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The final day of the first round at the Australian Open is here.
In this article I will look into two matches. First, the red hot Grigor Dimitrov versus the warrior Marton Fucsovics as well as the rising star Jack Draper against the big hitting American Marcos Giron. I see one of these matches being a battle and the other ending in relative ease.
Find my Australian Open predictions and picks for Dimitrov vs Fucsovics and Giron vs Draper below.
Note: Match times are subject to change. Read here for tips on viewing Australian Open matches.
Monday Australian Open Predictions
Dimitrov (-525) vs Fucsovics (+380)
8:15 p.m. ET
Dimitrov is displaying a bit of resurgence and is looking like his old self again. His victory at the 2024 Brisbane International, his first title since 2017 following five runner-ups, shows he may finally be back. Dimitrov's game is highlighted by his extreme athleticism and he often finds ways to dictate with his forehand and neutralize with his slice backhand. His performance in Brisbane, where he won nearly 80% of his first-serve points, is exactly the type of aggression and control he is looking for.
Fucsovics, on the other hand, has experienced a dip in form. Once a consistent threat in the top 50, Fucsovics's ranking has taken a dive. Despite this dip, no one will want to face this man in a best of five format. He is known for absolutely grueling rallies and matches and often sees his competitions go the full five sets. Led by his ultra consistent backhand, Fucsovics and Dimitrov may find themselves in plenty of excruciating rallies.
Their head-to-head record is slightly in favor of Fucsovics (2-1), but they have not played since 2021, where Dimitrov won. Fitness is always a factor in Grand Slams and there are not many people who can beat Fucsovics in that category. I think Dimitrov can go deep at the Australian Open, but it won't happen without a test in the first round.
Rallies will be long and so should this match. I see this one going over the total. I expect Dimitrov to move on as he is the much more in form, but Fucsovics is a given to apply all the pressure in the world.
Pick: Over 36.5 games (-110 via DraftKings)
Draper (-340) vs Giron (+265)
8:15 p.m. ET
I am all aboard the Draper train and think he has a huge chance of having a breakout year. If he can solve his fitness issues, which looked like a thing of the past in Adelaide, he will be a scary opponent. His aggression took a step up and he owns a complete game, on serve, return and rallies.
Giron has hung around a rank of about 60 for the past year, similar to where Draper is right now. Giron hits a massive ball and is consistently looking to be on the attack. However, despite their similar rankings, there is no question that Draper is the much more talented tennis player. With the Brit's ranking much lower than his skill, I expect him to show their real skill gap tomorrow.
Draper will have no problem neutralizing Giron's pace and Giron will surely have issues when Draper is pressing the gas. Draper is special from a defensive position on the court, often flipping directly from defense to attack and skipping the neutralizing step.
With Draper primed for a breakout year and momentum from Adelaide, paired with Giron's recent struggles and lack of success at the Australian Open, I think Draper can make quick work of the American. Expect Draper to make a dominant first round statement closing this out in straight sets.
Pick: Draper 3-0 (+150 via DraftKings)
