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Jordan Thompson has landed the French Open dream draw - or should that be nightmare draw - with an opening match against 13-time champion Rafael Nadal.
Australian Jordan Thompson has been handed one of sport's cruellest assignments - playing Rafael Nadal in his clay-court kingdom at Roland Garros.
Nadal is seeking to regain the French Open title he's won 13 times, with Sydneysider Thompson being the first hurdle in the great man's path at Roland Garros, doubtless on the Spaniard's 'home' Court Philippe Chatrier.
Thursday's draw has thrown up for Thompson what could be any player's dream - or nightmare - assignment, but the 28-year-old will surely savour the prospect of battle against the greatest clay-courter in history.
They have met once before -also in Paris - on the indoor hard court at Bercy in the Masters, with Nadal coming out on top 6-1 7-6 (7-3).
But after Nadal suffered an untimely recurrence of his foot injury in the build-up, this could be the best time to catch the 35-year-old at a venue where he's lost just three times in 108 matches, most recently in last year's epic semi-final with champion Novak Djokovic.
And Thompson can take some encouragement from having reached the third round at Roland Garros three years ago - the best performance by any Australian man in recent times.
Compatriot Alexei Popyrin can tell Thompson what it's like to face Nadal in a Roland Garros opener in his Chatrier lair, having lost to the Spaniard in straight sets last year.
This time, Popyrin has got a less high profile but still potentially volcanic affair waiting in the unpredictable shape of Italian Fabio Fognini.
Alex de Minaur, Australia's No.1 who's looked a much happier player on clay this year and remains easily the country's best shot of a second-week date in Paris, has a French opponent Hugo Gaston, the world No.68, to tackle in his first round.
If he makes it past the dangerous left-hander, the No.19 seed will then take on a qualifier in the next round before a potential third-round clash, most likely with Canada's swashbuckling Denis Shapovalov or the new Danish tyro Rune Holger.
Thanasi Kokkinakis could enjoy the dubious pleasure of a second-round meeting with Spain's boy wonder Carlos Alcaraz if he can defeat Spanish grinder Albert Ramos-Vinolas first up.
John Millman has been given a huge task to tame rising American 27th seed Sebastian Korda in his opener, while the ever-resilient James Duckworth, who's just embarking on yet another comeback after the ninth bout of surgery in his career, has a winnable tie against Swede Mikael Ymer.
Jason Kubler meets a fellow qualifier.
Top Australian women's hope Ajla Tomljanovic, who suffered a thigh injury at the Morocco Open on Thursday, needed a much kinder start than having to face Estonian fifth seed Anett Kontaveit when the tournament kicks off on Sunday.
Wildcard Daria Saville has landed a qualifier, while Astra Sharma, who was also knocked out in Morocco on Thursday, faces Russian Varvara Gracheva.
WHO THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE DRAWN IN THE FRENCH OPEN FIRST ROUND (prefix denotes seeding):
Men's singles
Chris O'Connell v Aljaz Bedene (SLO)
Alexei Popyrin v Fabio Fognini (ITA)
Jordan Thompson v 5-Rafael Nadal (ESP)
Thanasi Kokkinakis v Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP)
19-Alex de Minaur v Hugo Gaston (Fra)
James Duckworth v Mikael Ymer (Swe)
John Millman v 27-Sebastian Korda (USA)
Jason Kubler v TBD
Women's singles
Daria Saville v qualifier
Ajla Tomljanovic v 5-Anett Kontaveit (EST)
Astra Sharma v Varvara Gracheva (RUS)
