The 2023 Australian Open is now less than one month away as everyone’s tennis attention shifts Down Under for a few weeks.
In 2022, the Grand Slam tournament wasn’t short on drama with Novak Djokovic deported from Australia before he even hit a ball.
On the court, Rafael Nadal ended up claiming a record-breaking singles title, while Aussie Ash Barty triumphed in what would be her final event before an early and unexpected retirement.
With the 2023 Australian Open fast approaching, many more storylines look set to be written with the tournament draw poised to set the scene for what lies ahead in Melbourne.
MORE: Australian Open 2023 confirmed wildcards
When is the Australian Open draw?
Australian Open officials have confirmed the 2023 draw will take place on Thursday, January 12 (local time) with no time set in stone just yet.
The 2022 draw took place one day later and was conducted by tournament referee Wayne McKewen and tournament director Craig Tiley.
The 2023 draw will once again likely involve Tiley and take place at Melbourne Park where the Australian Open is played.
The Story Starts Here 🏆
TICKETS to #AO2023 on sale now 👉 https://t.co/sJT3vv38VS#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/XrBih5QkFw
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) October 12, 2022
How does the Australia Open draw work?
The Australian Open draw works the same as every other Grand Slam tournament.
Unseeded players are randomly placed across the bracket with the two top ranked opponents placed at opposite ends to ensure they can’t face each other until the final.
The remaining seeded players are then randomly drawn from a pot to determine the entirety of first round matches and the overall tournament schedule.
The format is also skewed to ensure all seeded competitors avoid each other until at least the third round.
Check out how the 2022 draw was conducted below:
How to watch the Australian Open draw
The 2023 Australian Open draw will be streamed live and free by the tournament’s official YouTube channel.
Respective broadcasters around the world are also expected to provide some coverage of the draw.