Tennis, Australian Open draw: for Sinner Zverev, Alcaraz or Djokovic only in the final

It went well. Indeed, very well. In Melbourne, for the first Slam of the year, the draw said that the three main threats towards Jannik Sinner’s “back to back” race in the Australian Open all ended up on the same side. Which is the opposite one compared to blue. Zverev, Alcaraz and Djokovic all on the lower side of the scoreboard: popcorn and entertainment. Jannik in the upper one, expected by a probable eighth-final against Rune (or Matteo Berrettini, in a re-edition of the last Wimbledon) and by the quarter-final against the host De Minaur. Who can find in the semi-final? One between Fritz and Medvedev, both of whom ended up knocked out (the American twice, first in the group stage and then in the final) at the Turin Finals against the Italian. The world number 1 arrived at the draw accompanied by the 2024 trophy and explaining to the organizers: “There’s a reason they call it Happy Slam. Here all the players try to show good tennis.” His will have to be the best.

THE SINNER PATH

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Jannik Sinner will begin his Australian campaign against Nicolas Jarry. Second round with Daniel Taro, then a possible derby with Flavio Cobolli in third: in the round of 16 the challenge is with Holger Rune, an authentic loose cannon on the circuit, painted by many as a possible new inconvenient client for Jannik and Alcaraz but still the protagonist of numerous “lows” which limited its rise. For the quarter-final there is the host Alex De Minaur, who is Jannik’s favorite victim who is already 9-0 against him thanks to the very happy precedents in November at the Turin Finals and in the Davis Cup. In the round of 16, however, the Australian will have to get the better of Tsitsipas. In the semi-final, as anticipated, one between Fritz (who will make his debut in the derby with Brooksby, but will also give himself a fiery third round with the bomber Perricard) and Medvedev (awaited by the wild card Samrej, then by the dangerous third round with Popyrin).

THE BIG MATCHES BELOW

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from line 64 down, here is the “hot” part of the board. Djokovic starts with the American Basavareddy, fresh from the Next Gen Finals. Then Kotov and in the third round a possible rematch in Brisbane with Opelka (or, Tomas Machac). Dimitrov in the round of 16: it was the final everyone was waiting for in Brisbane, the clash could arrive in Melbourne in a few days. Sparkling quarter-final against Alcaraz which will start against Shevchenko, the Kazakh protagonist of an excellent United Cup, then continue with Nishioka and Thompson. Before meeting Draper in the round of 16. We knew that the person who would certainly end up on the opposite side of Sinner was Alexander Zverev: the German will start against the wild card Pouille, then Darderi or Pedro Martinez. His loose cannon before the eighth against Humbert and the fourth with Ruud? She is Australian and could happen in the third round: Nick Kyrgios. In fact, Sinner’s hater will debut with the British Fearnley, then a tough clash with the Argentine Baez. An unmissable match in the first round? The French Mpetshi Perticard-Monfils derby, the one that resembles a real handover between two players who share 17 years of age difference.

THE ARNALDI MUSETTI AND BERRETTINI DERBY

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Returning to the Azzurri, an eye on the two protagonists of the last Davis Cup together with Jannik. Peculiar draw for Musetti who, in the upper part of the scoreboard, will immediately face the derby with Arnaldi. Whoever passes between them crosses Shapovalov, then Shelton. Binge of Italians at the top of the scoreboard: Berrettini is also there. The Roman just missed the chance to reach the draw as the top seed: he also ended up in the top half, will play against Norrie in the first round and then could already meet Rune in the second. If he were to overcome the Dane, one can dream of the derby with Jannik in the round of 16. But first, in the third round, Matteo would have to get rid of a not particularly comfortable client like Hubert Hurkacz.

THE OTHER ITALIANS

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Speaking of Azzurri at the top, here’s Flavio Cobolli: he could meet Jannik in the third round, but in the meantime he will have to get the better of Etcheverry and then one of Giron or Hanfmann. Nardi will start with the Canadian Diallo, now a “subscriber” to the Italians since in two weeks he has already crossed paths with Musetti and Sonego, collecting a defeat with the former and a success with the latter. For Sonego there is the luxury cross with the wild card Stan Wawrinka. It didn’t go particularly well for Fabio Fognini either: his opponent is called Grigor Dimitrov. In the lowest part of the scoreboard there is Luciano Darderi: he will start with Pedro Martinez, then he will give himself a fairytale second round with Zverev.

POSSIBLE EIGHT OF 16

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Sinner [1] vs Runes [13]Tsitsipas [11] vs De Minaur [8]Fritz [4] vs Musetti [16]Rublev [9] vs Medvedev [5]Djokovic [7] vs Dimitrov [10]Draper [15] vs Alcaraz [3]Ruud [6] vs. Paul [12]Humbert [14] vs Zverev [2.

POSSIBILI QUARTI

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Sinner [1] vs De Minaur [8]Fritz [4] vs Medvedev [5]Djokovic [7] vs Alcaraz [3]Ruud [6] vs Zverev [2].