We have our three best bets for the opening Grand Slam of the season, with the Australian Open set to get underway on Sunday.
The focus in the build-up to the Australian Open will be whether the big two of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner can maintain their stranglehold over the rest of the ATP Tour, having shared the last eight Grand Slam titles between them.
Men’s Grand Slam events have become increasingly predictable, with Alcaraz and Sinner doing battle in the last three Major finals, and it will be interesting to see whether anyone has the ability to raise their game and put a halt on their supremacy.
Sinner has lifted back-to-back titles at the Australian Open and the irresistible Italian is certainly the man to beat in his three-peat bid, especially as six-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz has yet to find his best form at Melbourne Park.
Jack Draper and Holger Rune are the biggest stars set to miss the first Grand Slam of the season, but Novak Djokovic will be hoping to roll back the years by claiming an 11th victory at the Australian Open in order to stretch his Major haul to 25.
Men’s Australian Open Best Bets
- Jannik Sinner to win @ 10/11
- Daniil Medvedev to win and each-way @ 25/1
- Alex de Minaur to win and each-way @ 50/1
Sinner has his sights set on Australian Open hat-trick
World number two Sinner has won the Australian Open in each of the last two seasons, coming from two sets down to master Daniil Medvedev in the 2024 final before making light work of Alexander Zverev in the title decider 12 months ago.
Sinner has made the last five Grand Slam finals, winning three times, and he has triumphed in three of the last four hard-court Majors to highlight his dominance on this speedier terrain.
The Italian’s half of the draw looks slightly easier than that of Alcaraz, who could meet home favourite Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals before a semi-final showdown with former Melbourne Park runners-up Zverev or Medvedev.
Sinner, meanwhile, could meet Ben Shelton in the last eight while 38-year-old Djokovic, a potential semi-final rival, is a declining force and unlikely to pose too many issues were they to lock horns at the back end of the competition.
Alcaraz has failed to go beyond the quarter-final of the Australian Open in five previous attempts, so has to prove that he is ready to hit the ground running, while his shock parting ways with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero seems an untimely one given the regular success they have enjoyed.
Medvedev ready to put last season’s woes behind him
Medvedev had a nightmare season on the ATP Tour last year started with him losing in the second round of the Australian Open before he went on to suffer first-round exits at the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
However, the 29-year-old is a former world number one and would be dangerous to dismiss with confidence restored following his preparation win at the Brisbane International, where he dropped only one set on the way to the title and outclassed Frances Tiafoe, Alex Michelsen and Brandon Nakashima.
This evidently represents a hike in class but Medvedev is one of the best hard-court performers in the world when on-song, highlighted by his three runner-up efforts at Melbourne Park in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
The tournament 11th seed has also made three US Open finals, winning his sole Grand Slam title against Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows in 2021, and being in Alcaraz’s half of the draw may be the place to be.
De Minaur may give home faithful something to cheer
Australian world number six Alex de Minaur may need likely quarter-final rival Alcaraz to falter but if he does then his consistency could be rewarded with home support sure to be a huge aid to his prospects.
Matteo Berrittini is a horror first-round draw but the Italian has been plagued by injury woes and De Minaur should have his measure, while Alexander Bublik is his toughest test before the last eight.
That should ensure a deep run and, having made five quarter-finals in his last seven Grand Slam appearances, the 26-year-old has plenty going for him.
