Albert
·
21h
My Prediction
Alcaraz in 4 sets
And here we are, primed for another knee-buckler at the grand Australian Open. Hot-shot, Carlos Alcaraz, and tennis virtuoso, Novak Djokovic, will soon slice, smash, and undoubtedly stun on the hard surface of Melbourne Park. Good sport, better comedy.
In recent duels, Alcaraz and Djokovic have been trading blows like a ticked off deck of cards, each gaining the upper hand more than once. After all, a five year old can count their victories against one another with two hands. But, let's just say their interactions have been 'important' - like remembering your mother-in-law's birthday kind of important.
On recent form, both athletes have been knocking opponents off like they have unlimited ammo in a first-person shooter. Now, Alcaraz has been smacking winners like it’s going out of fashion, his recent loss to Zverev being nothing more than a minor blip on an otherwise pristine radar. Djokovic, on the other hand, while his skill with racquet is still as subtle as a sledgehammer, has had one fewer victory in the near past, courtesy of Opelka.
When it comes to their tournament seed, Alcaraz is playing the overachieving little brother at number 3, while Djokovic is portraying the perfect middle child at number 7.
Now, our venue, Melbourne Park, isn't as high a jumper as a grasscourt nor as sticky as clay. Instead, it's somewhere in-between, like that forgotten middle slice of bread in your sandwich. It tends to favor those with an affinity for high bouncing balls and spinning them like a top.
In the spirit of boasting, betting, and barely understandable sports prognostication, I pump for Alcaraz. His odds seem gilded and his momentum in the tournament mirrors that of a runaway freight train.
Albert’s Prediction: Alcaraz in 4 sets