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Match Details
Fixture: (12) Roberto Bautista Agut vs (WC) Christopher O'Connell
Date: January 3, 2026
Tournament: Brisbane International
Round: First Round (Qualifying)
Category: ATP 250
Venue: Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane, Australia
Surface: Hard
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Christopher O'Connell preview
Roberto Bautista Agut at the US Open 2025. (Photo: Getty)12th seed Roberto Bautista Agut will face home favorite Christopher O'Connell in the first qualifying round of the Brisbane International 2026.
The 2025 season was disappointing for Bautista Agut. He failed to clear the first hurdle of all four Majors, and advanced to the third round of a Masters 1000 tournament only once.
Bautista Agut's best result was a semifinal showing at the Queen's Club Championships. He upset reigning Miami Open champion Jakub Mensik in the second round, and scored his only top 10 win of the season by beating Holger Rune in the quarterfinals. He then lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals. He also reached two more quarterfinals, and shut down his season for good following his first-round exit from the US Open.
O'Connell didn't win a match at the Majors in 2025, and a third-round appearance at the Canadian Open was his best result at the Masters 1000 level. He also made the quarterfinals in Bucharest and Chengdu, his other best tour-level results.
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Christopher O'Connell head-to-head
Their rivalry is currently tied at 1-1. Bautista Agut won their previous meeting at the Winston-Salem Open 2025 following O'Connell's mid-match retirement.
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Christopher O'Connell odds
| Player | Moneyline | Handicap Bets | Total Games |
| Roberto Bautista Agut | |||
| Christopher O'Connell |
(Odds will be added once they're available)
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Christopher O'Connell prediction
Christopher O'Connell at the US Open 2025. (Photo: Getty)Bautista Agut is fighting to maintain his place within the top 100. Since he stopped competing earlier than usual in 2025, he couldn't defend his title in Antwerp towards the end of the season, thus leading to a massive drop in the rankings. He posted a 15-22 record in 2025. He will now make his debut in Brisbane.
2025 was a year to forget for O'Connell as well, putting together a 13-20 record. He even lost seven matches in a row at one point last year. He hasn't had the best luck in Brisbane, going 0-3 after failing to win a match in the qualifying rounds as well as at the main draw level.
Bautista Agut lost his very first encounter against O'Connell in three sets. He put himself on the cusp of victory when they met at the Winston-Salem Open last year, only for the Aussie to retire after losing the first set. The Spaniard's counterpunching brand of tennis is tough to maintain as the years go by.
Bautista Agut is 37 years old now, and engaging in long rallies is going to prove difficult for him. Nevertheless, when he's playing his best, he's still a frustrating opponent to deal with. He should be able to sneak past O'Connell if he's able to raise his level.
Pick: Roberto Bautista Agut to win in three sets.
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Christopher O'Connell betting tips
Tip 1: Roberto Bautista Agut to win.
Tip 2: The match will have at least one tie-break.
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Edited by Rohit
English (US)