Predicted Winners in BOLD

[3] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs. [Q] Dennis Novak (AUT) – How will Dimitrov deal with increased expectations?  I am not sure, but he should win this match.

[1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) – Rafa has a very workable draw Down Under.

[16] John Isner (USA) vs. Matthew Ebden (AUS) – Isner seems to have a lot of self-confidence so maybe he makes a deep run.

[15] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs. [Q] Kevin King (USA) – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was runner-up at the 2008 Aussie Open.  His general status as a top 10 or top 20 player is another testament to the changing age dynamics in tennis.

[6] Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) – I get Lu’s matches wrong more than any player on tour so take this pick with a grain of salt.

[17] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) vs. Rogerio Dutra Silva (BRA) – With Nick Kyrgios, who knows.

Denis Shapovalov (CAN) vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) – Canadian Content into the second round.

[8] Jack Sock (USA) vs. Yuichi Sugita (JPN) – Sock as the 8th seed seems somewhat stunning, but his title in Paris last fall sets him up nicely for 2018’s seedings.

[11] Kevin Anderson (RSA) vs. Kyle Edmund (GBR) – The draw did no favors to the 2017 US Open runner-up, but if he serves well, he should win.

Borna Coric (CRO) vs. John Millman (AUS) – Coric should win, but I am not sure that he will.  So, I will pick the upset.

[27] Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) vs. Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN)

Gerald Melzer (AUT) vs. Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) – Don’t call me Jurgen

Viktor Troicki (SRB) vs. [WC] Alex Bolt (AUS) – Maybe an upset … maybe a terrible pick on my part.

[18] Lucas Pouille (FRA) vs. [Q] Ruben Bemelmans (BEL) – Pouille is my darkhorse to take the title.

[10] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) vs. [WC] Jason Kubler (AUS)

Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) vs. [Q] Yuki Bhambri (IND) – Baghdatis was runner-up at the 2006 Australian Open.  He is still out there making a living.

[23] Gilles Muller (LUX) vs. Federico Delbonis (ARG)

[Q] Elias Ymer (SWE) vs. [Q] Mackenzie McDonald (USA) – One qualifier will get some much needed second round or better computer points to avoid needing to qualify down the road.

[31] Pablo Cuevas (URU) vs. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) – Youzhny’s best days are behind him, but like Baghdatis he is still out there.

Leonard Mayer (ARG) vs. Nicolas Jarry (CHI)

Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) vs. Denis Istomin (UZB)

Gilles Simon (FRA) vs. Marius Copil (ROU) – Simon had a decent tune-up for this event.

[30] Andrey Rublev (RUS) vs. David Ferrer (ESP) – Rublev complained of exhaustion recently.  Ferrer is the wrong guy to draw if one is feeling tired.

Malek Jaziri (TUN) vs. [Q] Salvatore Caruso (ITA)

[28] Damir Dzumhur (BIH) vs. Paolo Lorenzi (ITA)

Joao Sousa (POR) vs. [Q] Dustin Brown (GER) – If the court is quick, this might happen.  Sousa is a tough customer though so this is me picking with my heart and love of net rushing tennis ahead of me picking with logic.

Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) vs. [PR] Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT)

[Q] Carper Ruud (NOR) vs. [Q] Quentin Halys (FRA)

Andreas Seppi (ITA) vs. [WC] Corentin Moutet (FRA)

Ivo Karlovic (CRO) vs. Lasko Djere (SRB) – Bombs away

Ryan Harrison (USA) vs. Dudi Sela (ISR) – Harrison needs this win and should get it.

[24] Diego Schwartzman (ARG) vs. Dusan Lajovic (SRB)