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Match details
Fixture: (32) Alex de Minaur vs Lorenzo Musetti
Date: 18 January 2022
Tournament: Australian Open 2022
Round: First round (Round of 128)
Venue: Melbourne, Australia
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $75,000,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Six, Sony Liv
Alex de Minaur vs Lorenzo Musetti preview
32nd seed Alex de Minaur will take on rising Italian youngster Lorenzo Musetti in the first round of the 2022 Australian Open on Tuesday.
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De Minaur had a pretty decent season in 2021, winning titles at the Antalya Open and the Eastbourne International. However, he struggled in the bigger tournaments and failed to go beyond the third round at any of the Majors.
The Australian began the 2022 season at the 2022 ATP Cup. He won two of his three group-stage matches, including an upset victory over World No. 7 Matteo Berrettini.
De Minaur has never been beyond the third round at his home Slam and will be looking to set that right this time around.
Lorenzo Musetti continued his steady progress in 2021 and ended the year ranked 59th. He reached the semifinals of two ATP 500 events, the Mexican Open and Lyon Open, losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas on both occasions.
The Italian also reached the fourth round at Roland Garros, where he led Novak Djokovic by two sets to love. But he had to retire in the fifth set due to an injury after the Serb had mounted a comeback.
Musetti has played only one match this season at the Adelaide International, where he lost to Taro Daniel. The 2022 Australian Open will mark his debut at the Malbourne Slam. He won the title at Melbourne Park as a junior in 2019 and will be looking to make a similar impact in the pro circuit.
Alex de Minaur vs Lorenzo Musetti head-to-head
This will be their first meeting, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Alex de Minaur vs Lorenzo Musetti prediction
De Minaur will have a slight edge going into this encounter, considering his experience on the tour compared to his opponent. He also played quite well at the 2022 ATP Cup, indicating he's in good form.
Musetti has shown in the past that he's able to go toe-to-toe with the best players in the world, but he lacks consistency. His stylish one-handed backhand has won him a huge fan-following, but he needs to make it work on court. The Italian has a reliable forehand as well.
De Minaur, meanwhile, is an excellent mover around the court and has the ability to get almost any ball back. With a strong forehand, decent serve and amazing footwork, the 22-year-old is a formidable opponent, especially on hardcourt.
Playing in front of his home crowd should lift the Australian and he should be able to survive the Musetti challenge and advance to the second round.
Prediction: Alex de Minaur to win in straight sets.
