Both Novak Djokovic and Gael Monfils won their ATP Cup openers and will now face each other on Monday. Dominic Thiem and Diego Schwartzman, on the other hand, each lost in three sets on Saturday.
Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Gael Monfils (FRA)
One of the most lopsided “rivalries” in tennis history will add another chapter when Djokovic and Monfils meet again on Monday, this time at the inaugural ATP Cup. Djokovic is dominating the head-to-head series at the ATP level by a ridiculous 15-0 margin, and only five times has Monfils even forced a final set. They have not collided since the 2018 Australian Open, where the Serb scored a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 victory.
There is no reason to think Monfils will suddenly end this losing streak Down Under. Nowhere is Djokovic better than he is in Australia, and the world No. 2 started strong on Saturday with a 7-6(5), 7-6(6) victory over a surprisingly impressive Kevin Anderson. Monfils did well to beat Christian Garin 6-3, 7-5, but this is obviously a massive step up in competition.
Pick: Djokovic in 2
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Dominic Thiem (AUT) vs. Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
Thiem wrapped up his 2019 campaign in scorching-hot form, highlighted by a runner-up performance at the Nitto ATP Finals. Despite his confidence and newfound hard-court game, the fourth-ranked Austrian fell to a struggling Borna Coric of Croatia 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3 on Saturday.
Schwartzman also lost in three, as he watched Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz mount a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 comeback. The 14th-ranked Argentine trails the head-to-head series against Thiem 5-2, making him even more of an obvious underdog in this one. A hard court will help Schwartzman be competitive like he was in the Vienna final this past fall, but an edge goes to Thiem.
Pick: Thiem in 3
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