The 2025 Australian Open commences on Saturday evening in North America. Here are six first round matches on the men’s side the television viewer can keep an eye on.
6) Matteo Berrettini–ITA vs. Cameron Norrie–GB
Here we have two players who have had deep runs at a grand slam on grass in the past. Berrettini reached the finals of Wimbledon in 2021, and Norrie made the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2022. Berrettini won their only prior meeting. That was in the final of the Queen’s Club in 2021, with the Italian victorious, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3.
5) Roberto Bautista Agut–ESP vs. Denis Shapovalov–CAN
Like Berrettini and Norrie, Bautista Agut and Shapovalov have had deep runs at Wimbledon. Bautista Agut was in the semifinals there in 2019 and Shapovalov reached the semifinals there in 2021. Head-to-head, Shapovalov has won all three matches. His wins came in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2021 (6-1, 6-3, 7-5), the first round of Washington in 2024 (6-1, 6-4), and the second round of the Swiss Indoors in 2024 (6-3, 7-6).
4) (32) Flavio Cobolli–ITA vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry–ARG
A possible upset is in the cards here as Etcheverry reached the third round of the Australian Open and United States Open last year. In Melbourne in 2024, he beat Andy Murray and Gael Monfils. Then in New York, Etcheverry beat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard of France and upset Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina. This is their first meeting head to head.
3) (29) Feix Auger-Aliassime–CAN vs. Jan-Lennard Struff–GER
Another upset is possible here as Struff upset a seeded player last year in Wimbledon, as he knocked out Zhizhen Zhang of China, the 32nd seed, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 in the second round. Struff has also beaten Auger-Aliassime twice before–6-1, 6-4 at the 2020 ATP Cup in Australia, and 7-5, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of Munich in 2024.
2) (19) Karen Khachanov–RUS vs. Adrian Mannarino–FRA
Khachanov reached the semifinals of the United States Open in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2023. Mannarino reached the fourth round of the Australian Open last year where he beat Stanislas Wawrinka and Ben Shelton. Khachanov has won all four prior meetings, including the first round of the 2017 Australian Open, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6. 6-3.
1) (18) Hubert Hurkacz–POL vs. Tallon Griekspoor–NED
Hurkacz reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2021, and Griekspoor reached the third round of the Australian Open and United States Open in 2024. Head-to-head, they have won two matches each. Hurkacz won in the second round of the 2023 French Open (6-3, 5-7, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4), and the quarterfinals of Basel in 2023 (6-7, 6-4, 6-4). Griekspoor won in the second round of Halle in 2022 (6-3, 1-6, 7-6) and the second round of Rotterdam in 2024 (6-7, 7-6, 7-6).
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