Melbourne: Somdev Devvarman has drawn an easy opponent in local player James Duckworth in the opening round of the qualifying event of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.
Somdev, ranked 161, has been seeded 27 and is up against a player who is as low as 1712 in the ATP ranking list.
Teen sensation Yuki Bhambari will play Czech Republic's Jan Minar, who is ranked 245.
However, 330 ranked Yuki will take confidence from his win against world number 110 Illya Marchenko of Ukraine in the Chennai Open qualifiers.
Another Indian in the fray, Prakash Amritraj will play against Germany's Andre Begemann.
Somdev had last year became the first Indian in seven years to play in the singles draw of a Grand Slam when he qualified for the US Open. He had lost in the second round.
Before that Prakash Amritraj had played in US Open in 2002 as a wild card entrant.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, January 12, 2010, 19:48