2025 Australian Open Men’s Draw Sets Stage for Alcaraz-Djokovic Quarterfinal

The 2025 Australian Open men’s singles draw has been unveiled, setting the stage for a potential blockbuster quarterfinal clash between third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz and 10-time champion Novak Djokovic. The tournament, which begins on January 12 in Melbourne, could see defending champion Jannik Sinner waiting in the final if he navigates the top half of the draw.

Alcaraz, who will face Alexander Shevchenko in the first round, could encounter Australian Jordan Thompson in the third round and potentially face seeded opponents like Jack Draper or Sebastian Korda in the fourth round. Djokovic, seeded seventh, will open his campaign against American wild card Nishesh Basavareddy. The Serbian star, who reached the quarterfinals in Brisbane earlier this year, is aiming for an unprecedented 11th Australian Open title.

Top seed Jannik Sinner, the defending champion, anchors the top half of the draw. The Italian will begin his title defense against Nicolas Jarry, with a potential quarterfinal showdown against hometown favorite Alex de Minaur. Sinner, who won two Grand Slam titles in 2024, is free to compete despite an ongoing appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regarding a previous charge.

Other notable matchups include an all-American first-round clash between Ben Shelton and Brandon Nakashima, while Nick Kyrgios looms as a potential third-round opponent for Alexander Zverev. Taylor Fritz, the fourth seed, could face Sinner in a rematch of their 2024 US Open and ATP Finals final.

The tournament, which runs for 15 days, will feature 128 players in the men’s singles draw, including 16 qualifiers and eight wild cards. The winner will earn 2,000 ranking points and a share of the $3.5 million prize pool.