Eleven most intriguing first round men’s matches at 2024 Australian Open

The 2024 Australian Open commences on Saturday. Here are 11 matches on the men’s side with a great deal of intrigue.

(7) Stefanos Tsitsipas–GRE vs. Matteo Berrettini–ITA

This matchup has a battle of grand slam finalists. Tsitsipas reached the final of the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open. Berrettini reached the final of Wimbledon in 2021. Tsitsipas has won all three prior matches, including the first round of the 2019 Australian Open in four sets.

Update: Berrettini has since withdrawn with a foot injury. 

(27) Felix Auger-Aliassime–CAN vs. Dominic Thiem–AUT

Here we have a grand slam champion in Thiem (2020 United States Open) against a grand-slam semifinalist in Auger-Aliassime (2021 United States Open). Watch out for Auger-Aliassime’s knee problem at the moment. Thiem won their lone prior meeting, 7-6, 6-1, 6-1, in the fourth round of the 2020 United States Open.

(2) Carlos Alacaraz–ESP vs. Richard Gasquet–FRA

Like Thiem vs. Auger-Aliassime, we have a grand slam champion against a grand slam semifinalist. Alcaraz won Wimbledon in 2023, while Gasquet reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and 2015, and the United States Open in 2013. Alcaraz won their only prior meeting, in the final of Umag, Croatia, 6-2, 6-2 in 2021.

(16) Ben Shelton–USA vs. Roberto Bautista Agut–ESP

This is a matchup of grand slam semifinalists. Shelton reached the final four of the 2023 United States Open, and Bautista Agut reached the final four of Wimbledon in 2019. This will be their first meeting head-to-head.

(4) Jannik Sinner–ITA vs. Botic van de Zandschulp–NED

Here we have the 2023 Wimbledon semifinalist in Sinner against the rising Dutch star. Do not underestimate Van de Zandschulp, as he beat Adrian Mannarino of France and Tommy Paul of the United States at the Paris Indoor in the fall.

(10) Alex de Minaur–AUS vs. Milos Raonic–CAN

Here we have Australia’s rising star against Canada’s best singles player ever. de Minaur reached the quarterfinals in the Paris Indoor last fall, while Raonic reached the Wimbledon final in 2016. Head to head, de Minaur won the only prior meeting, 6-4, 6-4, in the second round of Brisbane in 2018.

(13) Grigor Dmitrov–BUL vs. Marton Fucsovics–HUN

Here we have the three-time grand slam semifinalist in Dimitrov (2014 Wimbledon, 2017 Australian Open, and 2019 United States Open), against Fucsovics, who reached the third round of the Australian Open and Wimbledon last year. Dimitrov has been great in 2024. He won the Brisbane International where he beat Holger Rune of Denmark in the final, 7-6, 6-4. Fucsovics has won two of three prior meetings. Fucsovics won in the second round of the Western & Southern Open and United States Open in 2020, while Dimitrov won in the first round of San Diego in 2021.

Rinky Hijikata–AUS vs. (24) Jan-Lennard Struff–GER

Even though Struff is the seeded player here, it is Hijikata who is entering the Australian Open with significant momentum. He reached the quarterfinals of Brisbane before losing to Bulgarian star Grigor Dimitrov. This will be their first meeting all-time.

Benjamin Bonzi–FRA vs. (25) Lorenzo Musetti–ITA

Even though Musetti is the seeded player, it was Bonzi who reached the third round at a grand slam twice last year, as he accomplished the feat at the Australian Open and U.S. Open. This is their first meeting head-to-head.

J.J. Wolf–USA vs. (26) Sebastian Baez–ARG

Like Bonzi and Hijikata, Wolf should be considered seriously here even though he is the unseeded player. Last year he went to the fourth round of the Australian Open. Along the way he beat Australia’s Jordan Thompson in four sets, and Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman in straight sets. Wolf won the one prior meeting, 7-6, 6-2, in the first round of the Stockholm Open in October.

Roman Safiullin–RUS vs. (28) Tallon Griekspoor–NED

Safiullin reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2023, and the semifinals of Brisbane earlier this month. To close out 2023, he beat Shelton, the third seed in Brisbane in the first round, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3. This will be their first meeting head-to-head.