By Tony Fairbairn
- Stefanos Tsitsipas [3] v Karen Khachanov [18]
- Novak Djokovic [4] v Tommy Paul
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Stefanos Tsitsipas is looking to make it fourth time lucky in his bid to reach a first Australian Open final when he takes on Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals.
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Stefanos Tsitsipas [3] v Karen Khachanov [18] | H2H: Tsitsipas leads 5-0
After a disappointing end to the 2022, Stefanos Tsitsipas has started the season strongly and is now into his fourth Australian Open semi-final in five years. The road hasn’t always been easy especially after Tsitsipas’ five set thriller over Jannik Sinner but now the Greek looks to make his second Grand Slam final and first in Melbourne. Standing in Tsitsipas’ way is Karen Khachanov who is into his second successive Grand Slam semi-final having beaten the likes of Frances Tiafoe and Sebastian Korda.
H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Stefanos Tsitsipas [3] v Karen Khachanov [18] | H2H: Tsitsipas leads 5-0 |
| Australian Open 2023 | Melbourne, Australia |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $925,000 |
| Second on Rod Laver Arena (Not before 03:30 GMT) | Discovery+ Add-on via Amazon Prime
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Tsitsipas has had a fantastic career on the regular ATP tour which includes winning two Masters 1000 titles and becoming a regular top five.
However when it comes to producing Grand Slam winning form, Tsitsipas has often disappointed but now the third seed will look to reach his second Grand Slam final and prove that he is ready to win one of the biggest trophies in tennis.
Standing in Tsitsipas’ way is Khachanov who is now into his second consecutive Grand Slam semi-final having produced some of the best tennis of his career.
Khachanov has always been referred to as a bit one-dimensional however the Russian has added more variety and worked on his weaknesses which has paid off in a big way as he looks to reach his first Grand Slam final.
Speaking after his win against Jiri Lehecka, Tsitsipas said that this is the best he’s felt in a long time and his mentality is different.
“I’m feeling great with my tennis. I don’t think I felt so good in a long time,” Tsitsipas told the ATP website.
“I’ve said it, I’m a different player, playing different. My mentality is different. When I’m out on the court, I don’t really think of negatives, to be honest. I just go out there and play the game. I’m very happy to be out on the court. I’m very happy to be performing. I’m very happy to hit some good shots, come in.
“It’s just this whole dynamic that has made me very hungry and has created a lot of desire for me to be playing tennis, wanting to achieve new things.”
As for Khachanov he admitted after his win over Korda that it’s great to be in back-to-back Grand Slam semi-finals and talked about how he reinvented himself.
“For sure, back-to-back semi-finals in a Grand Slam feels great,” Khachanov told the ATP website.
“I’m feeling good, to be honest. I’m really happy about my level, about the way I compete, and looking forward to the semi-finals here in Australia for the first time. I think I kind of reinvented myself. I always believe in myself but there are always ups and downs, and sometimes when you have a great result it just shows you what you are capable of and then you start to believe more and more.
“This belief and self-confidence I think appeared much stronger after the US Open. I made a few semi-finals already so I hope to continue that way and to grow as a person and as a sportsman.”
Tsitsipas will look to keep serving well and being aggressive, using depth and pace to put pressure on Khachanov’s backhand.
Meanwhile Khachanov will look to maintain a high level of consistency throughout the match and target the Tsitsipas backhand with his forehand.
This should be a good match with Khachanov testing Tsitsipas’ mental nerve throughout the contest but the Greek should be too strong for the Russian as he looks to reach his maiden Australian Open final.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in four sets.
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Novak Djokovic [4] v Tommy Paul | H2H: First Meeting
Novak Djokovic has played near-perfect tennis since his injury scare in his four set victory over qualifier Enzo Couacaud as he is into his tenth Australian Open semi-final. Djokovic will now look to keep up his perfect semi-final record in Melbourne as he looks for a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title. Next for Djokovic is American Tommy Paul who is into his first Grand Slam semi-final after an incredible last year has seen him become one of the most consistent players on the tour.
H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Novak Djokovic [4] v Tommy Paul | H2H: First Meeting |
| Australian Open 2023 | Melbourne, Australia |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $925,000 |
| Third on Rod Laver Arena (Not before 08:30 GMT) | Discovery+ Add-on via Amazon Prime
Sign up for 30 day free trial of Prime Video and a 7-day free trial of Discovery+ Player |
After not playing in Melbourne last year, Djokovic is playing with a point to prove having dropped only 12 games in his last two matches on his way to the semi-finals.
Now Djokovic aims to win a tenth Australian Open title and achieve a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title by continuing to dominate the rest of the field with his insane defensive skills.
Next for Djokovic is Paul who is into his first Grand Slam semi-final after a four set victory over Ben Shelton and is playing some of the best tennis of his career.
After having the potential for so long, Paul is now starting to play aggressive and consistent tennis as he looks to fulfil his potential in a bid to achieve his dream and reach a Grand Slam final.
After his win over Andrey Rublev Djokovic admitted that the tennis he is playing right now is sending a big message to the rest of the tour.
“[Some incredible] years here at the Australian Open, some matches that are really unforgettable for me,” Djokovic told the ATP website.
“[It is] tough to compare because I’ve been fortunate to really live through a lot of success at the Australian Open. But [the] last two matches, playing against two guys that are really good players, in-form players, to beat them dominantly in three sets… That is definitely something that I want in this moment. Something that sends a message to all my opponents remaining in the draw.
“With this kind of game, of course the confidence level rises… I feel good on the court, better and better as the tournament progresses. I’ve been in this situation in so many times in my life, in my career, [and] never lost a semi-final at the Australian Open. Hopefully that will stay the same.”
As for Paul, the American praised Shelton after his quarter-final and said it’s a dream to be in the semi-finals.
“I was doing a couple of interviews, they were asking how it felt to be in the quarterfinals and I said, ‘Semifinals sounds a little better.’ Pumped to be there and excited for whoever I play,” Paul told the Australian Open website.
“Making it to the second week of a Slam, that’s everyone’s dream when they start to play tennis. I can’t believe I’m here right now. I’m so happy to get through that match, Ben is such a tough player to play against, he’s going to be in many more matches like this. Everyone should be really excited for that kid.”
Djokovic will look to continue to dominate on serve and continue his aggression in the rallies as he looks to force Paul into defensive tennis.
The American will look to be dynamic with his footwork and with the backhand as he looks to accelerate the pace of the rallies and put Djokovic under pressure when moving.
Unlike Djokovic’s previous opponents, Paul has more than one gameplan and will test the Serb’s ability to execute multiple tactical strategies.
In the end though Djokovic should pass the test to reach his tenth Australian Open final and continue his bid for history.
Prediction: Djokovic in four sets.
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