WHEN the tennis authorities decided, back in 2001, to double the number of seeded players at Grand Slams from 16 to 32, the theory was that the top players would be more protected from early-round upsets.

Ask Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic today if they agree with that statement and you might get very different answers.

In his first Grand Slam as the world No.1, Murray will begin his quest for a first Australian Open title against the world No.93, Illya Marchenko of Ukraine, a man he thrashed 6-1 6-3 6-3 when they met at the same stage here in 2011.

Djokovic, the six-times champion in Melbourne, takes on Fernando Verdasco, the veteran Spaniard who ousted Rafael Nadal in the first round 12 months ago and who last week had five match-points against the Serb before losing to him in Doha last week.

Neither man reads too much into draws, knowing as well as anyone that things rarely go according to plan, but each will be well aware of what’s in store for the other as they head towards what would be a fifth final meeting here.

"Of course, in the back of your mind you are conscious of the draw,” Djokovic said. “You are conscious of what the others are playing like, and you’re watching matches. That’s why you’re here.”

Djokovic, who was on hand for the start of the draw yesterday after carrying the trophy through the Melbourne rain, has won nine of his 13 matches against Verdasco, now ranked No.40 but once as high as No.7.

And having beaten Murray in an epic final to win the title in Doha, he looks rejuvenated and confident again, a far cry from the figure he cut in the second half of 2016, when Murray usurped him at the top of the rankings.

Problems off the court affected his performances on the court, he has admitted without going into details, but the 29-year-old has sounded confident this week.

And providing he gets past Verdasco, Djokovic ought to be relatively untroubled until the fourth round, when he is likely to meet Grigor Dimitrov, the Bulgarian who won the title in Brisbane last week and who may yet fulfil some of the potential he has shown ever since he won junior Wimbledon in 2008.

But it would still be a surprise if Djokovic does not make it to the last eight, where he is seeded to play Austria’s Dominic Thiem, with third seed Milos Raonic his likely opponent in the semi-finals.

As for Murray, things get a bit trickier from the third round onwards with Sam Querrey, the man who beat Djokovic at Wimbledon last summer, and John Isner in his path before a possible quarter-final against Roger Federer, back after missing the second half of 2016 through injury, or the fifth seed Kei Nishikori.

Going so close so often has not added any pressure, Murray said.

"It hasn’t changed my mindset," he told Australian broadcaster Channel 7. "I believe if I play my best tennis then I’ll have a chance to win and it’s one I’d love to win because there have been so many near misses."

Being top dog for the first time brings its own pressures but ought to give Murray confidence that he can win an event he’s reached the final in five times in the past.

“Andy comes in here with a bit of a different landscape as the world No.1,” said Paul Annacone, the former coach to Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Tim Henman.

“But the last six months have been the best of his career and his first two matches should give him a good rhythm.”

Should the seedings go to plan, Murray would face Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals, the Swiss who won the US Open title last September to match the Scot with three Grand Slams.

While Nishikori, a fit-again Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic will all be hopeful of a big run, the 31-year-old Wawrinka won in Melbourne in 2014 and knows that when he’s on, he can beat anyone.

British No.2 Kyle Edmund, ranked No.45, plays Santiago Giraldo of Colombia on Tuesday while British No.3 Dan Evans, who this morning in Sydney will play his first career ATP Tour final, has a very winnable match on Monday against Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis, the world No.55.

Aljaz Bedene takes on Victor Estrella Burgos of Dominican Republic while the three British women in the main draw, Jo Konta, Heather Watson and Naomi Broady, are all in action on Tuesday.

Ninth seed Konta, a semi-finalist here 12 months ago who won her second career title yesterday when she beat Agnieszka Radwanska in Sydney, plays Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist.

Watson takes on Sam Stosur, the No.18 seed, while Broady meets another Australian seed, world No.22 Daria Gavrilova.

World No.1 Angelique Kerber of Germany opens her title defence against Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine while six-times champion Serena Williams faces a tough challenge against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.

Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares, the world’s No.1 pair, were due to play in the doubles final in Sydney overnight.