Australia's tennis stars have copped the worst of the US Open draw in New York.
Seeded big guns Nick Kyrgios, Ashleigh Barty and Daria Gavrilova will need to pull out all stops to make a deep run at the season's last grand slam, with all three facing early trouble.
Kyrgios opens against Moldovan Radu Albot for the right to play either Indian Yuki Bhambri or Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
Rarely is anything routine for Kyrgios but, should he win his first two matches, the enigmatic two-time grand slam quarter-finalist would likely run into five-times champion and second seed Roger Federer in round three.
The Canberran is paying the price for falling down to 30th in the world rankings, a dip that left him all but certain of striking a top-eight rival in the round of 32.
Kyrgios has landed in a loaded bottom half of the men's draw that also features sixth-seeded Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic in his quarter, as well as fourth seed Alexander Zverev and seventh seed Marin Cilic.
Countrymen Alex de Minaur, who opens against Japan's Taro Daniel, and John Millman, who plays American wildcard Jenson Brooksby, are also in Kyrgios's and Federer's half.
Australia's other direct entrants in the men's event fared no better at Thursday's draw.
James Duckworth was thrust into a showdown with former world No.1 and 2012 US Open champion Andy Murray, the most accomplished player not seeded at Flushing Meadows.
Jordan Thompson also faces a Brit, rising left-hander Cameron Norrie, while Matt Ebden takes on Serbian seed Filip Krajikovic and wildcard Jason Kubler has a rugged first-round clash with 19th Roberto Bautista-Agut.
Alex Bolt and Marc Polman could boost Australia's stocks in the main draw after progressing to the final round of qualifying.
But fellow South Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis crashed to a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 second-round qualifying loss to German Yannick Maden.
Australia's women also face a tough time making their mark in New York, with 2011 champion Samantha Stosur drawn to meet world No.2 and reigning Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki in the first round.
After withdrawing from this week's WTA event in New Haven with a virus, 18th seed Ashleigh Barty drew a qualifier for her opener, with dual grand slam winner Garbine Muguruza looming as a third-round obstacle for Australia's highest-ranked player.
Daria Gavrilova, seeded 25th, plays Sara Sorribes Tormo and could confront former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka in round two.
Alja Tomljanovic and wildcard Lizette Cabrera go head to head, guaranteeing at least one Australian in the second round, while teenager Jamie Fourlis is through to the last round of qualifying after a fighting 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 win over Russian Olga Danilovic.
But Arina Rodionova's tournament is over following a 6-3 6-1 second-round qualifying loss to American Jessica Pegula.
The US Open main-draw action starts on Monday (Tuesday AEST).
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