Alcaraz the prize should Thommo finally bust Aus Open second-round buffer

Jordan Thompson is knuckling down to break through the biggest stopper he’s found in his Australian Open singles campaigns — getting past the first four days of his home Grand Slam and playing the second weekend.

Four times already he’s made the AO second round (in 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2024) before falling.

There’s only one problem for “Thommo”: His prize this year will be Carlos Alcaraz.

That said, it’s not the worst draw for the Aussie star, who comes into the year’s first Grand Slam with a best-ever singles ranking under his belt; the 30-year-old enjoyed a stellar 2024 and now sits as no.27.

That seeded status – and honour he shares with Alex de Minaur (8th) and Alexei Popyrin (25th) – has set his first rounds up quite nicely though. First up, Thommo will play 30-year-old German qualifier Dominik Koepfer. Should he win on Monday (he plays at around 12.30PM local time) he will face either France’s Alexandre Müller or Portugal’s Nuno Borges.

Perhaps the Aussie 30-year-old’s biggest challenge this year, and one he identified even before 2025 began, was that he wants to bring his doubles talents across to the singles game as much as he can to help his solo seeding keep climbing.

Thompson and partner Max Purcell won the 2024 US Open doubles together in a stellar year.

“It’s a great year on court for me,” Thompson said after his doubles wins last year, “and I played so many matches, singles and doubles, you know, career-high [ranking] in both, but I think one’s helping the other

“When I’m at the net in doubles, I feel like my volleys are getting better in singles. And when I’m returning in doubles, you know, I’ve got to return to a target. So it just helps the singles returns because I feel like I’ve got an ocean of space to hit it into… it’s just practice all-around for both.”

More recently, he conceded a walkover to Gregor Dimitrov in Brisbane’s quarters.

Though he’s ranked quite highly, Thommo’s still paying $501 to win it all.

He’ll also contest the doubles, though he’s traded Aussie partners for Canadian Vasek Pospisil.