Ricky Dimon
Show Bio
Can anyone challenge Iga Swiatek at the Australian Open? It’s possible. After all, the world #1 has never won the title Down Under; she has never even been to the final, in fact. Moreover, Aryna Sabalenka (Australian Open) and Coco Gauff (U.S. Open) powered their way to Grand Slam titles last season and look poised to make a push for the top of the rankings. Even a player outside the top 40 (Marketa Vondrousova) triumphed at Wimbledon in 2023, so it’s clear that big titles on the women’s side are relatively up for grabs.
Will Swiatek take care of business and secure her first title in Melbourne (5th slam title overall)? Are Sabalenka and Gauff in line for more major success? Could either Naomi Osaka or Emma Raducanu script a Cinderella comeback story? Here are the odds and my picks for the women’s side at the 2024 Australian Open. I’ll also be bringing you my daily Australian Open best bets throughout the entire tournament.
Australian Open women’s singles odds
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Iga Swiatek +220
Aryna Sabalenka +400
Elena Rybakina +480
Coco Gauff +600
Jessica Pegula +2000
Qinwen Zheng +3200
Ons Jabeur +3200
Naomi Osaka +3600
Maria Sakkari +4800
Mirra Andreeva +4800
Elina Svitolina +4800
Emma Raducuna +5500
Marketa Vondrousova +5500
Australian Open tennis 3-star best bet: Aryna Sabalenka (+400)
There is a lot to like about Sabalenka heading into the first Grand Slam of the tennis season. First of all, she is the defending champion. Secondly, Thursday’s draw ceremony produced an extremely favorable bracket for the #2 seed. Sabalenka is obviously on the opposite side from Swiatek, plus she also avoided the likes of Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and a more under-the-radar threat in Jelena Ostapenko in her half. The Belarusian’s nearest top-eight seed is Ons Jabeur, who has been struggling since losing the Wimbledon final last summer. Sabalenka knows how to win this title and there is no reason why she can’t do it again.
Australian Open tennis 2-star best bet: Coco Gauff (+600)
Gauff also finds herself in the bottom half of the draw, which is by far the weaker of the 2. Like Sabalenka, the 19-year-old American is a proven major champion – having triumphed at the 2023 U.S. Open. Now that the pressure of winning a maiden slam title is off, Gauff could be off to the races. To the surprise of no one, the world #4 kicked off her 2024 campaign by triumphing in Auckland while losing just a single set on her way to the trophy (to Elina Svitolina in the final). Gauff has never reached the Aussie Open quarterfinals, but she has already been to the fourth round twice. That’s not bad for a teenager! Don’t be surprised if she goes all the way this time.
Australian Open tennis 1-star best bet: Jessica Pegula (+2000)
I thought I would be off the Pegula bandwagon after backing her so many times in 2023, but at +2000 – almost double what you used to be able to find her at – I can’t pass up the opportunity. Pegula’s draw is favorable through 4 rounds before she potentially runs into Rybakina in the quarterfinals and Swiatek in the semis. The daughter of Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula currently finds herself in the Adelaide semis, so her season is off to a strong start. At #5 in the rankings, Pegula (or arguably Jabeur) is the best player to have never won a major. It may be time for that to change.
