Day 3 signals the beginning of the second round of the Australian Open. Only 64 men remain standing in contention for the title. 32 of them will compete on Wednesday, and we’re going to predict all of their matches for you. The 16 matches are split between this and three other articles, featuring Nick Kyrgios vs Ugo Humbert, Stan Wawrinka vs Marton Fucsovics, and Novak Djokovic vs Frances Tiafoe. Predicting this set of matches is Jim Smith, Steen Kirby, and Fraser Learmonth.
Australian Open Day 3 Men’s Predictions
Milos Raonic vs Corentin Moutet
Jim:
The courts at the Australian Open look to be favoring the servers for the most part so far, which bodes well for Raonic. The Canadian will probably not have things all his own way here with Moutet in good form and adept at unsettling his opponent’s, but expect the former-world #3 to hit through the Frenchman and into the round of 32.
Prediction: Raonic in 4
Steen:
Moutet has a H2H win but should be fatigued, so the big-serving Canadian will his serve his way to a nip and tuck win.
Prediction: Raonic in 4
Fraser:
Raonic cruised to a quick and comfortable three set victory in his first round match, whereas Moutet was forced to go the distance by Australian John MIllman. The Frenchman did well to come through that match but is surely up against it here with Raonic playing some of his best tennis. The Canadian has a booming serve and a huge forehand that both lend themselves to this surface. Moutet certainly has variety and could make things interesting for a set or two, but Raonic should make it through this without too much trouble.
Prediction: Raonic in 4
Adrian Mannarino vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Jim:
Long rallies should be the order of the day here. Both men made very impressive starts to their Australian Open campaigns, with neither dropping a set, and this should be a competitive encounter. But Mannarino has far more experience than the Serbian which should give him a decisive, if slight, advantage.
Prediction: Mannarino in 5
Steen:
Mannarino won their match last year. This will be a very competitive match, but the tricky Frenchman should stay in the driver’s seat.
Prediction: Mannarino in 5
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Fraser:
This could be a fun match to watch. Mannarino hits a flat ball and loves to move his opponents back and forth across the court with sharp angle changes. However, Kecmanovic is a great defender and covers the court incredibly well. It will be interesting to see which of those two styles comes out on top in this clash. I think Mannarino showed enough in his first round match to take this one too, but it will definitely be close and may go the distance.
Prediction: Mannarino in 5
Egor Gerasimov vs Aslan Karatsev
Jim:
Karatsev has been making steady progress of late and a debut in the Top 100 is surely not far away for the Russian. But Gerasimov has the greater upside of the two and should be the man to secure his spot in the third round in Melbourne.
Prediction: Gerasimov in 4
Steen:
Gerasimov beat Benoit Paire and has the h2h win here, but Karatsev is playing well above his ranking and expectations are high. Don’t be surprised by an upset in this one.
Prediction: Karatsev in 4
Fraser:
Gerasimov did well to stay focused and out away Benoit Paire despite the antics that follow the frenchman almost everywhere he goes as of late. He now faces another tough test in Karatsev. Karatsev has been playing great ennis on the challenger tour recently and is knocking hard on the door of the top 100. This should be a tight match with both enjoying the hard courts more than other surfaces. It could go either way but I think the experience Gerasimov has at this level will pay off in the end.
Prediction: Gerasimov in 4
Dominic Thiem vs Dominik Koepfer
Jim:
It has taken Thiem longer than might have been expected to find his best tennis this season, a search that continues for the Austrian. Fortunately, the 2020 runner-up shouldn’t need anything like his very best to account for Koepfer, who cannot come close to matching the Austrian’s power.
Prediction: Thiem in 3
Steen:
Thiem is a contender to win the whole tournament, while Koepfer is pleased to make it this far. This will be routine.
Prediction: Thiem in 3
Fraser:
Koepfer is certainly capable of causing a stir in Grand Slams, having done just that at the US Open in 2019. However, the American college star has his hands full facing Austrian Dominic Thiem. Thiem is the reigning US Open champion and had his best year so far on hard courts last year. He has effortless power and a much-improved serve that make him a legitimate threat on this surface. He simply has too much power and ability for Koepfer to make any real dent in this match.
Prediction: Thiem in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
