Talk About Tennis 2.0

MD Singles

J. Sinner 1 vs N. Jarry
T. Schoolkate WC vs T. Daniel
M. Giron vs Y. Hanfmann
T. Etcheverry vs F. Cobolli 32

H. Hurkacz 18 vs T. Griekspoor
M. Kecmanovic vs D. Lajovic
M. Berrettini vs C. Norrie
Z. Zhang vs H. Rune 13

S. Tsitsipas 11 vs A. Michelsen
J. McCabe WC vs Qualifier
G. Diallo vs L. Nardi
A. Mannarino vs K. Khachanov 19

F. Cerundolo 31 vs A. Bublik
F. Diaz Acosta vs Z. Bergs
Qualifier vs F. Coria
B. van de Zandschulp vs A. de Minaur 8


T. Fritz 4 vs J. Brooksby
B. Coric vs Qualifier
F. Comesana vs D. Altmaier
G. Monfils vs G. Mpetshi Perricard 30

B. Shelton 21 vs B. Nakashima
P. Carreno Busta vs Qualifier
R. Bautista Agut vs D. Shapovalov
M. Arnaldi vs L. Musetti 16

A. Rublev 9 vs Qualifier
L. Sonego vs S. Wawrinka WC
T. Seyboth Wild vs F. Marozsan
A. Rinderknech vs F. Tiafoe 17

A. Popyrin 25 vs C. Moutet
R. Hijikata vs Qualifier
C. Ugo Carabelli vs Qualifier
K. Samrej WC vs D. Medvedev 5

Bottom Half

N. Djokovic 7 vs N. Basavareddy WC
Qualifier vs P. Kotov
Qualifier vs R. Opelka
S. Nagal vs T. Machac 26

J. Lehecka 24 vs L. Tu WC
H. Gaston vs O. Jasika WC
D. Goffin vs B. Bonzi
F. Fognini vs G. Dimitrov 10

J. Draper 15 vs M. Navone
T. Kokkinakis vs R. Safiullin
D. Dzumhur vs A. Vukic
Qualifier vs S. Korda 22

J. Thompson 27 vs Qualifier
A. Muller vs N. Borges
Y. Nishioka vs Qualifier
A. Shevchenko vs C. Alcaraz 3


C. Ruud 6 vs J. Munar
Qualifier vs J. Mensik
J. Shang vs A. Davidovich Fokina
J. Struff vs F. Auger-Aliassime 29

A. Tabilo 23 vs R. Carballes Baena
J. Duckworth vs D. Stricker
K. Nishikori vs Qualifier
C. O'Connell vs T. Paul 12

U. Humbert 14 vs Qualifier
Qualifier vs Y. Bu
A. Walton vs Q. Halys
O. Virtanen vs A. Fils 20

S. Baez 28 vs A. Cazaux
J. Fearnley vs N. Kyrgios
P. Martinez vs L. Darderi
L. Pouille WC vs A. Zverev 2

Am expecting Michelsen to pull off the first upset of the tournament...

Here is the ATP draw with the qualifiers placed.

J. Sinner 1 vs N. Jarry
T. Schoolkate WC vs T. Daniel
M. Giron vs Y. Hanfmann
T. Etcheverry vs F. Cobolli 32

H. Hurkacz 18 vs T. Griekspoor
M. Kecmanovic vs D. Lajovic
M. Berrettini vs C. Norrie
Z. Zhang vs H. Rune 13

S. Tsitsipas 11 vs A. Michelsen
J. McCabe WC vs M. Landaluce Q
G. Diallo vs L. Nardi
A. Mannarino vs K. Khachanov 19

F. Cerundolo 31 vs A. Bublik
F. Diaz Acosta vs Z. Bergs
T. Boyer Q vs F. Coria
B. van de Zandschulp vs A. de Minaur 8


T. Fritz 4 vs J. Brooksby
B. Coric vs C. Garin Q
F. Comesana vs D. Altmaier
G. Monfils vs G. Mpetshi Perricard 30

B. Shelton 21 vs B. Nakashima
P. Carreno Busta vs K Majchrzak Q
R. Bautista Agut vs D. Shapovalov
M. Arnaldi vs L. Musetti 16

