The first grand slam tennis tournament of the 2021 tennis season gets underway in early February in Melbourne as the Australian Open begins on Feb. 8.
A strong contingent of American women will vie for a second consecutive U.S. winner. Last year, 22-year-old Sofia Kenin defeated Garbine Muguruza rallying from a set down to capture her first Grand Slam event title.
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The U.S. has not won a men’s title since Andre Agassi captured the last of his four Australian Open crowns in 2003. No American male has even made it to the finals in Melbourne since Agassi’s victory. If you are looking to bet on Americans at the 2021 Australian Open, here are your best bets.
Australian Queen – Serena Williams
No woman has more Australian Open titles in the Open era than Serena Williams (7). She hasn’t won in Melbourne since 2017 and that Australian Open win was Williams’s last Grand Slam title as well. At 39 years of age, Williams is still ranked No. 11 in the world and is listed at +800 to win this year.
She lost in the third round of last year’s tournament and the second round of last year’s French Open in October. Williams made it to the semifinals of the U.S. Open in September. This year’s Australian Open will be her first action of the 2021 season.
Top Contenders to Win the 2021 Australian Open
Can Kenin Repeat?
Kenin is listed at +1000 and is an up-and-coming star. After winning in Melbourne last year, Kenin went on to advance to the fourth round of the U.S. Open and she played for the French Open title losing to Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-4.
Kenin is now ranked fourth in the world and is the best value bet among all American women. Unlike Williams, Kenin has played one tournament in 2021. She lost in the quarterfinals of the Abu Dhabi WTA Women’s Tennis Open in early January.
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Longshot Women to Win the 2021 Aussie Open
Of the remaining American women, Madison Keys is ranked 16th in the world and is listed at +2000 to win this year’s Australian Open. Coco Gauff, No. 48 in the world, is also given +2000 odds to win and 24th -ranked Jennifer Brady is listed at +2500.
On the Fritz
The highest-ranked American male tennis player in the world is 6-foot-10-inch John Isner who checks in at No. 25. Isner has decided to skip this year’s Australian Open due to COVID-19. That leaves 24-year-old Taylor Fritz as the highest-ranked (29th ) U.S. player in Melbourne this year.
Fritz is young, but he is the US’s top men’s tennis prospect. He advanced to the third round in each of the Australian, U.S., and French Opens last year. He is trending upward and given his odds to win this year – +40000 – he may be worth a small wager. A $20 bet on Fritz will pay out $8,000 should he pull the upset.
If not Fritz, you may consider the imposing 6-11 Reilly Opelka who is also listed at +40000. Opelka has not played yet in 2021, but had a solid 2020 season. He won his second tournament – the Delray Beach Open – last February. Opelka is 45-43 in career Grand Slam matches since turning pro in 2015.
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