Jordan Thompson attracts Rafael Nadal in French Open as Aussies be taught their first-round destiny at Roland Garros

Australian Jordan Thompson has been handed certainly one of sport’s cruellest assignments: taking part in Rafael Nadal in his clay-court kingdom at Roland Garros.

Nadal is looking for to regain the French Open title he has received 13 occasions, with Sydneysider Thompson being the primary hurdle within the Spaniard’s path at Roland Garros, probably on his “residence” Court docket Philippe Chatrier.

Thursday’s draw has thrown up for Thompson what might be any participant’s dream — or nightmare — task, however the 28-year-old will certainly savour the prospect of battle towards the best clay-courter in historical past.

They’ve met as soon as earlier than, additionally in Paris, on the indoor exhausting courtroom at Bercy within the Masters, with Nadal popping out on high 6-1, 7-6 (7/3).

However Nadal has suffered an premature recurrence of his foot damage within the build-up to this 12 months’s Open, which means this might be the very best time for any contenders to catch the 35-year-old at a venue the place he is misplaced simply 3 times in 108 matches, most just lately in final 12 months’s epic semi-final with champion Novak Djokovic.

Certainly, Thompson can take some encouragement from having reached the third spherical at Roland Garros three years in the past — the very best efficiency by any Australian man in current occasions.

Countryman Alexei Popyrin is aware of what it’s wish to face Nadal in a Roland Garros opener, having misplaced to the Spaniard in straight units final 12 months.

This time, Popyrin has obtained a much less high-profile however nonetheless doubtlessly volcanic affair ready within the unpredictable form of Italian Fabio Fognini.

In the meantime, Australian primary Alex de Minaur’s preparation for Roland Garros continues apace, reaching the semi-final of the Lyon Open on Friday after his opponent retired injured.

It’s the Australia’s second clay-court semi-final within the house of a month, following his good last-four contest in Barcelona with eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, the place the Sydneysider was crushed after holding match level towards the Spanish wunderkind.

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De Minaur has landed French opponent Hugo Gaston, the world quantity 68, in his first spherical.

If he makes it previous the harmful left-hander, the quantity 19 seed will then tackle a qualifier within the subsequent spherical earlier than a possible third-round conflict, almost definitely with Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, or the brand new Danish Rune Holger.

Thanasi Kokkinakis may benefit from the doubtful pleasure of a second-round assembly with Alcaraz if he can defeat Spanish grinder Albert Ramos-Vinolas first up.

John Millman has been given an enormous process to tame rising American twenty seventh seed Sebastian Korda in his opener, whereas the ever-resilient James Duckworth, who’s simply embarking on one more comeback after the ninth bout of surgical procedure in his profession, has a winnable tie towards Swede Mikael Ymer.

Jason Kubler meets a fellow qualifier.

Prime Australian ladies’s hope Ajla Tomljanovic, who suffered a thigh damage on the Morocco Open on Thursday, would certainly have most well-liked a a lot kinder begin than having to face Estonian fifth seed Anett Kontaveit when the match kicks off on Sunday.

Lastly, wildcard Daria Saville has landed a qualifier, whereas Astra Sharma, who was additionally knocked out in Morocco on Thursday, faces Russian Varvara Gracheva.

AAP/ABC