Rafael Nadal will not face a seed immediately at his comeback tournament in Brisbane after drawing a qualifier in the first round, with Russia´s Aslan Karatsev is likely to be his second-round opponent.
The 37-year-old Spaniard has been on the sidelines for nearly 12 months following hip surgery after the Australian Open earlier this year.
The winner of 22 Grand Slam singles titles expects to bring the curtain down on his career in 2024 due to recurring injuries. Despite limited time on the court, Nadal has stepped up his training in recent weeks.
Nadal was given a wildcard to the season-opening Brisbane International as he gears up for the first major of the year at Melbourne Park, starting on January 14.
The 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem and former world number eight Diego Schwartzman are also competing in Brisbane.
If Nadal wins the first round, he will face eighth-seeded Karatsev or Australian wildcard Jason Kubler in the second round, while a clash with fourth seed Ugo Humbert is on the cards in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Britain´s Andy Murray will lock horns with second-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the first round.
Murray has won the Brisbane International twice in the past, and beat Dimitrov in the final in 2013.
In the women´s draw, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will face Germany´s world number 84 Tamara Korpatsch in her first match as she makes her eagerly-anticipated return.
The Japanese star, who gave birth to daughter Shai in July and while also having mental health issues, has not played a competitive match since September 2022.
If Osaka beats Korpatsch, she will clash with three-time Brisbane champion Karolina Pliskova in the second round.
World number two Aryna Sabalenka was given a bye in the first round.