Alexandre Muller will get right back in action after triumphing in Hong Kong when he faces Jakub Mensik in the Auckland first round on Tuesday afternoon. Lorenzo Sonego and Gabriella Diallo are also taking the court.
Alexandre Muller (SE) vs. Jakub Mensik
We already have a first-time ATP champion in 2025, as Muller captured his maiden title in the opening week of the year–beating Kei Nishikori in Sunday’s Hong Kong final. Seemingly wanting even more preparation before the Australian Open, the 56th-ranked Frenchman is lacing up his sneakers again at the ASB Classic.
A rough draw awaits Muller, starting with Mensik before the winner runs into No. 1 seed Ben Shelton. Mensik dominated their only previous encounter 6-3, 6-2 on the indoor hard courts of Vienna this past fall. The 19-year-old Czech also played well last week, advancing two rounds in Brisbane before falling to a red-hot Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Count on Mensik taking full advantage of a fatigued opponent.
Pick: Mensik in 2
(WC) Gabriel Diallo vs. Lorenzo Sonego
Sonego and Diallo will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers on Tuesday. A rough year in 2024 saw Sonego go 20-29 record at the ATP level and he is coming off a second-round loss to Cameron Norrie in Hong Kong. It’s also worth noting that the 54th-ranked Italian has not compiled a winning record on outdoor hard courts in a single season since 2019.
Diallo, on the other hand, has always done his best work on the hard stuff and he was outstanding last year–especially down the stretch. The 87th-ranked Canadian reached the third round of the U.S. Open as a qualifier, qualified in Shanghai, and finished runner-up in Almaty. He opened this season with successful qualification in Hong Kong, so all the momentum is with Diallo in this matchup.
Pick: Diallo in 3
WWW?
Mensik in 3; Diallo in 3.
Mensik in 2
Diallo in 3