Day 4 action at the Australian Open continues with several compelling men’s second-round matchups, including hometown favorite Alex de Minaur, resurgent Brit Cameron Norrie, and former US Open semifinalist Tommy Paul. Andrey Rublev will also be in action as he looks to build momentum in Melbourne. Offering their insights and predictions are Andreas Pelekis, Steen Kirby and Zain Mustafa. Who will advance?
Australian Open Day 4 Men’s Predictions
Alex de Minaur vs Hamad Medjedovic
Andreas: De Minaur has a tall task to break his Australian Open quarterfinal drought, but the Aussie should be the heavy favorite to reach the third round. Medjedovic’s ranking slipped after a strong start to the previous season, while he only has one Top 10 win to his name. Against weaker opponents, De Minaur typically plays well in front of the home crowd.
Prediction: De Minaur in 3
Steen: Medjedovic’s 24-18 record in 2025 was excellent for his standards but De Minaur has won double that number of matches for the last four seasons. ADM is fitter and faster and Medjedovic lacks the speed and consistency to pull this off, unless De Minaur has a fit of mental frustration.
Prediction: De Minaur in 3
Zain: Despite being the far lower-ranked player, you can make the case that Hamad Medjedovic has the bigger weapons in this match. But if there is one thing you cannot have against Alex de Minaur, it is suspect stamina, which should make this a manageable match for the Aussie.
Prediction: De Minaur in 4
Cameron Norrie vs Emilio Nava
Andreas: It’s always a fun occasion in the Grand Slams when two battle-weary players face one another, with both having to go deep into a fifth set in their first-round wins over Benjamin Bonzi and Kyrian Jacquet, respectively. Nava is slightly more aggressive from the center of the court, while Norrie is consistent and experienced in Grand Slams. The edge has to go to the Brit, who is enjoying a bit of a career resurgence.’
Prediction: Norrie in 4
Steen: While Norrie has never gone beyond the round of 16 here, Nava is a player still trying to bridge the gap between the Challenger Tour and the ATP Tour. His 10-23 tour level record in his career contrasts with a 44-17 Challenger Tour record last season that was a major rise in performance. Norrie isn’t as much of a threat to the game’s elite anymore, but he’s perfectly capable of coming out of matches like this unscathed.
Prediction: Norrie in 3
Zain: Cameron Norrie once again outlasted his opponent in the first round. While Emilio Nava’s serve can be a factor in this match, Norrie is very capable of grinding out yet another victory here.
Prediction: Norrie in 4
Tommy Paul vs Thiago Agustin Tirante
Andreas: The Australian Open is historically Paul’s best Grand Slam, as the 2023 semifinalist won in straight sets in his opener. Look for him to cruise past Tirante, who did well to beat home favorite Aleksandar Vukic but only has four hard-court tour-level wins to his name.
Prediction: Paul in 3
Steen: Over the last four seasons Paul has been Mr. Consistent, and he remains a top 20 player. A semifinalist in Adelaide, his form is enough to beat most of his possible opponents when healthy. Tirante at 24 is still trying to get a foothold in the top 100 and only has 11 tour level wins despite a fantastic Challenger Tour record of 36-19 last season. Tirante is an all-court player, but he lacks Paul’s consistency.
Prediction: Paul in 3
Zain: Tommy Paul looked really good in his first match after there were concerns about his physical state due to recent injuries. Thiago Agustin Tirante’s high-firepower playstyle is something Paul’s counterpunching has historically done well against and should see him prevail here.
Prediction: Paul in 3
Andrey Rublev vs Jaime Faria
Andreas: Rublev’s powerful groundstrokes are some of the best to watch on tour, and he was able to take out the tricky Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets in his opener. Faria did well to qualify without dropping a set, but based on Rublev’s first-round performance, this should be a similarly comfortable matchup on paper. Faria did, however, sneak a set off Novak Djokovic during last year’s Australian Open second round.
Prediction: Rublev in 4
Steen: A semifinalist in Hong Kong, Rublev struggles in the late rounds of Grand Slams but would still be quite favored against the 22-year-old qualifier Faria who has just six tour level wins in his career. Faria’s future looks looks credible and his form is good, but he lacks the weapons to defeat a player of Rublev’s level.
Prediction: Rublev in 3
Zain: Playing with house money, Jaime Faria has already performed beyond his ranking, and that confidence could see him play at a level he normally does not. But Andrey Rublev’s overall game, especially his strength on the forehand wing, should be enough to win this match.
Prediction: Rublev in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
