The tennis season of 2026 kicks off with an exciting lineup in Brisbane, featuring prominent matchups that promise to capture the attention of fans. Top seed Daniil Medvedev is set to compete against Marton Fucsovics in their seventh encounter. Medvedev, who has an impressive head-to-head record over Fucsovics at 5-1, is particularly dominant on hard courts, winning all of their matches on that surface without dropping a set by more than a two-game margin. This includes a recent victory at the 2024 Miami Masters, where he triumphed 6-4, 6-2.
While Medvedev’s 2025 season included various challenges leading to a coaching change from Gilles Cervara to Thomas Johansson, he managed to regain form in the latter part of the year. His notable performances include ending a title drought in Almaty and reaching the semifinals in both Beijing and Shanghai. The three-time Australian Open runner-up appears to be well-prepared for this season opener in a tournament he enjoys.
Another intriguing match on the first day features an all-Czech battle between Jiri Lehecka and Tomas Machac. This will mark the first meeting between the two rising stars, both eager to make a strong impression as they enter this new season. Despite a strong start to 2025, Machac’s inconsistency has seen him drop to No. 32 in the rankings, posing a risk of not being seeded at the upcoming Australian Open. In contrast, Lehecka has enjoyed greater consistency and is currently ranked No. 18 after a stellar 2025 in which he won 41 main-tour matches and the Brisbane title.
Given Lehecka’s successful title defense in Brisbane and history of strong performances in Australia, he is favored to advance past Machac in this matchup. With both matches promising thrilling tennis action, the Brisbane International sets an optimistic tone for the upcoming tennis season, as players look to cement their status and gain momentum heading into the Australian Open.