The first round action at the ATP Brisbane International 2025 continues on Tuesday, December 31. Here’s the preview, predictions and tips for these matches from Brisbane.
- Get all the remaining tennis betting tips and predictions of the day here
- Also read what’s a Tennis Betting Accumulator here
Novak Djokovic v Rinky Hijikata Preview
Head-to-Head: This will be the first meeting between Novak Djokovic and Rinky Hijikata.
Djokovic makes a return to competitive tennis under a new coach in the form of Andy Murray. He has also decided to feature in the doubles competition here with Nick Kyrgios as he looks to build on his form in the lead-up to Australian Open.
What has been definite reasons behind these changes are related to his form.
In 2024, while he clinched the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. he had come empty-handed at the Grand Slams with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner sharing the four major titles.
He starts off against the local lad and world number 73 Hijikata who was forced to play in a few Challenger tournaments towards the end of the 2024 season. He grabbed a title in Playford and the final of the Sydney Challenger.
That aside, he did make the quarterfinals at this tournament last year and against in Delray Beach and Queen’s but not too much else has gone his way. And to face Djokovic first up in the season could mean he might not have the best start to the year this time.
Djokovic v Hijikata prediction: Djokovic to win in straight sets: 1/4
Frances Tiafoe v Adam Walton Preview
Head-to-Head: 18th-ranked Tiafoe has never faced off against the world number 93 Adam Walton in a competitive match before this.
Having touched a world-best ranking of 10th on the ATP charts, Tiafoe’s underwhelming performances in 2024 pulled him down in those rankings. He fell to 18th in the world after failing to win a single title all season having clinched two in the preceding year.
Tiafoe did make the semifinal at the US Open but ended the season on an unhappy note following that run, winning just three of his following nine matches.
Not that Adam Walton had much of a season to beckon at the highest level. While Walton did win a couple of competitions at the Challenger level, his overall career win-loss record on the ATP Tour reads a woeful 3-11 at the moment.
Two of those wins came last year at Mallorca and Atlanta but other than that Walton hasn’t had much to show for, leaving Tiafoe a huge favourite here.
Tiafoe v Walton prediction: Tiafoe to win: 1/4
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard v Nick Kyrgios Preview
Head-to-Head: Perricard and Kyrgios have never played each other at any level of tennis.
Nick Kyrgios opens his singles campaign here after having won his first round doubles match partnering Novak Djokovic.
It would have done him good too after having failed to make more than one appearance apiece in each of the preceding two seasons – he played in Stuttgart in 2023 and featured in the World Tennis League earlier this month to try and get into some kind of a groove.
This came after he had a breakout year in 2022 in which he made the Wimbledon final and was a quarterfinalist at the US Open.
He faces a player who showed great potential in 2024. Having ended the 2023 season ranked 205th in the world, Perricard quickly climbed to 30th on the ATP charts thanks to a string of awesome results.
This included two title wins at the highest level – in Basel and Lyon – and three Challenger competition wins to go with that. No surprises he starts off as a bit of a favourite here.
Mpetshi Perricard v Kyrgios prediction: Perricard to win: 8/11
Sebastian Korda v Arthur Cazaux Preview
Head-to-Head: Their only previous outing came in the qualifiers of the Madrid Open 2021 and Cazaux had won that clay court encounter in straight sets.
Korda held his own in 2024 and ended up with his second career title in the season as he lifted the Washington Open trophy.
He would go on to make the semifinal at the Canadian Open but feature in only three more matches after that, calling it an end to his season after losing his second round match at the US Open.
Still he returns to competitive tennis following this three months break feeling refreshed and should be raring to go against French opponent.
Cazaux has been more found on the Challenger circuit. having won the Noumea Challenger title last year. His best performance at the highest level came at the Australian Open where he made the fourth round but following that success he failed to garner too many good results.
While there seems to be little to choose between the two players on their odds, we think Korda will prove to be too good for his opponent here.
Korda v Cazaux prediction: Korda to win: 3/4
Other Brisbane International 2025 Predictions of the Day
- Matteo Arnaldi v Alexei Popyrin: Popyrin to win: 3/5
- Federico Agustin Gomez v Reilly Opelka: Opelka to win: 9/20
- Jakub Mensik v Mikhail Kukushkin: Mensik to win: 1/4
- Gael Monfils v Nishesh Basavareddy: Monfils to win: 4/5
