The opening round of the Australian Open concludes on Day 4, with several seeded players and intriguing matchups set to take center stage in Melbourne. Alexander Zverev looks to continue his run against Alexandre Muller, while Alexander Bublik faces Marton Fucsovics in a matchup with plenty of history. Offering their insights and predictions are Andreas Pelekis, Steen Kirby, and Zain Mustafa. Who will advance?
Australian Open Day 4 Men’s Predictions
Alexander Zverev vs Alexandre Muller
Andreas: Zverev looked dialed in after losing the first set to Gabriel Diallo in his opener and should be primed to reach the third round. While Muller is dangerous on a good day, there were too many ups and downs on his side of the court as he beat the Aussie Alexei Popyrin in a five-set thriller. Expect Zverev to have a lull at one point and drop a set.
Prediction: Zverev in 4
Zain: While Alexandre Muller has shown that he can play Alexander Zverev closely, the German’s baseline consistency and willingness to defend should once again prevail over the course of a best-of-five match.
Prediction: Zverev in 4
Steen: Muller is a subpar player on this surface who prefers clay, Zverev is not quite as elite as he was but he is a former finalist here and I don’t see him exiting this early on in the tournament.
Prediction: Zverev in 3
Alexander Bublik vs Marton Fucsovics
Andreas: Bublik looked dangerous in his first-round match, and his more mature style of play has surely grabbed more attention than normal in the locker room. He’s won all four of the pair’s tour-level meetings, and I expect Bublik to get to No. 5 on Tuesday. The Australian Open, however, is historically Fucsovics’ best Grand Slam, with the Hungarian owning a 12–7 record in Melbourne.
Prediction: Bublik in 3
Zain: Marton Fucsovics showed some great tennis in his first-round match. But this was a matchup in which Alexander Bublik dominated even when he was not the player that he is today. Expect the Kazakh to reach the third round of yet another major.
Prediction: Bublik in 3
Steen: The Hong Kong winner Bublik has been playing fantastic tennis the last two seasons and surged into the top 10. Fucsovics is 33 and effectively a journeyman now though he did clear 20 ATP level wins in 2025. Fucsovics has reached the second week here before, but Bublik’s play is at a much higher level right now.
Prediction: Bublik in 4
Corentin Moutet vs Michael Zheng
Andreas: Zheng is a breakout star on the ATP Tour, despite not turning professional quite yet, as the Columbia University senior will have a completely different brand of tennis to deal with on Tuesday. Moutet’s crafty groundstrokes could be a challenge for an offensive and younger opponent, and the Frenchman’s experience may break the American’s high confidence. It should be a close one.
Prediction: Moutet in 5
Zain: After surviving the qualifying stage, Michael Zheng, in just his first tour match, did exceptionally well to grind out a win over Sebastian Korda. But Corentin Moutet’s physicality and variety could make this a tough outing for the American.
Prediction: Moutet in 4
Steen: Moutet finished 2025 with 36 wins and a pair of finals, this is a big step up for the qualifier Michael Zheng, who at 21, has ridden an amazing level of form on the ATP Challenger Tour where he reached four finals in 2025 and won three of them, to the Grand Slam level. Zheng looks like the real deal but for right now, this is Moutet’s match to lose.
Prediction: Moutet in 4
Fabian Marozsan vs Kamil Majchrzak
Andreas: Marozsan upset No. 24 seed Arthur Rinderknech in the first round, and I like his chances to reach the Australian Open third round for the third season in a row. He already has two Top 30 wins to his name this year, though the veteran Majchrzak is at his career-high ranking. Marozsan is a bit more consistent from the back of the court.
Prediction: Marozsan in 4
Zain: This match will see contrasting play styles, with Kamil Majchrzak looking to take full advantage of his bigger serve, while Fabian Marozsan will look to be crafty from the baseline. Ultimately, I think the more accomplished hard-court player should be victorious.
Prediction: Majchrzak in 5
Steen: At 30, Majchrzak is now the stereotypical journeyman veteran on the ATP Tour, but this year he’s already at a career high ranking after reaching the Brisbane quarterfinals as a qualifier. He would beat a lot of players right now, but Marozsan is coming off the semifinals in Auckland and has consistently compiled tour level wins the last two years. This match should be on Marozsan’s racquet after he upset Arthur Rinderknech.
Prediction: Marozsan in 4
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
