Daniil Medvedev will start his 2026 season at the Brisbane International and he will lock horns with Márton Fucsovics in the opening round. Whoever comes out on top will take on Frances Tiafoe in the second round.
Medvedev, who is the top seed at Brisbane, had a disappointing 2025 season overall but ended well, winning the Almaty Open and reaching the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters, where he lost narrowly to Alexander Zverev. Under new coaches Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke, the former World No. 1 will look to be back to his best in 2026.
Fucsovics, who is ranked 55th in the world, had some decent performances in 2025, most recently winning the Winston-Salem Open. He finished the year with 19 wins out of 32 matches.
Daniil Medvedev vs. Márton Fucsovics Match Details
Date: Jan. 5, 2026
Tournament: Brisbane International 2026
Round: First Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane, Australia
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Hard
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, TSN, Sky Sports
Medvedev vs. Fucsovics Head-to-Head
Medvedev has beaten Fucsovics on all three surfaces, amassing a 4-1 head-to-head lead over the Hungarian. Their last encounter came in the second round of the 2024 Miami Open, with the Russian winning 6-4, 6-2.
Medvedev vs. Fucsovics Prediction
Medvedev’s quality, most recent performances, and head-to-head record against Fucsovics make him the favorite entering the match, especially with it being on hard courts, the Russian’s best surface. That said, the Hungarian on his day is capable of producing some good tennis and 11 of his 19 tour-level main-draw wins in 2025 came against players ranked higher than him. So, he should not be written off.
Medvedev has been one of the best players on hard courts over the past six years, and while his performances dipped a little in 2025, he will be among the favorites to win the Brisbane International. The 29-year-old’s game isn’t the most elegant one out there but it is among the more effective ones, particularly at his best.
Medvedev is a solid counterpuncher but can transition swiftly from defense to offense. His serve is also pretty effective, as is his backhand. Fucsovics will have to hold his nerve and force the Russian to make errors if he is to produce a favorable result.
Medvedev is the superior player by a safe distance and given his quality on hard courts, he should be able to come out on top and set up a second-round clash with Tiafoe in Brisbane.
Pick: Medvedev to win in straight sets.
