When is the 2022 Australian Open draw? Who will Novak Djokovic play? Who will Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray face?

Updated 12/01/2022 at 14:55 GMT

The draw for the 2022 Australian Open takes place this week ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year. Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka are set to be the defending champions in Melbourne. Stream the 2022 Australian Open live and on demand on discovery+. A subscription for discovery+ is now £29.99 for the first year for UK users, down from £59.99

Djokovic practises in Melbourne but Australian Open defence still in limbo

When is the Australian Open?

With the 2022 Australian Open set to start in Melbourne on January 17, we answer all the key questions around the draw, including when it takes place, the seedings, and who could play.

Novak Djokovic, who on Monday hit out at what he called "continuing misinformation" surrounding his Covid status on Wednesday, and Naomi Osaka are set to defend their crowns. But who will they, and Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray face at Melbourne Park at the first Grand Slam of the year?

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When is the draw for the Australian Open?

The draw will take place on Thursday, January 13 at 3pm local time (4am GMT).

What are the seeds for the Australian Open?

Men’s singles

1. Novak Djokovic
2. Daniil Medvedev
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Stefanos Tsitsipas
5. Andrey Rublev
6. Rafael Nadal
7. Matteo Berrettini
8. Casper Ruud
9. Felix Auger Aliassime
10. Hubert Hurkacz
11. Jannik Sinner
12. Cameron Norrie
13. Diego Schwartzman
14. Denis Shapovalov
15. Roberto Bautista Agut
16. Cristian Garin
17. Gael Monfils
18. Aslan Karatsev
19. Pablo Carreno Busta
20. Taylor Fritz
21. Nikoloz Basilashvili
22. John Isner
23. Reilly Opelka
24. Dan Evans
25. Lorenzo Sonego
26. Grigor Dimitrov
27. Marin Cilic
28. Karen Khachanov
29. Ugo Humbert
30. Lloyd Harris
31. Carlos Alcaraz
32. Alex de Minaur

Women’s singles

1. Ashleigh Barty
2. Aryna Sabalenka
3. Garbine Muguruza
4. Barbora Krejcikova
5. Maria Sakkari
6. Anett Kontaveit
7. Iga Swiatek
8. Paula Badosa
9. Ons Jabeur
10. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
11. Sofia Kenin
12. Elena Rybakina
13. Naomi Osaka
14. Simona Halep
15. Elina Svitolina
16. Angelique Kerber
17. Emma Raducanu
18. Coco Gauff
19. Elise Mertens
20. Petra Kvitova
21. Jessica Pegula
22. Belinda Bencic
23. Leylah Fernandez
24. Victoria Azarenka
25. Daria Kasatkina
26. Jelena Ostapenko
27. Danielle Collins
28. Veronika Kudermetova
29. Tamara Zidansek
30. Camila Giorgi
31. Marketa Vondrousova
32. Sara Sorribes Tormo

Who could Djokovic face?

With no match practice before the tournament, Djokovic will be hopeful of getting a kind draw in the first week of the Australian Open – if he plays.

Djokovic has been allowed to train in Australia after a judge quashed the decision to deny him a visa. However, there is still a chance that the Australian government will cancel his visa for a second time.

If that happens and he can’t play the Australian Open then Daniil Medvedev will be the top seed with Alexander Zverev the second seed.

If Djokovic plays then he could face a potential quarter-final against sixth seed Rafael Nadal if they are drawn in the same quarter. A repeat of last year's final between Djokovic and Medvedev would also be on the cards.

Who could still qualify?

Harriet Dart is into the final round of qualifying, where she will face Australian Kimberly Birrell for a main draw spot.

Liam Broady will face American JJ Wolf in the second round of qualifying on Thursday morning GMT.

Katie Swan was beaten 6-0 7-5 in the second round of qualifying by fifth seed Viktoriya Tomova.

Liam Broady is bidding to make the main draw

Image credit: Getty Images

Which British players are in the draw?

Andy Murray will be competing at the Australian Open for the first time since 2019 after getting a wild card.

Murray is a five-time finalist at the tournament but could get a tough draw as he is unseeded.

US Open champion Emma Raducanu will make her Australian Open debut. The 19-year-old, who won just one game in her only warm-up match of the year, will be one of the top 20 seeds on the women's side.

Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans will both be seeded in the men's draw.

Who’s not playing?

The biggest names missing on the men’s side are 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer and 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem.

Stan Wawrinka, Milos Raonic, Kyle Edmund and Kei Nishikori are also not playing.

On the women’s side, Serena Williams will not be competing as she continues to recover from injury.

Williams, 40, has not played since retiring from her first-round match at Wimbledon last summer.

“Following the advice of my medical team, I have decided to withdraw from this year’s Australian Open,” said Williams. “While this is not an easy decision to make I am not where I need to be physically to compete.”

Venus Williams will also not be playing, meaning for the first time since 1997 neither of the Williams sisters will be at the Australian Open.

World No 5 Karolina Pliskova misses out with injury, with Jennifer Brady, Karolina Muchova and Bianca Andreescu also not in action.

Stream the 2022 Australian Open live and on demand on discovery+. A subscription for discovery+ is now £29.99 for the first year for UK users, down from £59.99

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