Sinner begins Australian Open title defence vs Jarry

World number one Jannik Sinner was drawn on Thursday against big-hitting Nicolas Jarry to start his Australian Open defence while Novak Djokovic is on a collision course to meet Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.

Italy’s Sinner defeated Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in last year’s final in Melbourne to secure his first major and went on to add the US Open and ATP Finals crowns to his collection.

But the top seed will begin his title defence under a doping cloud after twice testing positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March.

He was exonerated by the International Tennis Integrity Agency but is awaiting the outcome of an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The 23-year-old could meet Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas or Australian Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals, and Medvedev in the semis.

Serbia’s Djokovic drew American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy to start but has a huge task in front of him to win an 11th Australian Open and record 25th Grand Slam.

He is seeded to meet world number 10 Grigor Dimitrov in round four and Spain’s Alcaraz in the last eight, before a potential clash with Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.

Alcaraz gets under way against Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko, who scored a confidence-boosting win over world number 11 Tsitsipas at the recent United Cup tournament.

Zverev will meet French wildcard Lucas Pouille.

In the women’s draw, world number one Aryna Sabalenka kicks off her title defence against American former US Open winner Sloane Stephens.

The Belarusian top seed is looking to become the first woman since Martina Hingis (1997-99) to win three consecutive titles.

World number three Coco Gauff also faces a tricky start, against 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin.

But second seed Iga Swiatek was handed an easier assignment against Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova, ranked 46.

However, the Polish star has sixth seed Elena Rybakina and eighth seed Emma Navarro in her half of the draw.

Two-time major runner-up and fourth seed Jasmine Paolini takes on a qualifier, as Chinese fifth seed Zheng Qinwen, who lost to Sabalenka in last year’s final.

In another notable match, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka opens against Caroline Garcia in a repeat of last year’s first round clash that the French player won.

Should all go to plan, Sabalenka could meet Zheng in the quarter-finals and Gauff in the semis, with Swiatek projected to face Paolini in the last four. The Australian Open starts Sunday.

Doping clouds tennis talk: It is a topic that shadowed tennis in 2024 and is still a talking point as the 2025 Grand Slam season opens at the Australian Open on Sunday. Doping and the cases involving Sinner - which is still not resolved - and Swiatek.Both spent much of last year at No. 1, and Sinner still will hold that spot in the ATP rankings when he steps on court at Melbourne Park to begin the defense of his championship, one of two major trophies he won last year.

Swiatek, a five-time Slam champ and the woman leading the WTA rankings most of the past three seasons, is No. 2 behind Sabalenka.

“Obviously, there are going to be some negative comments,” Swiatek said. “You’re not going to avoid that.”

Most players prefer to remain silent when asked about the cases. But there are those who have been happy to weigh in, including 24-time major champion Djokovic, raising questions about whether Sinner and Swiatek were treated the same as other players facing similar circumstances and why their situations were kept under wraps for months.

“I sit and wonder, ‘Why such a big difference in treatment and judgment?’” was two-time major champion Simona Halep’s reaction to Swiatek’s punishment. “I can’t find, and I don’t think there can be, a logical answer.”

Halep initially was banned for four years after testing positive for the banned drug Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open, then had that penalty reduced to nine months on appeal - although she already had been off the tour longer than that. She was supposed to compete at Melbourne Park for the first time in three years but withdrew from qualifying because of knee and shoulder pain.

Agencies