Carlos Alcaraz Handed Immediate Advantage Over Jannik Sinner at Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz has been handed an immediate advantage over Jannik Sinner ahead of the Australian Open getting underway.

The tournament proper gets underway on January 18 in Melbourne, with qualifiers concluding this Thursday, January 15.

Sinner is the reigning men's singles champion, having defeated Germany's Alexander Zverev in last year's final.

On the women's singles side, Madison Keys defeated Aryna Sabalenka in three sets.

The draw for both singles tournaments has now been released - and Alcaraz appears to have a potentially easier route to the final than Sinner.

Given the pair are world number one and two respectively, they will only face each other in the final if both reach that stage.

As world number one, Alcaraz has been drawn in the top half of the draw, with Sinner in the bottom half.

The highest-ranked player in Alcaraz's bracket is fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who is world number 14, with the pair potentially facing off in the fourth round.

In the fifth round, Alcaraz could take on sixth seed Alex De Minaur, with Sinner potentially up against either eighth seed Ben Shelton or 12th seed Casper Ruud.

Novak Djokovic is on Sinner's side of the draw, with Zverev in Alcaraz's section.

While the Spaniard has on paper, therefore, a slightly easier run during the first four rounds, the draw will naturally open up as the tournament continues.

In the past two seasons, Alcaraz and Sinner have only failed to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam on one occasion, with Alcaraz being knocked out in the second round of the US Open in 2024.

Speaking ahead of his title defence in Melbourne, Sinner surprisingly admitted he has some 'doubts' ahead of the event - but that those doubts are 'normal'.

"It's gonna be very difficult to get back there [to win again], but I'm going to put myself in the game," he told 9News Melbourne.

"I know that I've practiced very well. The off-season was great. Physically, I feel good.

"You start the season by having some doubts, which is normal - but at the same time, there's also a lot of confidence because of certain results I've had in the past."