Tennis Picks • Ricky’s Predictions For The Men’s Singles At The 2020 Australian Open

By Ricky Dimon

The younger generation has been knocking on the door? Is this year–or even this tournament–when one of that group finally breaks through?

Maybe not, but I at least see a return to the trend of a decade ago and two decades ago when surprise finalists were the theme of the Australian Open. I think a non-Big 3 player can make a run to the title match. Of the contenders, I’m highest right now on Denis Shapovalov. He has been outstanding since hiring Mikhail Youzhny as coach last summer and he pushed Novak Djokovic to a third-set tiebreaker at the ATP Cup. Shapovalov would certainly have a shot against the world No. 2 in Melbourne, and so would a similarly red-hot Roberto Bautista Agut.

I picked Rafael Nadal to win a long overdue second Australian Open title before this season started and I’m not wavering now. It is true that he will need some help. Djokovic would be the obvious pick in another head-to-head final, so Nadal would desperately want the Serb to bow out earlier–even though he would never admit it. If Shapovalov, Bautista Agut, Roger Federer, or Stefanos Tsitsipas can knock off Djokovic prior to final, the door would be open for Nadal.

Of course, it’s not like the top-ranked Spaniard’s half of the draw is wide open. Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Stan Wawrinka could present serious danger.

And without further ado, let’s get on with the picks.

First round
Nadal over Dellien in 3, Sousa over Delbonis in 5
Eubanks over Gojowyczk in 4, Carreno Busta over Kovalik in 3
Kyrgios over Sonego in 4, Simon over Cuevas in 3
Ymer over Uchiyama in 4, Khachanov over Viella Martinez in 3
Monfils over Lu in 3, Pospisil over Karlovic in 3
Bedene over Duckworth in 5, Auger-Aliassime over Gulbis in 4
Fritz over Griekspoor in 4, Anderson over Ivashka in 3
Ramos-Vinolas over Bolt in 5, Thiem over Mannarino in 3

Medvedev over Tiafoe in 3, Koepfer over Martinez in 4
Munar over Gaston in 4, Popyrin over Tsonga in 5
Isner over Monteiro in 4, Galan over Tabilo in 4
Kecmanovic over Seppi in 4, Wawrinka over Dzumhur in 3
Goffin over Chardy in 4, Herbert over Norrie in 4
Benchetrit over Sugita in 5, Rublev over O’Connell in 3
Basilashvili over Kwon in 4, Verdasco over Donskoy in 3
Ruud over Gerasimov in 4, Zverev over Cecchinato in 3

Berrettini over Harris in 3, Sandgren over Trungelliti in 4
Berankis over Carballes Baena in 5, Coric over Querrey in 3
Pella over Smith in 3, Barrere over Safwat in 5
Bublik over Thompson in 5, Fognini over Opelka in 5
Shapovalov over Fucsovics in 3, Sinner over Purcell in 3
Paul over Mayer in 5, Dimitrov over Londero in 3
Hurkacz over Novak in 3, Millman over Humbert in 5
Krajinovic over Halys in 4, Federer over Johnson in 3

Tsitsipas over Caruso in 3, Kohlschreiber over Giron in 4
Garin over Travaglia in 3, Raonic over Albot in 3
Paire over Stebe in 3, Moutet over Cilic in 5
Andujar over Mmoh in 4, Bautista Agut over Lopez in 5
Schwartzman over Harris in 3, Davidovich Fokina over Gombos in 5
Kukushkin over Polmans in 3, Edmund over Lajovic in 4
Evans over McDonald in 3, Djere over Nishioka in 5
Gunneswaran over Ito in 5, Djokovic over Struff in 3

Second round
Nadal over Sousa in 3
Carreno Busta over Eubanks in 4
Simon over Kyrgios in 5
Khachanov over Ymer in 4
Pospisil over Monfils in 4
Auger-Aliassime over Bedene in 4
Anderson over Fritz in 4
Thiem over Ramos-Vinolas in 3

Medvedev over Koepfer in 3
Popyrin over Munar in 3
Isner over Galan in 3
Wawrinka over Kecmanovic in 4
Goffin over Herbert
Rublev over Benchetrit in 3
Verdasco over Basilashvili in 4
Zverev over Ruud in 4

Berrettini over Sandrgen in 4
Coric over Berankis in 4
Pella over Barrere in 3
Bublik over Fognini in 4
Shapovalov over Sinner in 5
Dimitrov over Paul in 3
Hurkacz over Millman in 5
Federer over Krajinovic in 3

Tsitsipas over Kohlschreiber in 3
Raonic over Garin in 3
Paire over Moutet in 5
Bautista Agut over Andujar in 3
Schwartzman over Davidovich Fokina in 3
Kukushkin over Edmund in 5
Evans over Djere in 3
Djokovic over Gunneswaran in 3

Third round
Nadal over Carreno Busta in 3
Khachanov over Simon in 5
Pospisil over Auger-Aliassime in 4
Thiem over Anderson in 4

Medvedev over Popyrin in 3
Wawrinka over Isner in 4
Rublev over Goffin in 3
Verdasco over Zverev in 4

Berrettini over Coric in 4
Pella over Bublik in 5
Shapovalov over Dimitrov in 4
Federer over Hurkacz in 3

Tsitsipas over Raonic in 4
Bautista Agut over Paire in 3
Schwartzman over Kukushkin in 4
Djokovic over Evans in 4

Fourth round
Nadal over Khachanov in 3
Thiem over Pospisil in 5
Wawrinka over Medvedev in 5
Rublev over Verdasco in 3

Pella over Berrettini in 5
Shapovalov over Federer in 5
Bautista Agut over Tsitsipas in 4
Djokovic over Schwartzman in 4

Quarterfinals
Nadal over Thiem in 4
Rublev over Wawrinka in 5

Shapovalov over Pella in 3
Bautista Agut over Djokovic in 5

Semifinals
Nadal over Rublev in 3
Shapovalov over Bautista Agut in 4

Final
Nadal over Shapovalov in 4

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.

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