Novak Djokovic vs Tommy Paul live score, updates, highlights for Australian Open semi final

By | January 27, 2023
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Tommy Paul will have his work cut out for him in his first Australian Open semi-final as he comes up against nine-time winner Novak Djokovic, who has been in impressive form in Melbourne. 

The duo will take to the court after the Karen Khachanov and Stefanos Tsitsipas match, where they will be aiming to book their place in the final when they collide at Rod Laver Arena from 7:30pm AEDT. 

Djokovic has only dropped one set so far this tournament, during his second-round match against Enzo Couacaud, and has looked simply unstoppable at times despite a niggling hamstring complaint. 

On the other hand, the unseeded Paul has enjoyed a breakout campaign, notching wins over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Roberto Bautista Agut, before emerging from his all-American quarter final against Ben Shelton victorious. 

The Sporting News provides live score updates, highlights and commentary for the match below.

Tommy Paul vs Novak Djokovic live score

*denotes server

  1st Set 2nd Set 3rd Set 4th Set 5th Set
[4] Novak Djokovic (SRB)* 7        
Tommy Paul (USA) 5        

Novak Djokovic vs Tommy Paul live blog, updates, highlights

First set, Paul to serve, Djokovic 7-5 Paul

  • 15-0: Great defence from Djokovic but an effective smash from Paul ends the point.
  • 30-0: Ace: 212km/h out wide. That was fast. Barely saw the ball.
  • 30-15: Too soft on the backhand there from the American, hits the net.
  • 30-30: Another great defensive effort from the Serb, although this time he was rewarded with the point. Missed forehand from Paul.
  • 30-40: Wayward forehand brings up ‘Joker’ set point. 
  • Game, set, Djokovic: After letting Paul back into the set, the champ finally locks down the first set.

First set, Djokovic to serve, Djokovic 6-5 Paul

  • 15-0: Ace. 176km/h. Djokovic needs easy points at the moment.
  • 30-0: Big first serve again. Forces Paul to miss.
  • 40-0: Kick-serve from the Serb causes an errant backhand from the American.
  • Game, Djokovic: Finally, the champ breaks the trend with an easy service game.

First set, Paul to serve, Djokovic 5-5 Paul

  • 15-15: Djokovic just seeming off at the moment. Finding difficulty to hit most his shots. Very unlike him.
  • 30-0: Another error from the Serb. The pressure is getting to him.
  • 40-0: Ace. 205km/h down the tee from Paul. Has settled nicely into the evening.
  • 40-15: A bit overzealous on the backhand, goes long from the American.
  • Game, Paul: Four games in a row for the youngster. Proving to be more difficult than most imagined.

First set, Djokovic to serve, Djokovic 5-4 Paul

  • 0-15: Double fault. Djokovic’s third for the night. Unlike the 21-time Grand Slam winner.
  • 0-30: The Serb just seems in his head at the minute. Needs to refocus. Backhand catches the net again. 20th unforced error so far to 13.
  • 15-30: Big first serve brings back some normality.
  • 15-40: Long forehand from Djokovic brings up two break points. Paul is finding his range.
  • 30-40: Ace. Exactly what the doctor ordered. 178km/h out wide.
  • Game, Paul: Best rally of the game so far. Djokovic just goes long to put things back on serve. Great fightback from the American

First set, Paul to serve, Djokovic 5-3 Paul

  • 15-0: Big first serve out wide forces Djokovic error.
  • 30-0: Paul backs it up with a massive forehand winner. Crowd getting behind the American.
  • 40-0: Some spectators seem to be getting to the champ. His backhand hits the net.
  • Game, Paul: Big first serve as the American has started to settle into the match. Strong hold.

First set, Djokovic to serve, Djokovic 5-2 Paul

  • 15-0: Great stroke play from both but a wayward forehand from Paul.
  • 30-0: Ace. Djokovic keen to close out the first set.
  • 30-15: A miss from the champion.
  • 30-30: Djokovic with an opportunity but unfortunately catches the tape and goes long.
  • 40-30: Ace. 203km/h to bring up a set point.
  • 40-40: Great defence from Paul with his back against the wall. A forehand miss from Djokovic.
  • The Serb approaches the umpire to put an end to the unnecessary crowd noise.
  • Adv Paul: Blocking the crowd noise out, the youngster whips a backhand winner down the line to bring up his first break point of the evening.
  • Game, Paul: Djokovic gives up a service game with an errant backhand. Paul’s cool head gives him a look into how to beat the champion.

First set, Paul to serve, Djokovic 5-1 Paul

  • 0-15: Paul’s forehand catches the tape but unfortunately goes wide.
  • 15-15: Dropshot meets dropshot. Impressive tennis from the American.
  • 15-30: The American’s forehand hits the frame and goes wide.
  • 30-30: Kickserve from the youngster catches the champ off guard, forces an error.
  • 30-40: Another break chance for Djokovic.
  • Game, Djokovic: An error from the youngster puts him in strife for the first set.

