It may not feel like too long since Rafael Nadal claimed his 13th French Open title at the delayed Paris showpiece, but it’s almost time for the first tennis Grand Slam of 2021 to get underway. The Australian Open has already been pushed back slightly from its original January dates, with action beginning on February 8th in Melbourne.
It’s no surprise that the usual suspects lead the way in the Australian Open odds. Novak Djokovic, Nadal, Daniil Medvedev and Dominic Thiem are the top four favourites to lift the men’s singles title, and it would be no surprise should one of them emerge triumphant in Melbourne in February. But there is also the threat of a chasing pack of contenders, who may well be worth a punt given the strange nature of sport in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read on, as we look at a few potential outside bets ahead of the 2021 Australian Open.
Alexander Zverev
It may be surprising to see Alexander Zverev’s odds as long as 16/1 to win the Australian Open, but it’s clear that the young German is not altogether fancied to do well in Melbourne this year. However, Zverev’s qualities speak for themselves, and it’s clear that he is hell-bent on earning his first Grand Slam title in 2021.
He came mightily close at the US Open last year, where he agonisingly lost in the final. Having led by two sets to nil against Dominic Thiem in the Flushing Meadows, Zverev eventually succumbed to the talent and experience of his Austrian opponent to lose a nail-biting fifth set tiebreak. It’ll be interesting to see whether Zverev can cast away those bad memories and enjoy another fine run in a hard-court Grand Slam.
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas made his name at the end of 2019 when he memorably triumphed at the ATP Finals in London, but 2020 proved to be an average year for the Greek player in terms of his Grand Slam results. He did reach the semi-finals of the French Open, but apart from that, third round exits at both the Australian Open and the US Open represented inconsistent showings from the 22-year-old.
Tsitsipas is still young, and with every passing tournament he is gaining more and more experience. At odds of 12/1, few expect him to do well, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Tsitsipas earn that maiden Grand Slam title sooner rather than later.
Nick Kyrgios
If ever there has been a divisive figure in men’s tennis, it’s Nick Kyrgios. The Australian has caused plenty of controversy in the past for his on-court behaviour and off-court comments, but his talent has never been in doubt. Amid the cloud of controversy which seems to follow Kyrgios wherever he goes, he has never really made an impact at a Grand Slam event, with two quarter-final appearances at the Australian Open and Wimbledon respectively all he has to show for his efforts thus far.
But it’s easy to forget that Kyrgios is still only 25 years old, and perhaps he’ll be inspired this year on home soil to give his best Grand Slam performance yet. Odds of 22/1 suggest it’s unlikely, but you never know!
