Australian Open Predictions 2023: SportsTips’ Top Tennis Picks For Men’s Quarterfinals

What a tournament it’s been so far, and in keeping with previous rounds, there were a lot of upsets in the Round of 16. The sixth seed, Auger Aliassime, was defeated in four sets, as well as the ninth seed, Rune, and the 10th seed, Hurkacz. 

With just eight players remaining at the Australian Open, it is nice to see that America is still well represented. We have Korda, Shelton and Paul left who will be chasing their dream of a first Grand Slam title. With the highest seed left in the draw being Tsitsipas who is the third seed, it’s fair to say that this tournament is anyone’s for the taking.

Enjoy our free tennis picks and predictions for each round at the Australian Open for the 2023 season.

Karen Khachanov (18) vs Sebastian Korda (29)

Karen Khachanov will be looking to book his place in the Semifinals today with a win against American, Sebastian Korda. Khachanov has been pretty dominant so far at the Australian Open, which included his Round of 16 match where he beat Nishioka, 6-0, 6-0, 7-6(4). Korda’s Round of 16 match really could have gone either way, as it went to a fifth set tiebreak, but he was able to win against 10th seed Hurkacz.

Aleksandar Ricliev

Karen Khachanov looks intimidating, no doubt. He arrived at the Australian Open on a high note, having reached the Semifinals of the US Open. In this tournament, he has been simply outstanding. His blistering serves and unstoppable attacks remain an unsolvable puzzle for his opponents. Khachanov is only just entering the prime years of his career, and if he continues on this path, as Nadal and Djokovic are nearing the end of theirs, he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. His opponent for the day, Sebastian Korda, is also one of those up-and-coming tennis stars, so this match will be a preview of what the future in tennis holds.

Sebastian Korda began 2023 by reaching the Final of the Adelaide tournament, where he lost to Djokovic 1 set to 2, in a hard-fought battle. Korda has probably had the most difficult path to the Quarterfinals in the Australian Open. After beating Garin and Watanuki in the first two rounds of the tournament, he faced Medvedev, whom he defeated in a three-set sweep. In the next round, in an outstanding match, he emerged victorious against the Hungarian power-hitter Hurkacz. Korda and Khachanov have matched up three times against each other, with Korda winning two of them. This will be an outstanding tennis match, and I expect Khachanov to barely win.

Denis Kirilov

Karen Khachanov is yet another decent player from the young Russian generation. However, unlike Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, he was unable to keep high consistency levels. On the other hand, he is currently riding on a 9-1 run at Grand Slams as he reached the Semifinals in New York last year. Khachanov seemed to be quite merciless in his fourth round match against Yoshihito Nishioka. The Russian took the first two sets (6-0, 6-0) in just 47 minutes and he was done with the whole match in just two hours. 

Sebastian Korda is the pleasant surprise of the tournament so far. His dominant playing style helped him see off Daniil Medvedev in the third round. He also held his nerves against Hubert Hurkacz in the following stage of the tournament as he won a 5-set thriller to reach the Quarterfinals. His aggression from the baseline is what made the difference against Medvedev and I think he will pursue that style in his match with Khachanov as well. Despite the lack of experience on Korda’s side, I believe that he will find a way to oust Khachanov for a third time in a row. 

Jack Hartman

In what has proved to be a wide open draw, few would have predicted that Karen Khachanov and Seb Korda would have reached the Quarterfinals from the same part of the draw as Rafa Nadal. With Nadal making an early exit, an opportunity knocked for someone else to make a name for themselves and both Khachanov and Korda have seized that with both hands. Khachanov is looking to make his second successive Grand Slam Semifinal following his Semifinal appearance at last year’s US Open. The big Russian has continued where he left off in New York and has played well in the tournament so far. It can be argued that his draw has opened up nicely but Khachanov has certainly made the most of it. He has lost just two sets so far and his victories over Frances Tiafoe and Yoshihito Nishioka have been of the highest order. Trailing 2-1 in the head to head series with Korda, Khachanov will be hopeful of leveling the series here. 

