THE R1 ?

We’ve got some great matchups in this first round of the Australian Open, but I have to admit this one is really my favorite!

With Dimitrov coming back and Machac’s recent monstrous tournament in Adelaide, we should be in for a real battle, right? On paper yes, but I do have some physical doubts on both sides. First, Dimitrov already seemed pretty tired after just one win against Carreno, which is rather worrying for me, especially before starting such a demanding format as the Grand Slams. The upside is that it’s his first match, he can give it everything and end up completely spent, then blow up in the second round for example. The other question is about Machac and his ability to chain tournaments too. The Czech is prone to cramping and apparently didn’t have a big preparation block during the break, the backlash could be felt because so far he hasn’t had any incredibly long matches to play. So now, with a tournament already in his legs and a big match ahead of him, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him run out of gas at some point.

In terms of pure game level, advantage Machac when he plays like this, his tempo is too intense for most players and above all he can go down the line on both sides. Dimitrov will have to push him back or slow him down with his slice. I still don’t have any issues imagining what could happen in this match because for me it’s hugely dependent on their physical level on the day. I’m going to need your opinions in the comments, but I’ll still give you my bet just below.