The quarter-finals of the Australian Open continue on Wednesday and Novak Djokovic is the headline act as he takes on Andrey Rublev.
We have come up with a four-fold accumulator worth 65/1, including two heroes of the women’s game who are on a collision course as they target their first Grand Slam title.
Australian Open Wednesday Tips
- Karolina Pliskova to beat Magda Linette 2-0 @ 6/4
- Aryna Sabalenka to beat Donna Vekic 2-0 @ 8/11
- Ben Shelton to beat Tommy Paul 3-2 @ 13/2
- Novak Djokovic to beat Andrey Rublev 3-0 @ EVS
- Karolina Pliskova to beat Magda Linette 2-0 @ 6/4
Linette’s run to the quarter-finals in Melbourne has been one of the stories of the tournament, with the Pole dropping just a single set so far.
Her progress includes a victory over fourth seed Caroline Garcia. However, despite winning their last meeting, a singles rubber in November’s Billie Jean King Cup, her fairy tale might be about to come to an end against Karolina Pliskova.
The Czech might be seeded 30th but has previously played in two Grand Slam finals, while she reached the semi-finals Down Under in 2019.
Pliskova has enjoyed four 2-0 wins to date and the mood she is in hints that she will have no time for Linette’s story and she should claim another comfortable victory.
Aryna Sabalenka to beat Donna Vekic 2-0 @ 8/11
This could be a real opportunity for an upset. Vekic is 11/4 to win, a good price, especially when you consider she leads 5-1 in this pair’s career head-to-head.
However, Sabalenka is soaring, with her still to drop a set and she has reached the semi-finals in three of her last five Grand Slam outings.
Despite losing the final to Garcia, the Belarusian’s last four win over Iga Swiatek at last November’s WTA Finals felt like a statement victory.
After opening the season with a victory in Adelaide, there is a real purpose about the 24-year-old and it would be no surprise to see Sabalenka record another 2-0 victory at 8/11.
Ben Shelton to beat Tommy Paul 3-2 @ 13/2
Shelton has won 19 of his last 21 matches and seems to be transferring that form onto the big stage.
His fellow American Paul is also flying and despite this being both players’ first Grand Slam semi-final, nerves are unlikely to affect either’s performance.
Shelton’s serve has been his real x-factor, being broken just once, but Paul looks to have the speed and skill to at least test him on his delivery.
That might impact his confidence and this is a match that carries the hallmarks of one that could feature plenty of tie-breaks.
However, that should play into Shelton’s hands and a third 3-2 win of the tournament at 13/2 but be on the cards in a scrappy affair.
Novak Djokovic to beat Andrey Rublev 3-0 @ EVS
He might be injured, but even a thigh issue does not look like it will be enough to derail Djokovic’s quest for a record-extending 10th Melbourne men’s singles crown and he remains on course to match Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 majors.
Fourth-round opponent Alex De Minaur said after being dismissed 6-2 6-1 6-2 that “what I experienced today was probably Novak very close to his best” and that “I think he’s definitely the guy that’s going to take the title.”
Wednesday’s opponent Rublev is a step up in quality of opponent but even he has joked that he wishes he was on the other side of the draw.
The fifth seed has beaten Djokovic in the last 12 months, upsetting the home favourite on clay in Belgrade.
Djokovic is a different beast on hard courts, though, while Rublev is 0-6 in career Grand Slam quarter-finals. Another straight sets success could be on the cards.
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