Miomir Kecmanovic vs Carlos Alcaraz Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Australian Open

Prediction published on 21/01/2024, 06:49  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 21/01/2024 at 07:49 in ATP Australian Open Predictions

Carlos Alcaraz may be the second seed but this is his first time in the fourth round of the Australian Open. He takes on unseeded Miomir Kecmanovic for a place in the quarter finals. In the last eight the winner of this match will face either sixth seed Alexander Zverev or 19th seeded Cameron Norrie. Alcaraz can return to the top of the world rankings if winning this Grand Slam for the first time. He missed last year's event due to injury so there are no ranking points to defend. This is only his third Australian Open and he's only made it to round three in the past. No warm-up tournament was played by the Spaniard but he's gone well this week. He's made it to the last 16 for the loss of only one set. In round three he beat wild card Shang Juncheng. Only two games were dropped in the first couple of sets and then his opponent retired after just one game of set three.

Miomir Kecmanovic was ranked 60th at the start of this tournament. His run to the last 16 has seen him rise to 41st and another ten places can be climbed if beating Alcaraz. The Serb is in his second fourth round in the Australian Open. It's the only Grand Slam in which he's reached this stage and a win here will take him into his first quarter final. He had a tough match in the last round though beating the 14th seed Tommy Paul in five sets, his second five-setter in a row. Kecmanovic trailed two sets to one but then won set four via a tie-break. He then rattled off the final set without dropping a game. There's been one previous meeting and Alcaraz won that match. We go for him to win this in straight sets.