Australian Open 2023: Novak Djokovic vs Andrey Rublev preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (4) Novak Djokovic vs (5) Andrey Rublev
Date: January 25, 2023
Tournament: Australian Open 2023
Round: Quarter-finals
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: A$76,500,000
Live Telecasts: USA - ESPN | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Six, Sony Ten & Sony Liv
Novak Djokovic vs Andrey Rublev preview
Fourth seed Novak Djokovic will square off against Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Australian Open on Wednesday, January 25.
Djokovic has been almost unplayable in the last few months and has proved yet again why he's the best player on the ATP Men's Tour. The Serb entered the 2023 Australian Open on the back of title-winning runs at the Tel Aviv Open, the Astana Open, the Nitto ATP Finals, and most recently the Adelaide International 1.
He continued his dazzling run at the hardcourt Major, chalking up dominant wins over the likes of Roberto Carballes Baena, Enzo Couacaud, Grigor Dimitrov, and Alex De Minaur en route to the last eight. He breezed past the 23-year-old De Minaur in two hours and six minutes in straight sets 6-2, 6-1, 6-2.
Andrey Rublev, on the other hand, looked completely out of sorts with his preparation for the 2023 Australian Open. He entered Melbourne on the back of early exits at the Rolex Paris Masters, Adelaide International 1, and Adelaide International 2.
However, the Russian let the genie out of the bottle in Melbourne, amassing hard-fought wins over the likes of Dominic Thiem, Emil Ruusuvuori, Daniel Evans, and Holger Rune en route to the quarter-finals. He defeated the in-form Danish teenager Rune in a five-set thriller 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(9).
Novak Djokovic vs Andrey Rublev head-to-head
Djokovic leads the head-to-head against Rublev 2-1. He defeated him most recently in the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals in straight sets 6-4, 6-1.
Novak Djokovic vs Andrey Rublev odds
All odds are sourced by BetMGM.
Novak Djokovic vs Andrey Rublev prediction
A fascinating encounter is on the cards at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park as two first-grade players battle it out for a place in the semi-finals of the 2023 Australian Open on Wednesday.
Djokovic displayed tennis of the highest caliber in his previous match, winning 75 percent of his first serve points and never facing a break point against De Minaur. The Serb is firmly marching towards a 10th trophy at the Australian Open and looks unfazed with the level of competition around him at the moment.
He's been dictating points at will and knows exactly how to manage the tie when he's under pressure.
Rublev will need to play out of his skin to challenge the former World No. 1 on Wednesday. The Russian grinded out a tough win in his previous match against Rune, winning 73 percent of his first-serve points and saving 12 out of 17 break points.
"Power is nothing without control" kinda sums up his game at the moment. The offensive side of Rublev's game is commendable, but he lacks the defensive skills to stay in intense rallies and keep the scoreboard ticking in his favor.
This could be another routine win for Djokovic if Rublev doesn't tighten up his game and has a balanced approach in this quarter-final tie. The Serb will undoubtedly be the favorite to book a spot in the last four after his commanding display in the last round.
While the Russian did show his resilience by saving match points in the fourth round and getting the job done against Rune, the test against Djokovic seems like a tall pecking order for him to pass. He might put up a tough fight in this quarterfinal tie, but the Serb should be able to continue his quest for a 10th Australian Open title in Melbourne.
Pick: Djokovic to win in four sets