By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, January 16, 2020
Reilly Opelka knocked Fabio Fognini out of the US Open first round in August and will try to repeat the feat in their Australian Open rematch.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Familiar faces pop from the page of the Australian Open draw.
The AO men’s draw puts defending champion Novak Djokovic on a semifinal collision course with rival Roger Federer in the bottom half of the draw.
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Seven-time champion Djokovic is aiming to extend his Melbourne dominance and regain the world No. 1 ranking from Rafael Nadal, whom Djokovic swept for the ninth straight time on hard court leading Serbia to the inaugural ATP Cup last weekend.
US Open champion Nadal is driven to win his 20th Grand Slam title—and first AO crown since 2009—to match Federer’s all-time men’s mark.
Before we get to a potentially historic final four, here are five pulsating openers that pump us up for the Happy Slam.
(4) Daniil Medvedev vs. Frances Tiafoe
Head-to-head: Medvedev leads 1-0
The lanky Russian pushed Rafael Nadal to five sets in a fierce US Open final in September and can contend for his maiden major title in Melbourne this month. Medvedev is adept playing off pace from deep in the court, owns a stinging serve and his flat two-handed backhand is lethal weapon that’s tough to read. The fit, fast Tiafoe burst to the 2019 Australian Open quarterfinals, but suffered 12 opening-round losses after that and will be eager to regain Melbourne magic.
(3) Roger Federer vs. Steve Johnson
Head-to-head: Federer leads 2-0
Every major match the Swiss Maestro plays is must-see as the 38-year-old Federer enters the stretch run of a glorious career.
In their lone hard-court clash, Federer edged the former USC all-American in two tiebreak sets at the 2017 Indian Wells forcing Johnson to come up with pressure passes from his weaker one-handed backhand wing.
Federer has won the Australian Open in two of the last three years and will be motivated for a fast start. The six-time champion opted out of both Davis Cup and ATP Cup so Federer enters Melbourne a bit short on match play.
(11) David Goffin vs. Jeremy Chardy
Head-to-head: Even, 1-1
Intrigue on several levels: Goffin is one of the game’s premier returns and a sniper on the counter-strike, while Chardy is at his best attacking behind his serve and forehand.
The slender Belgian beat Chardy in straight sets at Wimbledon last summer avenging a straight-sets Roland Garros loss to the Frenchman. This is their first hard-court meeting.
Chardy upset Juan Martin del Potro en route to the 2013 Australian Open quarters, which remains his best career major result. Goffin reached the AO last eight in 2017 and should be empowered coming off his second career win over world No. 1 Nadal in last week’s ATP Cup.
(12) Fabio Fognini vs. Reilly Opelka
Head-to-head: Even, 1-1
This opener is a case of major Deja Blue between temperamental talents.
Five months ago, Opelka fought off Fognini in the US Open first round. Now they square off again on Melbourne’s blue hard court.
The theatrical Fognini is a shot-maker with a delicate touch, a flair for the down the line strike and smooth transition skills. Fognini had the ideal tune-up for this rematch toppling towering John Isner in ATP Cup action last week.
The 6’11” Opelka is more agile around the court than Isner, returns better and can dominate with his wrecking-ball serve. However, Opelka can get cranky and lose focus under pressure, as can Fognini, and is relatively untested going the distance. Opelka is 1-2 lifetime in five-setters.
Damir Dzumhur vs. (15) Stan Wawrinka
Head-to-head: Dzumhur leads 2-1
The sturdy Swiss is more than a fan favorite down under because of his love of the battle and Melbourne success.
Stan the Man is the only man outside the Big 3 to win the AO title in the last 14 years. Wawrinka, who powered past Rafael Nadal in the 2014 final, has reached the semis or better in three of his last six AO appearances.
Don’t be fooled by the 5’9” Dzhumur’s small stature. He can crack the ball on the rise, is lightning-quick around the court and can be a danger to the elite owning hard-court upsets of both Nadal and Wawrinka.Dzumhur won their lone outdoor hard-court meeting.