Novak Djokovic's odds improve to win eighth Australian Open title

The Australian Open got underway in Melbourne this week, with the usual commanding performances from Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal.

The Big Three sailed past their opposition in the first and second rounds and will face round-of-32 action Thursday and Friday.

Odds to win the Australian Open

Djokovic favored to claim his eighth title

No. 2 seed Djokovic, the reigning Australian Open champ and seven-time winner, opened as a +150 favorite, but his odds have since improved to +100. The 16-time Grand Slam winner beat German pro Jan-Lennard Struff in four sets Monday, then crushed Tatsuma Ito 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 Tuesday.

Djokovic will confront 24-year-old Yoshihito Nishioka on Thursday night for a spot in the round of 16. Nishioka has earned just one singles title in his career, at the Shenzhen Open in 2018.

Should Djokovic advance to the quarterfinal round Monday, he could potentially face sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. The 21-year-old Greek tennis star reached the semifinals of last year’s Australian Open, after he upset Federer in the fourth round, then moved past Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals.

Tsitsipas ultimately fell to Nadal 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 in the semifinal round. He is 1-5 against the Spaniard but 2-2 against Djokovic.

In his two previous battles with the Serbian on an outdoor hard court, Tsitsipas has reigned supreme, which makes him a prime candidate for an upset in the latter stages of the tournament.

Federer, Nadal could present historic matchup

The winner of that probable match between Djokovic and Tsitsipas could meet No. 3 seed Federer, the current record holder for most Grand Slam titles (20). Federer secured his most recent Grand Slam victory in 2018 in Melbourne, where he defeated Nadal in five sets.

Federer and No. 1 seed Nadal could face off once more in the final this year, with history at stake. Nadal is just one Grand Slam title away from tying Federer’s 20, so the 38-year-old Swede will need to do all he can to protect his record in Melbourne.

Nadal is almost certain to raise another trophy in June at the French Open, the tournament he has won a record 12 times. Since 2005 he has triumphed at Roland-Garros every year but 2009, 2015, and 2016.

When it comes to the Australian Open, though, Nadal has come out on top just once—in 2009. The 33-year-old will play No. 27 Pablo Carreno Busta in the fourth round Friday. In the quarterfinal round he could encounter No. 23 Nick Kyrgios, who admittedly tried to strike Nadal with a ball during the second round at Wimbledon in 2019.

Nadal could challenge another controversial figure in No. 4 seed Daniil Medvedev in the semifinal. The 23-year-old Russian fought hard in a five-set loss to Nadal at the 2019 U.S. Open, where Medvedev incited boos from the crowd for his on- and off-court behavior.

The competition should be fierce, and the bracket is set up perfectly for rivalry clashes, electrifying finishes, and surprise victories. The semifinal round is set for Wednesday, Jan. 29, and the final will take place Saturday, Feb. 1, at 3:30 a.m. ET on ESPN. A replay will air from 8 a.m. ET on Sunday morning.

---

Bet the Australian Open men’s and women’s singles and doubles action at BetAmerica!