Match of the Day: Alex de Minaur vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas, ATP Cup

Top-ranked Australian Alex de Minaur began his 2020 campaign with a bang, rallying for three-set wins over Alexander Zverev and Denis Shapovalov in his first two matches at the inaugural ATP Cup. The speedster appears to love the camaraderie of team competition and is playing with serious confidence with mentor Lleyton Hewitt in his corner. He will need that same energy if he is to finally defeat reigning ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Although he lost to an on-fire Shapovalov in his opener, Tsitsipas bounced back in a big way with a 6-1, 6-4 thumping of Zverev that lasted just over an hour. The Greek owns a 3-0 record over De Minaur and is favored to extend his unbeaten streak on Tuesday in Brisbane.

De Minaur relies on his consistency and speed to frustrate the other side of the net in place of overwhelming power. Oftentimes, "Demon" will purposely hit a short ball to force his opponent's hand, allowing him to use his counterpunching prowess. It's effective against most players, but not Tsitsipas. In addition to his humongous power, Tsitsipas has a true all-court game and covers the net as well as anyone.

With the backing of a home crowd, De Minaur may push the Greek to the limit, but the two players aren't yet on the same level. Look for Tsitsipas to hand the 20-year-old his first loss in ATP Cup competition.

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