It’s quarterfinal action at the 2025 ATP Auckland Open which will be played on Thursday, January 9 as Gael Monfils, Alex Michelsen and Jakub Mensik take to court. Here’s the preview, predictions and tips for these matches from Auckland.
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Jakub Mensik v Nuno Borges Preview
Head-to-Head: Their only previous meeting came in the third round of the previous US Open and Borges had won that in five sets.
Jakub Mensik has been vastly improved with the 19-year-old’s ranking hovering around his career-best of 48th on the ATP charts. And he has reached the quarterfinal here at the expense of the top seeded Ben Shelton whom he edged out in the previous round.
In a match where fortunes swung wildly and the players were forced to be on court for two hours and 40 minutes, Mensik was able to come through 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5.
What was so fascinating about the contest overall was there were a total of 18 break-points on offer and only two breaks of serves were on show – one for each. It was Mensik’s serving that took him home in the end, with 10 aces and 80% points won on his first serve.
Mensik would like something similar to continue when he takes to court against Nuno Borges who needed to come back from behind to win his second round match against Mariano Navone.
For the second match running Borges was pegged back early but retaliated to clinch it 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. And much like Mensik, even Borges was on court for over two and a half hours before sealing his last eight berth.
Borges had earlier made the second round at the Hong Kong Open but fallen before entering the last eight stage.
Mensik v Borges prediction: Mensik to win: 10/11
Gael Monfils v Facundo Diaz Acosta Preview
Head-to-Head: Monfils and Diaz Acosta have never faced off before this.
World number 52 Gael Monfils seems to be getting a good workout before the Australian Open and the ranking points he would have earned from these showings at Brisbane last week and Adelaide here would also help.
Monfils did lose in the second round at Brisbane but that was to Novak Djokovic. Here, he has turned things in his favour and quite nicely at that.
Starting off with the loss of the first set in the opening round to Pedro Martinez, Monfils came back to clinch the next two sets to seal his second round berth. And there, despite starting out an 11/10 underdog against Jan-Lennard Struff, Monfils eased to a straight-set victory.
He now faces an opponent who has been a surprise showing this week.
The Buenos Aires Open 2024 winner Facundo Diaz Acosta has barely done anything of note in hardcourt competitions in his career. And following his opening round defeat at the Canberra Challenger last week he looked to be on his way to Melbourne without playing a main draw match here either.
Then he got through as a lucky loser and since then has overcome Cameron Norrie and Sebastian Baez in the first two rounds here.
Monfils could prove to be a tricky customer but given the momentum that Diaz Acosta has got, he could make things rather difficult for the Frenchman.
Monfils v Diaz Acosta prediction: Monfils to win in three sets: 3/1
Zizou Bergs v Roberto Carballes Baena Preview
Head-to-Head: Bergs and Carballes Baena have never faced off before this.
A qualifier in this competition, Zizou Bergs registered back to back wins in the main draw to enter the quarterfinal here. This is the third time in his career that Bergs has made the quarterfinal round of an ATP competition and all three have come within a few months of each other.
What’s interesting to note is that Bergs has a solid record in hardcourt competitions at the lower levels but hasn’t been able to translate them fully on the ATP Tour. This could just be the beginning of that after Bergs overcame Isaac Becroft and Luca Nardi in the first two rounds here.
He now faces a known clay-courter in Roberto Carballes Baena in this last eight encounter, but one who shocked Francisco Cerundolo in the second round.
Having scraped through his opener against Daniel Altmaier, Carballes Baena overcame 8/5 odds for his win to defeat Cerundolo 6-2, 7-5. This is now his second quarterfinal appearance in three hardcourt competitions, making it one of his best phases of tennis on it.
Bergs still should hold the key here and starts off as our favourite.
Bergs v Carballes Baena prediction: Bergs to win: 1/2
Alex Michelsen v Nishesh Basavareddy Preview
Head-to-Head: While these two youngsters have never faced off at the highest level before this, they have been a part of the Challengers tour together to go with having faced off at the Next Gen Finals last year. Michelsen leads 2-1 there.
It’s an all-American clash between two players aged 20 and 19 respectively. And while they are in different zones when it comes to their rankings, it could well be a match-up from the future, at least as far as American tennis is concerned.
Alex Michelsen, who is the slightly older of the two players, is currently at his career-best ranking of 41st in the world and his wins over Sumit Nagal and Lorenzo Sonego could even help him break into the top 40. There’s a bigger carrot hanging in the form of a title win here which won’t just be his first but could also help him get to nearly 33rd on the charts.
His opponent is also at his best career ranking but at 133rd – before the start of this competition – it’s some way away from being what could be his best ever. A win here could carry him close to breaking into the top 100, another incentive for him to come out in full force.
What’s interesting to note is that both have won match apiece against each other on the Challenger circuit but neither went into the third set. The scorelines were identical too at 6-3, 6-3.
This time around, however, it seems like they are a lot closer and we could see a tougher fight.
Michelsen v Basavareddy prediction: Three sets in the match: 6/5
