The backside half of the lads’s singles draw opens play Tuesday on the Australian Open, with a full slate of marquee matchups and star names on Melbourne’s Day 2 schedule.
Novak Djokovic begins his marketing campaign for his record-extending tenth title in Melbourne towards Roberto Carballes Baena, whereas Matteo Berrettini meets Andy Murray within the day’s different ATP matchup on Rod Laver Arena. Andrey Rublev faces wild card Dominic Thiem in one other popcorn encounter, whereas Top 10 seeds Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune are additionally in motion.
ATPTour.com appears at a few of Tuesday’s largest clashes.
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[13] Matteo Berrettini (ITA) vs. Andy Murray (GBR)
A rematch of their 2022 US Open third-round assembly, gained by Berrettini in 4 units, this encounter units up as an early litmus take a look at for each males. Murray, for his half, feels ready to show the tables on the Italian after three straight losses of their ATP Head2Headvert.
“I feel ready to play a top player early in the event,” Murray mentioned in a pre-tournament presser on Saturday. “I understand how I’m feeling immediately in comparison with once I went into the match on the US Open and I’m taking part in higher. I’m in a greater place bodily. I really feel nicely ready for the occasion. Obviously the matches I’ve performed towards him [before], you’d hope you’d study stuff from and take stuff away from it that can enable you to go into the following one.”
The Briton has performed only one ATP Tour match this season — a straight-sets defeat to eventual finalist Sebastian Korda in Adelaide. By the measure of match play, Berrettini has the sting.
The Break Point star opened the 2023 season with three wins on the United Cup, together with Top 10 victories towards Casper Ruud and Hubert Hurkacz, however adopted that up with tight defeats to Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz as Team Italy completed runner-up within the mixed-gender occasion. Berrettini’s run to the Australian Open semi-finals final season will add to his confidence in Melbourne, as will his stellar current file on the majors: the 26-year-old has reached the quarter-finals or higher in every of his previous 5 Slam appearances.
That is the type of kind Murray loved in his youthful years, when he reached the quarters at 18 straight Slams from 2011-15, successful titles on the 2012 US Open and 2013 Wimbledon. But partly on account of his damage woes, the Briton has not been past the third spherical at a Slam since he reached the 2017 Wimbledon quarters as World No. 1.
Yet Murray is in no temper to look again on his previous success: “I don’t really feel proper now’s a time for reflection for me,” he said. “I’m seeking to the longer term, nonetheless lengthy I’ve left, to deal with how I can get the very best out of my sport and physique and obtain the very best outcomes potential.”
[5] Andrey Rublev vs. [WC] Dominic Thiem (AUT)
A standout first-round conflict set to exhilarate the Melbourne crowds sees the highly effective Rublev meet 2020 finalist Thiem on John Cain Arena. The World No. 6 Rublev holds a transparent benefit by way of present rating however Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion and a two-time finalist at Roland Garros, has better Grand Slam pedigree.
Despite beginning 2023 with two defeats, Rublev will look to his 4-2 ATP Head2Headvert collection lead for confidence towards an opponent who remains to be looking for his finest degree after lacking 9 months throughout the 2021 and 2022 seasons on account of a wrist damage. The fifth-seeded Rublev reached the quarter-finals in Melbourne in 2021, however he shall be cautious of Thiem’s all-around high quality in what might be an intriguing matchup.
[4] Novak Djokovic (SER) vs. Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP)
Nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic’s bid for a record-equalling twenty second Grand Slam title begins on Rod Laver Arena towards the World No. 75 Carballes Baena. The Serbian isn’t just bidding to attract degree with Rafael Nadal’s tally of main titles this fortnight in Melbourne — he can even safe a return to No. 1 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings by lifting the trophy.
Djokovic gained his solely earlier match towards Carballes Baena in straight units on the 2019 US Open. Incredibly, the present World No. 4 has not misplaced a match wherever in Australia since nicely earlier than that New York assembly, placing collectively a 34-match successful streak within the nation since his fourth-round defeat to Hyeon Chung in Melbourne in 2018.
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— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2023
Carballes Baena is but to win a set in three earlier matches towards Top 5 opponents, however the Spaniard has skilled first-round success at Melbourne Park earlier than. He defeated Attila Balazs in 2021 earlier than falling to eventual finalist Daniil Medvedev within the second spherical. Can he spring a historic shock Monday on Rod Laver Arena?
Also In Action…
Like Djokovic, second seed Casper Ruud can turn out to be World No. 1 by claiming the Australian Open title this fortnight [Ruud can also rise to top spot by reaching the final if Stefanos Tsitsipas doesn’t win the title]. The Norwegian begins his bid for a maiden Grand Slam crown along with his first tour-level assembly towards Czech Tomas Machac. Eighth seed Taylor Fritz can even look to make a quick begin to his Melbourne marketing campaign after tasting United Cup success as a part of Team USA. The 25-year-old opens towards Nikoloz Basilashvili.
A surprising finish to 2022 noticed Holger Rune break the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the primary time, however the 19-year-old Dane will need to bounce again from first-round defeat in Adelaide two weeks in the past in his first-round conflict towards Filip Krajinovic. The 2020 semi-finalist Alexander Zverev additionally chases his first victory of the yr towards fortunate loser Juan Pablo Varillas.
Seven house favourites will search to trip house help to a spot within the second spherical on Tuesday. They embrace twenty second seed Alex de Minaur, who performs qualifier Hsu Yu Hsiou, and final week’s Adelaide semi-finalist Thanasi Kokkinakis. The 26-year-old faces Fabio Fognini in what is ready to be an entertaining conflict on Kia Arena. Other Australians in motion embrace Jordan Thompson, who faces J.J. Wolf, and wild card Alexei Popyrin, who meets Tseng Chun-Hsin.