A. Rublev 9 vs J. Fonseca
L. Sonego vs S. Wawrinka WC
T. Seyboth Wild vs F. Marozsan
A. Rinderknech vs F. Tiafoe 17

A. Popyrin 25 vs C. Moutet
R. Hijikata vs M. Krueger Q
C. Ugo Carabelli vs L. Tien Q.
K. Samrej WC vs D. Medvedev 5

Bottom Half

N. Djokovic 7 vs N. Basavareddy WC
J. Faria Q vs P. Kotov
G. Onclin Q vs R. Opelka
S. Nagal vs T. Machac 26

J. Lehecka 24 vs L. Tu WC
H. Gaston vs O. Jasika WC
D. Goffin vs B. Bonzi
F. Fognini vs G. Dimitrov 10

J. Draper 15 vs M. Navone
T. Kokkinakis vs R. Safiullin
D. Dzumhur vs A. Vukic
L. Klein Q vs S. Korda 22

J. Thompson 27 vs D. Koepfer Q
A. Muller vs N. Borges
Y. Nishioka vs A. Dougaz Q
A. Shevchenko vs C. Alcaraz 3


C. Ruud 6 vs J. Munar
N Basilashvili Q. vs J. Mensik
J. Shang vs A. Davidovich Fokina
J. Struff vs F. Auger-Aliassime 29

A. Tabilo 23 vs R. Carballes Baena
J. Duckworth vs D. Stricker
K. Nishikori vs T. Monteiro Q.
C. O'Connell vs T. Paul 12

U. Humbert 14 vs M Gigante Q.
H. Habib Q, vs Y. Bu
A. Walton vs Q. Halys
O. Virtanen vs A. Fils 20

S. Baez 28 vs A. Cazaux
J. Fearnley vs N. Kyrgios
P. Martinez vs L. Darderi
L. Pouille WC vs A. Zverev 2

Very bad draw for some of the highest ranked qualifiers.

I am surprised by the negativity across the tennis world about Djokovic losing to Opelka in the lead-up tourney. Now I'm being a little hypocritical here because I often complain about people having opinions without seeing the match, and I did not see that one, but Djokovic had just smoked Monfils 6-3, 6-3, handing him what has been his only loss in two tournaments (and yes, I know, he owns Monfils, but the scoreline was dominant). On a fast court, just a handful of points determines the winner in an Opelka match, and Opelka went on to become the only player to break Mpeschi Perricord's serve this year in a straight-set semifinal win.

I see Djokovic as a legit contender to win the tournament, absolutely right there with Sinner and Alcaraz. I can't pick against Sinner until someone proves he can beat him on a hard court, but I believe Djokovic still has the goods to give himself a chance.

The fact that he lost to Opelka is different to him being a contender at the Aussie. As you say, it was only one break of serve for Opelka in the second.
But I still count Djokovic higher as a candidate for the Aussie than anybody other than the top three seeds. And if he wins, I will not be surprised one bit.

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2025 9:02 pm The fact that he lost to Opelka is different to him being a contender at the Aussie. As you say, it was only one break of serve for Opelka in the second.
But I still count Djokovic higher as a candidate for the Aussie than anybody other than the top three seeds. And if he wins, I will not be surprised one bit.

Nor I. And he's more of a favorite than Zverev.

ashkor87 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 09, 2025 5:05 am Am expecting Michelsen to pull off the first upset of the tournament...

Upset on paper only... Tsitsipas's form has fallen so far. Sakkari-esque.

Re the poll- i would have given 5 to Sinner and 1 to Alcaraz but it doesn't allow that!

First Grand Slam
Last Name First Name Age Country
Aziz Dougaz Mohamed 27 Tunisia
Basavareddy Nishesh 19 United States of America
Boyer Tristan 23 United States of America
Faria Jaime 21 Portugal
Fonseca Joao 18 Brazil
Gigante Matteo 23 Italy
Habib Hady 26 Lebanon
Landaluce Martin 19 Spain
Onclin Gauthier 23 Belgium
Samrej Kasidit 23 Thailand

First Australian Open
Last Name First Name Age Country
Bu Yunchaokete 22 People’s Republic of China
Comensana Francisco 24 Argentina
Darderi Luciano 22 Italy
Diallo Gabriel 23 Canada
Fearnley Jacob 23 Great Britain
Mpetshi Perricard Giovanni 21 France
Nardi Luca 21 Italy
Navone Mariano 23 Argentina
Schoolkate Tristan 23 Australia
Stricker Dominic 22 Switzerland
Tien Learner 19 United States of America
Ugo Carabelli Camilo 25 Argentina

As we said years ago. The big three would be taken down by age, not by any current new crop.
Sad for him.