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Novak Djokovic makes his highly-anticipated return to the Australian Open following a controversial one-year absence. Check out our predictions for his first match of the 2023 edition, against Roberto Carballes Baena, and the betting options available for this match.
These odds from Ladbrokes were correct at the time of writing.
Novak Djokovic vs Roberto Carballes Baena Match Predictions
Contents
In theory, this should be an easy win for Djokovic. However, there is one thing worth monitoring: Nole has been dealing with a nagging hamstring injury since his win over Daniil Medvedev in Adelaide. It doesn’t seem to have hampered his performance significantly, but let’s keep an eye on it nonetheless.
Carballes Baena +10.5 Games
In all honesty, this is a very inflated line. While Djokovic is almost certainly going to wrap the match in straight sets, covering a 10.5 line is probably not going to happen.
The advantage here goes to Carballes Baena, who has a good chance of covering the handicap and at very good value. In their previous meeting, which coincidentally also took place during the first round of a major tournament, Djokovic won with a six-game advantage.
Over 25.5 games
Going back to the previous bet, Carballes Baena is no pushover. Expecting Djokovic to wrap up the match in under 25.5 games is a bit on the optimistic side.
And taking the injury into account, Nole might choose not to push too hard this early in the tournament. This one may drag on for a bit longer than usual, enough to cover the over.
Novak Djokovic vs Roberto Carballes Baena Preview
Next, let’s take a look at the important highlights for each player heading into this match.
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic is back in Melbourne to reclaim his crown. The Serb infamously missed last year’s Australian Open, but has been allowed back to compete in 2023. And he enters the tournament as the early favorite.
Aside from the possibility of winning his tenth Australian Open crown, Djokovic has some extra motivation. Part of it would be matching Rafael Nadal’s 22 major titles, as Nole is currently one title behind Rafa.
Another reason: the top of the ATP rankings. The Australian Open title would make Djokovic number 1 again. His 2023 campaign is already off to a very good start following the Adelaide International title, in which the Serb only dropped one set despite dealing with the hamstring injury mentioned earlier.
Roberto Carballes Baena
Carballes Baena had a solid year in 2022. The 29-year old Spaniard’s highlights included reaching the quarterfinals in Marrakech, Umag and Florence, as well as a second round appearance at the French Open.
But Carballes Baena found the most success in the Challenger Tour. The Spaniard reached the finals in four tournaments, winning two titles. He will try to break into the top 70 for the first time in 2023.
Djokovic vs Carballes Baena head to head
These two have only met once in the ATP Tour, during the first round of the 2019 US Open. Djokovic comfortably won in straight sets (6-4, 6-1, 6-4).
Novak Djokovic vs Roberto Carballes Baena Match Details
- Is the AO 2023 available to watch in the UK? Yes, U.K. viewers can enjoy the 2023 Australian Open on Eurosport, both on TV and online, and on Discovery + online.
- Which court is going to host this match? This day 2 match is going to be played on Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park’s center court.
- When is the match going to start? The match is currently scheduled for the night timeslot, therefore it will start after the 2:00 am GMT match.
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