Viktor Troicki has been handed a tough opening match on his return to Sydney against former champion Lleyton Hewitt.
Hewitt may be past his peak but he's the last player you want to draw in round one, particularly in Australia. He has a proud record at this event, he's won the title four times (2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005) and after the last of those he went on to make his only Australian Open final.
It's a bit too much to expect him to still challenge for the silverware (though you never know with Hewitt) particularly after many months out with injury but he's a very dangerous floater at the moment and he was unlucky not to beat one of Fernando Verdasco or Richard Gasquet at the Hopman Cup last week.
Troicki got his 2011 season off to a great start at this event last year, beating Richard Gasquet and Florian Mayer en route to the final. He played the Qatar Open last week, suffering a bit of a one-sided quarter-final defeat to Gael Monfils and he'll be looking to bounce back from that.
Prediction: Troicki in three.
