The first week of the tennis season heats up in Brisbane with top seed Daniil Medvedev taking on Frances Tiafoe and an all-American clash between Learner Tien and Alex Michelsen.
(1) Daniil Medvedev vs. Frances Tiafoe
Off-season news and 2026 outlook:
- Medvedev – Comes off a relatively disappointing 2025 season with exactly one win at the 4 majors. A late 2025 coaching change saw long-time coach Gilles Cervara replaced by former player Thomas Johannson. The Russian’s 2026 outlook has some promise, as the world No. 13 came to life at the end of last season.
- Tiafoe – Also had a major coaching change, sending off David Witt for a stint with fellow American Todd Martin. Tiafoe’s 2026 outlook is uncertain. The world No. 30 failed to win a single match after his third round ouster at the U.S. Open.
Matchup and prediction:
Medvedev holds a 5-1 head-to-head over Tiafoe. The Russian had a solid win over Marton Fucsovics in his first match of 2026, while Tiafoe defeated Aleksandar Vukic, a talented Aussie. Both men played well in their openers, which makes this second round match-up promising. With Medvedev building on his 2025 momentum, I can’t pick against the Russian.
Cheryl pick – Medevedev in 3
(8) Learner Tien vs. Alex Michelsen
Off-season news and 2026 outlook:
- Tien – The young American won the ATP Next Gen finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a promising outcome as past winners including both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. He sits at a career high 26 in the world and expectations are high for this potential star
- Michelsen – Played for the World team at the Laver Cup for the first time last fall. Michelsen will be looking for another stellar performance at the Australian Open, where he’s defending round of 16 points.
Matchup and prediction:
Michelsen has won both of his matches against Tien, both of which came on hard courts in 2025. Michelsen worked much harder for his second round spot, going the distance against James Duckworth in his first round earlier this week. Tien sailed through in straight sets against Camilo Ugo Carabelli. Despite Michelsen’s record, Tien has shown more early promise.
Cheryl pick – Tien in 2
The post Brisbane R2 previews and predictions: Medvedev vs. Tiafoe, Tien vs. Michelsen appeared first on The Grandstand.