Felix Auger-Aliassime and Dominic Thiem are not playing good tennis right now, but somebody will have to win in their first-round match at the 204 Australian Open.
Dominic Thiem used to be a very good tennis player who played in multiple Grand Slam finals, but ever since he injured his wrist in 2021, the Austrian has never found the same level. The confidence is not there, but it can't be because his play has been far from his top level.
He's not hit 30 wins in 2022 or 2023 after regularly winning 50+ matches in the previous years. That's the type of drop-off that no one expected. However, he still won more matches than Auger-Alissime last year, so what does that say about the Canadian?
Nothing good because he, too, has struggled with injuries but also very bad play. He went seven events last year without winning a back-to-back match, which is crazy for a player who won 64 matches the previous year.
Head-to-head:
They played two times before, with one of those matches being an exhibition match. It happened in 2022, and Auger-Aliassime won it 7-6(2) 7-6(2). The other one was played at the 2020 US Open, which was a win for Thiem 7-6(2) 6-1 6-1.
They've both had great performances at the US Open, with Auger-Aliassime making the quarter-final and Dominic Thiem winning a title once. When it comes to recent form, neither has played that great. The Canadian lost the only match he played this year, while Thiem has two wins and two losses.
Prediction:
It's a tough prediction to make because either could win. Auger-Aliassime is the better player right now; however, you're never really sure about the way he can play. Some days, he's amazing, and other days, he's playing below his level. At least he can find a good level.
Prediction: Felix Auger-Aliassime to win in four sets.
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