First set, Djokovic to serve, Djokovic 4-1 Paul

  • 0-15: Djokovic goes wide with the backhand.
  • 0-30: Opportunity for Paul as Novak makes another backhand error.
  • 15-30: Paul misses a huge chance with a unforced forehand error.
  • 30-30: Ace for Novak.
  • 40-30: The fourth seed clubs a forehand winner.
  • 40-40: Double fault for the Serbian.
  • Adv Djokovic: Clean backhand winner for Novak.
  • Game Djokovic: A Paul error allows Djokovic to hold serve.

First set, Paul to serve, Djokovic 3-1 Paul

  • 15-0: Djokovic makes an unforced error.
  • 15-15: The veteran forces Paul into a mistake.
  • 30-15: Big ace for the American.
  • 30-30: But he follows it up with an unforced backhand error.
  • 40-30: Djokovic nets.
  • Game Paul: The US talent is on the board. Finally. That might settle his nerves.

First set, Djokovic to serve, Djokovic 3-0 Paul

  • 0-15: Djokovic hits it out.
  • 15-15: Paul mimics the champion with a forehand error.
  • 30-15: The Serb steps up and hits a striking forehand winner.
  • 40-15: The young American hitting it out a fair bit, struggling to deal with the early pressure.
  • Game, Djokovic: Paul hits it out, again.

First set, Paul to serve, Djokovic 2-0 Paul

  • 0-15: Paul forehand error. 
  • 0-30: The American fails to keep it in with his backhand.
  • 0-40: Another backhand error from Paul.
  • 15-40: Djokovic’s turn to hit it out.
  • Game, Djokovic: The Serb gets the early break.

First set, Djokovic to serve, Djokovic 1-0 Paul

  • 15-0: Unreturned serve from Paul to kick things off.
  • 15-15: A smash from Djokovic catches the net.
  • 15-30: A rare backhand fails to get over the net from the Serb. Positive start from the American.
  • 30-30: First serve forces an error. Squares things up.
  • 30-40: Uncharacteristic double fault from the champion. Brings up a break point chance for Paul.
  • 40-40: Big first serve in response. Forehand winner from the 35-year-old.
  • Adv Djokovic: Shot from Paul flies past the baseline.
  • 40-40: The 21-time Grand Slam winner is struggling to find his range early. Backhand goes long.
  • Adv Paul: Early-game jitters getting to Djokovic. Another backhand hits the net.
  • 40-40: First serve squares things up again.
  • Adv Djokovic: Ace. 166km/h out wide.
  • Game: Ace. 193km/h up the middle. Seven minute game.

7:44pm AEDT: Djokovic to serve first. Starting imminently.

7:42pm AEDT: Or will the nine-time Australian Open winner head to another final for a chance to add more trophies to the cabinet?

7:41pm AEDT: Can the unheralded American Tommy Paul cause one of the biggest upsets in sport?

7:40pm AEDT: Both players are warming up on the court. 

7:30pm AEDT: Players are close to coming out onto the court. Looks like there won’t be an empty seat in the house tonight. 

Pre-match: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of the Australian Open semi-final match between Novak Djokovic and Tommy Paul from Rod Laver Arena.

Novak Djokovic vs Tommy Paul head-to-head results

This will be the first time that Djokovic and Paul have played each other. 

MORE: Australian Open schedule 2023: Full draws, TV coverage, channels & how to watch every tennis match

What time is Novak Djokovic vs Tommy Paul?

  UK USA Canada Australia
Date Friday, January 27 Friday, January 27 Friday, January 27 Friday, January 27
Time Approx. 8.30am BST Approx. 3.30amET Approx. 3.30am ET Approx. 7.30pm AEDT

How to watch Novak Djokovic vs Tommy Paul in the semi final of the Australian Open

  UK USA Canada Australia
TV channel Eurosport 1 or 2 ESPN/ESPN2 TSN1/TSN5 Channel 9
Streaming eurosport.uk ESPN+ and fuboTV TSN+ 9Now/Stan Sport

Australia: The Nine Network is the free-to-air broadcaster of the Australian Open 2023.

The Australian Open can also be watched on SmartTV’s 9Now and Stan Sport as well as 9Gem.

Fans can also stream the Australian Open through 9Now and Stan Sport.

UK: Coverage of the Australian Open 2023 will be broadcast in the UK live and exclusively on Eurosport.

Eurosport 1 and 2 will provide daily coverage of the action in Melbourne.

UK fans can also stream the Australian Open through the discovery+ app, the Eurosport app, or through eurosport.co.uk

USA: Tennis fans based in the United States will be able to watch this year’s Australian Open via ESPN. Matches will be broadcast on both ESPN and ESPN2.

ESPN+ and fuboTV will both offer live streaming during the 2023 Australian Open. FuboTV offers a free trial.

Canada: The 2023 Australian Open will be broadcast in Canada by TSN.

Matches will be shown on either TSN1 or TSN5.

Canadian fans are able to live stream the action from Melbourne Park on TSN+.

The full TSN+ broadcast schedule can be accessed here.  

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