Andy Murray warmed up for the Australian Open on the Kooyong Traditional exhibition occasion in Melbourne
| Dates: 16-29 January Venue: Melbourne Park |
| Protection: Commentary daily from 07:00 GMT on Radio 5 Sports activities Further ‘Tennis Breakfast’ stay from Melbourne, with chosen stay textual content commentaries and match stories on the BBC Sport web site and app. |
Andy Murray will face a tricky begin to his Australian Open marketing campaign towards Matteo Berrettini as Novak Djokovic makes his return on Tuesday.
Murray, a five-time finalist at Melbourne Park, will tackle Italian thirteenth seed and final yr’s semi-finalist Berrettini on Rod Laver Area.
Serbia’s nine-time champion Djokovic returns a yr after his controversial deportation noticed him miss the Slam.
Girls’s second seed Ons Jabeur additionally options within the evening session.
Elsewhere, Britain’s Dan Evans faces Argentine Facundo Bagnis as he bids to affix compatriots Cameron Norrie and Emma Raducanu within the second spherical.
Former world primary Murray, 35, is presently ranked 66th and his unseeded standing leaves him susceptible to troublesome attracts on the majors, as evidenced by his troublesome opener towards 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Berrettini.
However the three-time main winner says he feels wholesome and has “no timeframe” on retirement – 4 years after he feared the 2019 event may very well be the final of his profession.
Djokovic, unable to compete finally yr’s occasion due to his Covid-19 vaccination standing, mentioned the reception he acquired on his return to the Australian Open in a follow match with Nick Kyrgios final week made him really feel “emotional”.
The Serb, 35, begins his bid for a record-extending tenth males’s title versus Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena, having clinched his twenty first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in July.
Earlier than Djokovic’s match, Jabeur – runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open final yr – takes on Slovenian Tamara Zidansek on Rod Laver Area from 08:00 GMT.
Additionally within the ladies’s draw, French fourth seed Caroline Garcia performs Canadian qualifier Katherine Sebov and Belarusian fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka faces Czech Tereza Martincova.
In the meantime, males’s second seed Casper Ruud of Norway begins towards Czech participant Tomas Machac, whereas fellow top-10 gamers Andrey Rublev, Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune are additionally in motion and Alexander Zverev makes his main return following harm.