Tennis Tennis Kerber set for Australian Open title defence, Serena handed tough start World number one Angelique Kerber will begin her title defence against Lesia Tsurenko at the Australian Open, while Serena Williams has been handed a tricky start in her quest to chase down the grand slam record. Sacha Pisani 13 January, 2017 08:46 IST Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber. Sacha Pisani 13 January, 2017 08:46 IST World number one Angelique Kerber will begin her title defence against Lesia Tsurenko at the Australian Open, while Serena Williams has been handed a tricky start in her quest to chase down the grand slam record. > Click to read: Women's seeds > Click to read: Women's preview Returning to Melbourne Park for the first time since stunning Williams in last year's final, German star Kerber opens week one against world number 61 Tsurenko. Kerber, whose preparation for the season's first slam has been indifferent following losses in Brisbane and Sydney, has been drawn in the same half as Simona Halep. Also winner of the US Open in 2016, Kerber could meet French Open champion and seventh seed Garbine Muguruza in the quarter-finals. Williams will kick things off against talented Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic. Working her way back to full fitness having only returned to action after a prolonged spell on the sidelines due to shoulder problems, the second seed is sure to be tested by 19-year-old Bencic. Bencic has form against the 22-time grand-slam champion, who is two adrift of Margaret Court's record, having defeated the American veteran at the Canadian Open in August 2015. Things do not get any easier for Williams - who suffered a second-round exit in Auckland - should she advance, with Lucie Safarova or Yanina Wickmayer awaiting in the second round, while a last-eight showdown with 2014 finalist Dominika Cibulkova could await. Notable first-round matches: Angelique Kerber [1] v Lesia Tsurenko Serena Williams [2] v Belinda Bencic Agnieszka Radwanska [3] v Tsvetana Pironkova Simona Halep [4] v Shelby Rogers Karolina Pliskova [5] v Sara Sorribes Tormo Dominika Cibulkova [6] v Denisa Allertova Garbine Muguruza [7] v Marina Erakovic Johanna Konta [9] v Kirsten Flipkens Venus Williams [13] v Kateryna Kozlova Caroline Wozniacki [17] v Arina Rodionova Read more stories on Tennis. For more updates, follow Sportstar on :