Stefanos Tsitsipas has taken his game to another level at the 2023 Australian Open. The 24-year-old Greek was already considered one of the best 10 men’s tennis players in the world before the first Grand Slam of the season, but his stock has soared with his run to a fourth Aussie Open semifinal in the last five years.
All that stands in the way of Tsitsipas and his first final Down Under is Karen Khachanov.
Tsitsipas is a -250 favorite over Khachanov, who also comes into this contest playing some of the best tennis of his career. The semifinal match is scheduled to begin around 10:30 p.m. ET at Rod Laver Arena and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Australian Open prediction: Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Karen Khachanov
Tsitsipas has played six matches at the 2023 Australian Open and has swept five of them. The quality of competition in those five whitewashes can certainly be called into question, but Tsitsipas still was able to roll past tricky opponents like Quentin Halys, Tallon Griekspoor and, most recently, Jiri Lehecka without much fuss.
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The toughest test for Tsitsipas thus far was a showdown with World No. 16 Jannik Sinner, but the Greek was able to hold his nerve in that showdown – a five-set thriller. Tsitsipas blew a two-set lead in the Sinner match, but he was dominant in the decider and showed that he’s not going to be overwhelmed by the pressure points in this tournament.
Although not as talented as Sinner, Khachanov is perhaps just as tough an opponent for Tsitsipas. The Russian is in great form and is now in his second straight Grand Slam semifinal after he made it to the final four at the 2022 US Open.
Like Tsitsipas, Khachanov is serving the lights out and hitting through opponents from the back of the court. The Russian’s serve is his biggest weapon, but he’s proven that he’s pretty much solid at everything and can beat you from behind the baseline.
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It’s hard to envision too many breaks of serve in this showdown, so we could see a tiebreaker or two, and it looks likely that both players will win at least a set (the underdog Khachanov is -290 to do so). Additionally, fatigue isn’t really a factor in this one as Tsitsipas breezed through Lehecka in the quarterfinals, while Khachanov benefited from Sebastian Korda retiring from an injury in the third set.
This has all the makings of a classic encounter. The best way to enjoy it is by betting the match to go over 39.5 games.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Karen Khachanov pick
Over 39.5 Games (-120, BetMGM)