Fabio Fognini vs Thanasi Kokkinakis Pick – Tennis Predictions & Odds 1/17/23

Fabio Fognini will meet Thanasi Kokkinakis in the First Round of the 2023 Australian Open. The match is scheduled to be played on Tuesday January 17th, 2023.

Fabio Fognini is unseeded here at the 2023 Australian Open and is ranked 57th on the ATP Tour. The Italian veteran has been on a steady decline over the past few seasons but remains a solid player. He has not had a great start to his 2023 season, losing his First Round match in Auckland to Jenson Brooksby in three sets. Despite him having the higher ranking, he is the betting underdog here to Thanasi Kokkinakis, the hometown favorite. Fognini has had some strong results in Australia in the past, and it would be unwise to discount him, especially against the sometimes erratic Australian.

Thanasi Kokkinakis is a fan favorite here in Melbourne, being Australian and lifting the doubles crown last year. Ranked only #110, he is a better payer than that suggests, especially with the crowd behind him. He has a strong start to the year, reaching the Semi-Finals in Adelaide, failing to defend his crown. A strong victory over Andrey Rublev showed that he is able to defeat the world’s best on his day, and his powerful game will be tough to contain on these courts. Fabio Fognini is a very experienced veteran, but has struggles with his focus himself, so it will be an interesting battle.

This match will likely come down to who is more focused and composed on the day. Both men are known for their fiery attitudes on court, and let it get the better of them at times. After considering everything, Thanasi Kokkinakis is our pick. Fognini is not the player he once was, and the young gun saves his best for his home crowd. Fognini can win this of course, so we are not 100% confident, but all signs point to a Kokkinakis win here at the 2023 Australian Open.