Francisco Cerundolo vs Zhizhen Zhang Preview & Prediction | 2026 Australian Open | First Round
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Francisco Cerundolo is seeded number 18 in this year’s Australian Open and begins his singles campaign against Zhizhen Zhang.
Start date/time:
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Surface: Outdoor hard
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & Tennis Channel
Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Francisco Cerundolo vs Zhizhen Zhang ticket information
Francisco Cerundolo vs Zhizhen Zhang prediction
There’s reason to be excited about the prospects of Francisco Cerundolo, not just at the Australian Open but also across the coming season. The Argentinian and South American number one is coming off the back of a successful 2025 which saw him impress on multiple surfaces across the ATP tour. The next step for Cerundolo needs to be a deep run in a Grand Slam and maybe this will be the one.
Cerundolo has reached the third round in Melbourne in two of the past three years and his win percentage at the Australian Open (63%) is the highest of all four Grand Slam singles events in which he has competed in. This bodes well ahead of this first round match-up vs Zhizhen Zhang, who has only made it past the first round once here.
When assessing these two players, Cerundolo is certainly further ahead. He’s a better player on the hard court and should prove too strong for Zhang over the course of this match. Therefore, back Cerundolo to win and advance.
Francisco Cerundolo vs Zhizhen Zhang tip: Francisco Cerundolo to win