Russia’s Daniil Medvedev battles American Frances Tiafoe on day 2 of the 2020 Australian Open, while home favorite Alex Bolt looks to knock off Albert Ramos. Jim Smith, Damian Kust, and Yesh Ginsburg offer their predictions.
Frances Tiafoe vs Daniil Medvedev
Jim: Many have suggested this will be a real test for Medvedev, but that doesn’t seem all that likely. Tiafoe remains inconsistent and whilst his run to the quarterfinals here last season was impressive, he has done little in recent months to suggest he is capable of repeating it. Don’t expect Medvedev to encounter many problems in progressing to the second round. Medvedev in 3
Yesh: Tiafoe hasn’t been able to find his best tennis for a while now, and this draw won’t help him at all. Medvedev in 3
Damian: Last year’s quarterfinalist was certainly not who Medvedev wanted to see in his first round draw. But it also could have been much worse as the American has been out of form for months now. Potentially tricky if Tiafoe turns up but it’s highly unlikely. Medvedev in 3
Jim: Goffin got back on track during the second half of last season and he played some excellent tennis at the ATP Cup, claiming good wins over Grigor Dimitrov and Rafael Nadal. Chardy’s forehand does remain a formidable weapon and he has played well in Melbourne in the past, reaching the quarterfinals in 2013, but his backhand and second serve are real weaknesses that Goffin seems certain to exploit. Goffin in 4
Yesh: Chardy is a solid player who can beat most middling players, but Goffin is far from middling. He’s too consistent and will win this match quickly. Goffin in 3
Damian: This might not be as easy as it looks for the Belgian. Chardy played some very decent tennis in the weeks prior to the Australian Open and his forehand has the power to take control over baseline rallies. But Goffin’s stellar defense and the ability to take the ball on the rise should be the key to keep the Frenchman on the back foot. Goffin in 4
Alex Bolt vs Albert Ramos Vinolas
Jim: After his run to the third round last season, the pressure will be on for Bolt to defend those valuable ranking points. And he will not find that easy up against the typically reliable Albert Ramos Vinolas, who made the quarterfinals at the Adelaide International. This one seems likely to be fairly closely fought, but the quicker conditions should suit Bolt better than the Spaniard and he will also have the backing of the crowd. Bolt in 5
Yesh: Albert Ramos-Vinolas had something of a renaissance last year, but he’s susceptible to losing to a worse player. I think Bolt can pull an upset on home soil here. Bolt in 4
Damian: Going with the slight upset here. Bolt was one of the surprise runs here last year and seems to enjoy playing with home crowd support. There isn’t much Ramos did on hard courts in recent years that would really suggest he’s a class higher than the Aussie. Bolt in 5
Federico Delbonis vs Joao Sousa
Jim: Joao Sousa has rather flattered to deceive since winning the Estoril Open two years ago and he currently finds himself ranked outside the top 50. However, unlike many of his countrymen, his game is best suited to quicker surfaces like those found at Melbourne Park. Up against the clay-court specialist Federico Delbonis, that should give him a decisive edge. Sousa in 4
Yesh: This could be a fun toss-up. Neither player is particularly electric or playing great right now, but both are solid players capable of moments of magic. I’ll go with Sousa in a tight one. Sousa in 4
Damian: It hasn’t been a perfect start of the year for either of the two. Sousa’s game is much better suited to hard courts though and the Portuguese should be able to dominate the play, using his impressive timing to push Delbonis off the baseline. Sousa in 4
Main Photo:
