Australian Open preview and odds: Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer
Published on: 27/01/2016
Australian Open preview and odds: Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer
January 2782016 19:30pm - Rod Laver Arena
Australian Open - Semi-finals
The first Australian Open men`s semi-final promises to be a classic, as World No. 1 Novak Djokovic goes head-to-head with World No. 3 Roger Federer for the 45th time on the professional circuit.
Djokovic recovers from fourth round wobble
Novak Djokovic rarely looks vulnerable, but there were moments in his fourth round tie against Gilles Simon where he looked to be completely off his game. However, any questions about his form were put to bed on Tuesday when he blitzed past Kei Nishikori in straight sets to book a semi-final showdown with Roger Federer.
It was not a vintage Djokovic performance but it was a clinical and efficient one. In fact, the Serb swept his opponent aside in a rather lazy fashion, perhaps conserving every possible ounce of energy for the upcoming battle with his Swiss rival, as he eyes his sixth title Down Under.
The Serb`s service game was slightly off in the quarter-final match, and he will need some readjustment in that department if he is to take charge of the game on Thursday. That should not be a problem for a player who manages his game so well throughout tournaments, and often saves his best for the latter stages.
Key stats from Novak Djokovic`s fourth round match:
- First serve success: 57%
- Points won on first serve: 65%
- Points won on second serve: 66%
- Net points won: 67%
- Unforced errors: 27
- Returns won: 49%
- Break points won: 6 out of 11
Federer in hunt for number 18
Roger Federer will continue his quest for an 18th Grand Slam when he squares up against Novak Djokovic in the Australian open semi-final on Thursday.
The World No. 3 has had a fairly trouble-free ride to the semi-finals with just one dropped set to his name. In the quarter-finals, he earned a straight sets victory over Tomas Berdych and will arrive at the semi-final with half-a-day`s extra rest than his opponent.
The Swiss player has continued to serve well throughout the tournament and will need to retain that level against the returning strength of Djokovic. These two giants have played each other 44 times with 22 wins each - however, it is Djokovic who has dominated the big games in recent years including last yearÂ’s World Tour, US Open and Wimbledon finals. Federer`s last significant win over Djokovic came in the 2012 Wimbledon semi-final.
Key stats from Federer`s fourth round match:
- First serve success: 69%
- Points won on first serve: 83%
- Points won on second serve: 48%
- Net points won: 83%
- Unforced errors: 26
- Returns won: 41%
- Break points won: 5 out of 10
Betting odds and tips
Six out of the last seven Grand Slam meeting between these two - including the last four - have gone to four sets or more.
You can back Over 3.5 sets at 8/15 with Bet365.
By Neil Morris
Published on: 27/01/2016
Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (27/01/2016 10:30:27) but are subject to change.
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