Day six at the Australian Open will see third-round action continue as the bottom half of the men’s draw battle it out for a place in the second week in Melbourne. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our picks for every match on the slate, including Rafael Nadal vs Cameron Norrie, with our panel of Jim Smith, Damian Kust and Yesh Ginsburg making their picks for this group of four matches. But who will reach the fourth round?
Australian Open Day Six Predictions
Daniil Medvedev vs Filip Krajinovic
Jim: This is not a good matchup for Filip Krajinovic. The Serbian’s strengths are his accuracy and court coverage, but his groundstrokes lack real bite. That is not always a problem, but it will be against a player who moves as well as Daniil Medvedev.
Prediction: Medvedev in 3
Yesh: Medvedev looks to be in great form. The Serbian Krajinovic is playing well and shouldn’t ever be underestimated, but Medvedev is just too good right now.
Prediction: Medvedev in 4
Damian: Medvedev’s winning streak is still rolling on and hasn’t really looked like ending any time soon. Krajinovic has the quality to make this close, but he usually underperforms in big matches. His mentality is always a bit suspect after losing so many matches from winning positions over the years. Medvedev should keep cruising.
Prediction: Medvedev in 3
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Casper Ruud vs Radu Albot
Jim: It has been some week for Radu Albot. The Moldovan endured a miserable 2020, but he started his Australian Open with a stunning win over Roberto Bautista Agut and backed that up by ousting Christopher O’Connell in straight sets. But the rock-solid Casper Ruud’s greater ability to step in and dictate ought to give the Norwegian the edge in this baseline battle.
Prediction: Ruud in 4
Yesh: This is a battle of two players who have potential but get few opportunities at the very top levels of the game. But Albot has been particularly impressive and should reach the second week at a Grand Slam for the first time with another solid match.
Prediction: Albot in 4
Damian: Ruud’s hard court game has improved massively and that has presented him with a great opportunity here. Albot’s run, meanwhile, has come absolutely out of nowhere after a very disappointing 2020 campaign. Both will come into this match knowing they have a good shot at making the fourth round, but I’ll go with Ruud, who just seems to have slightly more upside.
Prediction: Ruud in 5
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Fabio Fognini vs Alex de Minaur
Jim: After reaching the US Open quarterfinals last season, Alex de Minaur has looked a man determined to make an impact in Melbourne this season. His performances so far suggest that he might just do that. Fabio Fognini, meanwhile, did well to escape against his countryman Salvatore Caruso, but these are not conditions that suit his game.
Prediction: de Minaur in 4
Yesh: After a poor start, Fognini has flipped a switch and is now playing well. De Minaur is a beast on serve but the Italian has the game to mitigate that. With no fans in the stands, I give the advantage to Fognini.
Prediction: Fognini in 5
Damian: No one needs to be reminded of how dangerous Fognini is. But a steady level and a calm demeanour he does not possess, with his mental game all over the place. Against such a steady and reliable defender as de Minaur, the Italian will have to be on top of his game. His second-round marathon against Caruso doesn’t really suggest that he is. On top of that, de Minaur always seems to have an extra gear when playing at home.
Prediction: De Minaur in 4
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Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Mikael Ymer
Jim: Stefanos Tsitsipas looked rather shaky at times against Thanasi Kokkinakis, but the Greek deserves credit for grinding out a five-set win against the determined Australian. Mikael Ymer will almost certainly give him another stern examination, but the fifth seed’s power should give him a decisive advantage.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 4
Yesh: The Ymer brothers are so fun to watch and it’s great seeing Mikael reach the third round at a Major. He almost has the game to replicate what Kokkinakis almost did to Tsitsipas in the second round, but unfortunately, Ymer is not quite as talented as the Aussie. Tsitsipas should move on.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 4
Damian: Tsitsipas looked a bit shaky against Kokkinakis and shouldn’t have let the match go to a decider. This one should be more straightforward though as there is a huge difference between the weaponry of Tsitsipas and that possessed by Ymer. Their only head-to-head meeting was a very comfortable win for the Greek in Marseille last year, one that showcased the mismatch of power in this rivalry.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
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