Happy New Year, and welcome back, tennis fans! The 2025 ATP season is serving up a feast of excitement already, and no exception will be the Brisbane International. In the battle for early-season form and momentum, Round of 16 action pits rising Australian star Aleksandar Vukic against the ever-stylish Bulgarian maestro Grigor Dimitrov.
In that sense, this will be an interesting encounter between two players with varied playing styles and career arcs-arguably one of the most captivating matches to look at in this tournament. Will Vukic capitalize on the home support, or will Dimitrov's experience and subtlety prove too potent? Let's get down to the preview, head-to-head, and predictions for this mouth-watering clash.
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Who do you think will come out on top in this intriguing Round of 16 showdown? Share your predictions in the comment section below!
Claim Welcome BonusAleksandar Vukic
The No. 68-ranked Aleksandar Vukic has been slowly but surely making his rise on the tour, and this home-soil tournament might prove to be the springboard for his 2025 season. The 27-year-old comes into this match in decent form, winning 7 of his last 10 matches, and most recently, he dispatched David Goffin with an impressive straight-sets victory, 6-2, 6-3.
Vukic's performance against Goffin underlined the powerful serve and poise that have grown under pressure. He slammed 11 aces, saved 100% of break points he faced, and was aggressive on return, winning 45% of first-serve return points. His ability to convert critical break points-2/2 in this case-showcased clinical precision.
But Vukic will have to be at his very best against Dimitrov. While his power game is a weapon, it is consistency and patience that will see him past a player as varied and seasoned as the Bulgarian.
Grigor Dimitrov
Coming into this encounter, the clear favorite will be current World No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov. The seasoned campaigner, who has a career-high ranking of World No. 3, has made a good start to the year, boasting the same 7-3 record over his last 10 outings as Vukic. In his last outing, Dimitrov defeated Yannick Hanfmann in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3, though it was far from smooth sailing.
Dimitrov served decently with 9 aces and a very respectable 64% first-serve percentage, though three double faults and a lower first-serve return points figure of 37% suggest room for improvement. Nonetheless, experience and an ability to execute in big moments-100% break points saved-make him formidable for Vukic.
The all-court game of the Bulgarian and his capability to change mid-match has been a characteristic of his success. In the case of Vukic, he will be looking at dictating the play from the baseline by capitalizing on his opponent's inconsistencies.
Head to Head
Dimitrov leads the head-to-head 2-0, with both wins coming on hard courts. The last one was pretty straightforward, won in straight sets by Dimitrov. Vukic has grown a lot since then, though, and he'll hope that a home crowd can help reverse this trend.
Expert Betting Tips
This match pitches Vukic's explosive serve-and-forehand combination against Dimitrov's silky movement and well-rounded game. So, he needs to serve big and keep the points short. He cannot afford long rallies with Dimitrov, who is at his best in neutral exchanges of play. Attacking Dimitrov's second serve and staying aggressive on the return games will be key too.
Dimitrov needs to be patient and try to disturb Vukic with his variety. Slices, drop shots, and variations in pace will test the consistency and shot selection of the Australian. Further, Dimitrov should also make full use of the relative inexperience of Vukic in high-intensity moments.
- Dimitrov to Win in 3 Sets @ 3.72 Odds
- Total 3 Sets @ 2.62 Odds
- Over 0.5 Tie Breaks @ 1.80 Odds
Other predictions
