Jannik Sinner is looking to win back-to-back Australian Open titles, and he’s set to face Ben Shelton in the semifinals. Shelton is undeniably a better matchup than Alexander Zverev or Novak Djokovic would have been, so Sinner was fortunate to be on this half of the draw. But there’s nothing easy about playing the American, who actually has a win over Sinner to his name. However, Sinner has won four in a row against Shelton, and all of those were straight-set victories. With that in mind, keep reading for our Shelton vs. Sinner analysis, predictions and best bets.
I also post more tennis predictions on the Pro Picks page. I occasionally add some picks throughout the day, as I like to see how odds are moving. So, keep checking that page every couple of hours if you want more of my picks. I’ll also post plays for smaller tournaments on that page.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts are betting!
Ben Shelton vs. Jannik Sinner Odds
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook. Accurate as of Wednesday, January 22 at 5:00 pm ET. Shop around for the best prices!
Moneyline: Sinner -2000, Shelton +1100
Spread: Sinner -6.5 Games (-115), Shelton +6.5 (-115)
Total: Over 33.5 Games (-110), Under 33.5 Games (-110)
How To Watch Ben Shelton vs. Jannik Sinner
Where: Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia
When: Friday, January 24th (Australian Eastern Daylight Time)
Channel: ESPN/ESPN+
Ben Shelton vs. Jannik Sinner Predictions
Even if this match feels like a straightforward one, it’s going to be very exciting to watch. Sinner is one of the most exhilarating players in tennis, and Shelton is a ball of energy and fun on the court. But I will say that finding something to play here wasn’t easy.
Sinner has won four straight matches against Shelton, and all of the victories came in straight sets. However, because of Shelton’s booming first serves, all of the matches were a little tighter than the final score suggested. A lot of them featured tiebreakers and tightly-contested sets that could have gone either way. So, it really wouldn’t surprise me at all if Shelton wins a set in this match. All it would take is a little luck towards the business ends of sets. However, I don’t really think it’s wise to go against Sinner right now either. After looking awful physically against Holger Rune in the fourth round, Sinner came out and beat up on Alex de Minaur in front of a raucous Australian crowd.
Considering everything I just said, I’m staying off sides and totals in this one. However, I do like the Over on 0.5 tiebreakers in the match. These two have played five matches against one another, and we have seen a tiebreaker in all five battles. That includes the four wins for Sinner, plus the one win for Shelton. Also, every single match that Shelton has played in this tournament has seen at least one tiebreaker. On top of that, Shelton had played at least one tiebreaker in the eight matches he had played before the Australian Open.
Shelton’s playing style just makes it very likely you’ll see at least one every time he plays, as he holds roughly 90% of the times he serves and he’s an awful returner. So, barring an exceptional returning performance from Sinner, we should see one in this match. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if we see two.
Bet: Over 0.5 Tiebreakers (-138)
