Elena Rybakina looks to move a step closer to a second Grand Slam title in three tries when she takes on Victoria Azarenka in the women's semifinals of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday. Rybakina, who won her first major tournament last year at Wimbledon, posted a 6-2, 6-4 victory over No. 17 seed Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Azarenka kept her dreams of a third Australian Open title alive when she upset third-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-1.
Rybakina is a -200 favorite (risk $200 to win $100) in the latest Rybakina vs. Azarenka odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while Azarenka is a +160 underdog. The over/under for total games is set at 21.5, with Rybakina favored by 3.5 games. Before you make any Azarenka vs. Rybakina 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 bets for the Rybakina vs. Azarenka women's semifinal match. He's only sharing his picks and expert analysis at SportsLine.
Elena Rybakina vs. Victoria Azarenka preview
Rybakina has needed to go the distance in a match just once thus far as she posted a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 victory against No. 13 seed Danielle Collins in the third round. The 23-year-old Russian scored a massive upset in the following round, defeating the top-seeded - and World No. 1 - Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-4. Rybakina's serve has been a major reason for her success in this tournament as she leads all women with 29 aces, including 11 in her quarterfinal win against Ostapenko.
Azarenka has reached the semifinals at Melbourne Park for the first time since winning the second of her back-to-back titles in 2013. The 33-year-old Belarusian has escaped a few jams in this year's event as she bounced back against Madison Keys and Lin Zhu in the third and fourth round, respectively, after dropping the first set in both matches. Azarenka will have revenge on her mind after suffering a 3-6, 4-6 loss to Rybakina at Indian Wells last year in their only previous meeting. You can see Onorato's best bets here.
How to make Rybakina vs. Azarenka picks
In addition to his full analysis, Onorato has released a pair of best bets for this semifinal showdown, including a pick that returns plus money. Be sure to see Onorato's picks and analysis before locking in your 2023 Australian Open picks for Rybakina vs. Azarenka.
Who wins Azarenka vs. Rybakina in the women's semifinals of the 2023 Australian Open? And what pick could lead to a huge return? Visit SportsLine now to see Jose Onorato's best bets for Rybakina vs. Azarenka, all from the tennis expert who knows the game from a player's perspective, and find out.
