Second Quarter
Alexander Zverev is No. 3 in the world. He made the final here last year, has been to the semis two other times, and has a 31-10 record in Melbourne. But after his well-publicized, and self-publicized, struggles of 2025, how much of a threat is the 28-year-old this time around?
Like Alcaraz, his draw should help. The seeds closest to him are Andrey Rublev and Cam Norrie; Zverev is 13-3 against them combined.
The two tougher opponents in this quarter—No. 11 seed Daniil Medvedev, No. 7 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime—are both in the lower half. Medvedev, who just won in Brisbane, is a three-time Australian Open finalist who looks determined to make up for the collapse he suffered in 2025. Auger Aliassime has reached the quarterfinals here, and finished last year with a meteoric rise into the Top 5.
If Medvedev and FAA collide in the fourth round, I’ll take Medvedev. I’ll also take him over Zverev in the quarters.
First-Round Matches to Watch
- Learner Tien vs. fellow Californian Marcos Giron
- Auger-Aliassime vs. Nuno Borges
Semifinalist: Medvedev
