The Australian Open begins on Monday, the 15th of January and concludes with the men’s final on the 28th. Today we preview the women’s side of the draw in detail, and give some tips as to who we think will come away with the silverware
2017 Australian Open – Women’s Betting Preview
The betting markets are wide open this year with Elina Svitolina ($8.50) coming in as one the longest priced favourites in Grand Slam history. Simona Halep ($9), Karolina Pliskova ($10), Caroline Wozniacki ($10), Angelique Kerber ($11), Garbine Muguruza ($12), and Maria Sharapova ($13) are the other fancied women to take home the silverware. The evenly priced players around the $10 mark just goes to show that no one really has any idea what to expect in this year’s Open.
Elina Svitolina was the player who was able to take advantage of Serena Williams absence in 2017, notching up 5 WTP titles. However, none of these came in Grand Slams. In fact, her best effort in a Major last year was reaching the Quarter Final of the French Open, despite being the current no.4 in the world. Her visit to Melbourne Park last year was a quick one, as she was knocked out of the Australian Open in just the 3rd Round.
Caroline Wozniacki had a decent 2017 and comes in as second favourite to take home the silverware. Wozniacki made it to the most WTP finals out of anyone last year (8) but only managed to claim 2 of them. Grand Slams were also not very kind to her in 2017, with her best result being a Quarter final exit at Roland Garros against eventually winner Jelena Ostapenko. Despite Wozniacki’s 2017 Grand Slam form, she is still no.2 in the world and is always a chance to win it all.
Angelique Kerber is a 2-time Grand Slam winner and is coming into this tournament in great form, despite a sub-par 2017 campaign by her standards. Kerber is currently ranked no.17 in the world after failing to win a title last year. However, she is a proven champion and usually plays well in Melbourne, which is highlighted by her taking out the Australian Open in 2016, on her way to becoming no.1 in the world.
Rounding out our fancied contenders for the AO is Maria Sharapova. She has served out her doping ban and is ready to take the court in Melbourne once more. She is a former Australian Open champion (2008) and is a 5-time Grand Slam winner. She has worked her way back inside the top 50 in the world and is starting to find a bit of form after a shaky comeback from her ban. If she can play up to the standards we’ve seen in the past, Sharapova is a genuine chance of claiming the silverware.
2017 Australian Open – Women’s Winner Prediction
Angelique Kerber is the latest women to claim the Australian Open title not named Serena Williams. Although Kerber had a sub-par 2017, we feel that she has shown enough in the past month to make us believe she is back to her best, or at least close to it. In an extremely open field, look for Kerber to make a statement in this year’s Open.
TIP: Angelique Kerber - $11 at Sportsbet
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2017 Australian Open – Women’s Value Play
Our dark-horse for this year’s AO is Coco Vandewedge. The fiery American made a deep run in Melbourne last year, making it to the Semi Final whilst simultaneously announcing herself as a future star of women’s tennis. She went on to make the Semi’s in the US Open, showing us that she loves playing on hardcourts and isn’t just a flash in the pan. 2018 could be her year to truly become elite and the Australian Open may well be her platform.
Value Play: Coco Vandewedge - $21 at Sportsbet
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