Nick Kyrgios will open his Wimbledon campaign against English wildcard Paul Jubb as the much-anticipated draw delivers unpredictable hurdles — for different reasons — for at least three of Australia's mens tennis stars.
Australia's biggest title hope in the absence of retired 2021 women's champion Ash Barty, Kyrgios will play the 219th-ranked Jubb on Tuesday.
While that shapes as a straightforward opening assignment for the enigmatic former quarter-finalist, James Duckworth's show court showdown with Britain's golden boy and two-time champion Andy Murray is anything but.
After career-saving hip surgery, last month Murray returned to the world's top 50 for the first time in four years and rounded preparations for another Wimbledon tilt by reaching the final in Stuttgart.
It's a huge test for Duckworth but one the 30-year-old journeyman is relishing.
Resurgent former world number one junior Jason Kubler also plays a home hope in newly crowned Nottingham Open champion Dan Evans, the tournament's 28th seed.
Thanasi Kokkinakis also has an intriguing draw, facing Pole Kamil Majchrzak first up and, potentially, top-seeded six-times champion Novak Djokovic in the second round.
Australian number one Alex de Minaur, the men's 19th seed, starts against Bolivian Hugo Dellien, the world number 81.
Despite his status as the country's highest-ranked player, de Minaur is playing second fiddle once more to Kyrgios, who has returned to the All England Club as a genuine title contender.
The one-time world number 13 has been sublime at times this year, effortlessly beating the likes of third-seeded French Open finalist Casper Ruud and also adding Greek superstar Stefanos Tsitsipas to his list of prized scalps.
At other times, Kyrgios has melted in all-too-familiar fashion, leaving fans wondering when will tennis's most prodigious talent deliver on his potential.
On medical advice, Kyrgios withdrew from this week's Mallorca Championships with a painful abdomen.
Should he have recovered sufficiently enough to get past the talented Jubb in his opener, he would play either Filip Krajinović or Czech Jiří Lehečka in the second round.
In-form countryman Jordan Thompson or fourth-seeded Tsitsipas looms as a third-round blockbuster for Kyrgios.
Australia's top-ranked female, Ajla Tomljanovic, faces a tough time to repeat her last year's run to the quarter-finals, drawing Swiss 18th seed Jill Teichmann in the first round.
Inspirational qualifier Zoe Hives also will meet a seed in world number five Maria Sakkari.
Serena Williams will face 24-year-old French world number 113 Harmony Tan in her first singles appearance since last year's Wimbledon.
Tan will be making her first ever appearance at SW19, while 40-year-old Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, appears for the 21st time.
Williams currently sits outside the top 1,000 in the WTA rankings and was offered a wildcard for the grass-court slam after playing in two doubles matches last week at Eastbourne.
If Williams gets past Tan, next up could be a match against Sara Sorribes Tormo, who is seeded 32nd but has never been past the second round at the All England Club nor the third round at any major in 19 past appearances.
The third round potentially would put Williams against a tougher test: number six-seeded Karolína Plíšková, who was the runner-up to Ash Barty last year at Wimbledon and also reached the final of the 2016 US Open, defeating Williams in the semi-finals there.
Australian players first round opponents
Women's singles
Ajla Tomljanovic v (18) Jill Teichmann (SUI)
Jamiee Fourlis v Kirsten Flipkens (BEL)
Zoe Hives v (5) Maria Sakkari (GRE)
Daria Saville v Viktoriya Tomova (BUL)
Astra Sharma v Tatjana Maria (GER)
Madison Inglis v Dalma Galfi (HUN)
Men's singles
(19) Alex de Minaur v Hugo Dellien (BOL)
Thanasi Kokkinakis v Kamil Majchrzak (POL)
John Millman v Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB)
James Duckworth v Andy Murray (GBR)
Max Purcell v Adrian Mannarino (FRA)
Nick Kyrgios v Paul Jubb (GBR)
Jordan Thompson v Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP)
Jason Kubler v (28) Dan Evans (GBR)
Alexei Popyrin v Hugo Gaston (FRA)
