The 2025 ATP Brisbane International continues on Thursday, January 2 with its second round action as Novak Djokovic takes to court again. 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 Gael Monfils Preview
Head-to-Head: There have been 17 previous meetings between these two players at this level and surprise, surprise, Djokovic has won them! The last time they met was at the 2023 Cincinnati Open.
Djokovic was returning to the courts for the first time since having pulled out of the season late last year. He first featured in a doubles match with Nick Kyrgios which they won before he cracked through his opener in straight sets.
The Serb overcame Rinky Hijikata 6-3, 6-3 without too much trouble, needing just 76 minutes of court-time to register his first win of the season. Slamming 12 aces in the encounter, Djokovic was on top of his serve as he did not face a single break-point in the entire match.
His opponent in the second round, Monfils, will know what’s coming – he has been used to losing to Djokovic in the past. Especially given his opening round struggles against a player ranked 138th in the world, Nishesh Basavareddy.
Basavareddy kept Monfils on court for nearly two hours and snatched a set off him as well before the Frenchman ran through the final set 6-1.
Monfils was broken three times in the match but took full of his opponent’s underwhelming second serve.
Djokovic v Monfils prediction: Djokovic to win in straight sets: 1/4
Frances Tiafoe v Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard Preview
Head-to-Head: Their only previous meeting came in the first round of the 2024 Paris Masters and Perricard had grabbed a hard-fought, three-set win over Tiafoe in that encounter.
World number 18 Tiafoe did have some difficulties in the first set of his opener against Adam Walton but came through in the end 7-6 (3), 6-3.
Tiafoe was broken once in the opening set after having taken a 1-0 lead over Walton but from that point onward he managed his serve well. In fact after he had won the opening tie-breaker, Tiafoe did not face a single break-point in the match.
Mpetshi Perricard was never expected to have it easy in his first round given he was up against a maverick in the form of Nick Kyrgios.
While Kyrgios was returning to the courts after a while, he made life very difficult for Mpetshi Perricard before the Frenchman came through in three tie-breakers and two and a half hours of battle.
Tiafoe can expect this to be a big tussle that goes down to the wire.
Tiafoe v Mpetshi Perricard prediction: Three sets in the match: 6/5
Reilly Opelka v Matteo Arnaldi Preview
Head-to-Head: There have not been any matches between Opelka and Arnaldi before this.
Opelka had risen up to 17th in the world at one stage but a string of injuries and fitness related issues nearly pushed him out of the top 300. He is currently 293rd at the moment and will be relieved to have started off the season with a straight set win.
In a match lasting an hour and 17 minutes, Opelka overcame Federico Agustin Gomez 7-5, 6-4. And the good news for the tall-serving Opelka was he did not face a single break-point in the entire game, while getting the better of Gomez’s serve twice.
He now faces Arnaldi who wasted no time in disposing off Alexei Popyrin in his first round match. Despite starting out as a 7/5 underdog in that match, Arnaldi needed a mere 69 minutes to send his Aussie opponent packing 6-3, 6-2.
Arnaldi had a middling sort of an end to the previous season having reached the semifinal at the Canadian Open, third round at the US Open and losing in the second match in Shanghai. Can he now live up to the favourites odds against a player who hasn’t played too much top-level tennis?
Opelka v Arnaldi prediction: Arnaldi to win: 3/5
Jakub Mensik v Dusan Lajovic Preview
Head-to-Head: There have been two previous meetings between these players, at the 2023 Davis Cup and the qualifiers of the 2024 Paris Masters. Mensik, ranked 48th at the moment, has won them both.
Mensik is just 19 years old and is currently at his career-best ranking of 48, something he achieved following some sterling performances towards the end of the season.
Having begun the season ranked 167th, Mensik made the quarterfinal at the Shanghai Masters and Vienna Open to break into the top 50.
And while Mikhail Kukushkin made life difficult for him in the first round here, Mensik was still able to make it through in straight sets, winning 7-6 (3), 6-4.
His second round opponent might not be the worst he could have hoped for with Lajovic having fallen in the qualifiers only to make it through as a lucky loser and win against Arthur Cazaux.
Lajovic was expected to win that one, having started out a 1/6 favourite but things are about to get so much more difficult for him here as he takes on an in-form Mensik.
Mensik v Lajovic prediction: Mensik to win in straight sets: 10/11
Other Brisbane International 2025 Predictions of the Day
- NA
