The second round action at the Australian Open 2025 kick-starts on Wednesday, January 15 as with Jiri Lehecka, Benjamin Bonzi and Aussies Jordan Thompson and James Duckworth in action. Here’s the preview, predictions and tips for these matches from Melbourne.
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Jiri Lehecka v Hugo Gaston Preview
Head-to-Head: Lehecka and Gaston have never faced off before this.
It’s been some start to this season for Jiri Lehecka. Kick-starting his campaign at the Brisbane International, he won the title there following wins over Holger Rune and Grigor Dimitrov, although he was aided by injuries to Dimitrov and then against Reilly Opelka in the final.
And he made it six wins in a row for the season when he usurped Li Tu in his opener here to make the second round like he had last season.
Lehecka did have some trouble though, needing two hours and 22 minutes to find his way to his win as his Aussie wildcard opponent found a way to level the match at one set apiece.
That was the only time he was broken in the match though as he eased to the victory after that.
The world number 29 now faces Frenchman Hugo Gaston in round two after he took advantage of his opponent’s lack of experience to clinch a victory.
Omar Jasika had earned a wildcard to feature in his home tournament and displayed some fight before Gaston grabbed the win in four.
Gaston had come into the match on the back of two losses in the season without a win. While this victory should give him some confidence, Lehecka’s form along with the obvious difference in the current quality of their tennis makes him the favourite.
Lehecka v Gaston prediction: Over 28.5 games in the match: 2/5
Benjamin Bonzi v Francesco Passaro Preview
Head-to-Head: Bonzi and Passaro have never faced off before this.
Benjamin Bonzi is 28 years old and made the third round at the Australian Open just once in his career before this. That has probably also to do with the fact that he’s made only four previous appearances.
Whatever the case may be, Bonzi now has a chance to do that a second time as he takes on the 104th-ranked Francesco Passaro in his second round match.
Starting out a 11/20 favourite against David Goffin for his opener, Bonzi eased to a straight-set victory over Belgian opponent. In doing so he made it his third main draw win for the season following opening round wins in Brisbane and Adelaide as well.
Passaro, on the other hand, has featured in qualifiers in Hong Kong and here at the Australian Open. At the former, he made it through with two wins but lost to Pedro Martinez in his opener while here in Melbourne he lost to Nikoloz Basilashvili in the third qualifying round.
Qualifying as a lucky loser then, Passaro was leading Grigor Dimitrov by a set before his opponent threw in the towel because of fitness concerns.
A fit Bonzi, however, should start a huge favourite here.
Bonzi v Passaro prediction: Bonzi to win: 3/10
Jordan Thompson v Nuno Borges Preview
Head-to-Head: There have been two previous meetings between these two players, one in Estoril in 2021 and another on the Challenger circuit in 2022. Borges has beaten Thompson in both.
While Nuno Borges holds a bit of a wood over Jordan Thompson based on their head to head, it must be quickly added that none of those matches came in hardcourt competitions.
What must also be considered, however, is that Borges seems to be in the kind of confident mood that could see him get to the second week as a surprise entrant into the fourth round or even beyond.
Borges was beaten by Jaume Munar in Hong Kong but followed that up with a semifinal appearance in Auckland. And here, he sent Alexandre Muller out, winning in four sets.
A quarterfinalist at the Brisbane International, Thompson was also forced into the fourth set by Yannick Hanfmann but in the end, the Aussie proved to be too good for him. It might not be that straightforward against Borges though.
Thompson v Borges prediction: Sets Handicap Borges +1.5: 7/10
James Duckworth v Roberto Carballes Baena Preview
Head-to-Head: Duckworth and Carballes Baena have never faced off before this.
Not too many would have given Roberto Carballes Baena a chance to win his opener against 1/2 favourite Alejandro Tabilo. Especially not after Tabilo had won the first set 6-1 with two breaks of serves.
Carballes Baena, who has been known for his performances on clay, however, was coming off a quarterfinal appearance at the Auckland Open last week and had showed in 2024 that he can hold his own in hardcourt competitions too.
He came back to win the next three, breaking Tabilo five times in the process.
It was far more straightforward for James Duckworth who took down Dominic Stricker in the first round. He dropped just eight games in the process.
The Aussie would be relieved in more ways than one – he has been playing at the Australian Open since 2010 and made the second round only four times before this and never beyond. He was also coming off no main draw wins since the Canadian Open last year.
Carballes Baena could take advantage of this poor form though.
Duckworth v Carballes Baena prediction: Carballes Baena to win: 9/10
Other Australian Open 2025 Predictions of the Day
- TBA
