Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Australian Open match.
Qualifier Jaime Faria dispatched his first-round opponent more swiftly than the 10-time Australian Open champion. But can the Portuguese player put up any kind of fight against him?
Novak Djokovic
The Serbian faced a relatively unknown American, Nishesh Basavareddy. The match extended to nearly three hours against the 107th-ranked player. The 19-year-old even took the first set (6:4), going toe-to-toe with the 37-year-old Djokovic in most aspects. However, in the subsequent sets, his opponent faltered significantly in winners, while Djokovic maintained a consistent level, winning three sets (6:3, 6:4, 6:2).
Jaime Faria
The 21-year-old Portuguese player has only recently started to make significant strides, having never before reached the main draw of a Grand Slam. He only began participating in qualifiers in 2024. Currently ranked 125th, his highest ranking was 116th last November. In the first round, Faria defeated Russia's Pavel Kotov, the world number 97, in 1 hour and 45 minutes (6:1, 6:1, 7:5).
Novak Djokovic vs Jaime Faria Prediction
It's understandable that Djokovic hasn’t yet crossed paths with this new elite entrant. Despite some first-round challenges, Djokovic should comfortably overcome Jaime Faria, having had a full day for recovery. The match is expected to conclude with a clear advantage for the favourite.
