We have reached the final eight down in Melbourne as the 2026 Australian Open is setting up for a terrific finish. No. 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz has breezed into his 14th Grand Slam quarterfinal but is set up for a blockbuster against Aussie Alex de Minaur. Offering their preview and predictions are Ateet Shrivastava, Jordan Reynolds, Yesh Ginsburg, Andreas Pelekis, and Shane Black. But who will advance?
Australian Open Quarterfinal Predictions
Alexander Zverev vs Learner Tien
Ateet
Another quarterfinal, with both players playing their best tennis and hoping to improve even more in this match. Learner Tien is the last left-handed player to defeat Alexander Zverev, but the conditions here are faster and should favour the German. Tien has improved a lot, but if Zverev plays aggressively, he should win this.
Prediction: Zverev in 4
Jordan
Tien’s level against Daniil Medvedev would probably be good enough to beat anyone outside of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Whether he can do that again at 20 and in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal is questionable. Zverev has been solid so far, and the American will likely need another excellent performance. He may fall just short of that.
Prediction: Zverev in 5
Yesh
Learner Tien has beaten Alexander Zverev once before. He can neutralize the German’s big serve and can out-finesse him once he gets into rallies. Will the occasion derail the young American? Because if it doesn’t, I think he frustrates Zverev into making enough mistakes that we see a stunner.
Prediction: Tien in 4
Andreas
Neither player broke a sweat in their fourth-round encounters, as Tien’s sweep over Daniil Medvedev was especially surprising and impressive. The German generally wakes up for the big stages late in the tournaments, however, and this is uncharted territory for the American. Zverev won their latest matchup easily at the French Open, and I see him wearing down Tien over a five-setter. The German can’t afford a bad serving day against such a strong and confident returner.
Prediction: Zverev in 5
Shane
Learner Tien may be the most underrated player on tour. He’s No. 24 in the live rankings and is coming off his sixth win over a Top 20 player in the last 52 weeks. Alexander Zverev has quietly cruised into another Grand Slam quarterfinal; his eighth since 2023. This match will feature some tremendous baseline back-and-forths, but in the end, I expect Zverev’s power to overwhelm the young American.
Prediction: Zverev in 4
Carlos Alcaraz vs Alex de Minaur
Ateet
Both players have looked brilliant so far this tournament, but especially in their fourth-round matches. Alex de Minaur can hang in the rallies with Carlos Alcaraz, but he will need to be extra aggressive at times to take time away from the Spaniard. The biggest question is, can he redline for a long duration? I don’t think so.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 4
Jordan
de Minaur will hope it is seventh time lucky in a Grand Slam quarterfinal. Unfortunately, the Australian tends to struggle badly against the very best players. He is one of the best at maximising his ability, but has a ceiling that means Alcaraz will have to underperform to give him a chance. The Spaniard is unlikely to do that.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Yesh
Alex de Minaur looks really good so far this tournament, and Alcaraz has faltered at times. But at the end of the day, the Spaniard is just too good. He has too many weapons and too much variability to fall prey to the Aussie.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 4
Andreas
This was a quarterfinal matchup that fans have been waiting for, but Alcaraz generally loves this matchup against a counterpunching foe. The Spaniard has been dominant on these fast courts, and despite De Minaur’s strong home court run, I don’t see the Aussie having enough weapons to pull off an upset. Alcaraz may drop a set here, and it could get somewhat close.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 4
Shane
What an opportunity for de Minaur. He’s playing some of the best tennis of his career and will have a massive backing inside Rod Laver Arena. This match should be tight. Whoever plays the bigger points with more controlled aggression will have a massive upper hand. It’s hard to pick against the Spaniard.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 5
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – Imagn Images
