- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Australians Nick Kyrgios and Jordan Thompson will square off in the first round at Wimbledon almost certainly for the right to take on the great Rafael Nadal, while Ashleigh Barty will launch her Wimbledon title assault against world No.43 Zheng Saisai.
Kyrgios will play in-form compatriot Thompson with the reward for the victor a likely confrontation with 18-time grand slam champion Nadal.
Unseeded for the first time since his stunning win as a teenager five years ago over Nadal, a potential sequel with the Spaniard was the talk of the All England club after Friday’s draw.
It was barely two months ago that Kyrgios branded Nadal “super salty” in an extraordinary attack on some of tennis’s biggest names.
Fresh off his 12th French Open triumph this month, Nadal needs no added motivation to put Kyrgios back in his box, having hit out at Wimbledon officials over his seedings demotion.
The world No.2 was controversially relegated to third seed behind eight-time champion and world No.3 Roger Federer.
The two grand slam giants could square off in the semi-finals.
First, though, Nadal must get past Yuichi Sugita and then Kyrgios or Thompson.
While Kyrgios will be favoured to win his opener, the former quarter-finalist has won only one match this grass-court season, with Thompson six from seven and into this week’s semi-finals in Antalya.
Alex de Minaur, Australia’s only seed in the men’s event, will open his campaign against Italian Marco Cecchinato.
Riding a 12-match winning streak, Barty – Australia’s first top seed since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003 – could have drawn a much lower-ranked player than Zheng.
But should she win, Barty’s first big test is likely to come against former champion and one-time world No.1 Garbine Muguruza in the third round.
Defending champion Angelique Kerber or seven-time winner Serena Williams are Barty’s projected quarter-final opponents.
© AAP
Whether it’s aces or races, try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp for great odds and a great punting experience. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.