This is the first time that Seb Korda has qualified for the last eight in a Grand Slam, but he came close to throwing it away in his last sixteen victory over Hubert Hurkacz. With that match lasting all the way to the fifth set, Korda came close to blowing a 7-3 lead in the final set tiebreak before   regaining his nerve to close out the final set 10-7. It was yet another great win for Korda who showed his win over Daniil Medvedev was no fluke. Korda will be wanting to emulate the efforts of his father who won this tournament back in 1998.

Stefanos Tsitsipas (3) vs Jiri Lehecka

The highest seed left in the men’s side of the draw, Stefanos Tsitsipas, will take on one of the three remaining unseeded players left, Jiri Lehecka. The third seed had an almighty scare in the Round of 16, as his match against Sinner went the distance. Lehecka has been the giant killer so far at the Australian Open, knocking out the 21st, 11th and sixth seeds.

Aleksandar Ricliev

Stefanos Tsitsipas had a close call in the last round against Sinner, barely managing to beat the Italian in five sets. In previous fixtures in the Australian Open, Tsitsipas was almost perfect and didn’t allow his opponents to win even a single set. The Greek star has a great chance to beat Lehecka and focus his thoughts on the Semifinals. Lehecka is not the caliber of player who can beat Tsitsipas if the Greek plays his best tennis, so this matchup is completely in Tsitsipas’s hands.

Jiri Lehecka has had an inspiring Australian Open. The Czech tennis player has shown incredible fight and willpower to win. There is no question in my mind that he will come on the court once again ready to give everything he has and won’t give up until the very end. He pulled off an upset in the last round, beating the Canadian Auger Aliassime by three sets to one, and will be hoping for another miracle. However, I believe his Australian Open experience will end in the Quarterfinals at the hands of Tsitsipas. This won’t be an easy game by any means, and I do believe Lehecka will manage to win a set, but Tsitsipas will prove to be too good for him, and will win 3 sets to 1.

Denis Kirilov

Heading into the Quarterfinals, Stefanos Tsitsipas remains the highest seeded player in men’s draw at the 2023 Australian Open. The tournament in Melbourne is undoubtedly his most favorite one among all Grand Slams. He has already reached the Semifinals three times in his career which puts him among the most experienced remaining players in that category. The 24-year-old Greek player still has plenty of years on top level, but he will surely do whatever it takes to make his dream come true and win a Grand Slam title. Tsitsipas battled past Jannik Sinner in the fourth round after a 5-set drama that lasted little over four hours. His dominant performances against Tallon Griekspoor and Rinky Hijikata suggest that he is feeling great on the court and 2023 might be his year. 

Jiri Lehecka is certainly one of the surprises of the tournament so far. The young Czech, coached by Michal Navratilov, hadn’t won a Grand Slam match before coming to Melbourne a week ago. He is now a quarterfinalist and he has a shot at being among the last 4. After defeating Borna Coric in straight sets, Lehecka dealt consecutively with Cameron Norrie and Felix Auger-Aliassime. However, his aggressive playing style might not work against Tsitsipas who has a great return game. That’s why I will go with Stefanos covering his spread and most likely winning in straight sets against Lehecka. 

Jack Hartman

Whilst our days of enjoying the likes of Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are coming to an end, this year’s Australian Open has given us a glimpse of what the future of the game will look like. Stefanos Tsistipas and Jiri Lehecka both look set to play a huge part and here they meet for the first time in a Grand Slam. Tsitsipas is the highest seed remaining in the draw and will be hopeful of reaching the Semifinals for the fourth successive season. The Greek star is yet to win a Grand Slam but will be hopeful that this could be the year he makes that breakthrough. After enjoying a serene tournament, Tsitsipas had to battle to reach this stage beating Jannik Sinner in five exciting sets. With that win under his belt, Tsitsipas will start as the heavy favorite in this contest.

