Ready for the first Grand Slam of the year? Yep, the Australian Open draw was performed today.
World No. 2 Rafael Nadal will start his quest for a second Australian Open title against Aussie James Duckworth, while teenage sensation Alex de Minaur could be waiting in the third round.
If the draw holds to quarterfinals, we would have:
- Djokovic vs. Nishikori
- Zverev vs. Thiem
- Cilic vs. Federer
- Anderson vs. Nadal.
Rafa’s potential route to the final:
- 1st round: James Duckworth
- 2nd round: Matt Ebden or Jan-Lennard Struff
- 3rd round: Alex de Minaur
- Last 16: Kyle Edmund
- Quarter-final: Kevin Anderson
- Semi-final: Roger Federer
- Final: Novak Djokovic
Play will start on Monday.
Our champ is bidding to clinch a 18th grand slam title of his career and his second in Melbourne.
Good luck and Vamos Rafa!
Rafa can keep doing it so I’m not ready to write his tennis eulogy yet.
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa my son please don’t even think of retiring. If you lose in the AO, that’s not the end of the World. Pamper your body n get fit for the Clay Court Tournaments. I know it was a wonderful caring gesture on your part, but I think you should not have helped clean up your beloved Hometown after the flooding, but concentrated on your body. Please don’t think of retiring Rafa. That will be the end of Tennis for me my boy. You bring excitement n glamour to the game. God bless you. Vamos Rafa. Your Aussie Abuela Nan Shirley. 🐂🏆👑💥💥💥
All the best Rafa! I am sure AO2019 is YOURS
Rafa please let your hair grow about three inches and just pull it back, thats the way I like it love to watch you play
Tried to respond but not allowed. I have changed my e mail. Address.
All the very best to you Rafa!!!!
How come Rafa is seeded ninth?🤫
Good luck Rafa go man you can do this 🙏🎾💕😜
Vamos Rafa <3
Wish u all the best in AO <3 <3
I really hope Rafa will become nr. 1 again this year😘😘
Rafa’s draw isn’t horrible…Federer’s is easy with 6 qualifiers…I agree DeMinaur worries me, as does Schawrzmann…heck I’m not sure Rafa is healthy as he’d like to be, so a lot of his potential opponents worry me…vamos rafa…hope you get your second AO title
All I can say is: Rafa loves a challenge. Hope he’s up to it. Vamos Champ!
I think it’s an okay draw . Let’s be positive . Think how the others feel facing Rafa . All support for our great champion 🍀🌟
I think the draw is ok. Let’s go for it. Vamos Rafa <3
Am I looking at the same draw? To be frank, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be, as i’ve seen Rafa face tougher tests in the first week of a slam. The thing that most concerns me is his body and whether it will hold up. If Rafa can survive the first week, then he’s in with a good chance….
This draw guarantees rafa will be in semi final.
After that if rafa is fresh and fit he has the chance to lift 18th
Good luck Rafa I have confidence in you can do it
More worrying is Alex De Minaur in R3 and Schwartzman in R4 should Rafa get that far to meet them.
I totally dislike Rafa having to meet Schwartzman again (in AO2018 Rafa had a tough one vs Schwartzman and then got injured when facing Cilic next!). Hopefully someone bests Schwartzman in the earlier round.
I’m stressed about this already! Big server, home support … and that’s just the first round!
‘Our champ, seeded ninth, was drawn in the same half as Austria’s Dominic Thiem and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic. He could meet either player in the semi-finals.’
What’s that??
Rafa isn’t seeded ninth, neither is he drawn in same half as Dominic Thiem and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic! And, he Could NOT meet either player in the semifinals! He could meet them in the Fibal!
*Final!
Thanks. I stopped reading after “seeded ninth” and went straight to comments.
All too often Rafa has underestimated his fitness. I am hoping this is not one of those times and that he is ready to lift his second AO title trophy.
RAFA ROCKS