This year’s first Grand Slam starts at Melbourne Park from 20th of January to 2nd February. The Australian Open will have a lot of historical significance. Rafael Nadal has the chance to become the only male player in Open Era to win a double career Grand Slam. On the other hand Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will also be looking to add to their Grand Slam tally.
The Australian Open may also prove to be the tournament where someone among the Next-Gen tries to breakthrough and win a slam. In this article we take a look at 5 favorites who can win the Australian Open men’s singles 2020.
5. Daniil Medvedev
The Russian star is currently enjoying his career best ranking at World Number 4. Much of this is because of the immense success he has during last August and September in the US and Asian hard court swings. Medvedev won 2 Masters 1000 tournaments during that time, one each in Cincinnati and Shanghai as well as reached the finals of the US Open.
Medvedev has been handed a tricky draw in the Australian Open 2020, where he faces talented American youngster Frances Tiafoe in the 1st round. In the 4th round Medvedev could face Swiss ace Stan Wawrinka in the repeat of the 2019 US Open quarter-final match.
In the quarter-final the Russian Number 1 could face David Goffin or Alexander Zverev before a potential semi-final clash with a familiar foe Rafael Nadal, whom he played few times in 2019. Medvedev would face either Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer, should he reach another Grand Slam final.
In the 2019 Australian Open Daniil Medvedev’s surge was halted in the 4th round by the eventual champion Novak Djokovic. The Russian who reached his 1st Grand Slam final in 2019 US Open would be hoping to go one step further and break the stronghold of the Big 3 by winning his 1st Grand Slam this February.
4. Stefanos Tsitsipas
It was in the Australian Open last year that Stefanos Tstsipas truly announced himself to the world by beating the then defending champion Roger Federer. Tsitsipas reached the 2019 Australian Open semis and also won his biggest career title in the Nitto ATP finals in 2019. He is now one of the big favorites to go deep on the hard courts of the Australian Open.
The Greek who is seeded 6th has been given a relatively easier draw in the early stages before it gets mighty tough, Tsitsipas could face big serving Canadian Milos Raonic in the 3rd round before a probable clash either Marin Cilic or Roberto Bautista Agut in the 4th round.
Tsitsipas would then have an unprecedented road of facing Novak, Roger and Rafa in the quarter-final, semi-final and final matches respectively if he were to win the Australian Open 2020. The draw may look tough but the Greek sensation is known to rise to the occasion. He is among our favorites to win the 2020 Australian Open Championship.
3. Roger Federer
Roger Federer already has 20 Grand Slam trophies in his career but seems hungry for a few more. The Swiss legend has won 6 Australian Open championships so far. In 2019, he was stunned in the 4th round upset by Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas. Federer’s last Grand Slam success came in 2018 at the Australian Open itself. The Swiss lost many championship points and finally the match to Novak Djokovic at 2019 Wimbledon final. He will now be eager to add to his already mammoth Grand Slam record at this year’s Australian Open.
Like in 2019, Federer enters Australia as the 3rd seed in 2020. At the age of above 38 years he is bidding to become the oldest male Grand Slam champion, a record currently held by Ken Rosewall. Federer’s draw at this year’s Australian Open may bring him face to face with Poland’s rising star Hubert Hurkacz in the 3rd round. In the 4th round, Roger is expected to face either Canada’s Denis Shapovalov or Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, who beat the Swiss in US Open 2019.
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If Roger makes it to the semis, he could face either Stefanos Tsitsipas or the long time rival and World Number 2 Novak Djokovic. If Federer succeeds to repeat his ATP finals performance finals against the Serb great, he might well meet his biggest rival Rafael Nadal in the final. This could be the final all of the tennis world would love to watch one last time at the Rod Laver arena.
2. Rafael Nadal
The 2009 Australian Open Champion at the top seed this year Rafa Nadal of Spain could touch a couple of records at this year’s Australian Open. With 19 Grand Slam titles won, Rafa is just one shy of Roger Federer’s record of 20 slams. He will aim to equal Federer’s record in Melbourne by winning the 2020 Australian Open. Rafa also aims to become the 1st male player in the Open Era to win each of the 4 Grand Slams at least 2 times.
The World Number 1 who was the runner up last year has been handed more or less a favorable draw this year. Nadal could face Australia’s Nick Kyrgios or Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the 4th round clash and then Austria’s Dominic Thiem, should the Spaniard enter the quarter-final stage. In the semis Rafa could potentially face Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in a repeat of the 2019 US Open final.
If Rafa manages to reach the final in 2020, it would be his 6th final at the Rod Laver arena. Nadal won his 1st final back in 2009 against Roger Federer. Since then the Spaniard has not been lucky on 4 times. The World Number 1 could meet one of his 2 greatest rivals Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic. Rafa lost to Federer in the 2017 final and Djokovic in the 2019 final. In 2020 the Spaniard would be looking to finish on the winners side and thus raise his Grand Slam count to 20.
1. Novak Djokovic
The most successful Australian Open male champion of all time and the 2nd seed this year, Novak Djokovic is a huge favorite to lift the Norman Brookes challenge cup on 2nd February. Novak has won the Australian Open 7 times so far with his most recent success coming in 2019 when he beat Rafael Nadal in the final. The Serb has a 7-0 win loss record in the Australian Open finals.
Djokovic is the 2nd seed this year but his draw is somewhat tougher. The Serb opens his title defense with a tricky 1st round match against hard hitting German Jan-Lennard Struff. In the 4th round he could come face to face against his ATP cup teammate and rising Serbian star Dusan Lajovic or Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman. Novak’s potential quarter-final opponents could be either Spain’s danger man Roberto Bautista Agut or Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas.
In the semis Novak could face Roger Federer in a highly anticipated contest. If the World Number 2 reaches his 8th final in the Australian Open he could face the World Number 1 Rafa Nadal. Djokovic and Nadal have so far played 2 finals at Australian Open, with the Serb emerging victorious on both occasions.