Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov Preview & Prediction | 2024 Australian Open | Round of 16
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
THE FACTS
When is Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov on and what time does it start? Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov will take place on Sunday 21st January, 2024 – not before 05:00 (UK)
Where is Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov taking place? Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov will take place at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia
What surface is Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov being played on? Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov will take place on an outdoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov
What channel is Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov on in the UK? Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov will be televised live on Eurosport
Where can I stream Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov in the UK? Eurosport subscribers can stream Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov live on their website
THE LOWDOWN
JANNIK SINNER
World number four Jannik Sinner is the highest-ranked man yet to drop a set at the Australian Open, conceding just four games to Sebastian Baez on Friday to build on two other searing victories. The 22-year-old reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon last summer before something of a drab exit to Novak Djokovic but he improved exponentially on the hardcourt swing soon after, claiming his first Masters title in Toronto, two 500 titles in Vienna and Beijing, and finishing runner-up to Djokovic at the ATP Finals after beating the Serb for the first time in the group stages. Sinner ended up beating Djokovic three times in the space of a fortnight last November, doing so in singles and doubles to lead Italy to a maiden Davis Cup title, but he only has to do it once here in Melbourne.
KAREN KHACHANOV
World number 15 Karen Khachanov reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open this time last season before a four-set defeat to eventual champion Stefanos Tsitsipas and it should take a player of that quality to oust him 12 months on. The 27-year-old has dropped a set in each of his four matches so far, ousting some hardy foes in Daniel Altmaier, Aleksandar Kovacevic and Tomas Machac, but he looks to be improving after a tough start to 2024. Khachanov finally broke his title duck last September with his fifth ATP title claimed at the Zhuhai Championships, five years on from his most prestigious at the 2018 Paris Masters.
THE PREDICTION
Jannik Sinner is cutting an imperious figure on court in Melbourne. The Italian proved that Novak Djokovic can be beaten regularly in November, despite losing to the Serb when it counted most in the ATP Finals, and he will be backed well as the defending champion’s biggest challengers if he can make it through this tough test. Karen Khachanov is a serious threat at a major, particularly on hardcourts, but his baseline game feels a little inferior to Sinner’s ever-increasing brilliance in these conditions. The fourth seed leads their head-to-head record 2-1 but all three of those meetings have required a decider – including a five-setter at the US Open that went Khachanov’s way back in 2020. All three meetings have also seen at least one tiebreak, five overall, to suggest taking Sinner to win and at least one tiebreak is a reasonable combination here.
TIP: JANNIK SINNER TO WIN (AND OVER 0.5 TIEBREAKS)
