Defending champion Novak Djokovic will launch his bid for a record seventh Australian Open title with a tough first round match against Fernando Verdasco.

Spaniard Verdasco knocked out compatriot and 14-times grand slam champion Rafa Nadal in the opening round last year at Melbourne Park and had five match points against Djokovic in their recent clash at the Qatar Open.

Should Djokovic advance, the world number two could face a resurgent Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round. The Bulgarian won the Brisbane International last week and is in ominous form.

Andy Murray, who swiped the top ranking from Djokovic late last year, is unlikely to feel much sympathy for his long-time rival’s tough first week.

The Briton suffered his fourth defeat, and fifth in Australia overall, to 12-times grand slam champion Djokovic in last year’s Melbourne Park final.

Murray holds the top seed and the advantage this year, however.

The Scot faces 93rd-ranked Ukrainian Illya Marchenko in his opener, who he beat comfortably in the second round of the 2011 tournament, their sole Tour encounter.

From there, three-times grand slam winner Murray enjoys a relatively smooth run to the quarters where fifth seed Kei Nishikori or Roger Federer may await.

Federer, seeded 17th after the longest injury lay-off of his near-20 year career, eases back in to grand slam action against a qualifier.

But the Swiss master’s path to an 18th grand slam title is likely to mean passing a huge third round hurdle against Japan’s Nishikori.

In the women’s tournament, Serena Williams has been dealt a perilous first clash against Swiss talent Belinda Bencic as the American bids for a record 23rd grand slam title in the professional era.

Williams, coming back after a four-month lay-off to deal with shoulder injuries, could then face former top 10 player Lucie Safarova in the second round.

“(Bencic) knows how to feel comfortable in the big matches,” Federer’s former coach and tennis analyst Paul Annacone told the draw ceremony at Melbourne Park yesterday.

“I’ll be interested to see how Serena handles the pressure.”

Champion Angelique Kerber, who stunned Williams in the final last year, will play 61st-ranked Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko as she seeks to shrug off some indifferent form in the leadup.

The German world number one is aiming for her third grand slam win following on from her maiden US Open title last year.