Coco vs. Venus, Part II, in 1st round of Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Get rey for Coco Gauff vs. Venus Williams, Part II.

That heline-grabbing pair of tennis players — Gauff, 15, is youngest woman in Australian Open; Venus is oldest — will meet again in first round of a Grand Slam tournament after Thursday’s draw at Melbourne Park put m in a tough quarter that also includes Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka.

Gauff h a breakout run at Wimbledon last year, when she became youngest qualifier in tournament history, upset Venus Williams to start her main draw run and became youngest player to reach round of 16 re since Martina Hingis in 1996.

winner of Coco vs. Venus — last names required — could meet defending champion Osaka in third round. winner re potentially faces Venus’ younger sister, 23-time major winner Serena, in quarterfinals.

Serena Williams is coming off a victory in ASB Classic in Auckland, her first title since her victory at 2017 Australian Open and her time off tour to have her daughter. She is seeded eighth in Melbourne and will meet Anastasia Potapova in first round. Osaka opens against Marie Bouzkova.

Defending men’s champion vak Djokovic and Roger Federer were drawn into same half of field at Melbourne Park, where play begins Monday, so y could meet in semifinals.

second-ranked Djokovic has won a record seven Australian Open trophies and is coming off his unbeaten run at inaugural ATP Cup, where he guided Serbia to title. Federer hasn’t ded to his 20 Grand Slam titles since winning Australian Open in 2018, his sixth title at Melbourne Park.

Top-ranked Rafael Nal could face a fourth-round match against Nick Kyrgios — ir blockbuster at Wimbledon last year was memorable — and a projected quarterfinal against Dominic Thiem, man he has beaten in last two French Open finals.

so-called Big Three of men’s tennis joined or stars, including Serena Williams, Osaka and Gauff, at Rally for Relief on Wednesday night, an exhibition event that raised millions of dollars for relief efforts for wildfires that have devastated parts of Australia, leaving at least 27 people and millions of animals de. Smoke from bush fires h air quality in Melbourne ranked among worst in world earlier in week.

On court, Gauff looked comfortable and relaxed in company of champions.

Osaka, speaking before draw was revealed, said she didn’t like to look at who she was playing until day before her match. She joked in a TV brocast that she’d leave studio if she was forced to watch draw.

It will certainly have her interest.

Osaka won back-to-back majors, claiming her first Grand Slam title at 2018 U.S. Open before winning in Australia last year. Her best run since n was to fourth round at U.S. Open, where she thinks she got some benefit from experience.

“I h a try at being defending champion at U.S. Open. I’m more prepared this time,” she said.

Top-ranked Ash Barty is in same half of field and is a potential semifinal opponent for Osaka.

Barty will open against Lesia Tsurenko. That quarter includes 10th-seeded Mison Keys, U.S. Open runner-up in 2017, and seventh-seeded Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion and runner-up in Australia last year in her first major final since a violent home invasion in late 2016 left her with career-threatening hand injuries.

Serena Williams is aiming to equal all-time record for most women’s majors, held by Australia’s Margaret Court.

After her drought-breaking run to a 73rd career singles title in Auckland, Williams will again be among favorites at Melbourne Park, where she has won title seven times dating back to 2003.

In or standout first-round matches, five-time major champion Maria Sharapova, playing as a wild card because of an injury-interrupted 2019, will meet 19th-seeded Donna Vekic, and two-time major champion Simona Halep, runner-up here in 2018, will take on Jennifer Bry, who upset Barty at Brisbane International last week.

On men’s side, U.S. Open finalist Daniil Medvedev, seeded . 4, will take on Frances Tiafoe, who me a breakthrough run to quarterfinals in Australia last year.

projected men’s quarterfinals are Nal vs. Thiem, Medvedev against Alexander Zverev, Djokovic against Stefas Tsitsipas, and Federer against Matteo Berrettni. injury-enforced absence of Alex de Minaur lifted Milos Raonic, 2016 Wimbledon runner-up finalist, into 32nd and last spot among men’s seeds.

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