Dominic Thiem will take on Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday (January 16).
Thiem is always a treat to watch whenever he's on the court and fully fit. After struggling with injuries last year, he looks healthy. He's ranked 99th in the ATP rankings but reached a career high of No. 3 in 2020. This will be his ninth appearance at the Australian Open after missing the last edition due to injury. His best performance was a runners-up finish in 2020, losing to Novak Djokovic in the final.
Meanwhile, Rublev has been playing consistently well for while but is yet to win a Grand Slam. The 25-year-old Russian is ranked No. 6 in the world but seeded fifth at the Australian Open. This will be his seventh appearance at the first Grand Slam of the year, where he reached the quarterfinals in 2021. Rublev reached a career-best ranking of No.5 in 2021.
This contest between two of the best players in the world should be a mouth-watering one.
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Dominic Thiem vs Andrey Rublev: Betting Odds
Thiem has been familiar with the pressure for a while now and has been in similar situations multiple times.
He's also a one-time Grand Slam winner, winning the US Open in 2020. He has only played one match this year, which he lost. The Austrian has won ATP 250, ATP 500 and Masters 1000 titles.
Meanwhile, Rublev's start to 2023 hasn't been good either, losing both matches he has played. So it will be interesting to see how this battle pans out.
Dominic Thiem vs Andrey Rublev: Match Details
Fixture: Dominic Thiem @ Andrey Rublev
Date & Time: Monday, January 16; 07:00 pm ET
Venue: John Cain Arena, Melbourne Park
Dominic Thiem vs Andrey Rublev: Betting Prediction
The two players have faced each other six times, with Rublev winning four, including three on hardcourts. Thiem is renowned for hitting powerful shots, both on the forehand and backhand side.
Rublev, meanwhile, has one of the scariest forehands in the sport. So the first-round matchup between the two could be a spectacle and is expected to go the distance.