Ranked at 71 in the world, few would have believed that Jiri Lehecka would reach this stage of the tournament but the Czech player has shown exactly why he is so highly regarded. Lehecka has enjoyed a career week beating the likes of Borna Coric, Cam Norrie and Felix Auger Aliasimme. Clearly flying, Lehecka will certainly believe this is a contest he can win, but it might be a case of just one match too far.

Andrey Rublev (5) vs Novak Djokovic (4)

The fifth seed, Andrey Rublev, will go up against the former world number one, Novak Djokovic, for a spot in the final four. Rublev came through a thriller in his Round of 16 appearance, which went to a fifth set tiebreak. It has been a fairly easy road for Djokovic so far at the Australian Open, as he has only dropped one set.

Aleksandar Ricliev

This will probably be the most watched match in this round, as the fifth-ranked Andrey Rublev is matched up against the best tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic. The Russian power-puncher will have to play his best tennis if he wants to have any chance against the Serbian superstar. Rublev has tasted victory against Djokovic in the past, and he will be looking to establish himself as the next best thing once Djokovic and Nadal retire in the near future.

Novak Djokovic has been enjoying his time in the Australian Open. After missing the tournament last year due to vaccine restrictions, the crowd has been on fire during every match Djokovic has played in, supporting and cheering him on. Even though Djokovic is getting up there in age, he is still on top of his game and anything other than winning the trophy in this tournament will be a failure. His groin injury concerns seem to be a thing of the past, and Djokovic is a huge favorite in this match. Rublev will probably win a set, but Djokovic will be the last man standing. I have him winning this match by 3 sets to 1.

Denis Kirilov

Andrey Rublev was forced into one of the matches of the tournament so far. After lacking consistency throughout the entire fourth round clash against Holger Rune, Rublev was two match points down in the fifth set. However, he managed to erase his deficit not once, but twice as he was also losing 0-5 in the deciding tie-break. Rublev’s experience came in handy as he forced Rune to make several unforced errors in the most crucial points in the match. Unfortunately, the Quarterfinals see him against the player with the toughest mentality on the ATP Tour – Novak Djokovic. 

Nole is currently right ahead of Rublev in the ATP Rankings. The Serbian has had several issues with Covid-19 policies throughout the past two years which didn’t let him participate in Melbourne. His long-awaited return to his sacred place gave us a hint that he might fight for a 22nd Grand Slam title. Djokovic remains the most experienced player at the Australian Open and despite his discomfort, he managed to defeat the likes of Grigor Dimitrov and Alex de Minaur. I think that he should have the upper hand against Rublev, but the Russian won’t give up without a fight. Hence, I will go with a win for Nole in 4 sets. 

Jack Hartman

Andrey Rublev takes on Novak Djokovic in what is bound to be the match of the Quarterfinals. Both men have hit this stage fresh off the back of two very different performances. Djokovic showed exactly why he is a former nine time champion of this event, dampening both the hopes of Alex De Minaur and the expectant home crowd in three easy sets. Despite some fears over his body, Djokovic easily played his best tennis of the year, swatting the Aussie away for the loss of just five games. Djokovic has a stupendous record in this event and will be certainly eyeing a magnificent 10th title. 

Heading into the tournament as the tournament’s fifth seed, Andrey Rublev has reached his second Quarterfinal in the last three years and will be desperate to reach his first ever major Semifinal. Rublev has already played in the match of the tournament, holding his nerve to overcome Danish sensation Holger Rune 11-9 in a fifth set tie-break. Djokovic last played Rublev in the ATP Tour Finals with the Serbian winning in straight sets. Despite the ongoing fears over Djokovic’s health, this should be a match he will relish and it won’t be a surprise to see him reach yet another Australian Open Semifinal

Ben Shelton vs Tommy Paul

This match presents a perfect opportunity for either Ben Shelton or Tommy Paul, as we know at least one American and one unseeded player will reach the final four. Shelton has had somewhat of an easy draw so far at the Australian Open, as he is still yet to play a seeded player. Paul on the other hand has knocked out two seeded players on his way to the Quarterfinal, which include the 30th seed, Davidovich Fokina, and the 24th seed, Bautista Agut.

