournament with a match against home hero Alexei Popyrin. If Lehecka can best Popyrin he will have to get past either Dusan Lajovic or Adelaide’s own Thanasi Kokkinakis.
READ MORE: Rafael Nadal sheds light on injury concerns as he assesses his Brisbane comeback
