Australian Open today – Matches today 20.01.
The 1st round at the Australian Open 2022 has been played, some stars have already taken their second hurdle. But we are not quite through with Round 2 yet. The spectators in Melbourne can also look forward to top-class tennis on Thursday.
If we look at the first Grand Slam of the year from the German point of view, we slowly but surely feel a little disillusioned. At least veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber will try to keep Alexander Zverev company for a while.
Of course, the Australian Open schedule also includes a number of top duels on day four, and some of the favourites for the title will have to fight hard. Matteo Berrettini and Felix Auger-Aliassime, for example, did not come through smoothly.
So there will probably be one or two surprises down under. Nobody in this country would mind if two German players were allowed to compete in the 3rd round in the end.
Australian Open 2022 – 20.01. Preview of Day 4
How long will Felix Auger-Aliassime retain his prodigy status? The Canadian is slowly looking to win titles for once, after five sets in Round 1 he will have to try harder against Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina.
At the same time, Philipp Kohlschreiber is reaching for a place in the 3rd round. He will have to deal with the strong Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut. At least the German will start the duel with a lead.
Grigor Dimitrov is always a force to be reckoned with at a Grand Slam, and the Bulgarian’s uncomfortable serve should also hurt Benoit Paire from Wednesday to Thursday. What performance has the eccentric Frenchman come up with this time?
It should get really loud afterwards, because local hero Nick Kyrgios will put on a big show. His opponent: Daniil Medvedev! Two top tennis players will meet, and everyone is expecting a long match.
The Italian Jannik Sinner is also one of the favourites for the title this year. The young South Tyrolean plays in the 2nd round against the American Steve Johnson and has to confirm his role as favourite.
Australian Open today broadcast: Where will the matches be played on 20.01.?
Even before the first match starts at 01:00, the experts from Eurosport are on the road again in Melbourne to record every rally. As on the other days before, no point will be missed here, and entertainment will also be provided between and after the matches.
Australian Open today 20.01: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – Felix Auger-Aliassime (04:15 h)
2nd round 2020 – that’s it! Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina enters his second Australian Open with this record. The Spaniard had an easy opening schedule, securing a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 against Alex Bolt.
In Sydney, he wanted to prepare for the tournament, but failed directly in a close match 6-7, 4-6 to Dusan Lajovic. Close duels are his speciality, in New York and Wimbledon he was eliminated in five sets in 2021.
Five sets? If anyone knows about that, it’s Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian already started doing so in Round 1, winning 6-4, 0-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 against Emil Ruusuvuori. Quarter-final Wimbledon and semi-final US Open – the 21-year-old is getting better and better.
Auger-Aliassime was also convincing at the ATP Cup before the AO, defeating Alexander Zverev, Cameron Norrie and Roberto Bautista-Agut. He meets Fokina for the very first time, with 2.15 to 4.00 the odds are quite clear.
Our expert tip: Over 3.5 sets
Australian Open today 20.01: Roberto Bautista-Agut – Philipp Kohlschreiber (04:15)
At 38, Philipp Kohlschreiber is preparing to move into the 3rd round of the Australian Open. The German was able to defeat Marco Cecchinato with a very commanding 6-4, 7-5, 7-6, now a much more difficult opponent awaits.
Winning 89% of his points on the first serve is how he wants to serve against the world number 18. Kohlschreiber has already played Bautista-Agut five times and won three times. Among them are the two most recent duels.
All of them were very close, a 6-4, 6-4 was the clearest result. The Spaniard actually had a few problems in his 1st round match, in the end coming to a 7-6, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 against Stefano Travaglia.
At the previous ATP Cup, Bautista cut a good figure, winning against Hubert Hurkacz, Casper Ruud and Cristian Garin, among others. But since he was already eliminated in the 1st round at the AO last year, the odds of 1.10 to 7.00 are already very optimistic.
Our Expert Tip: Over 32.5 Games
Australian Open today 20.01: Grigor Dimitrov – Benoit Paire (04:15 h)
A candidate for a GS quarter-final? That’s Grigor Dimitrov again this year. The Bulgarian, a top eight player in 2021, started with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 against Jiri Lehecka. He showed earlier in Melbourne that his form is not yet at 100%.
Facundo Bagnis and Botic van de Zandschulp were defeated, but in three sets each. Dimitrov finally lost to Maxime Cressy in two tight tiebreaks. We remember: At the end of 2021, he had all the stars, including Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev, on the brink of defeat.
His current opponent, Benoit Paire, is one of the most feared players because no one knows how disciplined he is in his approach. Against Thiago Monteiro in the 1st round, it was back and forth, the Frenchman pulling away with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7.5.
Paire and Dimitrov met three times between 2012 and 2015, with Paire leading 2-1. The last time the 32-year-old went out in three sets without a tiebreak was in Melbourne in 2014. Does that suggest a close match? At 1.15 to 5.50, the odds against Dimitrov are relatively clear.
Our expert tip: 3:1 Dimitrov
Australian Open today 20.01: Nick Kyrgios – Daniil Medvedev (09:00)
Number 2 against number 115? What sounds obvious at first glance could result in a long match. And that is when Daniil Medvedev meets Nick Kyrgios. The Russian would be the new world No. 1 if he wins Down Under.
Medvedev is the top favourite for the title, winning 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 against Henri Laaksonen in his 1st round match. He allowed five break chances, which is rather a lot by his standards. In 2019, he met his current opponent twice and lo and behold, it resulted in two defeats!
Nick Kyrgios stands for an aggressive serve and a great show. In front of his audience he will be at his best, in 2021 he already had Dominic Thiem on the brink of defeat.
Kyrgios started the tournament against Liam Brody with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 win. He allowed only one break, so he has the same strengths as Medvedev. There would be a 6.50 for an Australian win, Medvedev is well below that at his 1.15.
Our Expert Tip: Set win Kyrgios
Australian Open today 20.01.: Steve Johnson – Jannik Sinner (10:15 a.m.)
Behind Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jannik Sinner has made his mark among the favourites for overall victory. The Italian made a commanding start to the AO, taking a 6-4, 7-5, 6-1 against Joao Sousa.
At the ATP Cup at the beginning of January, he had not dropped a single match, and in the world rankings he has worked his way up to tenth position. A 3rd round in Melbourne would be new territory for him, as in 2021 he was defeated directly by Denis Shapovalov.
Sinner has met Steve Johnson, his next opponent, once each in 2019 and 2021. Both duels went to the favourite, so he is clearly in front this time too with odds of 1.10 to 7.00.
Johnson produced a real thriller against Jordan Thompson in Round 1, ending up with a 7-6, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. He was not very convincing in the two preparatory tournaments in Adelaide and has not made it to the 3rd round at the Australian Open since 2016.
Our Expert Tip: Win Sinner 3:0
