Australian Open 2012 live stream

Aussies feature heavily in the lip-smacking opening round match-ups of AO2012. Cherry-picking the men’s and women’s draws, here’s our top 10.

1. Cedrik-Marcel Stebe v Lleyton Hewitt
The aging Aussie hero says his 16th AO is not the last. But for fans, this ranks high in poignant courtside viewing. The left-handed Stebe was playing Futures events in Turkey 12 months ago and rose almost 300 places in 2011. But he may find former No.1 Hewitt at his home Slam a big step up in his tennis education. Hewitt has all the big-match experience.

2. Andy Murray (4) v Ryan Harrison
An acid test for the rising young American, and not the easiest opener for Murray, either. The 2010-11 runner-up and new Brisbane champion will get to hone his heavy passing shots against the net-venturing, No.77 ranked Harrison.

3. Marinko Matosevic v Gael Monfils (14)
Winner of the wildcard playoff for a second straight year, 26-year-old Matosevic is desperate for a breakthrough win in his hometown Slam. Showman Monfils is streaky enough to give him hope. Expect a side-serve of drama and fireworks.

4. Alexandr Dolgopolov (13) v Greg Jones
The breakout non-seed at AO2011, free-hitting ‘Dolgo’ should be a bit too savvy for the No.198-ranked Aussie. For wildcard Jones, it’s the all-good ‘nothing to lose' scenario.

5. Bernard Tomic v Fernando Verdasco (22)
The Aussie young gun is yet to lose an opening round at the Aussie Open but has never faced a seed first-up, even if Verdasco is not the imposing figure who pushed Nadal in a marathon 2009 semi. Tomic, just out of the seedings at No.37, carries favouritism, and the confidence of his best-ever lead-up to a Grand Slam: semifinalist in Brisbane, winner at Kooyong.

6. John Isner (16) v Ben Mitchell
Long John Isner, the No.2 ace man of 2011, is a tall order in every sense for the 19-year-old Queenslander, junior Wimbledon runner-up in 2010 and currently No.222. But the American stumbled early in Sydney and Mitchell has been hitting with Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter.

7. Caroline Wozniacki (1) v Anastasia Rodionova
Wozy clings to her No.1 ranking despite a quarter-final exit in Sydney, but her mission to land the breakthrough Slam won't be eased by the wrist soreness she incurred in the loss to Radwanska, or the narky competitiveness of No.107 Rodionova.

8. Gisela Dulko v Maria Sharapova (4)
Doubles standout Dulko last year drew No.1 Wozniacki first-up; this year it’s former No.1 and 2008 champion Sharapova. Fans can’t lose: another glam-slam match-up.

9. Jelena Dokic v Anna Chakvetadze
Former top tenners, both have survived oppressive fathers and emotional trauma. Dokic upset the then-No.17 Russian in her stirring 2009 run to the quarterfinals. Now it's 24-year old Chakvetadze on the comeback, after illness wiped out her 2011 season and her run for a seat in the Russian parliament was unsuccessful.

10. Maria Kirilenko (27) v Jarmila Gajdosova
Jarka joked that she's already had the toughest Australian Open draws - Serena Williams in 2008, Yanina Wickmayer last year - so nothing would faze her. Kirilenko, though not a Slam winner, toppled Maria Sharapova in the first round in 2010 and is a tough-enough obstacle for the naturalized Aussie seeking her first win at the AO in seven attempts.