Novak Djokovic is chasing history Down Under. The former world No. 1 and nine-time Australian Open champion is seeking to win a record 10th title on Sunday and a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title.
Blocking his path is Stefanos Tsitsipas, who broke new ground at the Aussie Open by finally advancing into his maiden final Down Under on what was his fourth attempt to reach the ultimate round. The 24-year-old fell in the penultimate round on three previous occasions in the last four years.
It doesn’t get any bigger in tennis than a battle for a major title on one of the game’s four big stages. It also doesn’t get any tougher than a matchup against one of the game’s greats.
It should come as no surprise that the tennis odds are stacked against the No. 1 Greek in this blockbuster final. There was an element of destiny about Djokovic right from the start, primed as he was to win it according to the bookmakers,
Djokovic is odds-on to win the final at -500 on the moneyline as we look at the sportsbook exchange powered by BetUS. Tsitsipas is a longshot at +400 in the same market. Having said that, the games handicap is set on a curiously tight line of 5½ while the total is projected to 37½ with the over and under projected to -110, respectively.
Where are the best bets to be had? On the moneyline? Games handicap? Or total? Find out as we weigh in on this Australian Open final match between Tsitsipas vs Djokovic, examine the latest tennis odds, key storylines and serve up choice tennis picks for your consideration.
Let’s check the latest Tennis news, stats, injury reports, and Tennis lines for Tsitsipas vs Djokovicin Australian Open Final. We’ve got plenty of Tennis picks for you to consider.
Australian Open Men’s Final: Tsitsipas vs Djokovic Odds
- Games Handicap: Djokovic -5½ (-110)
- Moneyline: Tsitsipas ML +400 | Djokovic ML -500
- Games Total: O 37 ½ (-110) | U 37 ½ (-110)
Djokovic the Player to Beat
Djokovic arrived in Melbourne in fine form behind a 5-0 run and a title at the Adelaide International 1 tournament. From the start of the season, Djokovic was tipped to win the Australian Open in the tennis betting markets for the year’s first major and his hot start to the season only underscored those odds further.
Djokovic started as the -120 favorite to lift the trophy when all was said and done. By comparison. Tsitsipas, the fourth-best bet going into Day 1 of the tournament, was priced as the +1200 bet. If nothing else, the gap in the tennis odds spoke volumes.
Djokovic Cruises into Final
Djokovic made light work of unseeded Tommy Paul in the semifinals, beating the American hopeful 7-5, 6-1, 6-2.
The win marked his fifth straight-set win of the tournament and fourth in a row since the rarefied loss of a set in the R64 against Enzo Couacaud. Moreover, Djokovic’s dropped no more than eight games since the R16.
The 35-year-old champion faced very little competition through the rounds and reached the final without breaking into a great sweat. Indeed, Djokovic couldn’t have scripted a better run had he tried.
Not only did Djokovic fall into a favorable section of the draw, which burst wide open with the unexpected withdrawal of Nick Kyrgios on Day 1 of the tournament, but he also played all his matches during the cooler night sessions and, crucially, avoided all of the legitimate contenders in the game. Those that are ranked inside the top 20 and were considered by the oddsmakers as title contenders in the Australian Open outrights.
Daniil Medveded, Rafael Nadal, Tsitsipas. Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jannik Sinner were among the oddsmakers’ short-odds-on favorites after Djokovic to win the title. But, as luck would have it, all of them were drawn into the top-half of the draw, meaning that only one of them (if at all) could or would challenge Djokovic in the end; that is, assuming the draw would fall in line with the markets.
So it did with Tsitsipas being the one to emerge.
Imagine walking past the Djokovic 9x winning panel on your way to playing your first Grand Slam semifinal with the man himself preying on you pic.twitter.com/VCM5YW7xTE
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) January 27, 2023
Tsitsipas Comes Through
Tsitsipas overcame No. 18 seed Karen Khachanov 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3 in the semifinals to advance into his maiden Aussie Open final and second overall Grand Slam final.
The 24-year-old has had a solid run through the rounds. He got off to a blistering start winning his first three matches in straight sets. Then he faced his biggest test of the tournament in the R16 against No. 15 seed Sinner. The Italian pushed Tsitsipas to a fifth set before he clinched the marathon win, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3.
Tsitsipas was a semifinalist three times in the last four years, failing in all previous attempts – twice against Medvedev and once against Nadal. This is his first foray into the Australian Open final.
Incredible defense from Tsitsipas. But you can’t really lose this point at 4-4 15-30. Match most likely finished here. pic.twitter.com/rZ5L62xgXb
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 27, 2023
Tsitsipas vs Djokovic Head-to-Head
Djokovic holds the 10-2 head-to-head edge over Tsitsipas, a run of form that includes a nine-match winning streak.
The pair met twice at a Grand Slam during this period, both times at the French Open. In fact, Tsitsipas squared up to Djokovic in his maiden major final at the French Open in 2021. He gave the Serbian a run for his money and took a two-set lead before Djokovic stormed back to win it in five sets 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Tsitsipas vs Djokovic Picks and Prediction
There is a lot on the line for both players in this blockbuster Australian Open final. To begin with, the No. 1 ranking is on the line for the winner of this contest over and above the title.
For Tsitsipas it would be the culmination of his boyhood dreams to win a Grand Slam and hold the No. 1 ranking.
For Djokovic, it’s about posterity and his legacy. It would mark a return to his throne at the top of the men’s game, which he lost last year after the brouhaha over his deportation from Australia. But, more importantly, it would mark his 10th Australian Open title and a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title, matching his arch-rival Nadal in the history books.
There are no surprises in the betting. Djokovic is the correct favorite and in the eyes of many, the smart bet to win it all. However, Tsitsipas can’t be dismissed out of hand. He’s been knocking on the door of major glory for some time and if there is any player that could deny Djokovic, he’s one of them.
