Australian Open: Davidovich Fokina vs Paul Tennis Prediction

TennisSection previews the 2023 Australian Open as Alejandro Davidovich Fokina takes on Tommy Paul in the Round of 64 on Thursday, January 19, 2023.

Tommy Paul is looking to equal his best showing at the Australian Open. However, the American power hitter faces the maverick Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in what is sure to be electric and frenetic tennis on Thursday. Who will reach the third round?

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina upstaged Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik, coming back from two sets to one down to win in five. Bublik’s 76 unforced errors (including 15 double faults) proved to be his own undoing from a winning position. But credit to the Spaniard whose constant barrage of winners helped him to turn the match on its head. Although he has never advanced beyond the second round at the Australian Open, Davidovich Fokina is some shotmaker when he’s hot. Will his game be firing on all cylinders when he takes on Tommy Paul?

Tommy Paul crushed big-serving Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1 7-6 6-2 in his opening-round match at this year’s Australian Open. We had some reservations in that match, given Struff’s penchant for the hard courts and his explosive power off the ground expected to outmatch Paul’s. But the American did not give the German a sniff in the match, as he served 20 aces to Struff’s eight, and converted five of his 10 break points.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Tommy Paul have not played each other on the ATP Tour. Thursday’s match at the Australian Open will be their first official meeting. The Spaniard is a fantastic shot-maker and was such an astute attacker against Bublik, keeping his unforced error count low despite the match going the distance. He’ll need to make another quick start here if he wants to defeat Paul and the first set is pivotal. But given Paul’s dominance over Struff in that opening round, it is tough to comprehend an upset.