Round one of the Australian Open will conclude with a huge schedule of blockbuster matchups on Tuesday. Andrey Rublev is going up against qualifier Joao Fonseca, while Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard faces fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils.
(9) Andrey Rublev vs. (Q) Joao Fonseca
Rublev vs. Fonseca is arguably the marquee matchup of the entire Australian Open first round–and without question a nightmare of a draw for the Russian. “Qualifier” initially looked fine, but when “qualifier turned into “Fonseca,” Rublev could not have been a happy camper. After all, Fonseca is one of the tour’s rising stars and has the potential to be a world No. 1 and Grand Slam champion. For now, the 18-year-old Brazilian is the reigning NextGen ATP Finals champion. His winning streak currently stands at 13 matches, having begun this season with a Challenger title in Canberra and successful qualification for the Aussie Open main draw.
The story of late has been much different for Rublev, who is struggling. The world No. 9 is 1-6 in his last seven matches dating back to October and he has not reached a single semifinal since finishing runner-up at the 2024 Montreal Masters. All the pressure in this matchup is on Rublev, and bad things often happen when he is faced with a lot of pressure. Don’t be surprised if Fonseca’s rise continues with the biggest win of his career.
Pick: Fonseca in 5
Gael Monfils vs. (30) Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
It will be an all-French showdown when Mpetshi Perricard and Monfils go head-to-head for the first time in their careers. It’s a shame that one of these two guys will be out of Melbourne in the opening round because both are in outstanding form. Mpetshi Perricard’s hot streak dates back to last fall, when he punctuated his season with an ATP 500 title in Basel. The 21-year-old got off to a strong start to his 2025 campaign, as well, reaching the Brisbane semifinals before falling to Reilly Opelka.
Monfils did not do much of anything down the stretch in 2024, but an offseason of rest has given him a clean bill of health. The 38-year-old parlayed it into the 13th title of his career on Saturday in Auckland, so he heads into the first Grand Slam of the season with a ton of momentum. At the same time, a bunch of matches in a short amount of time generally isn’t a good thing for the oft-injured Monfils. If Mpetshi Perricard serves well, the much younger Frenchman will likely have too much game for his compatriot.
Pick: Mpetshi Perricard in 4
amazing matchups
GMP BB 10M