American Tommy Paul's Cinderella run through the 2023 Australian Open faces its biggest challenge yet when Paul takes on nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in a semifinal match on Friday at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. A 25-year-old native of New Jersey who lives in Florida, Paul is playing in the first grand slam semifinal of his career. He knocked off fellow American Ben Shelton to reach the final four. On Friday he squares off against Djokovic, who has won 21 grand slam titles.
The match is set to begin at 3:30 a.m. ET. Djokovic is a -2500 favorite (risk $2500 to win $100) in the latest Djokovic vs. Paul odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while Paul is a +1000 underdog. The over/under for total games is 29.5. Before locking in any Paul vs. Djokovic picks or 2023 Australian Open predictions, you need to see what SportsLine tennis expert Jose Onorato has to say.
Onorato grew up playing competitive tennis in Caracas, Venezuela. After coming to the U.S., he trained with famed coach Nick Bollettieri at IMG Academy in Florida and faced players like Robert Farah, now one of the world's top-ranked doubles players.
Onorato, who holds dual degrees in finance and economics from the University of Miami, does extensive research before placing any tennis bets. He studies current form, players' tendencies on a particular surface, weather conditions and many other relevant factors. That systematic approach helped Onorato go 96-67-7 -- up 60.42 units -- in 2022.
Now, Onorato has scrutinized the latest Australian Open 2023 odds and released his coveted best bet for the Djokovic vs. Paul men's semifinal match. He's only sharing his pick and expert analysis at SportsLine.
Novak Djokovic vs. Tommy Paul preview
Djokovic is on the verge of making history. With two more wins in Melbourne, he would tie Rafael Nadal for the most career grand slams, with 22, two more than the retired Roger Federer. Djokovic's nine Australian Open titles already is a record, three more than Federer and Roy Emerson.
Djokovic has been on a roll for nine months. Beginning with his title on clay in Rome in May, he is 40-3. That includes his title at Wimbledon and a victory in the season-ending ATP Finals in Italy. In five matches at the Australian Open over the past two weeks, he has lost only one set.
On Thursday he will face Paul for the first time. Ranked No. 35 in the world, Paul had never gone beyond the fourth round in 13 previous grand slam tournaments. His only career ATP title came in Stockholm in 2021.
So far in Melbourne, Paul has knocked off two seeded opponents: No. 30 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in five sets in the second round and No. 24 Roberto Bautista Agut in four sets in the fourth round. Paul leads the field in both first serve return points won (134) and second serve return points won (108). You can see Onorato's best bets here.
How to make Djokovic vs. Paul picks
Onorato has thoroughly studied Djokovic vs. Paul and has identified a strong play. Be sure to see Onorato's pick and analysis before making your Australian Open 2023 picks for the men's semifinal.
What is the best bet for Paul vs. Djokovic in the 2023 Australia Open men's semifinal? Visit SportsLine now to see Onorato's best bet for Djokovic vs. Paul, and find out.
