The second blockbuster men’s semifinal is set at the Australian Open. Will Jannik Sinner continue to dominate? Or can Ben Shelton find the biggest upset of his career? Our writers share their thoughts on the match with you. Predicting this match are Damian Kust, Ilemona Onekutu, Tope Oke, Ateet Shrivastava, and Yesh Ginsburg. Our writers also predict the other semifinal, between Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev. Who do you think will reach the final?
Australian Open Semifinal Predictions
Jannik Sinner vs Ben Shelton
Damian:
On paper, Shelton against a top player is always a fun matchup. Compared to some other yet-to-fully-develop prospects you could imagine a serving day when he’s literally unbreakable even for someone of this caliber. But then you still have to win the tie-break, especially with how Shelton is still trying to find the right balance off the ground and often seems to think his shot tolerance is far worse than it actually is. He’d need something special to beat Sinner and to pull it off in the best-of-five format is just unlikely. Needs to throw the kitchen sink at the Italian and see if anything sticks.
Prediction: Sinner in 4
Ileomna:
Jannik Sinner’s consistency and all-court game make him the favorite against Ben Shelton’s explosive serve and aggressive style. Shelton can disrupt Sinner’s rhythm, but the Italian’s experience may prove decisive in this power-packed battle.
Prediction: Sinner in 4
Tope:
The defending champion showed why he is the favorite to retain his title with an emphatic annihilation of Alex de Minaur right in front of his home fans to extend his match-winning streak to 21. Such was the dominance of his performance that he didn’t face a single break of serve. Shelton will certainly pose a more significant challenge with his stronger serve, athleticism, and aggressive play. His willingness to take risks can put Sinner under pressure, though it may also lead to unforced errors.
However, the young American must take pride in going the farthest in a Major in this one. While an upset won’t be entirely surprising, Sinner’s ability to control rallies and dictate play, coupled with his experience and favorable head-to-head record, will hand him victory in what promises to be his stiffest challenge for a chance to defend his title in Melbourne.
Prediction: Sinner in 4
Ateet:
Ben Shelton is into his second Grand Slam semifinal and showed a lot of grit against Lorenzo Sonego in the quarterfinals. Shelton used his inside out forehand brilliantly in the match. However, I don’t like his chances much against Sinner, who completely outplayed Alex de Minaur and looked as good as ever. Shelton has more weapons than the Australian, but Sinner is playing too well to lose.
Prediction: Sinner in 3
Yesh:
I would love to pick Shelton here. Not just because he’s an American, and not just because he’s so fun to watch. But also because he has an incredible serve that might be able to throw Sinner off his rhythm. What will Sinner do if pushed to multiple tiebreaks, or even if down a break? The World #1 has been so dominant that he hasn’t really been tested in pressure situations. Can Shelton make him crack? I hope so, but the honest answer is probably not. And the more honest answer is that we never find out, because Sinner is just too good at everything from the baseline right now.
Prediction: Sinner in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
