Tennis News:Gaming Tips for Australian Open

2021 Aussie Open Unlike Any Other

The first of the four Grand Slam events will take place on February 7th through the 21st and more than a quarter of the players have been confined to their respective hotel rooms due to coronavirus cases that were detected on three of the 17 charter flights. More than a thousand people were being lifted into several of the major metropolitan Australian airports when it occurred.

In order to allow the competitors to better prepare, several changes have been made to the lead-in events, “This has been a particularly challenging time for the athletes in hard lockdown and we, along with the WTA and ATP, aim to do everything we can to help,” Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said.

“These changes to the lead-in events have been made to give the 72 players a little bit of extra time to help them prepare.”

Australia is one the safest places on earth from the Covid-19 pandemic due to strict lockdown measures and many of the players are taking issue with the stringent quarantine rules. However, that has resulted in little sympathy from the nation’s residents and we have to wonder about the emotional state of mind in which many players will find themselves as the tournament progresses.

Men’s Australian Open Odds

Before we decide who to bet on, we should peruse the top 10 choices in the men’s division and their accompanying tennis odds. Without further ado, let’s check them out!

Credit: Sportsbookreview

Novak Djokovic +110

Dominic Thiem +500

Rafael Nadal +500

Daniil Medvedev +550

Alexander Zverev +1200

Stefanos Tsitsipas +1200

Andrey Rublev +2500

Nick Kyrgios +2800

Denis Shapovalov +3300

Jannik Sinner +3300

This is by no means the length and breadth of the field but it is representative of the top choices entering the Aussie Open of 2021. Novak Djokovic is the best player in the world and the one most likely to come out on top. He has won the Australian Open eight times after his victory last year. He is a tough out for any of the participants but we are looking for more value than the oddsmakers measly +110 is giving us.

One player to watch is Andrey Rublev, a man who posted a 41-10 record during a pandemic ridden 2020 season. How he found all those events to play in is evidence of his determination to keep playing even when the world is in chaos. The 23-year-old Russian won five titles last season and the time could be right for him to win his first Grand Slam event.

Make sure to bet Rublev at long odds of +2500 but also bet on him in heads-up matches as he mows down his competition and rises through the ranks. He’s a great player at good value and one who will make you money this year.

Women’s Australian Open Odds

The field is wide open in the women’s division and below we will get a look at the top 10 women’s choices at the Australian Open. As with the men’s choices above, this is obviously not all of the women’s competitors, and if you want to see more then be sure to check out your favorite online sportsbook.

Iga Swiatek +500

Simona Halep +500

Ashleigh Barty            +1000

Bianca Andreescu +1000

Garbine Muguruza +1000

Naomi Osaka +1000

Elina Svitolina +1200

Petra Kvitova +1200

Sofia Kenin +1200

Victoria Azarenka +1200

As you can see this field is much more wide open than the men’s and although Iga Swiatek and Simona Halep are the women to beat, we can think of one other with a pricier payout who tickles our fancy and excites our soul.

Although back-to-back titles at the Australian is not the norm, it’s certainly not unheard of as Victoria Azarenka, Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles, and Steffi Graf all got the job done with the latter two three-peating.

I bring this up because we believe the price is right on defending Aussie Open champion, Sofia Kenin. The 22-year-old has dogged determination and is mentally tough enough to put the Covid fears on the backburner and focus on the task at hand. If the oddsmakers want to give us a generous 12 to 1 on our money then who are we to refuse?!