Emma Raducanu lands favourable Australian Open draw with British star to play Shelby Rogers in the first round… but Andy Murray and Dan Evans could face Novak Djokovic and Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz later in the tournament!

Emma Raducanu trained for nearly two hours on Thursday morning, and was then handed a generous Australian Open draw against one of the players she took down en route to the 2021 US Open title.

Britain’s players could broadly be happy with where they were pulled out in the lunchtime ceremony, among them Raducanu, who will face American Shelby Rogers.

She beat the same player in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows during her run to the title, and Rogers has not played since Wimbledon, having contended with a stomach injury since then. 

She also got married last month. Like Raducanu, Rogers has entered via a protected ranking, and is currently listed at 156.

The 21 year-old from Kent hit with fellow Brit Lily Miyazaki during the morning, and appeared to be perfectly fit, despite pulling out from two low-key exhibition matches this week.

Raducanu beat Rogers (above) en route to win the 2021 US Open title 

Andy Murray was paired against number 30 seed, the powerful Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry. If the Scot could squeeze through a couple of rounds there is every chance he could face Novak Djokovic in the last 32, with the defending champion due to play a qualifier in his opening match.

Murray was beaten in three sets by the South American when they last met, indoors in Basle in late October.

Dan Evans is another who could end up meeting one of the favourites, as he is due to face Carlos Alcaraz if he can get past Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the first round.

Cam Norrie and Jack Draper both have the chance of progress. Norrie will tackle Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas, while Draper is up against American Marcos Giron.

Katie Boulter was given a first round against China’s Yue Yuan, while main draw debutante Jodie Burrage will play Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch.

Andy Murray takes on number 30 seed Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry

Dan Evans is due to face Carlos Alcaraz if he can get past Lorenzo Sonego in the first round

Djokovic, going for an eleventh title, will be pleased with his draw, which puts him on schedule to meet his late 2023 nemesis Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.

The most eye-catching of all the first round draws sees world number one Iga Swiatek up against the 2020 champion Sofia Kenin of the US.

Britain’s hopes of getting a crop of players through the qualifying event receded when there were early defeats on Thursday for Billy Harris and Ryan Peniston in the second round.