Marin Cilic will look to continue turning back the clock when he runs into Denis Shapovalov in the second round at Melbourne Park on Thursday. Karen Khachanov will compete against qualifier Nishesh Basavareddy.
(21) Denis Shapovalov vs. Marin Cilic
Shapovalov and Cilic will meet for the sixth time in their careers and the first time in more than four years when they meet in the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday. The head-to-head series stands at 3-2 in Shapovalov’s favour, but they haven’t met since 2021 – when Cilic got the job done 7-5, 7-6 (3) on the grass courts of Stuttgart. The 2014 US Open champion is 0-2 lifetime against Cilic on outdoor hard courts, including 0-4 overall.
Cilic is still going strong at 37. The 70th-ranked Croat reached the fourth round of Wimbledon last summer and his big success continued with a 6-0, 6-0, 7-6(3) win over Daniel Altmaier on Monday. Shapovalov started his season two by beating Bu Yunchaokete 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-1 for his first win of the season (he lost to Raphael Collignon in the first round in Brisbane). While Cilic may be dangerous, you have to think the 23rd-ranked Canadian will have plenty in the tank in what could be a long match.
Pick: Shapovalov at 4
(15) Karen Khachanov vs. (Q) Nishesh Basavareddy
It has been an eventful tournament for Basavareddy, and that is an understatement. The Stanford product famously trailed Sebastian Ofner 7-1 in the third tiebreaker game during the second qualifying round, where Ofer accidentally celebrated the victory – but it was a super-‘breaker to 10 and Basavareddy came back to win 13-11. After winning another qualifying match, the world number 242 went five sets against Aussie Christopher O’Connell on Tuesday and won 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-3.
Next up for Basavareddy on Thursday is a second match against Khachanov, who won their last encounter 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 at the 2025 US Open. The 18th-ranked Russian also needed five sets in his opening match, as he defeated Alex Michelsen 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. This will be a tough one against the 20-year-old American, but Khachanov may have the most firepower in the end.
Pick: Khachanov at 4
