The 2022 Australian Open rolls on and SportsTips.com are previewing all of the women’s semifinal action. Read below to check out our tennis picks for the games over the semifinal round!
We are now into the semifinals at the Australian Open and there are two American women still left in the draw. There is the 27th seed, Danielle Collins along with unseeded Madison Keys. Only time will tell if we will see one, or both of these fantastic players in the final at the Australian Open!
Enjoy our free tennis picks and predictions for each round of the 2022 Australian Open tournament.
Ashleigh Barty (1) vs Madison Keys
Ashleigh Barty will face off against another American in Madison Keys in the semifinals at the Australian Open. The Australian has put in clinical match after clinical match, and she is yet to drop a set, as well as this her serve has only been broken once. Keys has only dropped one set on her way to the semifinals, and she has defeated the 11th, 8th and 4th seed to book her spot in the final four.
Denis Kirilov
Ashleigh Barty is getting closer and closer to end a 44-year drought of Australia not winning their home Grand Slam. The Aussie is looking in the form of her life as she hasn’t dropped a single set in her last 8 matches. Barty was merciless against Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals as she spared her opponent just 2 games throughout the match and for a bit over one hour she managed to qualify for the semifinals. This will be yet another advantage over her remaining rivals. Barty has spent significantly less time on the court than either one of Keys, Swiatek, and Collins. The Aussie’s unique playing style helps her take control during the points as she has a solid and well-balanced backhand and forehand. Her style resembles the one of Martina Hingis, but unlike the Swiss, Barty might be able to develop it even further and win a lot of Grand Slams in the upcoming years.
Madison Keys, on the other hand, has been simply majestic throughout this edition of the Australian Open. The American tied her best result in Melbourne as she reached her fifth career Grand Slam semifinal. In 2015, Keys was eliminated by the future champion, Serena Williams, in straight sets – 7-6, 6-2. She has a lot of common points with her upcoming opponent on Thursday as both players like playing hard and feel better when they are in control of the rallies. Keys had her biggest opportunity at the 2017 US Open when she reached her one and only final at a Grand Slam. Unfortunately, she was defeated by the fellow American, Sloane Stephens, in straight sets as well. After a tough period in the last two years, Keys made her big return at this year’s Australian Open. She managed to defeat some of the best players on the WTA Tour including Sofia Kenin, Paula Badosa, and Barbora Krejcikova. However, I don’t think she will be able to withstand Barty’s power on Thursday. My pick here goes in favour of the Aussie, expecting her to continue her high-level performance with yet another 2-0 win.
Denis’ Australian Open Pick: Set Betting – Barty 2-0 (-145)
— Ash Barty (@ashbarty) January 25, 2022
Jack Hartman
The dream is getting nearer for Ash Barty as she made short work of Jessica Pegula in a one sided quarterfinal. The world number one has been serene so far in this tournament breezing through to this stage without the loss of a single set. Everything seems to be clicking into place for the Australian and her game seems to be in the perfect place. Barty, who finished her 2021 season after the US Open, is now on a nine match winning streak. Barty up to this point has had to play players with very different game styles. She has conquered the big hitters and showed against a player like Pegula she has the consistency and game to blow these types of players away. Barty has never reached the final of her home Grand Slam and she has an ideal opportunity to change that here.
She faces another player who is in great form in Madison Keys. Keys like Barty is in great form having won one of the warm up events in the lead up to the Australian Open. A former semi finalist back in 2015, her semi final appearance marks a welcome return to Grand Slam form with this being her best run at a major since she reached the 2018 US Open semi finals. Keys, now ranked outside the top 50 in the world, has played some great tennis in this tournament beating former Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin and Barbora Krejcikova to reach this stage. When Keys can combine both power and consistency, she is a dangerous proposition for anybody and she will look to dominate the rallies here. The pair have played three times in the past with Barty having won the last two and leading the head to head series 2-1. It seems that Barty is destined to win this title and although she has a big challenge ahead of her, I think she will get the job done in what could be a really tight three set match.
Jack’s Australian Open Pick: Set Betting – Barty 2-1 (+260)
Danielle Collins (27) vs Iga Świątek (7)
We will see another American in a semifinal at the Australian Open, when Danielle Collins takes on the seventh seed, Iga Świątek, to book a place in the last match of the tournament. In Collins’ last match against Cornet, the first set was really tight, but then it was a blow out in the second set, with the American winning 6-1. There was no way of telling where Świątek’s quarterfinal match with Kanepi was going to go, with many breaks of serve and momentum swings, but Świątek was able to get the job done, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-3.
Denis Kirilov
Danielle Collins made a huge improvement from last year’s Australian Open when she exited early on in the second round. With this semifinal, she tied her career best performance at a Grand Slam that comes exactly from Melbourne Park in 2019. Unfortunately for her, she narrowly lost the first set in a tie-break which was crucial for the outcome of the entire match as Petra Kvitova whitewashed her 6-0 in the second set. The American had an easy encounter in the quarterfinals at first sight as she managed to cruise past Alize Cornet in 1:30 hours for the final score 7-5, 6-1. Collins had to go through a lot of trouble in the third round against Clara Tauson as she was falling behind one set and a break, but somehow pulled herself together and made a full comeback. In the fourth round, she also lost the opener against Elise Mertens, but two late breaks of serve in the upcoming sets, decided everything in her favour.
Iga Swiatek, on the other hand, had to go through a wild quarterfinal match against Kaja Kanepi as she managed to pull off an amazing comeback to go through to the semifinals. Despite saving 9 set points in the first set, Swiatek eventually lost the set, 4-6, for more than one hour of play. Although the Polish lost her first serve in the second set, I would say that she took off quite well with two fantastic return games. However, in the end, the Estonian fought back and sent it to a tie-break where Swiatek’s nerves managed to resist all the pressure that was on her shoulders. In the deciding third set, world No. 9 found a way to be more consistent and accurate, forcing her opponent to take more risks which resulted in a lot of unforced errors. I think this might be the case against Danielle Collins in the semifinal as I think Swiatek will be able to assert her dominance in that exact aspect of the game. The winner of the 2020 French Open is still looking for her second Grand Slam final in her career and if she manages to keep her serve and backhand down the line on a high level, I think she will be one of the 2022 Australian Open finalists.
Denis’ Australian Open Pick: Iga Swiatek (-186)
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— carebear 😼 (@kerber_IN) January 22, 2022
Jack Hartman
A matchup that few would have predicted at the start of the tournament as Danille Collins and Iga Swiatek prepare to lock horns for a place in this year’s Australian Open final. The two quarterfinal victories for both of these players couldn’t have been more contrasting. Collins was able to defeat Alize Cornet in straight sets with the second set in particular turning out to be very comfortable for the American. Swiatek on the other hand battled against Kaia Kanepi for over three hours in gruelling heat with the Pole emerging victorious 6-3 in the final set.
The two have only faced off once before and it was a match where Danielle Collins had to retire injured. For Swiatek this run marks the furthest she has ever reached in a Grand Slam outside of her stunning run to the 2020 French Open title. Collins, a former semi finalist in Australia back in 2018, is looking to advance to her first ever Grand Slam final. In a matchup where both players play in a similar fashion, this should be a hard hitting affair, Swiatek the younger of the two, has more talent but Collins is all about grit and fight and will prove more than her match for the talented Pole. In what could be a great match I like Collins to win here. Her grit and tenacity won’t make life easy for Swiatek and I think Collins ball striking could overwhelm her opponent.
Jack’s Australian Open Pick: Set Betting – Collins 2-1 (+360)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
