Carlos Alcaraz is currently the World Number 1 in the ATP Tour, but Novak Djokovic is still widely considered to be the best player in the world. Djokovic’s absence from two of the four Grand Slam events has affected his ranking points, while he won the Wimbledon title during that time, which added to his points.
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas is currently playing in the final of the Australian Open, after overcoming a few challenges in his semi-final match against Karen Khachanov. This marks his second Grand Slam final appearance, having previously reached the semi-final stage at Melbourne Park three times. Despite some initial nerves, Tsitsipas is feeling confident about his game and is looking to win his first Grand Slam title and is well aware of the challenge he faces in the final, as he previously faced Novak Djokovic in the French Open final, where he led 2-0 in sets before ultimately losing in five sets. Djokovic has historically been very dominant on this court, making the final matchup even more challenging for Tsitsipas.
Novak Djokovic
Despite dealing with a hamstring injury, Novak Djokovic has been playing at an extremely high level during this tournament and is likely to be a tough opponent in the final. He has had stronger performances at the Australian Open in the past, but this has still been one of his best two weeks at Melbourne Park. Djokovic’s serves and returns have been particularly impressive, making him even more of a formidable opponent. It would take a truly exceptional performance to beat him on this court.
Novak Djokovic has been playing at a level where he is not making many mistakes in crucial moments. In the semi-final match, he broke Tommy Paul’s serve seven times, which means that he has broken every opponent’s serve at least five times throughout the tournament. He may have been slightly disappointed with a few loose service games, but Djokovic has a significant advantage over Stefanos Tsitsipas when it comes to returning numbers. He is a nine-time champion of the Australian Open and would be a tough opponent for anyone.
Head to Head
In their head-to-head contests, Djokovic has held 88% of his service games, while Tsitsipas has held 76%. This advantage is even more pronounced when looking specifically at matches played against each other over the last twelve months. Tsitsipas’ serve tends to be more effective against Djokovic, as he has won 68% of service points played against Djokovic in their three hard court matches in 2022. However, Tsitsipas has held 85% of service games played, compared to 94% for Djokovic. These statistics indicate that Djokovic has a slight edge in their head-to-head matchups, but both players are incredibly talented and the match will likely be highly competitive.
While the difference in the percentages might not seem like much, in tennis, small advantages can make a big difference. Novak Djokovic has been playing at an elite level throughout this tournament, and his superior performance in their previous head to head matches and the tournament overall make him a heavy favorite to win. However, one important factor to consider is if Djokovic’s body holds up as he’s been carrying a hamstring injury, if that’s the case it could be an opportunity for Stefanos Tsitsipas to capitalize.
TWV Sport Team Thoughts
Stefanos Tsitsipas is a talented player and it would not be surprising if he were to take a set or even push Djokovic to the limit in their match. However, Djokovic’s consistent pressure on the return and his superior performance throughout the tournament make him the favorite to win. If Tsitsipas can maintain a 66% first serve percentage, he may be able to put some pressure on Djokovic, but ultimately, Djokovic’s experience and dominance in this tournament could wear down Tsitsipas both mentally and physically, leading to a win for Djokovic.
Score Prediction
Stefanos Tsitsipas 2 – 3 Novak Djokovic
