The top half of the draw will take center stage at the Australian Open on Tuesday, when Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem begin their fortnights. Thiem could have a complicated matchup on his hands in the form of Adrian Mannarino.
(1) Rafael Nadal vs. Hugo Dellien
Nadal and Dellien will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they clash in round one of the Australian Open on Tuesday. It has already been a busy 2019 campaign for the world No. 1, who led Spain to the inaugural ATP Cup final but could not quite capture a second team-event title in the span of two months. Nadal compiled a 4-2 record in singles, losing to David Goffin (quarterfinals) and Novak Djokovic (final).
Dellien has never won a non-retirement match at the ATP level on anything other than clay. The 72nd-ranked Bolivian got a retirement from Soon Woo Kwon in round one of last summer’s U.S. Open before losing a bizarre four-setter against eventual runner-up Daniil Medvedev. Although the jury is still out on Nadal’s early-season form, this should be an absolute beatdown regardless of what he brings to the table.
Pick: Nadal in 3 losing 5-7 games
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Adrian Mannarino vs. (5) Dominic Thiem
Thiem is among those who expected to break through and capture a non-Big 3 Grand Slam title in the near future–perhaps even this year. Although the Austrian’s most likely location of triumph is Roland Garros (whenever Nadal decides to vacate the throne), Thiem has finally become a force on hard courts. He is a former U.S. Open quarterfinalist (lost to Nadal in five sets two years ago), triumphed in Indian Wells last spring, and just recently finished runner-up at the Nitto ATP Finals.
Up first for Thiem on Tuesday is Mannarino, who is a hopeless 0-7 in the head-to-head series. The 43rd-ranked French is 2-16 in total sets and has lost 13 sets in a row, most recently a routine three at the 2018 Australian Open (a 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 third-round rout for the current world No. 5). Mannarino is 0-2 so far this season–with losses to Alexander Bublik in Doha and Andreas Seppi in Auckland–so there is no reason to think he can suddenly do anything different.
Pick: Thiem in 3
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