Perhaps the most notable departure from the 2023 Australian Open has been Rafael Nadal, as the defending champ went down in straight sets in the second round. His right hip tightened up, and he had clear difficulty moving. Novak Djokovic has made it to the third round despite dealing with a heckler (and an injury of his own). With the top men in the sport experiencing the troubles that come with playing pro tennis into your late 30s, we may see as much open space at the top on their side as we have in recent years on the women’s. Let’s look at some Australian Open betting opportunities going into the third round in both singles draws.
Tennis News: 2023 Australian Open Rundown & Betting Opportunities
Third Round (Friday, January 20)
Denis Shapovalov vs Hubert Hurkacz
Shapovalov had to fight in the first two rounds, but he is here. He made it all the way to the quarterfinals in Melbourne last year before encountering Djokovic. Hurkacz also had to get through adversity to reach the third round, needing five sets. Given that Shapovalov has more experience playing at this level and did not have quite the energy drain in the first two rounds, he should win here too. On the other hand, Shapovalov faces some pressure given how far he went last year, while Hurkacz is in his first third-round match at the Australian Open. Hurkacz has beaten Shapovalov three times in four tries, but the slower court should give Shapovalov time to get around to his forehand. Shapovalov in four.
Frances Tiafoe vs Karen Khachanov
Tiafoe has never been to a third round at Melbourne before, so he’s playing with house money at this point. He has never beaten Khachanov in two tries, but both of those meetings came in the third round at Wimbledon, on the grass. Khachanov won in straight sets in the first round, needing four in the second. Tiafoe needed four sets to stop Daniel Altmaier in the first round but beat Juncheng Shang in straight sets in the second. Khachanov has a 3-2 record coming into the tournament, and Tiafoe is the higher-ranked player, so with the change in surface and the run of recent play, I’m going with the American. Tiafoe in four.
Cameron Norrie vs Jiri Lehecka
Norrie cruised through the first round but found a fight in the second, needing to eke out a tiebreaker in the third set and win the fourth to take the match. Lehecka beat Coric in the first round in straight sets before needing four sets in the second as well. This is a rematch of the second round from last week’s tournament in Auckland, where Norrie won in three sets. Norrie has an 8-1 record on the year and should prevail this time as well. Norrie in four.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Tallon Griekspoor
Tsitsipas has made it through the first two rounds in straight sets, although the opener against Quentin Halys was more of a struggle than he anticipated. His second-round win over Rinky Hijikata was easier. Tsitsipas made it all the way to the semifinals last year, so his goals are far from met. Griekspoor has also advanced in straight sets in both matches, and he is basically playing with house money, with nothing to lose against the third seed. Both of these players come in with perfect 6-0 records to start 2023, but Tsitsipas has won at a higher level and should prevail here. Tsitsipas in four.
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