{"id":393182,"date":"2026-01-21T16:35:44","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T21:35:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/?p=393182"},"modified":"2026-01-23T13:13:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T18:13:14","slug":"australian-open-tennis-predictions-jan-21-22-2026-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/australian-open-tennis-predictions-jan-21-22-2026-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian Open tennis predictions Jan. 21-22: Best bets on Bublik, Davidovich Fokina and Shelton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Alexander Bublik and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina are the focus of these Australian Open predictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pregame narrative:<\/strong> Bublik is a massive favourite over Tomas Martin Etcheverry, while Davidovich Fokina is a slight underdog against Tommy Paul. I expect both players will punch their ticket to the fourth round on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out my top Australian Open tennis predictions for Jan. 21 and 22, featuring a second-round pick on Ben Shelton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-> Join NorthStar Bets & bet on the Australian Open<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australian Open tennis predictions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Best bet: Davidovich Fokina to win (+162)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m a big believer in Davidovich Fokina, who is on the cusp of becoming a world-class player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spaniard holds a career-high ATP No. 14 ranking and went 44-26 in 2025. The only thing standing between him and the game’s elite is closing out tournaments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davidovich Fokina made four finals last year and lost all of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of those finals were on hard courts, though, and he beat some top-end competition during those runs (Shelton, Denis Shapovalov, Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz twice). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

-> Check out the third-round Australian Open schedule<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think Davidovich Fokina can build off a strong 2025 by going deep in this tournament. That will start by getting revenge on Paul, who beat him in straight sets in Melbourne last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul had to take four months off following the U.S. Open with a foot injury. He’s 4-2 this year, but hasn’t faced the toughest competition and has yet to play a game longer than three sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think Davidovich Fokina has a distinct conditioning advantage in this matchup, which should help him win extended rallies in later sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul and Davidovich Fokina rank 42nd and 49th, respectively, in serve rating. That means there should be plenty of running around and long sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key stat:<\/strong> Davidovich Fokina is 34-20 on hard courts since the start of last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australian Open pick: Bublik vs. Etcheverry best bet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bublik -2.5 sets (+150):<\/strong> Bublik is coming off a career season and is 6-0 to start 2026 with a win at the Hong Kong Tennis Open. As a result, the Kazakhstani has now entered the ATP top-10 for the first time in his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-> Bet on Bublik in the third round of the Australian Open<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is 10-2 dating back to the Rolex Paris Masters in late October (all hard court matches), beating some big names during that stretch:<\/p>\n\n\n\n