[5] Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) v Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)
Head-to-head: Tied 1-1
In a battle of the Italians (and the Lorenzos), Lorenzo Musetti and Lorenzo Sonego will bring a flair to the court when they face off on Thursday.
Fresh off his best year on tour, Musetti made his debut in the top 10 and is seeded fifth here, looking to equal or better his third-round appearance at AO 2025.
With an elegant backhand and all-court game, the crafty 23-year-old’s game is a treat to watch.
His compatriot is no slouch either.
The athletic Sonego is a brick wall and has been known to hit some incredible trick shots, hitting perhaps the shot of the tournament against Stan Wawrinka with an inventive behind-the back-forehand winner at AO 2025.
While Musetti goes in as overwhelming favourite, Sonego did make a career-best quarterfinal run in Melbourne last January, and won their most recent encounter at the 2025 Paris Masters.
Reilly Opelka (USA) v [14] Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
Head-to-head: Davidovich Fokina leads 1-0
Reilly Opelka and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina could not have more opposite games.
At 211cm tall, Opelka has one of the most dominant serves on the ATP Tour, averaging almost 18 aces per match. The American also has a dangerous forehand with the ability to close points at the net.
Davidovich Fokina, on the other hand, is a grinder, blending explosive movement with a crafty, dynamic and aggressive game. He also happens to have one of the best drop shots on tour.
Both players had relatively comfortable straight-sets wins in their first-round matches, so will be fresh coming into this encounter.
If Opelka is to win, he’ll aim to push each set to a tiebreak, while Davidovich Fokina will be looking to use his speed and consistency to wear the American down.
[3] Coco Gauff (USA) v Olga Danilovic (SER)
Head-to-head: First career meeting
As one of the biggest female athletes in the world, Coco Gauff is coming off another solid year, winning Roland Garros 2025 as well as a WTA 1000 title in Wuhan.
Opening her AO 2026 campaign with a straightforward win over Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova, Gauff will come into this match full of confidence.
