Australian Open 2026 odds, favourites and betting guide

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

Two-time defending champion Sinner is the odds-on favourite to win the Men's Singles at 19/20 after he extended his winning streak at the Australian Open to an extraordinary 19 games by beating Ben Shelton in straight sets in the quarter-final. The Italian will face the legendary Djokovic for the third time in the last four Grand Slams in his bid to reach yet another final.

Unsurprisingly, Alcaraz closely follows Sinner in the betting and is priced at just 11/10 to win his first Australian Open title, with tennis' two top stars looking primed to battle it out for another Slam. The Spaniard, a six-time Grand Slam winner, faces Zverev in the other semi-final after defeating Alex De Minaur in his quarter-final and undoubtedly the biggest threat to Sinner's glorious run at Melbourne Park.

Both Djokovic (9/1) and Zverev (16/1) will go into their semi-finals as underdogs and are priced as outsiders in the betting. Djokovic claimed a shock win over Alcaraz in last year's quarter-finals and will hope to spring another shock in the final four this time round. Zverev, meanwhile, reached last year's final, beating Djokovic in the semi-finals, before losing to Sinner in straight sets in the final.

Australian Open Women's Singles odds

Aryna Sabalenka leads the market in the Women's Singles at odds of 3/4 to win the Australian Open. The World No1 is yet to drop a set at this year's tournament after seeing off Iva Jovic in her quarter-final and has Elina Svitolina standing in her way of a fourth successive Australian Open final.

Elena Rybankina is seen as Sabalenka's biggest threat to the title at 9/4 after she defeated Coco Gauff to set up a final-four tie with Jessica Pegula. Rybnakina returned to the top 10 for the first time since her break from the game in 2023 and is showing some superb form in Melbourne so far.

Pegula is the fancied outsider at 6/1 perhaps due to her more favourable semi-final, with Svitolina priced at 10/1 to shock Sabalenka and then win the final.

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.