Preview: Australian Open: Jacob Fearnley vs. Nick Kyrgios - prediction, form, head-to-head

Seeking a tournament-opening upset, Australian Open main gully debutant Jacob Fearnley takes connected the returning Nick Kyrgios successful Monday's first-round enactment astatine John Cain Arena.

The rising British subordinate impressed successful his Grand Slam debut astatine past year's Wimbledon and aims to instrumentality a large scalp successful circular 1 contempt his Aussie opponent's lengthy lack from the men's tour.

Match preview

© Imago

Heading into his debut Down Under, galore observers volition retrieve Edinburgh-born Fearnley from his admirable showing astatine past year's Championships, erstwhile helium forced Novak Djokovic into 4 sets connected Centre Court.

By the Serb's ain admission, the Brit astir apt deserved to unit a deciding acceptable had the finer details gone his way, highlighting the 23-year-old's potential.

Having needed a chaotic paper introduction into the main gully astatine Wimbledon, Fearnley enters the opening Major of 2025 arsenic a nonstop entrant, and the satellite No. 86 aims to exploit an undercooked opponent.

Following a breakthrough 2024 that saw the Briton ascent implicit 500 positions to participate the apical 100, Fearnley aims to statesman the caller twelvemonth by stunning a one-time Australian Open quarter-finalist connected the 29-year-old's location turf.

Such ambitions are not far-fetched, fixed the 23-year-old's bold attack and Kyrgios's deficiency of lucifer enactment successful 2 years.

© Imago

Entering this year's Slam with his protected ranking, the 2015 quarter-finalist withdrew connected the eve of the 2023 lawsuit Down Under and has hardly played since owed to genu and wrist injuries.

The 29-year-old's past lucifer astatine a Major was a thrilling five-set quarter-final decision against Karen Khachanov astatine the 2022 US Open, with the firebrand battling done carnal issues since.

A long-awaited instrumentality to the circuit successful Brisbane ended aboriginal against big-serving Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, with each 3 sets going the region arsenic the Frenchman edged 2 tie-breaks to the Australian's one.

Although helium should instrumentality assurance from avoiding breaks of service successful that defeat, receiving attraction connected the wrist that required country suggests that helium mightiness beryllium acold from 100% for his tourney opener, giving Fearnley anticipation of an upset.

It volition beryllium fascinating to witnesser Kyrgios's instrumentality to the main gully astatine a Slam: helium has talked the talk, and present helium needs to locomotion the walk.

Head To Head

Both players look disconnected for the archetypal clip connected the ATP Tour, adding a furniture of intrigue heading into Monday's first-round battle.

Kyrgios is undoubtedly much experienced, entering his 10th Australian Open main gully quality against the debuting Fearnley, whose round-one lucifer against the location subordinate marks lone his 3rd brushwood astatine a Major.

The 2015 quarter-finalist has avoided tournament-opening losses successful 8 of his 9 erstwhile appearances Down Under, losing aboriginal lone to Milos Raonic successful 2019.

We say: Kyrgios to triumph successful 4 sets

Monday's Twilight league could spell either way, with Fearnley's dauntless attack bound to airs challenges for the returning Kyrgios.

We backmost the Australian to borderline the emerging British subordinate successful 4 sets, granted helium avoids carnal setbacks successful the tourney opener.

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