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Day 5 of the 2024 Australian Open will see the conclusion of the second-round matches.
While there was a bloodbath on the women's side as 12 seeded players were eliminated in the first round, that wasn't the case with the men. Thirty seeded players made it to the second round, a record since the introduction of the 32-seeded system.
18th seed Nicholas Jarry and 31st seed Alexander Bublik were among the two casualties. Given how the top players performed in the first round, most of them will be expected to continue their journey in Melbourne.
Top 10 players Alexander Zverev and Hubert Hurkacz are among the big names in the fray on Thursday. So, here's a look at how some of the notable matches could play out on Day 5 of the Australian Open:
#1 - Alexander Zverev vs Lukas Klein
Zverev rallied from a set down in the first round to defeat Dominik Koopfer 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-3. Klein made his way through the qualifying rounds and scored a four-set win over Kwon Soon-woo in his opener.
Klein has now made it to the second round of a Major for the first time in his career. However, he mainly plies his trade on the Challenger and ITF circuits. He doesn't have enough experience going toe-to-toe against the top guns of the ATP Tour.
This should be an easy win for Zverev considering Klein's results. However, the German does have some off-court problems going on, namely, his pending trial for the domestic violence charges against him. If he's not too distracted by his personal issues, his Australian Open campaign shouldn't be in any danger.
Predicted winner: Alexander Zverev
#2 - Jiri Lehecka vs Alex Michelsen
Lehecka knocked out Bernabe Zapata Miralles in straight sets to begin his Australian Open campaign with a routine win. He also won last week's Adelaide International, so his victory in Melbourne extended his unbeaten run to six matches.
Michelsen downed home favorite James Mccabe in four sets to make a winning debut at the season's first Major. The teenager is still finding his footing on the ATP Tour but made quite an impression last season. He reached his maiden final at the Hall of Fame Open in July 2023 but lost to Adrian Mannarino.
Michelsen did win a couple of titles at the Challenger level, both on hardcourts as well. While the American youngster is a player to look out for, Lehecka has momentum on his side right now. The Czech player has the edge in this match-up given his recent form.
Predicted winner: Jiri Lehecka
#3 - Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Nuno Borges
Davidovich Fokina was challenged by Constant Lestienne in their first-round contest but managed to prevail in straight sets. Borges, too, made it through his opener without dropping a set.
This marked Borges' first win at the Australian Open as he lost in the first round upon his debut last year. As for Davidovich Fokina, he has made it to the second round once again. However, the Spaniard has always faltered at this stage and will now be hoping to reverse the trend.
Borges is a couple of years older than Davidovich Fokina, but the latter has more experience on the ATP Tour. The former only started playing at the ATP level regularly just last year.
Davidovich Fokina is the favorite on paper given their achievements, but he's known to lose matches from a winning position. If he's able to hold his nerve, he could find himself in the third round here for the first time.
Predicted winner: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
#4 - Hubert Hurkacz vs Jakub Mensik
Hurkacz edged past Omar Jasika 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-2 in the first round here. It was an important win for the Pole, who recently wasted a couple of championship points in the United Cup final against Zverev.
Mensik's Australian Open journey began in the qualifying rounds, which he navigated successfully to make it to the main draw. He faced Denis Shapovalov in the first round, who was making his comeback following an injury layoff.
The Czech teen bested him 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 for a victorious debut in Melbourne. He also reached the third round at last year's US Open in his first-ever Major appearance.
Hurkacz and his big serve could pose a huge problem for Mensik. The former hammered a whopping 24 aces in the previous round. Unless the teenager can counter his opponent's serve with some great returns, the Pole's chances of victory remain high.
Predicted winner: Hubert Hurkacz
