Sinner to meet Gaston in Australian Open first round, Sabalenka to play French wildcard

MELBOURNE, Jan 15 : Defending champion Jannik Sinner will meet French world number 94 Hugo Gaston in the first round of the Australian Open in his bid for a third successive title at Melbourne Park, while women's top seed Aryna Sabalenka takes on French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga.

Men's top seed Carlos Alcaraz will play unseeded Australian Adam Walton in the Spaniard's quest for a first title in Melbourne to become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.

At the draw ceremony at Melbourne Park on Thursday, 10-times champion Novak Djokovic, the fourth seed, was bracketed next to 71st-ranked Spaniard Pedro Martinez.

Serb Djokovic is gunning for the elusive, record 25th Grand Slam title.

Women's second seed Iga Swiatek will meet a qualifier, while third seed Coco Gauff will play 55th-ranked Uzbek Kamilla Rakhimova.

Defending champion Madison Keys will face unseeded Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova.