2020 was a tough and challenging year for tennis. All events were delayed or postponed with no crowds in attendance. With Covid-19 still very much around, the 2021 Australian Open is also expected to be held in a subdued and mellow manner. The grand slam kicks off on 8 February and ends on 21 February. Because of Covid-19, many players have been placed in forced quarantine without access to proper training facilities. Therefore, hindering their preparation for the Grand Slam. In this special blog post, we reveal our Australian Open 2021 betting tips.
Best Tennis Betting Sites
Running Up to the Australian Open 2021
Roger Federer has pulled out of this year’s opening Grand Slam tournament as he tries to recover from his knee procedure. The Swiss genius set up camp in Dubai and was trying to get in shape, but he wasn’t satisfied with his progress. So, Federer decided to postpone his comeback. Is this the beginning of the end?
As we mentioned earlier, Covid-19 has severely impacted the tournament. Many, citizens have also heavily criticized the tournament running at such treacherous times. Strict quarantine requirements have been made mandatory by the organizers. Over 900 players, coaches, and officials have been isolated at 3 Melbourne hotels for 2 weeks to make the tournament as safe as possible. So, they have been left to train as best as they can in the confinements of their hotel rooms. While other high-ranked tennis stars are residing in Adelaide with access to gyms and training courts.
Djokovic has come under a lot of criticism for his outspoken opinion on the way players have been treated amid the Covid-19 quarantine conditions. This year’s tourney will not be played behind closed doors like other sporting events. But, only 25% of the full capacity of the stands will be allowed. So, this might help him mentally, without having to face constant booing from the crowds.
Who Will Win the Australian Open 2021
In each tennis grand slam, there are two trophies, one for the men and one for the women. This year’s total prize pool is over $80,000,000. So, the stakes are high and the players with the strongest mentality can go far and even win it all. Let’s reveal who the favourites are and which tennis betting sites offer the best Australian Open betting odds.
Men’s Favourites
Djokovic and Nadal have won 9 of the last 13 Australian Open finals. And they are still the top favourites to win the 2021 Australian Open. But, don’t ignore Dominic Thiem and Danil Medvedev.
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic has won the Australian Open 8 times already and he looks like the top favourite to win it all. He had an uncharacteristically poor finals record in 2020 (by his standards), but the fast courts of Melbourne and fresh legs, make him the man to beat in our books. Nole has a 75-8 record in Australia (8-0 in finals).
Bet on Djokovic to win at odds of 2.20 @ 10Cric
Rafael Nadal
After equalling Federer on 20 total grand slam wins, Nadal will be extra motivated to win number 21. Even though hard courts are not his forte, Nadal is a tenacious competitor. So, you can never rule him out. Nadal is known for not starting well out of the blocks at big tournaments. However, he has an advantage over most players who have been stuck in quarantine.
Bet on Nadal at odds of 6.00 @ 10Cric
Dominic Thiem
Thiem took full advantage of Federer and Nadal’s absence at the US Open winning his first Grand Slam title. Additionally, he reached the ATP Masters final only losing to Medvedev in a 3 set battle. He will be looking to continue his fine form with his powerful groundstrokes. On his day, Dominic Thiem can beat any Top-10 player.
Bet on Thiem to win it at odds of 6.00 @ FunBet
Honorary Mentions
If you’re looking for an outsider to bet on, then we suggest taking a flutter on Daniil Medvedev (6.00), Alexander Zverev (17.00) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (13.00).
Women’s Favourites
Women’s tennis has been very unpredictable over the last few years. Serina Williams was always the dominant force. Yet, since leaving the tour for maternity leave, she hasn’t been able to rekindle her form that made her the greatest women’s tennis player of all time. Naomi Osaka is the front-runner for betting odds, but as we’ve seen numerous times, many favourites tend to fall in the first week of the competition.
Naomi Osaka
The Japanese star won the 2020 US Open in convincing fashion. Osaka has an unexplained tendency to look disengaged at times, which leads to unexpected hiccups and even losses. But when she’s locked in, she’s unstoppable.
Bet on Osaka to win it all at odds of 6.50 @ 10CRic
Simona Halep
The world No.2 from Romania is no slouch and she is expected to make a deep run into week-2 of the 2021 Australian Open. She made the semis in last year’s edition, before going on to win the Dubai Tennis Championships. Now 29, Halep is looking to win her third major and become world No.1 again. Keep an eye on her week-1 performances before betting on her.
Bet on Halep at odds of 11.oo @ FunBet
Ashleigh Barty
World No.1 Barty is looking to win the 2021 Australian Open for her home fans and give them a reason to cheer up. Her only grand slam success so far has been a 2019 Roland Garros triumph. Barty may be a little rusty coming into the tournament, but she should be able to make the semis.
Bet on Ashleigh Barty to win at odds of 10.00 @ FunBet
Honorary Mentions
In women’s tennis, underdogs tend to have great runs in the Grand Slams. We can never call Serena Williams (11.00) an underdog, but her ranking and form depict it. However, if Serena can gather her composure and fitness, then she can easily win the tournament again. If Serena, can keep the points and matches short, then she can save herself from fatigue affecting her game. Another outlier worth mentioning is Kvitova (21.00). Last year, was one of her more consistent years and hopefully, she can regain that form to make a push for the title in Melbourne. Lastly, you can never rule out Angelique Kerber and at odds of 41.00 it’s worth a small bet.
Additional Australian Open Betting Tips
Some online bookies offer live tennis betting. Therefore, you can place bets on tennis matches that are already in play. Thiem and Tsitsipas are well known for early 5 set battles in early rounds of grand slams. So, Live Casino India recommends placing live bets on them in matches where they go down a set or two. Because you can find great winning odds.
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