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Australian Open: Five intriguing match-ups from first round

Andy Murray of Great Britian serves during a practice session ahead of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 06, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia.

Tuesday 15 January 2019 13:25, UK

There are some intriguing match-ups at the Australian Open so we've selected five of the best you must keep an eye on.

Roberto Bautista Agut vs Andy Murray

Andy Murray (L) of Britain holds his trophy after winning his men's singles finals match next to runner's up Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 16, 2016
Image: Andy Murray (L) defeated Roberto Bautista Agut in the final of the Shanghai Masters in 2016. He leads their meetings 3-0

An already intriguing match took on an added edge after a tearful Andy Murray admitted on Friday that he didn't know how many more games he had in him.

Having admitted that he was planning to retire at Wimbledon, the former world no 1 conceded that his hip injury might not let him get that far so all eyes will be on Melbourne Arena, where a ground pass will be like gold dust for what could be Murray's last stand.

As an unseeded player, the Scot was left to the luck of the draw and his luck was out. Spaniard Bautista Agut, seeded 22nd, won the title in Doha last week, beating Novak Djokovic along the way, and his relentless baseline game will give Murray's a thorough workout.

Kyle Edmund vs Tomas Berdych

Kyle Edmund of Great Britain hits a forehand during a practice session ahead of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 10, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia
Image: Kyle Edmund takes on Tomas Berdych having lost their only match-up in Doha in 2016

As the 13th seed, Edmund would have hoped for a kind draw, but he was also unfortunate. Last year's semi-finalist will face former major finalist Berdych, whose ranking has dropped to 57 after back problems saw him miss the second half of last season.

Nick Kyrgios vs Milos Raonic

Nick Kyrgios of Australia shake hands with Milos Raonic of Canada after their match on day 3 at Queens Club on June 15, 2016 in London, England
Image: Nick Kyrgios (L) and Milos Raonic share a 3-3 head-to-head record ahead of their seventh encounter

Kyrgios' poor results have caused the Australian's ranking to plummet outside the top 50, making him one of the key unseeded floaters in the draw. His name landed next to 16th seed Raonic, a former semi-finalist in Melbourne.

Simona Halep vs Kaia Kanepi

Simona Halep of Romania reacts in her women's singles first round match against Kaia Kanepi of Estonia on Day One of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Image: Simona Halep lost to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia at the US Open last year, while the Romanian won their only other meeting in Doha

Halep goes into the tournament as world No 1 and last year's beaten finalist but the Romanian is also on a five-match losing streak, including a first-round loss to big-hitting Estonian Kanepi at the US Open.

Also See:

Sloane Stephens vs Taylor Townsend

Sloane Stephens and Taylor Townsend of the USA celebrates a point in their first round doubles match against Darija Jurak of Croatia and Megan Moulton-Levy of the USA during day two of the 2015 Hobart International at Domain Tennis Centre on January 12, 2015 in Hobart, Australia
Image: Sloane Stephens (R) and Taylor Townsend will meet competitively for the very first time in Melbourne

Stephens' last six Grand Slams have yielded one title, one final, one quarter-final and three first-round exits, which rather sums up the fifth seed's unpredictability. In the first round here she takes on one of the most stylish players in the draw in fellow American Taylor Townsend.

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