Federer, Serena Favored in 2010 Australian Open Tennis Betting
January 7, 2010
Roger Federer and Serena Williams, the world's top ranked players, opened as modest sportsbook favorites to capture respective men's and women's singles titles at the Australian Open, the sport's first Major, in Melbourne, Jan. 18-31.
Federer, who has won a record 15 Major championships, is a 9/4 future book favorite to win his fourth Australian Open crown. The Swiss swatter, one of six male tennis players to own a career Grand Slam (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open) has reached the finals in 17 of the last 18 Grand Slam events contested, a remarkable achievement.
In a display of court form matching wagering expectations, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Juan Martin Del Potro, the numbers, 2, 3, 4 and 5 ranked players in the world, are given the best shot in futures of beating Federer. Depending on the sportsbook you visit, the four players all are in the 9/2 to 6/1 range, with an average of about 5/1 for each of them.
Nadal, the winner of six Grand Slam titles, is the reigning Australian Open champion and boasts a 13-7 head-to-head edge over Federer. Superior on the clay courts at Roland Garros where he has won four French Opens, the Spaniard has picked up his game on grass and hard court surfaces, breaking through with a win at Wimbledon in 2008 before last year's Australian Open triumph.
Djokovic won the Australian Open in 2008 and was runner-up at the 2007 US Open so the Serbian certainly has enjoyed success on fast hardcourt surfaces.
Murray showed flashes of his potential, defeating Federer, Nadal and Andy Roddick (among others) during 2009 but never has won a Major. In fact, the Scot never has made it past the fourth round at the Australian Open.
Del Potro made it as far as the quarterfinals at Melbourne last year, an event that may have foreshadowed the Argentinean's upset of Federer for the US Open Championship last September at odds of 12/1.
After Federer and the quarrelsome quartet, it's double or triple digits on anyone else, including 25/1 on the aforementioned Roddick.
In addition to straight win wagering, tennis betting enthusiasts also can wager on whether this year's Australian Open men's singles champion is a first-timer. You get +150 (bet $100 to win $150) on someone new winning the title or lay -200 (bet $200 to win $100) that someone other than Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, et al, gets to hoist the trophy.
Traditionally, the women's side has been a bit more contentious than the men's singles competition so it's not surprising that Serena Williams, at odds of 11/4, is a slightly less formidable favorite than Federer. That said, Williams still it the one to beat, having won 11 Grand Slam titles, including four at the Australian Open where she is the defending champion.
Interestingly, while sportsbooks have future book prices pretty much in line with world rankings on the men's side, after top rated Serena, the numbers crunchers part company with the women's rankings. That accounts for Belgium's Kim Clijsters, ranked just No. 18 in the world, listed as the 4/1 second choice. Returning from retirement and the birth of her daughter, Clijsters knocked off Serena in the semifinals of last year's US Open, before going on to win the title at odds of 20/1.
Justine Henin, another player on the comeback trail, is the third choice in futures at odds of 9/2. The unranked Henin, who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, retired in May of 2008 while ranked No. 1. She won the Australian Open in 2004.
Venus Williams, 7/1, also has claimed seven Grand Slam singles titles but never has won in Australia.
Four Russians and a Dane, Maria Sharapova, Dinara Safina, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva and Caroline Wozniacki, also have title aspirations. Sharapova, who has climbed back to the No. 14 ranking following shoulder surgery in October of 2008, is 8/1 to capture her second Australian Open in three years. She was the champion in 2008.
Safina, currently ranked No. 2, is offered at odds of 10/1. She's been runner-up in a trio of Grand Slam events, including last year's Australian Open.
Kuznetsova, 16/1, currently ranked No. 3, is a two-time Grand Slam champion who made it to the quarterfinals at the 2009 Australian Open.
Dementieva, ranked No. 5, is 12/1 to capture her first Major after reaching the semifinals in Melbourne last year.
Wozniacki, 14/1, has reached No. 4 in the rankings following her finals participation at last year's US Open.
As always, tennis betting should get off to a fast start at the Australian Open, this month.
