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COVID-19 and the running of six tournaments concurrently at Melbourne Park has forced Australian Open officials to abandon TV coverage of the 2021 draw.
The pomp and ceremony of the Australian Open draw has fallen victim to COVID-19.
Breaking with years of grand-slam tradition, the 2021 Open draw will quietly be held behind closed doors in the office of tournament director Craig Tiley on Thursday night.
Tournament referee Wayne McEwen will also be in attendance as world No.1 Ash Barty - and some 21 other Australians - learn their first-round rivals.
Complications around social distancing and the unprecedented running of six tournaments concurrently at Melbourne Park has forced Tiley's hand.
The Australian Open was the first grand slam to move its draw to a prime-time evening TV "event" three years ago, with superstar guests like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova in attendance.
This year, the players, fans and world's tennis media won't be able to see the draw until after it's been conducted.
Tennis Australia said video footage would be released shortly after the draw at 6pm AEDT.
Barty is the top seed in the women's singles for the second year in a row.
Joining the 24-year-old in the draw are compatriots Ajla Tomljanovic and wildcards Samantha Stosur, Daria Gavrilova, Astra Sharma, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Destanee Aiava, Arina Rodionova and Kim Birrell.
World No.23 Alex de Minaur and fellow grand slam quarter-finalists Nick Kyrgios and John Millman and successful qualifier Bernard Tomic headline Australia's 12-strong assault in the men's singles.
The other local hopefuls are Jordan Thompson, James Duckworth, wildcards Chris O'Connell, Alexei Popyrin, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Alex Bolt, Marc Polmans and Aleksandar Vukic.
