Top seed Lleyton Hewitt has been drawn in the same half of the Australian Open as three-time winner Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras.
Hewitt, the world No 1 and Australia's first top seed for 26 years in the Grand Slam tournament, faces Spain's Alberto Martin in the first round.
But Agassi, the third seed and bidding for a hat-trick of wins after winning in 2000-01, could play Sampras in the quarter-finals. He also faced the prospect of a fourth-round clash with exciting US youngster Andy Roddick.
Second seed Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil will play Britain's sixth-seed Tim Henman in the quarters in the bottom half of the draw if he survives that long.
Defending champion Jennifer Capriati has been kept away from Martina Hingis and Serena Williams in the women's field.
Capriati, the top seed after the injury withdrawal of world No.1 Lindsay Davenport, was given a relatively easy draw in the top half with a potential semi-final between two Belgians, fourth-seed Kim Clijsters or sixth-seed Justine Henin.
But it looks decidedly tougher in the bottom half of the 128-strong draw with second seed Venus Williams possibly facing four-time winner Monica Seles, seeded eight, in the quarter-finals.
Her sister Serena is on the course to face three-time champion Hingis in the other quarter-final, with the winner likely to face Venus Williams for a place in the final.
AFP