Novak Djokovic vs Botic van de Zandschulp prediction, betting tips & odds, head-to-head, preview: Australian Open 2026
Djokovic faces Zandschulp with Grand Slam win #400 on the line.
Novak Djokovic produced a tennis masterclass against Francesco Maestrelli to win 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in their second-round match after two hours and 15 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic got off to a flyer against Maestrelli, opening a 3-0 lead just 13 minutes into their second-round face-off. Novak drew first blood in the second set, breaking the Italian in the opening game.
While the Italian churned out 10 aces and 29 winners, he let Djokovic get away with converting six crucial breakpoint opportunities, effectively handing the win to the Serb. Maestrelli also produced 35 unforced errors to 23 by Djokovic.
This leaves Djokovic on the cusp of another milestone â 400 Grand Slam match wins when he takes on Botic van de Zandschulp in the third round. The World No. 4 won 86 percent (43/50) of first serve points in a dominant serving display.
Should Djokovic get the better of Zandschulp on Saturday, he will become the first player to reach the milestone of 400 Grand Slam match wins.
Zandschulp downed Chinese 20-year-old Juncheng Shang 7-6(6), 6-2, 6-3, aided by 15 aces and 36 winners. It will be the Dutchmanâs second appearance in the third round at Melbourne Park.
Shang missed an opportunity for a first-set lead at 5-5 when he failed to break Zandschulpâs serve. He then lost a closely contested tiebreak to hand the Dutchanman the opening set after a 63-minute tussle.
The Zandschulp serve was on target, winning him 87 per cent (55/63) first serve points. A little over two hours after he walked out on to court, Zandschulp sealed the win on the fourth match point by breaking Shangâs serve in the ninth game of the decider.
Also Read: How many matches has Novak Djokovic won at each Grand Slam?
Match details
- Tournament: Australian Open 2026
- Round: Third Round
- Date: January 24
- Venue: Melbourne, Australia
- Surface: Hardââ Court
âPreview
Djokovic will make an 18th third-round appearance in his 21st Australian Open on Saturday. The show will go on for the Serbian when he takes on Zandschulp. At 38, he could become the oldest menâs singles champion if he wins the title.
Van de Zandschulp surprised Djokovic last season, defeating the Serb at the ATP 1000 event in Indian Wells. Djokovic will be keen to make amends for that loss and break the tie in their head-to-head, which stands at 1-1.
Djokovic, the No. 4 seed, is aiming for 11th Australian Open singles title and 25th Grand Slam trophy. He is on track to meet Lorenzo Musetti or Taylor Fritz in the last eight. Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 Australian Open champion, is also in Djokovicâs quarter and will face Fritz in the third round.
Form
Novak Djokovic: W-W-W-W-W
Botic van de Zandschulp: W-W-W-W-W
Head-to-head record
- Matches: 2
- Djokovic: 1
- Van de Zandschulp: 1
Stats
Novak Djokovic
- Djokovic has a 2-0 win-loss record in the 2026 season
- Djokovic has a 101-10 win-loss record at the Australian Open
- Djokovic has won 84% of matches played on hard courts
Botic van de Zandschulp
- Zandschulp has a 3-1 win-loss record in the 2026 season
- Zandschulp has a 5-5 win-loss record at the Australian Open
- Zandschulp has won 49% of matches played on hard courts
Novak Djokovic vs Botic van de Zandschulp: Betting tips and odds
- Moneyline: Djokovic: -1200, Zandschulp +767
- Spread: Djokovic -7 (-101), Zandschulp +7 (-120)
- Total Games: Over 33.5 (-114), Under 33.5 (-115)
- First Set Winner: Djokovic -475, Zandschulp +335
Match prediction
Melbourne is a second home for Djokovic. After all, the Serb has won 10 of his 24 Grand Slam titles at the venue. Against Botic van de Zandschulp, the outcome is not set in stone as the Dutchman has the ability to punch above his weight.
Van de Zandschulp is a solid baseline player who relishes extended rallies. He is capable of testing Djokovic and may even steal a set. But in the Serb, he will be staring down arguably the best returner in menâs tennis.
Djokovicâs ability to turn the tide should see him advance to the round of 16.
Result: Novak Djokovic to win in four sets.
Where and how to watch live telecast and live streaming of Novak Djokovic vs Botic van de Zandschulp third-round match at Australian Open 2026?
The third-round match will be broadcast on the Sony Network for Indian viewers. Residents of the United States can tune in to the Tennis Channel and ESPN. Fans in the United Kingdom can stream the match on Eurosport.â
Full worldwide broadcast details here
Where and when will Novak Djokovic vs Botic van de Zandschulp third-round match take place?
The match will take place at the Rod Laver Arena on January 24 (Saturday) and is scheduled to begin from 7:00 pm local time and 1:30 pm IST in India.
What is the head-to-head record between Novak Djokovic and Botic van de Zandschulp?
They have clashed twice on tour previously and surprisingly, the h2h is shared at 1-1. In fact, the Dutchman defeated Djokovic in their last meeting on tour.
What happened in the last meeting between Novak Djokovic and Botic van de Zandschulp?
Their last face-off was the Indian Wells Open in 2025, where Zandschulp stunned his legendary opponent 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in a round of 64 meeting.
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Meet Fazeelâa bibliophile and sci-fi aficionado who devours books and movies alike. His favorite form of exercise? Watching tennis from a perfectly positioned couch. Whether he's lost in a gripping novel or absorbed in a five-hour Grand Slam final, he's all in. Favorite quote: âYou cannot be seriousâ â John McEnroe.