Aleksandar Ricliev

Ben Shelton, surprisingly but deservedly, finds himself in the Quarterfinals of the Australian Open. The young American star has gritted and grinded his way to win match after match and has climbed all the way here. In the first round, he played a tie-break in the fifth set to advance, and the rest of his matches have been just as nerve-wracking. He always finds a way to win and advance. The match against Tommy Paul won’t be much different, as his opponent isn’t a household name in the world of tennis, and on his day, Shelton has the ability and the power of will to make it happen.

The American veteran, Tommy Paul, has had the benefit of the draw in the Australian Open. He was the favorite against all the players he has played against so far, and that remains the case in this round as well. With a win against his fellow American, Shelton, Paul will be in the Semifinal fairly easily. However, that doesn’t negate his performances in any way. The 35-year-old has been having a resurgence year, and he is playing the best tennis of his life. The match against the fiery youngster presents another set of difficulties. If Paul starts aggressive and controls the match from the start, he will win fairly easily. But if the match drags on, and it becomes a power of will, then Shelton becomes the favorite. I will pick the latter, Shelton winning after a long and dragged-out fight.

Denis Kirilov

One of the most interesting Quarterfinals puts two Americans against each other. Before the tournament, nobody has been selecting the 20-year-old Ben Shelton to reach the second week. In his first round meeting against Zhizhen Zhang, he saved a match point on his serve and eventually ended his hopes in the fifth set tie-break. Shelton went on to defeat Alexey Popyrin and J.J. Wolf to become the first American to reach a Quarterfinal at a Grand Slam at such a young age since Andy Roddick in 2003. He blasted 23 aces against J.J. Wolf and it seems that he will highly rely on his first serve on Wednesday. 

On the other hand, Tommy Paul is finally unveiling his potential. He has only won one career title as he defeated the competition at the 2021 Stockholm Open. Back in the days, Paul had been battling in the juniors with Taylor Fritz, but unlike his compatriot, he was struggling to make that transition. His comeback victory over Davidovich-Fokina in the second round put the start of something extraordinary. He then went on to outplay Jenson Brooksby and Roberto Bautista-Agut in high fashion. I think that the little experience he has over Ben Shelton will help him secure his spot in the Semifinals. I will confidently go with Tommy Paul in one of the most intriguing American clashes in Melbourne. 

Jack Hartman

An all American affair awaits us in the final Quarterfinal on the men’s side of the draw as 20 year old Ben Shelton takes on his compatriot Tommy Paul for a place in the Australian Open Semifinal. Ben Shelton is the son of former major winner Tracy Austin and the major gene seems to be in the youngsters blood. Shelton mainly operates at Challenger Level and headed to Australia having won 20 of his last 22 matches. Clearly bounding in confidence Shelton has made the most of a wide open draw and showed all of his battling qualities to overcome his fellow American J.J. Wolf in five hard sets. That was Shelton’s second five set match of the tournament and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts for this contest against his more experienced rival.

Tommy Paul has steadily risen through the rankings and has capped off his rise with his first Quarterfinal Grand Slam appearance. Paul has played impressively through the draw, beating the likes of Jan Lennard Struff, Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina and Roberto Bautista Agut. Paul has quickly developed into one of the most consistent players on Tour and can pair his steady groundstrokes with an effective serve. Paul will be looking to sneak into the top twenty in the world this season and a Semifinal berth will go a long way in securing that. He should have too much experience for his opponent here but this has the makings of a great match. 

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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.