MELBOURNE, Australia — Defending champion Serena Williams and No. 5-ranked Maria Sharapova were drawn into the same section for the Australian Open on Friday, setting up a potential quarterfinal match featuring the 2015 finalists.
Williams has a tough draw starting in the opening round against Camila Giorgi of Italy, who finished 2015 at No. 34 and was the highest-ranked player who was not seeded for the season’s first major which begins Monday.
Williams, who just missed a calendar-year Grand Slam last year when she lost in the U.S. Open semifinals, could meet former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round at Melbourne Park.
Williams and Sharapova entered the tournament with injury concerns — Williams had to pull out of the Hopman Cup team event in Perth due to left knee soreness, and Sharapova withdrew as defending champion from the season-opening Brisbane International because of soreness in her left forearm.
Both have been practicing at Melbourne Park, and Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said Friday that Williams and Sharapova were fit.
Novak Djokovic will open his title defense against Chung Hyeon of South Korea and, if results go with rankings, could meet No. 7 Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals and No. 3 Roger Federer in the semis.
Federer, who has won four Australian titles among his 17 majors, opens against Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia, and possibly faces Alexandr Dolgopolov in the second and No. 27 Grigor Dimitrov in the third.
No. 2-ranked Andy Murray will open again Alexander Zverev of Germany and in the same half of the draw, 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka takes on Dmitry Tursunov.
Fifth-seeded Rafael Nadal, who could meet fourth-seeded Wawrinka in the quarterfinals, opens again fellow Spaniard and 2009 Australian Open semifinalist Fernando Verdasco.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@AustralianOpen
