Ben Shelton vs Tommy Paul Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Australian Open

Prediction published on 23/01/2023, 07:17  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 24/01/2023 at 08:32 in Tennis Predictions

We'll definitely have one unseeded American in the Australian Open semi-finals. Ben Shelton takes on Tommy Paul with the winner up against either Novak Djokovic or Andrey Rublev in the semi-finals. Ben Shelton is having an absolute dream of an Australian Open debut. Before this tournament he'd only played in the main draw of one Grand Slam (the 2022 US Open) and he'd never won a match. That's all changed this month with this dream run to the quarter finals of the Australian Open. Shelton began this event ranked 89th in the world. With no points to defend, every win sees him climb up the rankings and he's now 43rd in the live rankings. Winning this match will see him rise to 33rd and in with a chance of being seeded for the French Open. 2022 saw the 20-year-old win three Challenger Tour finals and lose in the final of three others. He's made a great transition to playing on the ATP Tour. After reaching the last 16 of the Auckland Classic, he's had four big wins in the Australian Open. Two of his matches have gone to the final set. The fourth round saw him have to come from two sets to one down to get the better of fellow American JJ Wolf. So far he's played seven tie-breaks in this tournament (three in the last round), so betting on there being one in this match looks a good idea.

Tommy Paul started this tournament ranked 35th but is up to a career high equalling 28th in the live rankings. Beating Shelton will take him up to 19th so this is a big opportunity for him. Paul has only once previously got past the third round of a Grand Slam. That was last year when getting to the last 16 at Wimbledon. In the Australian Open his previous best has been a third round in 2020 and the past couple of years have seen exits in the second round. The 25-year-old played the second Adelaide International tournament prior to this Grand Slam. He beat Christopher O'Connell before losing to Jack Draper. He nearly lost in the second round of this tournament, having to come from two sets to one down to get past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Since then he's beaten fellow American Jenson Brooksby before beating 24th seed Roberto Bautista Agut in four sets. Back him to put his experience to good use and reach his first Grand Slam semi-final.