The Australian Open begins in Melbourne with defending and 7 time champion Novak Djokovic taking the court against Jan-Lennard Struff in one of the stand out matches of the day. Steen Kirby, Damian Kust, and Harsh Bhoot offer their predictions.
Novak Djokovic vs Jan-Lennard Struff
Harsh: The defending champ opens his campaign and it’s a good first round challenge for Novak Djokovic. Jan-Lennard Struff is no pushover but he hasn’t even taken a set against the Serb in their previous two meetings. Djokovic is a brilliant counter puncher and is perfectly capable of handling Struff’s aggressive gamestyle. Expect competitive phases of tennis but the difference in class should prove to be decisive. Djokovic in 3
Damian: Although this is far from an ideal draw for the Serbian, it’s hard to imagine an upset here. Struff definitely has the game to do it but executing it over a best of 5 match is extremely unlikely. Djokovic’s return will be a huge asset here. Djokovic in 3
Steen: Struff is playing well, but Novak Djokovic was undefeated in singles at the ATP Cup and he loves the AO. This is a slightly tougher match than most first rounders for Djokovic, but he should breeze through with flying colors. Djokovic in 3
Guido Pella vs J.P. Smith
Harsh: Guido Pella returns after an okay ATP Cup campaign and has a tough draw to navigate here in Melbourne. The Argentine has gone past the second round here but is seeded 22nd here on the back of a great 2019 and will be eager to best a second round best. His opponent, John-Patrick Smith won the wildcard playoff to complete a fairytale of his own and should make it a bit challenging for Pella in front of a partisan Aussie crowd. Expect Smith to have his moments but Pella looks set to be the aggressor of the two and edge it out. Pella in 4
Damian: This can be a potentially tricky first round matchup for Guido Pella. The Argentinian hasn’t really been playing up to his ranking lately and playing a home court player is always potentially dangerous. Victory won’t come easy, but I expect Pella’s consistency to triumph here in the very end. Pella in 4
Steen: The winner of a play-in wild card tournament, J.P. Smith is a journeyman who will be riding home support in a bid to knock off Pella, a steady ATP level player who much prefers clay. Pella is the better player and should have enough game to make it through, but Smith will give it his best shot. Pella in 4
Sam Querrey vs Borna Coric
Harsh: A must watch first round clash and should be a lengthy one as well. Borna Coric had a disastrous couple of matches to end his ATP Cup campaign and will enter this match low on confidence. Sam Querrey too hasn’t had a good start to 2020 losing in the second round in Adelaide with his serve not firing like it can. Both players will be seeking to minimise their error count when they take on each other and with the Croat having the more consistent baseline and return game, Coric may well wrestle the advantage if the match goes the distance. Coric in 5
Damian: Both players are not exactly in their best form coming into this event. Coric might have scored a good win over Dominic Thiem at the ATP Cup, but he was also blown out by Hubert Hurkacz and Diego Schwartzman. I’ve found Querrey’s Adelaide display just a tiny bit more impressive. Querrey in 4
Steen: Coric struggled to finish out the year while Querrey is a pedestrian pro these days. Coric has more upside but I’m not confident in his form at all, Querrey has a slight edge here based off form. Querrey in 5
Tommy Paul vs Leonardo Mayer
Harsh: The young American, Tommy Paul was on a roll this past week in Adelaide reaching the last four. He’d be fancying his chances against Leonardo Mayer who lost in the qualifying at Auckland only to lose again as a lucky loser in the first round. On current form, Paul is the more confident out of the two and should win his first grand slam main draw match. Expect the experienced Argentine to nab a set but the young American should pull through. Paul in 4
Damian: The American was very impressive in Adelaide, reaching the semifinals as a qualifier. His game worked very well in similar conditions and should be suited to the courts better than Mayer’s as his shots require a much bigger backswing. Paul should be able to crush the forehands from his backhand corner and take time away from the Argentinian. Paul in 4
Steen: Tommy Paul is playing well and could have a breakthrough here. He’s struggled at the slam level so far in his career, but Mayer is a relatively weak opponent near the end of his career these days. Paul will extend his momentum. Paul in 3
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