Australian Open: Kerber and Sharapova on a collision course

The draw for the Australian Open in the women’s singles has a lot to offer: In the first round, three Angelique Kerber and Maria Sharapova could meet.

Angelique Kerber’s way to a possible second title at the Australian Open will not be easy: The winner of 2016 starts against Anna-Lena Friedsam, could meet Maria Sharapova in about three and then meet Garbine Muguruza. Julia Görges, who will play against the young American Sofia Kenin to open the match, took it a bit easier. Daria Gavrilova is the first lawmaker waiting for the German number one.

Tournament favourite Simona Halep will be starting with Destanee Aiava, the 17-year-old Australian. In the same quarter Andrea Petkovic meets Petra Kvitova for the start. Karolina Pliskova would wait for Halep in the quarter-finals, according to the seed list.

Sharapova opens against Tatjana Maria – and could get the chance to retaliate against Anastasija Sevastova in round two. The Latvian from Vienna had defeated Sharapova at the US Open 2017, but the Russian had won her last match in Beijing.

Carina Witthöft has to play Caroline Garcia, number eight of the tournament, right at the beginning. An interesting first match in the lower half of the tableau: returning Belinda Nencic will meet last year’s finalist Venus Williams right at the start.

Caroline Wozniacki also got off to a difficult start: The Dane has to face the dangerous Romanian Mihael Buzarnescu.

Here is the tableau of the ladies at the Australian Open