Russian Andrey Rublev will play against Austrian Dominic Thiem in the first round of the Australian Open. The match will take place on January 17, starting at 00:00 GMT.
Australian Open 2023
 Andrey Rublev | vs |  Dominic Thiem |
Match Details
Date: 17 January 2023.
Tournament: Australian Open 2023.
Round: First round (Round of 128).
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia.
Category: Grand Slam.
Prize Money: A$76,500,000.
Andrey Rublev arrived in Melbourne in a bad psychological state. In early January, the tennis player did not win a single match, having failed both tournaments in Adelaide.
At the first, Andrey immediately lost to Roberto Bautista-Agut, despite the fact that he took the first set and led with a break in the second.
The week before the Australian Open, Rublev unexpectedly lost to Tanasi Kokkinakis. And in this case, the tennis player from Russia also had an unsuccessful third set.
Rublev tries to play as aggressively as possible, but he does not always have the stamina to maintain such intensity throughout the match.
The best result for Andrey at the Australian Major so far remains reaching the quarterfinals in the 2021 season.
Dominic Thiem’s first matches this season also did not add any success, and at the moment the tennis player has nothing to brag about.
Dominic tried to get into the main draw of the first tournament in Adelaide, but immediately lost in qualifying to the Korean Kwon Sung Wu (4:6, 1:6).
Last week, the Australian Open 2020 finalist played two matches at an exhibition tournament in Kooyong. In the first, the former third racket of the world lost to Alex De Minaur, and in the second he defeated Francis Tiafoe.
Last year, Thiem took a long time to get back in shape after a complicated wrist injury, but towards the end of the year he managed to have some good tournaments. The Austrian reached the semi-finals in Gijon and Antwerp.
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Head to Head
Both tennis players played each other 6 times. Rublev managed to win 4 victories, and the Austrian tennis player 2 victories. Rublev won their previous meeting at Gijon Open 2022 in straight sets.
Prediction
| Andrey Rublev win 1.32 | Dominic Thiem win 3.40 |
Given Rublev’s stamina, there are serious doubts about considering him a clear favorite in this match. Even despite the fact that Andrei beat Tim at the autumn tournament in Gijon.
The duo are in the midst of a short difficult period and would like to turn things around soon, especially at the Major. Rublev is a tough opponent for Tim, even in his best years, so the Russian is likely to emerge victorious again.
Prediction: Andrey Rublev (win in four sets).
