Lleyton Hewitt is headed for a second-round showdown with new world No.1 Rafael Nadal after going into the Beijing Olympics as an unseeded player for the first time in a decade.
Hewitt, a former Wimbledon and US Open champion and world No.1, will be ranked No.20 when he goes into the Games but will drop to around 60th in the next fortnight.
In that time, Nadal is certain to take Roger Federer’s mantle as the top ranked player in men’s tennis.
Hewitt will meet the spectacularly in-form Nadal if the Australian can get past Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman – who is playing his final season before retirement.
Hewitt’s Australian teammate Chris Guccione will take on American James Blake, while Alicia Molik will meet 1996 gold medallist Lindsay Davenport.
Australia’s highest ranked woman Casey Dellacqua comes up against Argentina’s Gisela Dulko, while Samantha Stosur clashes with Italian Sara Errani.
Hewitt and Guccione will join up for the men’s doubles while Dellacqua will combine with Molik in the women’s doubles.
Stosur and Rennae Stubbs will be Australia’s second doubles pair in the women’s event with Paul Hanley and Jordan Kerr linking up in the men’s.
