Australian Open betting tips: Outright predictions and selections

The first Grand Slam of the 2026 season is upon us with tennis’ elite heading to Melbourne Park to compete in the Australian Open, which sparks into life on Sunday, and all eyes will be on the burgeoning rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Alcaraz and Sinner are dominating men’s tennis – they have shared the last eight Grand Slam titles evenly – and they should have high hopes of setting up what would be their fourth straight Major final encounter.

In the women’s draw, world number one Aryna Sabalenka is the star attraction and, having been crowned champion in 2023 and 2024 before bumping into a determined Madison Keys in last year’s final, she will be keen to get back on the victory trail.

Australian Open Tennis Tips

• Daniil Medvedev to win Australian Open each-way @ 22/1
• Amanda Anisimova to win Australian Open each-way @ 9/1
• Mirra Andreeva to win Australian Open each-way @ 18/1

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Resurgent Medvedev could pose problems 

Sinner has claimed back-to-back titles at the Australian Open and his claims of landing a hat-trick at Melbourne Park look far clearer than Alcaraz, who has yet to trouble the judge Down Under.

Alcaraz is a six-time Grand Slam champion but has yet to go beyond the quarter-final of the Australian Open in five previous attempts and that suggests that he isn’t always ready to hit the ground running.

Sinner looks difficult to oppose in the bottom half of the draw but there are plenty of obstacles for top seed Alcaraz in the other half, while the Spaniard’s shock split from coach Juan Carlos Ferrero casts further doubt over whether he is primed to reach a fourth successive Grand Slam final.

If Alcaraz fails to deliver in the top half then Daniil Medvedev, a three-time runner-up in Australia in 2021, 2022 and 2024, may be best-placed to capitalise.

Last season was a disaster for the former world number one, who lost in the first round of three of the four Grand Slams, but claiming silverware in a warm-up event in Brisbane should have done his confidence the world of good.

Medvedev is the true definition of a hard-court specialist, having made six Grand Slam finals on the quicker terrain which includes claiming victory at the 2021 US Open, and he’d be a big threat if able to rediscover that form.

American ace Anisimova edging nearer

A maiden Grand Slam title is surely on the horizon for Amanda Anisimova, who closed out last season with runner-up efforts at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Avoiding a potential showdown with two-time champion Sabalenka until the final is a huge positive and Anisimova, having won WTA 1000 events at the Qatar Open and China Open last season, is extremely progressive.

The 24-year-old also went on to make the semi-final at the WTA Finals, showing her new-found belief and consistency, and her aggressive baseline game and mental resilience should see her power past possible opponents Linda Noskova, Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys in quarter three.

Fearless Andreeva has a strong say

Mirra Andreeva has long been talked up as a future Grand Slam champion and the 18-year-old could be set for another deep run at the Australian Open, where Coco Gauff is the big name in her quarter of the draw.

Despite her youth, Andreeva is already up to world number nine and last season’s WTA 1000 wins in Dubai and at Indian Wells showed that she already has the ability required to be challenging the elite for major silverware.

The teenager plays with no fear, which is why she has already made a French Open semi-final and two more Grand Slam quarter-finals, and her growing experience means that her time may be just round the corner.

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Odds correct at time of writing

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