With the status of World Number 1 Novak Djokovic still unknown, the men’s side of the draw in this year’s Australian Open, for the first time in years, is looking wide open. Here we run the rule of the potential runners and riders who are looking to etch their names into Australian Open History.
The Favourites
As always with the Australian Open, there are a few players that punters are liking the look of, have a read on below to see who the current favorites are.
Daniil Medvedev (+135)
Even if Djokovic does play and can play his very best tennis, his biggest rival for this year’s title must come in the shape of world number 2 Daniil Medvedev. Medvedev has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the last few years and has honed his skills to become one of the most formidable players in the game.
After a decade of dominance from Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, Murray and Wawrinka, many questioned who would be able to break the traditional stranglehold on tennis’s biggest prizes and it seems that Medvedev is the man who has answered that call.
Medvedev in 2021 enjoyed his most successful year on the Tour to date, he lost in last year’s final to Djokovic but put that experience to good use by coming back to win the US Open, beating a calendar golden Grand Slam chasing Novak Djokovic in the final.
Medvedev can combine his extraordinary consistency with rare power. He has one of the best serves in the game and despite being 6 foot 5 is one of the best athletes and movers on Tour. Make no mistake, Medvedev has already shown he has the mentality to win these types of tournaments and he will be so difficult to beat here.
Novak Djokovic (+145)
If Djokovic does get the green light to compete at Melbourne Park, despite his tournament preparation being greatly impacted, Djokovic would still be the favorite in a lot of people’s eyes. Melbourne Park has never seen a champion like Djokovic, let’s not forget that he has won this tournament nine times and hasn’t lost here since 2018.
Djokovic has made a career in thriving when the pressure and adversity seem at their highest and there will be no man more determined to silence the doubters than Djokovic.
Happy New Year! Wishing you all health, love & joy in every moment & may you feel love & respect towards all beings on this wonderful planet.
I’ve spent fantastic quality time with loved ones over break & today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption permission. Let’s go 2022! pic.twitter.com/e688iSO2d4
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 4, 2022
Everything about this tournament just seems to suit Djokovic, from the court speed, the conditions and the weather, it just seems tailor-made to his game. Djokovic has an aura at this venue, and it would take a brave person to bet against the Serb if he is indeed permitted to take his spot in the draw.
Alexander Zverev (+240)
Zverev is the man many thought would be the one to make the breakthrough and dominate the game in the absence of the likes of Nadal, Federer and Djokovic. Despite Zverev having all the gifts, he hasn’t quite shown enough to get over the line and win a Grand Slam – but the consensus is that his time is near.
During the second half of last year, there was arguably no better player on Tour than Zverev. After a disappointing Wimbledon where Zverev lost in the Round of 16, Zverev went on to win the Olympic title, Cincinnati title, he reached the semi-finals of the US Open, before then winning the Vienna title and the ATP Finals where he beat Daniil Medvedev (6-4, 6-4) in the final.
Zverev’s main issue seemed to be his inconsistency, but if he can maintain his form going into 2022, he seems to have finally put that issue to bed. Some may question whether Zverev has the mentality and physicality to beat the likes of Djokovic and Medvedev over five sets and this is still something we are waiting for him to answer. You could argue that Zverev is the best player in the draw, he just needs to show he can put it all together when it matters most.
Rafael Nadal (+1000)
For those who bet on tennis, you like me might be raising an eyebrow or two because when have you ever seen Rafael Nadal start a tournament priced at +1000? Nadal arrives at Melbourne Park with some concerns over his fitness and general health as it was revealed that Nadal is recovering from a recent bout of Covid.
Nadal missed most of the back half of 2021 with a troublesome foot injury, an injury that has plagued him for years. Nadal seems to have put the injury firmly behind him and got his 2022 off to the perfect start by winning the first Melbourne warm-up event, where he cruised through the rounds without dropping a set.
Nadal has a mixed record at Melbourne Park, the Australian Open is his worst major with the twenty-time Grand Slam Champion only winning once down under. He hasn’t advanced past the quarterfinals in his previous two visits. You could never write off Nadal but with concerns over his fitness and his recent tournament record, you have to think the sportsbooks have priced his title aspirations just about right.
Who could cause a shock?
Outside of the four men that we have highlighted above there are a few players you could make an argument for at a nice price.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (+1800)
One of the men who enter this year’s tournament flying massively under the radar is Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek star who is ranked four in the world, had a disappointing end to his 2021 season losing early in the US Open, Vienna and Paris Masters.
Stefanos Tsitsipas met with the @AustralianOpen 2022 ballkid squad for an official welcome to Melbourne Park today. 📷F.Hamilton/@TennisAustralia pic.twitter.com/bxucd07cdk
— Michal Samulski (@MichalSamulski) January 9, 2022
He ended his season early by withdrawing from the ATP Finals. With his confidence shaken, fans of Tsitsipas would have wanted him to start 2022 with a bang, instead, Tsitsipas still looks to be fighting his game following a mixed start in the 2022 ATP Cup where he lost to Diego Schwartzman and got a walkover against Nikolas Basilashvili.
Tsitsipas can be considered a long shot for this year’s title, he is currently priced at +1800. However, that could end up being a value play if Tsitsipas can find his form. He has reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park twice – in 2021 and 2019 so he has proved in the past that he can go well here.
Jannik Sinner (+2000)
Another man priced at good odds is Italian sensation, Jannik Sinner, at +2000. Sinner is another young star who has ascended the rankings quickly. Currently ranked at 10 in the world Sinner is yet to make a mark at Grand Slam level, but he will be looking to put that right here.
Sinner has a powerful all-court game, and he clearly likes it in Australia as he went undefeated in singles action for Italy in this year’s ATP Cup. Sinner has only played in the Main Draw twice and has only gone as far as the second round. Sinner has already shown that he can mix it with the very best and there won’t be anyone that he is intimidated by.
Matteo Berrettini (+3400)
At even bigger prices, another Italian Matteo Berrettini at +3400 could be one of the best value plays in the entire tournament. Berrettini was enjoying a fruitful 2021 before injury ended his season.
Matteo berrettini beaten 2-6 7-6 4-6 by daniil medvedev in the atp cup #berrettini #atpcup #teamitaly ( Getty ) pic.twitter.com/QxtPa2I8So
— Phil (@tennis_phil) January 6, 2022
The big-hitting Italian made his Grand Slam breakthrough by making the final of Wimbledon whilst also winning the title in Queens and reaching his first Masters final in Madrid. Berrettini can simply overpower the majority of his rivals but then becomes unstuck against the very best. Still, with his huge serve and forehand, he is a name that everybody in the draw will want to avoid.
And one at a huge price?
Hubert Hurkacz at +7000 could be worth a look. Hurkacz had a tremendous 2021, which has seen the big-hitting Pole rise to nine in the world. Hurkacz’s crowning achievement last year was a victory at the Miami Masters.
Hurkacz has already shown he has a liking for the hard courts, and he could be a tough man to beat here, Hurkacz reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon last year, before putting in a horrible performance against Matteo Berrettini. If Hurkacz can build on that performance, it could serve those looking for some tremendous value well.
If you are interested in more news for the Australian Open then make sure you visit our tennis hub page, we’ve got all the details you need!
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
Image by: Christian Wittmann
