Australian Open 2024: Alexei Popyrin believes he can 'do some ...

World number 43 Alexei Popyrin believes he can "do some damage" when he plays Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open second round on Wednesday.

Ten-time champion Djokovic faces the Australian, 24, in the last match of the night session on Rod Laver Arena.

Before that, defending women's champion Aryna Sabalenka plays teenage qualifier Brenda Fruhvirtova.

Asked about the difficulties of facing top seed Djokovic, Popyrin said: "I don't think he's got any weaknesses."

He added: "He is the greatest of all time in our sport, so to get there you have to have no weaknesses.

"But I have big weapons in my game that I believe can do some damage."

Serb Djokovic, 36, was made to work hard for his first-round victory over Croatian 18-year-old Dino Prizmic on Sunday, praising the teenager by saying it was like "playing myself in the mirror".

The 24-time Grand Slam champion will face a different challenge in his second-round match against Popyrin, who will be heavily backed by a home crowd.

It will be the pair's second meeting after Djokovic beat Popyrin in straight sets in Tokyo in 2019.

As the singles second round gets under way, a second teenager stands in the way of Sabalenka, 25, after she thrashed 18-year-old German qualifier Ella Seidel in the first round.

The Belarusian's opponent, Czech 16-year-old Fruhvirtova who is ranked 107th in the world, is playing her first Grand Slam second-round match.

Another 16-year-old features on Rod Laver Arena as Russian Mirra Andreeva plays sixth seed Ons Jabeur, a match which will be followed by home hope Alex De Minaur, the 10th seed, looking to overcome Italian Matteo Arnaldi.

Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, Ben Shelton and Caroline Wozniacki are also in singles action on Wednesday, while Joe Salisbury, Neal Skupski and Heather Watson are among six Britons playing in the men's and women's doubles competitions.