The first week of the tennis season heats up at the Brisbane International with top seed Daniil Medvedev taking on Frances Tiafoe and an all-American clash between Learner Tien and Alex Michelsen.
(1) Daniil Medvedev vs. Frances Tiafoe
Offseason news and 2026 outlook:
- Medvedev – Comes off a relatively disappointing 2025 season with exactly one win at the four majors. A late 2025 coaching change saw long-time coach Gilles Cervara replaced by former player Thomas Johannson. The Russian’s 2026 outlook has some promise, as the world No. 13 came to life at the end of last season.
- Tiafoe – Also had a major coaching change, sending off David Witt for a stint with fellow American Todd Martin. Tiafoe’s 2026 outlook is uncertain. The world No. 30 failed to win a single match after his third-round ouster at the U.S. Open.
Matchup and prediction:
Medvedev holds a 5-1 head-to-head lead over Tiafoe. The Russian posted a solid win over Marton Fucsovics in his first match of 2026, while Tiafoe defeated Aleksandar Vukic — a talented Aussie. Both men played well in their openers, which makes this second round match-up promising. With Medvedev building on his 2025 momentum, I can’t pick against the Russian.
Cheryl pick: Medevedev in 3
Ricky pick: Medvedev in 2
(8) Learner Tien vs. Alex Michelsen
Offseason news and 2026 outlook:
- Tien – The young American won the ATP Next Gen finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia — a promising outcome, as past winners include both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. He sits at a career high 26th in the world; expectations are high for this potential star
- Michelsen – Played for Team World at the Laver Cup for the first time last fall. Michelsen will be looking for another stellar performance at the Australian Open, where he is defending round of 16 points.
Matchup and prediction:
Michelsen has won both of his matches against Tien, both of which came on hard courts in 2025. Michelsen worked much harder for his second-round spot, going the distance against James Duckworth in his first round earlier this week. Tien sailed through in straight sets against Camilo Ugo Carabelli. Despite Michelsen’s record, Tien has shown more early promise.
Cheryl pick: Tien in 2
Ricky pick: Tien in 2
WWW?
Great match up…Tien in 3
Michelsen owns this matchup and knows Learner better than anyone. Gotta take him on H2H and value alone.