Alex de Minaur’s French Open campaign has just gotten a little more complicated.
Australia’s 25th seed has been pitted into a first-round tussle with Marco Cecchinato, the crafty Italian who ended Novak Djokovic’s title defence at Roland Garros three years ago.
The 2017 semi-finalist had to survive three qualifying matches to make the main draw this time around.
But now that he has, Cecchinato is bound to make life difficult for de Minaur.
The 21-year-old has only won one match in three trips to Paris but arrived this week oozing confidence following his inspired run to the US Open quarter-finals earlier this month.
Should he find a way past Cecchinato, de Minaur is guaranteed an Argentine in the second round, either Federerico Delbonis or Juan Ignacio Londero.
He is projected to meet US Open runner-up and world No.7 Alexander Zverev in the last 32.
Marc Polmans and Astra Sharma have boosted Australia’s French Open contingent to 11 after earning late entries into the year’s final grand slam event.
Polmans and Sharma both stumbled in the final round of qualifying but made the draw as lucky losers following a spate of late withdrawals.
Polmans will play Frenchman Ugo Humbert after joining de Minaur, Jordan Thompson, John Millman, Alexei Popyrin, James Duckworth and Sydney qualifier Aleksandar Vukic in the men’s singles.
Vukic will open against a fellow qualifier, Spaniard Pedro Martinez.
Sharma plays Russian Anna Blinkova.
WHO THE AUSSIES PLAY IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE FRENCH OPEN STARTING ON SUNDAY
Men’s singles, first round
25-Alex de Minaur v Marco Cecchinato (ITA)
John Millman v 17-Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)
Alexei Popyrin v Lloyd Harris (RSA)
Jordan Thompson v Radu Albot (MDA)
James Duckworth v Tommy Paul (USA)
Aleksandar Vukic v Pedro Martinez (ESP)
Marc Polmans v Ugo Humbert (POL)
Women’s singles, first round
Ajla Tomljanovic v 20-Maria Sakkari (GRE)
Daria Gavrilova v 24-Dayana Yastremska (UKR)
Maddison Inglis v 27-Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS)
Astra Sharma v Anna Blinkova (RUS)