Djokovic-Nadal clash at Aussie Open not possible before final

MELBOURNE - Serbia's top-ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic and Spaniard Rafael Nadal, his biggest rival at the upcoming Australian Open, are on the opposite sides of the draw for the tournament and will not meet before the final.

After skipping the Grand Slam tournament in 2022, fourth-seeded Djokovic was on Thursday drawn to start his campaign in Melbourne against Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena, the AP reported.

Title holder Nadal will face Briton Jack Draper in the first round.

Prominent names on Djokovic's side of the draw include fifth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev and Australian Nick Kyrgios, who could face Novak in the quarter-finals, as well as Serbians Laslo Djere and Filip Krajinovic.