After four days of enticing ATP matches in Brisbane, Thursday’s action will feature four more second-round matches. Rafael Nadal will continue his exhilarating comeback, facing off against home favorite Jason Kubler. Thursday’s order of play also highlights World No. 14 Grigor Dimitrov, with the Bulgarian rediscovering his top form. With top players and additional home Australian players taking the court, there should be plenty of high-quality tennis in store. As always, LWOT predicts the upcoming matches.
ATP Brisbane Day 5 Predictions
Tomas Machac vs Rinky Hijikata
Head-to-head: First meeting
Hijikata, the 2023 Australian Open doubles champion, is starting to translate his doubles skill into singles success. The 22-year-old Australian began his season in the best possible style, taking out countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis 7-6 (8) 6-2. In singles, Hijikata went 15-6 in Australia during the 2023 season, winning his second ATP Challenger title in Burnie. The peak of his season, however, was a fourth-round breakthrough at the 2023 US Open, helping him reach a career-high ranking of No. 70.
Meanwhile, Machac is another top young contender on the ATP Tour. On Tuesday, he claimed his first-ever Top 30 win after taking out Tomas Etcheverry in a thrilling third-set tiebreak, and a win on Thursday would advance him to his third-ever ATP- tour-level quarterfinal. However, one has to factor fitness and fatigue into this upcoming matchup. Hijikata is no stranger to long rallies and plays very physical tennis, likely planning to exhaust Machac. With that, coupled with the home crowd, Hijikata should have a slight advantage.
Prediction: Hijikata in 3
Jordan Thompson vs Ugo Humbert
Head-to-head: First meeting
This is a classic matchup of hometown hero versus top opponent. While Humbert has more skill and prowess on the court, the Australian No. 4 Thompson should not be ruled out. It’s exciting that this matchup is the pair’s first, as both players have relatively similar styles of play. Both players are no strangers to the net and possess tricky serves that can be placed practically anywhere.
Humbert’s career resurgence came in the latter portion of 2023, capped off by a fourth career title at the ATP Metz Open. He also claimed two Top 10 wins in 2023, taking out Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas in consecutive events in China. Thompson has continued to play solid tennis and maintain his spot in the Top 60, but he’s yet to make a major ATP breakthrough. Despite the home-crowd advantage, Humbert should be the favorite to win this one.
Prediction: Humbert in 3
Grigor Dimitrov vs Daniel Altmaier
Head-to-head: Dimtirov 2-0
One year ago, the then-28th-ranked Dimitrov seemed to be stagnant in his career, unable to regain the form that saw him win the 2017 ATP Finals. Now, he’s back in the Top 15, and looks to threaten the likes of Tsitsipas, Rublev and Zverev at the top of tennis. He secured a thrilling victory over Andy Murray in the first round of Brisbane, taking out the three-time Grand Slam champion 4-6 7-5 6-2. His serve, a shot that previously fell apart under pressure, is back as a major weapon. Meanwhile, his forehand seems to have more pace and hasn’t broken down as well.
Meanwhile, Altmaier was pushed by Aussie Li Tu in the first round, winning in two close tiebreakers. His hard-court win was rather an anomaly — unfortunately for the German, he went 3-13 on hard courts in 2023. With Dimitrov’s elevating form, this should make the Bulgarian the favorite.
Prediction: Dimitrov in 2
Rafael Nadal vs Jason Kubler
Head-to-head: First meeting
This is one of the only times in tennis that the World No. 672 is the heavy favorite against the World No. 102. Nadal’s comeback went better than countless fans expected, as he took out Dominic Thiem 7-5 6-1 in the first round. His forehand was a weapon as it always has been, and he didn’t appear to display any glaring physical problems. It will be intriguing to see whether any physical issues pop up for Nadal as the tournament progresses.
It will also be fascinating to see who the crowd roots for in this matchup. Kubler is an inspiring late-bloomer in Australia, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 63 last April. However, injuries plagued the Aussie’s season after the US Open. In the end, Kubler will likely face some tension playing such a titan in front of his home crowd, helping Nadal ease into the match and overwhelm his Aussie opponent.
Prediction: Nadal in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
