Novak Djokovic vs Adrian Mannarino Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Australian Open

Prediction published on 19/01/2024, 13:42  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 19/01/2024 at 14:43 in ATP Australian Open Predictions

Top seed Novak Djokovic takes on 20th seeded Adrian Mannarino for a place in the Australian Open quarter finals. In the last eight the winner of this match will face either seventh seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas or Taylor Fritz who is the 12th seed. The world number one has won this hard court Grand Slam in the last four times he's played the event. His last loss here was in 2018 when losing at this stage to Chung Hyeon. His number one ranking is at stake in this tournament but winning it for the 11th time will keep him in top spot. Before this Grand Slam, he played in the United Cup, winning two matches but losing to Alex de Minaur, though he did have injury problems. To make it to this fourth round match, the Serb has lost a couple of sets. That wasn't the case in round three as he beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry in straight sets. 

To reach the last eight, Adrian Mannarino has to beat Novak Djokovic for the first time. There have been four previous meetings but this is the first since 2018. Only one of the matches has been on a hard court, the other three on grass. Mannarino was ranked 19th at the start of this tournament and in the live rankings is up to a career high 17th. The French player also played just in the United Cup prior to this tournament and although France got to the semi-finals, he lost three of his four singles matches. Mannarino has been playing Grand Slam events since 2007 but the fourth round is the furthest he's ever got to in one. This year has seen each of his three matches go to a final set and twice he trailed two sets to one. He can't afford to go behind in this match and we tip Djokovic to win in straight sets.