MELBOURNE, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Jannik Sinner will be aiming for a third straight men's title, while top women's seed Aryna Sabalenka strives to reclaim her crown at the Australian Open, where China will be well represented at the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne.
The focus of the men's draw is on world No.2 Sinner and top seed Carlos Alcaraz, who have split the past eight Grand Slam titles.
Sinner, a four-time major winner, comes into Melbourne on a 14-match winning streak at the tournament. He begins his title defence against France's Hugo Gaston and is on course to potentially meet 10-time champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
"The draw is very difficult, it doesn't matter who you play," said Sinner, who is aiming to join Djokovic as the only men's players to win three consecutive titles at Melbourne Park in the Open era.
Alcaraz will be striving for a seventh Grand Slam title before turning 23. Having already clinched majors at the other three grand slams, he has never made it past the quarterfinals at the Australian Open. He opens against Australian Adam Walton and shares the same half of the draw as last year's finalist Alexander Zverev.
Djokovic, 38, will be aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title but has been surpassed in recent years by younger rivals.
The Serbian star has not won a major since the 2023 US Open but will be encouraged by his formidable record at Melbourne Park, where he starts against world No. 71 Pedro Martinez.
In the women's draw, Sabalenka will be out to make amends after her bid for a three-peat was thwarted by American Madison Keys in a major upset in last year's epic final.
Her quest for a fifth Grand Slam title kicks off against French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, while Keys opens her title defence against Ukraine's Oleksandra Oliynykova.
Sabalenka is in the same half as No.3 seed Coco Gauff, with the pair projected to meet in the semifinals.
Gauff, 21, already a two-time Grand Slam champion, faces Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova in the first round and could then meet 45-year-old wildcard Venus Williams.
Eight Chinese players, including a record four men, are in the singles main draw of the tournament, which runs from January 18 to February 1.
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, China's most decorated current player, will not feature after withdrawing due to a lack of full physical readiness.
"Although my recovery is progressing well and my offseason has gone smoothly, to play a Grand Slam requires players to maintain an extreme competitive condition," said Zheng, the beaten finalist at the 2024 Australian Open, who underwent elbow surgery after last year's Wimbledon.
None of the Chinese players is seeded in Melbourne, with world No.43 Wang Xinyu the country's highest-ranked representative.
Wang has never gone beyond the fourth round at a Grand Slam. The 24-year-old will start her campaign against Ukrainian qualifier Anhelina Kalinina and will be confident after reaching her second career final last week, when she finished runner-up to Elina Svitolina in Auckland.
Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai will play Australian wildcard Taylah Preston, while qualifier Yuan Yue faces a daunting task against world No.2 Iga Swiatek, with the six-time Grand Slam champion aiming to capture a maiden Australian Open title.
23-year-old Bai Zhuoxuan emerged from the qualifying draw and will meet Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round, with the winner likely to face Sabalenka next.
Zhang Zhizhen, China's most accomplished men's player, showed encouraging form in his comeback at the United Cup. The 29-year-old, whose injury-hit 2025 season saw him tumble down the rankings from a career-high No.31, opens against 18th seed Francisco Cerundolo.
Shang Juncheng, a former world No.47, faces Roberto Bautista-Agut in an intriguing first round clash.
Wu Yibing has qualified to the main draw for the first time since 2023 and will play Italy's Luca Nardi, while Bu Yunchaokete has a tough task against Canadian 21st seed Denis Shapovalov. ■
