SIR Andy Murray, the No 1 seed and favourite for the Australian Open, will face Iliya Marchenko of the Ukraine first up at Melbourne Park, after a first round draw which handed his closest rival Novak Djokovic a tough opener against Verdasco.
The Serb, who had to save five match points in his semi-final against the big-hitting Spaniard only last week en route to winning the Qatar Open title, can be expected to face another stern examination here.
The 29-year-old Marchenko has won just two matches in his career at the Australian Open, but reached the fourth round at the 2016 US Open before going down to eventual winner Stan Wawrinka. Wawrinka is Murray's potential semi-final opponent, with Kei Nishikori or Roger Federer - the 17-time Grand Slam winner - also lurking in his path as a potential quarter-final match up as he returns from a knee injury.
Of the other British men who have made it as direct entrants into the draw this year, Kyle Edmund will face Santiago Giraldo, Dan Evans takes on Facundo Bagnis and Aljaz Bedene will face Victor Estrella Burgos.
Serena Williams - chasing an Open Era record 23rd Grand Slam title - faces a tough task first up against Belinda Bencic, the Swiss teenager who was ranked as high as seventh in the world as recently as last February. The pair have one win apiece from their two previous career meetings. Reigning champion and No 1 seed Angelique Kerber, meanwhile, begins her defence against Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine.
Britain's Jo Konta, a semi-finalist here last year, is in Serena's half of the draw, where she will play Kirsten Flipkens in the first round. Two other Brits face Australian opponents, with Heather Watson pitched directly into a showdown with home favourite Sam Stosur, and Naomi Broady taking on Daria Gavrilova.
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