The Australian Open gets underway on Monday in Melbourne. Stefanos Tsitsipas will be in first-round action against in-form Frenchman Quentin Halys, while Jannik Sinner will take on former semifinalist Kyle Edmund.
(3) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Quentin Halys
No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas has hit the ground running so far in 2023. The Greek led his team all the way to the semifinals of the United Cup, a new men’s and women’s mixed team event. The Italian squad defeated Greece 4-1, but Tsitsitpas snagged their only win with a gutsy victory over Matteo Berrettini. The world No. 4 seed also posted wins over Grigor Dimitrov, David Goffin, and Borna Coric. Put succinctly, he has looked great.
France’s Quentin Halys is in good form in his own right. The world No. 64 played Adelaide 1 and Auckland and most notably pushed Novak Djokovic to two tiebreak sets in the second round of Adelaide. He also played well in Auckland this past week, losing in the quarters to Jenson Brooksby in another tight match.
Halys is going to have a tough time playing the kind of tennis required to get an upset win over the likes of Tsitsipas given his current form. Tsitsipas has looked confident, fresh and powerful in 2023. Look for the favorite to get through this one in straight sets, although Halys will probably keep it close for a set or two.
Cheryl pick: Tsitsipas in 3
Ricky pick: Tsitsipas in 3
(15) Jannik Sinner vs. Kyle Edmund
Jannik Sinner’s 2023 debut was a mixed bag. The world No. 16 played the Adelaide 1 event as an Australian Open tuneup…where he dismissed none other than Kyle Edmund in the first round. Unfortunately for the Italian, he ran headlong into an in-form Sebastian Korda it the quarters. Sinner kept the first set close, but Korda’s vastly improved serve and a truckload of unforced errors quickly wiped away any competitiveness. The American fed Sinner a breadstick in the second set and earned his spot in the semifinals.
Edmund was once a legitimate threat at the Australian Open. The Brit was a semifinalist in Melbourne back in 2018. But following multiple knee surgeries and nearly two years off the tour, Edmund’s ranking is 583rd in the world. He played some tennis is the second half of 2022, but his 2-3 record suggests that he still has some way to go before he works his way back to fighting form. Expect Sinner to breeze through this one without much difficulty.
Cheryl pick: Sinner in 3
Ricky pick: Sinner in 3
WWW?