Tennis - ATP Calendar: Adelaide & Auckland, who will shine on the courts before the Australian Open?
by Tyler Doty
ATP 250 Adelaide
The 2024 edition of the Adelaide tournament was won by Czech player Jiri Lehecka, seeded 7th, who defeated British player Jack Draper in the final. The defending champion is back in this edition as the 4th seed to defend his title. However, he has already started his season, having just participated in the Brisbane tournament to prepare for our Australian Open predictions.
After a strong start to the tournament, defeating World No. 13 Holger Rune in just 2 sets in the first round, and securing two more victories against Yoshihito Nishioka (World No. 69) and Nicolas Jarry (World No. 35), he benefited from the withdrawal of Top 10 player Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals. He eventually became a finalist and claimed the title after his opponent, Reilly Opelka, withdrew. It was an impressive start to his season, but it may have taken a toll on his energy, potentially making it challenging to replicate such a run in the Adelaide tournament.
Tommy Paul Favorite?
The winner of this Adelaide tournament is likely to be a player starting their season here. This is the case for the No. 1 seed, Tommy Paul, ranked 12th in the world. Never ranked higher than during the 2024 season, the 27-year-old American won no less than 3 ATP titles last year. He successfully defended his Stockholm hard-court title, defeating Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets. He also won titles in Dallas on hard court and at the Queen’s Club on grass.
These successes come as no surprise, as Tommy Paul has steadily improved season after season. With a 45-19 win-loss record in 2024, he will be determined to prepare well for the Australian Open, where he reached the semifinals in 2023. Additionally, after being stopped in the quarterfinals of this Adelaide tournament last year by Jack Draper, he will likely aim to do better this season, and the draw should allow him to reach the final and possibly claim the title. His performances will be closely watched in our tennis prediction!
Korda Still Not Ready?
A second American contender for the title could have been Sebastian Korda, ranked 22nd and seeded No. 2. A semifinalist here last year, Korda seems to be in less-than-ideal form this season. He is currently recovering from an injury and ended his 2024 season with a second-round loss to Tomas Machac at the US Open in August. He may need more time to find his best form and contend for the final.
Our ATP Adelaide Prediction: Tommy Paul to win!
ATP 250 Auckland
Last year, Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, 27, succeeded Richard Gasquet to win the Australian tournament. The 2023 champion was unseeded, having come through qualifying, marking an exceptional run that many participants will aim to replicate this season.
Ben Shelton Favorite
This year, the No. 1 seed is the same as last year: American Ben Shelton, ranked 21st in the world. A semifinalist last year, where he was eliminated by Japan’s Taro Daniel, Shelton will likely seek revenge and aim for the final. The young American has everything needed to start his 2025 season on a high note. As a top-20 player in 2023, he lost 4 spots in the ATP rankings last year but still posted a very positive record with 42 wins and just 26 losses.
Winner of the Houston tournament on clay, Shelton won 60% of his last 10 hard-court matches at the end of the season, impressing at the Basel tournament. There, he was a finalist, defeating Top 10 player Andrey Rublev and World No. 21 Arthur Fils before falling to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Having beaten World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev at the Laver Cup, Shelton should have gained a lot of confidence and will be the favorite to win this Auckland tournament and arrive in top form for the Australian Open.
Tabilo Aiming for a Repeat?
The No. 2 seed is defending champion Alejandro Tabilo, who has made it directly into the main draw this year. Tabilo will be eager to defend his title, which he won against Taro Daniel, but after a second-round exit from the Paris-Bercy Masters last season against World No. 11 Stefanos Tsitsipas, he struggled in his return to the courts, losing in the first round of Brisbane last week to France’s Benjamin Bonzi, despite being seeded No. 6.
Our ATP Auckland Prediction: Ben Shelton to win!
