The final of the Australian Open will be played out on the Rod Laver Arena in Mebourne on Sunday when Stefanos Tsitsipas goes in search of a first Grand Slam title when he goes up against a Novak Djokovic with the crown and the number one world ranking on the line.
Djokovic will be looking for Melbourne title number 10 in this match and has cruised through to the final. Tsitsipas has had it tougher as he prepares for a first title showdown in Melbourne, although he has played in a Grand Slam final before.
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Given the Greek connections in Australia I don’t think it is a massive surprise that Stefanos Tsitsipas has such a good record in this tournament. He has been a regular in the semi-final over the last few years and now he is in the final and looking to nail his first Grand Slam title. The Greek has been in fine form this season and his game looks to be improving all the time but he will need the best of his very best to win this one you fancy.
Things have not been plain sailing for Tsitsipas this week. The second week began with him being taken the distance by Jannik Sinner and then in the semi-final he was made to battle by Karen Khachanov. To his credit, Tsitsipas has stood up and played the big moments very well so that will serve him well in this final. If he is going to have any chance he has to serve lights out in this final because he needs from free points.
Novak Djokovic
The incredible record of Novak Djokovic in this tournament is one win away from being enhanced. He will win title number 10 with a win in this match and that surely would have been 11 had he been allowed to enter the country last year. That has clearly motivated him to come back and win the title having not been able to play last year and he has used that motivation to good effect and has absolutely cruised into this final.
The Serbian star has only dropped one set on his way to this final. The second week of the tournament began with all eyes on the Djokovic hamstring which was said to be an issue but that soon turned out to be nonsense with Grigor Dimitrov, Alex de Minaur, Andrey Rublev and Tommy Paul all dispatched without the loss of a set and in many cases barely dropping a handful of games. Djokovic knows how to win and looks like he is ready to win.
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Head-to-head
There have been 12 previous meetings between these two with Novak Djokovic coming out on top in 10 of them. Stefanos Tsitsipas actually led the meetings between them 2-1 at one stage but Djokovic has won nine on the spin since then. This will be the sixth time they have met in a final. Djokovic has won the previous five including in the only Grand Slam final they have met in. Tsitsipas went 2-0 up in sets in that match only to lose 3-2. This will be their fourth meeting on an outdoor hard court though with Tsitsipas 2-1 up in the first three of them. Djokovic has won eight of the last nine sets against his Greek foe.
Betting
I think it is hard to see Novak Djokovic not winning this match. The question is how easily will he win it. He has blown the field away this week but I think Stefanos Tsitsipas is a level up on what he has faced and so while I expect the Serb to win here I’m not convinced he will continue his run of winning in straight sets. When Tsitsipas has joy against the superstar it is generally on an outdoor hard court like this one.
This is a final though and it is rarified territory for the Greek ace at this stage in his career so I suspect nerves might play a part and the longer it goes the better I would expect Djokovic to get. I’m happy to give Tsitsipas a set in this final but I don’t think he is going to get a great deal more. 3-1 Djokovic can be backed at 27/10 for this match and that feels like the likeliest result of the contest so I’ll take Novak to win number 10 for the loss of one set.
Tips
Back N.Djokovic to win 3-1 for a 2/10 stake at 3.70 with Coral
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