Men’s Seeds Hold Steady at Australian Open

The second round of the Australian Open is in the books, and through to the third round are the tournament’s top six seeds, including the top four favorites on the betting online board.

Well, that is, excluding world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who was the top seed drawn into the tournament. The Serbian starlet – as reported ad nauseum since the weekend – was booted out of Australia after he failed to win his second court injunction against the government’s cancellation of his visa.

Djokovic was installed as the favorite to win the Australian Open in early tennis betting futures, but since the unvaccinated tennis star didn’t meet the criteria for entry into the country, his bid to win a 10th Australian Open and 21st Grand Slam ended before it even began.

No. 2 seed Daniil Medvedev was elevated in Djokovic’s absence as the top favorite, while No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev emerged as the second favorite. No. 6 seed Rafael Nadal is the third-best bet while No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas is the fourth favorite.

Australian Open Futures Odds

Nadal Gunning for No. 21

Djokovic wasn’t the only one seeking to make history Down Under. Spain’s Nadal is also in the same position of making history with a record 21st Grand Slam title should he win the 2022 Australian Open.

Nadal has only one Australian Open title to his credit, having won it in 2009 (d. Roger Federer). He reached four finals since, though, losing once more to Federer and three times to Djokovic.

Early tennis futures tipped Nadal at +1200 (or thereabouts)  to win the Aussie Open. It’s not often that Nadal – one of the greatest players to ever wield a tennis racquet – is priced in quadruple digits. Those that bet on the Spaniard at early doors will be hoping he comes through on those odds.

That price tag is long gone as Nadal is now priced at +400 to win the Australian Open, making him the third-best bet overall. Nadal looked sharp in his first two rounds, advancing at the expense of Marcos Giron and Yannick Hanfmann without dropping a set.

It’s not unreal… It’s @RafaelNadal‼️VAMOS‼️ pic.twitter.com/7vIaeVwiHO

— Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar (@rnadalacademy) January 19, 2022

Next up for Nadal is Russia’s Karen Khachanov, a dangerous floater that could do some damage in the draw, including upsetting Nadal. Should Nadal navigate this challenge successfully, he will play the winner of Aslan Karatsev vs. Adrian Mannarino.

Medvedev Eyeing Second Grand Slam

Medvedev was the last player to defeat Djokovic in a Grand Slam final, pulling off the feat at the 2021 US Open. It marked his maiden Grand Slam title. Earlier in the year, Medvedev lost to Djokovic at the 2021 Australian Open final in straight sets.

Medvedev is the top favorite according to the bookmakers with odds of +120 to win outright. Medvedev made short work of his first-round opponent, Henri Laaksonen, and edged Australian hopeful Nick Kyrgios in four sets in the second round. That said, Medvedev didn’t win many fans with his postgame, on-court interview.

“Show some respect.” 😡😡

Daniil Medvedev was NOT happy with the crowd behaviour tonight and he let them know in the on-court interview! 😳
#AusOpen – Live on Channel 9 and 9Now pic.twitter.com/5UKAFOuV9v

— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 20, 2022

Medvedev’s next contest features Botic van de Zandschulp from the Netherlands. The odds are cornered in the Russian’s camp, but Van de  Zandschulp won’t be a cakewalk.

Zverev Searching For Maiden Title

Germany’s Zverev has won just about every title on the ATP Tour except for a major tournament. For some reason, Grand Slam glory remains elusive for the 24-year-old, despite having all the tools and the game to become a champion,

Perhaps, it’s Zverev’s time in Melbourne this year. Zverev is through to the third round after back-to-back straight sets wins. Zverev defeated compatriot Daniel Altamaeir before he sent Aussie John Millman packing in a 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 win.

Zverev next faces Romanian Radu Albot, a match that is firmly cornered with the German. Color the world shocked if Zverev doesn’t book his passage into the Round of 16.

Odds Stacked Against Tsitsipas

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who was a semifinalist Down Under last year (l. to Medvedev) after beating Nadal in the quarterfinals, is trading on large +1200 odds to win his maiden major title. Tsitsipas has seen his odds shrink ahead of the third round, but he remains in quadruple digits at BetUS sportsbook.

Tsitsipas next faces Benoit Paire, who upset Grigor Dimitrov in the second round.

Rest of the Field

No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev (+2500), No. 7 seed Matteo Berrettini (+3300) and No. 9 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime (+5000) represent some of the contenders in the tournament but with larger odds than some of their peers. They are interesting prospects to consider as outside bets.

Others that are worthy of spotting in online sports betting markets are No. 11 seed Jannik Sinner (+1600) and No. 17 Gael Monfils (+3300). The former is a tennis prodigy with a bright future in the sport while the latter is a veteran that is long overdue some success at the Grand Slam stage.

Another outsider that is catching the attention of the punditocracy is Carlos Alcaraz, an 18-year-old Spaniard that is coming off a win at the ATP Next Gen Tour Finals at the end of last season.

So the prince is back 😎❤️..
Welcome… @alcarazcarlos03#AO2022 #AustralianOpen2022 #AusOpen #Alcaraz @CarlosAlcaraz_1 pic.twitter.com/FjS9M6Y6CN

— Vishal Singh (@fans4AlexZverev) January 15, 2022

Alcaraz is surprisingly priced as the +2000 bet despite entering the tournament as the No.31 seed. This is interesting because Alcaraz is set to face Berrettini in the third round, a matchup that is sure to grab the attention of many tennis fans. Should Alcaraz come through, it would be quite the victory for the teenager and the kind of statement win that will only elevate his odds further.