The missile

NextGenATP Frenchman Luca Van Assche: Three-time champion Rafael Nadal is drawn to face former finalist Milos Raonic of Canada in a testing first-round match at the Paribas Open as the draw for the year's first ATP Masters 1000 threw up an interesting challenge for the Spaniard.

Nadal, who has reached the final in 2022 during his last visit to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, will be making just his second appearance of the year, following a quarter-final run to the ATP 250 in Brisbane in the first week of the season.

After an 11-month hiatus due to a hip flexor injury, the 37-year-old Spaniard made his comeback to the tour in early January, won two matches at Brisbane, then suffered a micro tear to a muscle near his left hip during a quarterfinal loss to Jordan Thompson in his last contested ATP match.