Challenges will increase for the players over the coming days with the competition level increasing at the same time as the temperatures are expected to become much, much hotter and it can bring another factor to the table to consider.
A 2-1 record on Day 4 is welcomed, but there is still some frustration from the fact that Felix Auger-Aliassime blew a 2-0 lead over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, although not nearly the same level the Canadian will be feeling after a disappointing early exit from the Grand Slam event in Melbourne.
It still pushes things forward for the Tennis Picks, but Day 5 looks like being the busiest one yet for the selections being made and could have a big impact on the direction this tournament is going to travel.
Karen Khachanov - 1.5 sets v Gabriel Diallo: There is one Diallo making a big impact on a global stage by representing Manchester United Football Club, but Gabriel Diallo is hoping that his own name will also become well known for achievements in his own sport.
The Canadian is playing at his career best World Ranking and the First Round win over Luca Nardi means Gabriel Diallo will be improving that mark further. He did need over four hours to win that First Round match in five sets, but Gabriel Diallo looked the stronger player in the last couple of sets and also snapped a run of consecutive defeats, both to Italian players.
Last September, Gabriel Diallo reached the Third Round of the US Open and his game is very well suited to the hard courts. Winning matches will build confidence and he has built scoreboard pressure on his opponents by holding 87% of the service games played in 2025.
The opening draws have helped and it should be noted that Gabriel Diallo allowed 15 Break Points in his opening win in Melbourne.
Now the test is also much greater for the 23 year old when he goes up against Karen Khachanov, who won his First Round match against veteran Adrian Mannarino in straight sets. The World Number 19 has not really been able to become a consistent fixture in the top ten, but Karen Khachanov is a strong hard court player and he looks to hold a considerable edge over Gabriel Diallo on the returning numbers.
That could be key in a match that may need tie-breakers to separate the players within sets, while Karen Khachanov also holds the mental advantage over Gabriel Diallo having beaten him twice on the Tour.
Both wins were on the hard courts in matches played over the last six months and the higher Ranked player has held 87% of his service games compared with a 68% mark from Gabriel Diallo. In the two matches combined, Diallo has created 9 Break Points, but Karen Khachanov created 19 Break opportunities when beating the Canadian in Almaty to take the title in their most recent match.
You do have to feel that Karen Khachanov is still at the peak of his powers at 28 years old and he can back up those previous victories over Gabriel Diallo by riding his return game to another victory in the Second Round at the Australian Open.
Francisco Cerundolo - 1.5 sets v Facundo Diaz Acosta: Two compatriots meet in the Australian Open Second Round and both Francisco Cerundolo and Facundo Diaz Acosta will feel this is an opportunity to begin to reverse the slide in their individual World Rankings.
It is Francisco Cerundolo who is the higher Ranked of the two Argentine players taking to the court, but the head to head is split after four games and that means Facundo Diaz Acosta deserves his respect.
A Quarter Final run as a Lucky Loser in Auckland does mean Facundo Diaz Acosta has produced a number of wins already in 2025, which can build confidence. The test for Diaz Acosta is recovering after needing over four hours on the court in the First Round to earn his place in this match, while he is clearly a player who is much more comfortable on a clay court rather than a hard court.
The disappointing early exit in Auckland is a part of a tough twelve months for Francisco Cerundolo, but the World Number 31 crushed Alexander Bublik in the First Round in Melbourne.
Make no mistake about the significance of that win and performance against a player who only barely missed out on a Seed for the Australian Open.
Backing up that kind of performance will never be easy, but the experience of Francisco Cerundolo will help.
Much like other South American players, Francisco Cerundolo is not at his most comfortable on this surface, but he has found a consistent level and one that could be enough to see him move past his lower Ranked countryman.
All four of the previous matches between these players have been on the clay courts and the only one in 2024 was won by Facundo Diaz Acosta, but the surface in Melbourne should allow Francisco Cerundolo to get a bit more out of the serve.
Ultimately that could be key in what is likely to be a match filled with plenty of rallies, but just having a few more cheaper points may just put Francisco Cerundolo in a position to win this one in three or four sets.
Daniil Medvedev - 6.5 games v Learner Tien: He may not be everybody's cup of tea, but tennis needs characters like Daniil Medvedev who are not afraid to say what they think.
His actions on the court turn some people the other way- the destruction of the net camera during his First Round win over World Number 418 Kasidit Samrej produced plenty of headlines, but Daniil Medvedev was able to avoid the upset in a five set win and remains a potential dark horse to win the Australian Open title.
There is no doubt that Daniil Medvedev will need to be a lot stronger than his First Round showing, and he is looking to bounce back from what was a dip in his performances on the hard courts throughout 2024. Prior to that, Medvedev was amongst the very best on the Tour on this surface, but he has slipped significantly behind Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and bridging that gap is the challenge that the World Number 5 has to face.
A stronger start will be needed if Daniil Medvedev is going to make this a more comfortable match than the First Round ended up being, especially as he is facing 19 year old Learner Tien who has come through three Qualifying Rounds and then won his First Round match against an opponent Ranked higher than himself.
Learner Tien is just building his experience on the Tour right now and he is very comfortable on this surface, but he is still operating mainly on the Challenger Tour and this is a huge step up for him.
He does have a 6-5 record against top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts, but Learner Tien's service numbers have dropped to winning below 60% of points played. Someone like Daniil Medvedev will look to get plenty of balls back in play and test Tien's temperament and that is key to the outcome of this one.
Cameron Norrie beat Learner Tien pretty comfortably in Hong Kong and it may need some special tennis and an underperforming Daniil Medvedev performance to make this a really competitive match.
The top ten player has won his last fourteen matches at hard court Grand Slam events against opponents Ranked outside the top 100 and Daniil Medvedev might double down his focus after being given a scare in the First Round. He is likely to be faced with a tough opening set, but Medvedev should be able to move through the gears and eventually pull away from the young American with a strong win on the scoreboard.
MY PICKS: Karen Khachanov - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Francisco Cerundolo - 1.5 Sets @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Daniil Medvedev - 6.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Holger Rune @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Ons Jabeur - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Elina Svitolina - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Australian Open Update: 7-3, + 4.86 Units (18 Units Staked, + 27% Yield)
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