Australian Open day nine predictions & tennis tips: Korda's quality should tell

Free tennis tips, best bets and analysis for day nine of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.

Where to watch

Live on Eurosport, 1.30am Tuesday

Best bets

Sebastain Korda to beat Karen Khachanov
2pts 8-11 bet365

Stefanos Tsitsipas to win & both players win a set
1pt 6-5 bet365

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Day nine preview

Things are getting serious at Melbourne Park with the start of the Australian Open quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who faces impressive Czech youngster Jiri Lehecka, is the star of the show on day nine, while Karen Khachanov meets Sebastian Korda in the other men's last-eight encounter.

In the women’s quarters, American world number three Jessica Pegula meets former champion Victoria Azarenka and there is a battle of two former Grand Slam winners, Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko.

Karen Khachanov v Sebastian Korda

Sebastian Korda won both of his hard-court meetings with Karen Khachanov last year and the improving American can seal a first Grand Slam semi-final appearance with another victory over the Russian.

The 22-year-old hinted at a fruitful run in Melbourne when making the Adelaide International final at the start of the month, a tournament in which he beat Andy Murray and Jannik Sinner before bumping into Novak Djokovic.

But the Floridian has built on those performances in Melbourne, recording victories over last year’s runner-up Daniil Medvedev and the talented Hubert Hurkacz en route to the last eight.

Korda looks ready to take the next step in his development by beating Khachanov, who, unlike the American, has faced only one top-32 player so far.

Stefanos Tsitsipas v Jiri Lehecka

Experience ought to give Stefanos Tsitsipas the edge when he comes up against rising Czech star Jiri Lehecka in their quarter-final.

The Czech 21-year-old has shown in his wins over Borna Coric, Cameron Norrie and Felix Auger-Aliassime that he can't be taken lightly and he may get a set on the board against Tsitsipas, who needed five sets to see off another up-and-coming force, Jannik Sinner, in the previous round.

But this is the biggest test of Lehecka's career and Tsitsipas should prevail to make his fourth Australian Open semi-final in the last five years.

Elena Rybakina v Jelena Ostapenko

Last year’s Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina dumped out Polish world number one Iga Swiatek in round four, having previously beaten last year’s runner-up Danielle Collins.

That makes her a worthy favourite to beat Jelena Ostapenko, although the former French Open champion did made light work of American ace Cori Gauff in the previous round and has won both of her previous matches against Rybakina.

Jessica Pegula v Victoria Azarenka

Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka is hoping to roll back the years at Melbourne Park in the coming days but standing in the way of the Belarusian is red-hot American Jessica Pegula.

Azarenka has had to come from a set down against Madison Keys and Lin Zhu in the last two rounds and Pegula, who has won all eight of her matches in 2023 in straight sets, represents a significant step up in class.

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