Australian Open 2020 men's singles preview: The contenders, the dark horses and the dangerous floaters

# The dark horses

Medvedev and Thiem could be the men most likely to win the 2020 Australian Open should the Big-3 slip up

Just below in the pecking order, a small group of players could possibly break the Big 3 stranglehold over the Grand Slams. This ensemble of players has been knocking on the door for a while and they could be the ones to go all the way at the 2020 Australian Open should the legendary trifecta slip up at Melbourne Park. Let us meet this exclusive group.

# Daniil Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev

The latest player in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam final also came close to becoming the newest Grand Slam champion since Marin Cilic lifted the 2014 US Open title. Daniil Medvedev recovered from two sets and a break down before squandering break points in the fifth set of an epic 2019 US Open final.

Medvedev had a memorable north-American hardcourt summer, reaching the finals of all 4 tournaments he contested (lost Washington DC, lost Montreal, won Cincinnati, lost US Open), and then made the title match at a further two tournaments.(won St. Petersburg and Shanghai).

The Russian, who made his Top 10 breakthrough in 2019, then squandered a match point against Nadal at the ATP Finals before going down in a third set tiebreak. He also pushed Djokovic to the limit in an exhausting three-set battle at the 2020 ATP Cup.

Perched in the top half of the 2020 Australian Open draw, Medvedev is slated to clash with top seed Nadal (3-0 against Medvedev) in the semifinals if the seedings hold true. If successful, the Russian could lock horns with either Federer or Djokovic, who hold a cumulative 8-2 record against him.

# Dominic Thiem

Dominic Thiem

For long regarded as a claycourt specialist because of his prowess on the surface, the two-time Roland Garros finalist has proven his pedigree on other surfaces too in recent times.

Thiem came within two points of beating Nadal in the 2018 US Open quarterfinals, before going down to the Spaniard in a fifth set tiebreak. The Austrian also managed to take a set off Nadal in the 2019 Roland Garros final.

Thiem made his Masters 1000 breakthrough on hardcourt at the 2019 Indian Wells, beating Federer in a three-set final. The 26-year-old also won Beijing and Vienna and lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2019 ATP Finals final.

At the 2020 Australian Open, Thiem is in the top-quarter of the draw with Nadal; the pair are slated to clash in the quarterfinals. Although Thiem is 0-4 against the Spaniard in Grand Slam play, the Austrian could be a formidable opposition on hard court.

If Thiem reaches his first Grand Slam final outside Roland Garros, Djokovic or Federer could be potential opponents.

Both men lost to Thiem at the 2019 ATP Finals, with Federer also losing to Thiem at Indian Wells and Madrid, and Djokovic going down to the Austrian in a five-set semifinal at 2019 Roland Garros.

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