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The 2025 Australian Open gets underway in Melbourne on Sunday, January 12. Most of the top players are playing in the tournament including defending champion, Jannik Sinner.
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are also in the tournament. Djokovic aims to win his 11th Australian Open title this year, which will also be his 25th Grand Slam title.
The first round itself features a few very intriguing matches. In this article, we will look at five such first-round blockbuster matches.
#5. (21) Ben Shelton vs Brandon Nakashima:
The two Americans will lock horns in the first round itself. Shelton is a big-hitting 22-year-old, who is a dangerous proposition on hard courts. He reached the third round of the Australian Open last year but lost to Adrian Mannarino in a gripping five-setter.
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Nakashima had failed to qualify for the Australian Open last year but reached the fourth round of the US Open. He is a solid player on hard courts with a good defense and should be able to give Shelton a run for his money.
#4. Lorenzo Musetti (16) vs Matteo Arnaldi:
The two Italians will collide in the first round in another battle between compatriots. Arnaldi reached the tournament's second round last year, while Musetti also lost in a tough five-setter.
Musetti is ranked in the top 20 players in the world. He should be the favorite in the match. However, Arnaldi, who reached the fourth round of the French Open last year, is quite capable of causing an upset.
#3. Felix Auger-Aliassime (29) vs Jan-Lennard Stuff:
Auger-Aliassime has had a tough season last year and is on his way to recovery. He used to be ranked in the top 20 players, but his ranking has dropped.
Struff, the big German, is a big server and likes to come into the net frequently. He will face another big-hitter in the form of Auger-Aliassime, but Struff's ability to pressure the Canadian's backhand should be crucial in determining the match's fate.
#2. Matteo Berrettini vs Cameron Norrie:
A Wimbledon runner-up, Berrettini staged a comeback from a sustained injury in late 2024. He serves big and has a powerful forehand, but his backhand is not quite as good. He should have some trouble against left-handed Norrie, whose crosscourt forehand will be directed at Berrettini's backhand.
Norrie reached the tournament's fourth round last year and has won a Masters 1000 title. Berrettini's job is not going to be easy.
#1. Jannik Sinner (1) vs Nicolas Jarry:
The defending champion and top seed has gotten quite a tough first-round fixture. Jarry is a player who can hit well off either wing and serves pretty big, too. His record in Grand Slams last year was not great, but he reached the final of the Italian Open.
It is very tough to compete against Sinner at this moment, given the red-hot performance of the 23-year-old Italian. However, Jarry has the tools to make a match of it and might be able to stretch the Italian to five sets.
