Jordan Thompson was one of nine Australians named yesterday in the main men’s singles draw at the Australian tennis Open at Melbourne Park, which starts on Monday.
Despite his world ranking of 273, he’s the one to watch.
The 20-year-old is playing in the Kooyong Classic where he took world number five Kei Nishikori to a tie-breaker in the deciding third set, then turned on the power serving and strong ground strokes to stitch up world number 14 Feliciano Lopez in straight sets 7-6, 6-3.
Thompson’s drawn Portugal’s Joao Sousa, ranked 52, in the first round, and if he continues his giant-killing mood, could meet sixth seed Andy Murray in the third round.
Let’s take a look at the rest of the Australian contingent.
The first quarter has number one seed Novak Djokovic at the top of the section, and number eight seed Milos Raonic at the bottom. That’s the quarter Australia’s favourite son Lleyton Hewitt has been drawn, playimg in his 19th Australian Open.
He meets world number 187 Ze Zhang, and likely to face Julien Bennetteau, ranked 25, or Benjamin Becker (38), in the second round, and Raonic in the third.
There are no Australians in the second quarter, where defending champion Stan Wawrinka (4) is at the top, and Nishikori at the bottom. The majority of Australians are drawn in the third quarter, where Tomas Berdych (7) is at the top, and Rafael Nadal (3) at the bottom.
John Millman (151), who played so well against Roger Federer in Brisbane to lead by a set and a break, opens his campaign against Argentine Leonardo Mayer (26). Bernard Tomic (71) has Germany’s Tobias Kamke (93), and four more Aussies Sam Groth (81), Thanasi Kokkinakis (147), James Duckworth (119), and Luke Saville (164) are in this quarter.
Groth, who owns the world record for the fastest serve at a staggerng 263kmh, set in Busan, South Korea in May 2012, takes on Serb Filip Krajinovic (93).
Kokkinakis has 11th seed Ernest Gulbis, Duckworth takes on Slovenia’s Blaz Kavcic (100), while 21-year-old Saville, who has been playing sensational tennis in Adelaide this week, takes on a yet to be named qualifier.
Groth and Duckworth are moving up the rankings, and very worthwhile watching.
In the final quarter where Andy Murray (6) tops the section, with Federer (2) at the bottom, is where Marinko Matosevic (80), Thompson, already covered, and Nick Kyrgios (50) reside.
Hot-tempered Matosevic meets a qualifier. If he keeps his cool he should advance to the second round where Murray wll be waiting for him. And that leaves the most exciting of the Australian contingent in Kyrgios.
If he’s overcome his back injury that cost him a Hopman Cup and Brisbane start, followed by a knee injury in Sydney, let’s hope Kyrgios can set Melbourne Park alight.
One thing for sure, Jordan Thompson won’t be ranked 273 for long.
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