Australian Open 2026 odds, favourites and betting guide

• Ladbrokes previews the 2026 Australian Open

• Jannik Sinner odds-on favourite in the Men's Singles

• World number one Aryna Sabalenka favourite to win the Women's Singles

The first Grand Slam of the year is upon us as the leading lights in tennis head Down Under for the Australian Open. Ladbrokes runs through the odds, favourites and best tips for finding winners at Melbourne Park.

Jannik Sinner arrives as the favourite in the Men's Singles looking for a third consecutive Australian Open title, while last year's runner-up Aryna Sabalenka leads the way in the women's draw.

Australian Open preview

The Australian Open kicks off the Grand Slam calendar with two weeks of intense competition in Melbourne, where the season’s early momentum can define the year ahead.

Played in the height of the Australian summer, the tournament places a premium on physical conditioning and adaptability. Matches are often shaped by heat management as much as shot-making, with players who serve well, attack from the baseline and recover quickly between matches usually rising to the top.

Australian Open 2026 key dates

• Qualifying rounds: 12-15 January, 2026

• Men's & Women's Singles first round: 18 January, 2026

• Women's Singles final: 31 January, 2026

• Men's Singles final: 1 February, 2026

• Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia

Australian Open Men's Singles odds

Jannik Sinner is the odds-on favourite to win the Men's Singles at 4/5 as he attempts to win a third Australian Open title in a row. The four-time major winner wrapped up 2025 with a triumph in the Nitto ATP Tour Finals and will look to carry that momentum into the new year. The Italian is imperious on the hard courts, but did lose in the US Open final to his great rival Carlos Alcaraz back in September.

Unsurprisingly, Alcaraz closely follows Sinner in the betting and is priced at 6/4 to win the tournament, which would complete a career Grand Slam at the age of 22. Sinner and Alcaraz have split the last eight Slam titles between them and contested the final in each of the last three, and few would be surprised to see the two generational talents meet in the showpiece again.

Novak Djokovic comes next at 8/1, but the 38-year-old appears increasingly unable to keep up with the dominant pair in men's tennis. His pedigree is undisputable with 24 Slam titles, including 10 in Australia, but he is without one since 2023. The Serbian did defeat Alcaraz in the quarter-finals here last year.

Alexander Zverev (12/1) made the final here last year but lost in straight sets to Sinner, and the German struggled with form and injury for much of 2025, including a first-round exit at Wimbledon. The third seed has 24 ATP Tour titles but is yet to win a major.

Another losing finalist here is Daniil Medvedev (16/1), who's appeared three times in the main event without victory. The Russian failed to make it past the second round in any of the Slams in 2025, but arrives in good form after winning the Brisbane International event.

The American duo of Taylor Fritz (22/1) and Ben Shelton (28/1) continue to impress and have established themselves in the bracket below the elite, while Alex De Minaur (33/1) could thrive as a potential home underdog.

Australian Open Women's Singles odds

Aryna Sabalenka leads the market in the Women's Singles at odds of 7/4 to win the Australian Open. The world number one has reached the final in each of the last three years, winning twice, but will want to make amends for her defeat to Madison Keys last year. The Belarusian secured the US Open title for the second time after near misses at the previous three Slams, and had the perfect preparation for the first of 2026 by winning in Brisbane.

Iga Swiatek follows at odds of 9/2 as the Polish star attempts to complete a career Grand Slam. Swiatek is yet to reach the final in Australia, but was part of the winning Poland team in the United Cup despite losing her match to Belinda Bencic.

In the cluster below the two frontrunners, French Open champion Coco Gauff is priced at 7/1, as is Elena Rybakina, who was a finalist here in 2023 and upset Sabalenka in the WTA Finals in November. Last year's champion Madison Keys comes in at 8/1 to pull off another surprise.

Also at 8/1 is Amanda Anisimova, who made the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open in 2025, as well as 18-year-old Russian star Mirra Andreeva. Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka enjoyed a run to the US Open semi-finals and has risen back into the world's top twenty, with Osaka 12/1 to add to her four Grand Slam titles.

Tennis betting markets

Tennis betting at the Australian Open offers a wide range of markets and opportunities. Some of the most popular include:

• Outright winner: Bet on who will lift the trophy in Melbourne Park at the first Grand Slam of the season.

• Each-way betting: Get paid out if your player reaches the final, a solid option in a wide-open draw or with strong early-season performers.

• Match betting: Back winners round by round across two weeks of action in Melbourne.

• Set betting: Predict the exact scoreline, particularly effective when top seeds face qualifiers or lower-ranked opponents early on.

• In-play betting: With momentum swings, physical battles and long matches in the heat, live betting at the Australian Open rewards sharp timing and match awareness.

Australian Open betting tips

• Heat management is crucial: Players who handle extreme temperatures and long rallies tend to thrive in Melbourne’s demanding conditions.

• Fast starts matter: Early rounds can catch players cold at the start of the season, so those who begin matches well often seize control quickly.

• Physical fitness counts: Five-set matches and back-to-back sessions test conditioning, especially as the tournament progresses.

• Hard-court specialists shine: Players with aggressive baseline games and strong serving records on hard courts often go deep.

• Lead-up form is a guide: Performances at warm-up events such as Adelaide and Brisbane can highlight players peaking at the right time.

View the latest tennis odds.

All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.