2024 Australian Open Best Bets – Day 5
The 2023 tennis season feels like it ended just yesterday, but the 2024 Australian Open is here. There’s going to be tons of high-level action in Melbourne Park over the next few weeks, and that presents all sorts of opportunities for bettors. Throughout the course of the 2024 tennis season, VSiN will have you covered with daily best bet write-ups for some of the biggest events of the year. That starts with the 2024 Australian Open, and we’re tackling the action for January 17 and 18 here. Keep reading for all of my best bets and check back throughout the day. I’ll add some plays if I see some numbers I like later on.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts are betting!
2024 Record: 24-20 (+4.78 units)
Tommy Paul vs. Jack Draper
These two met in Adelaide last week, when Draper earned an easy 6-4, 6-1 win over the American. However, Draper is a player that has had some conditioning issues in the past, and he was throwing up after a grueling five-set win over Marcos Giron in Round 1. So, I just don’t know how his body is going to hold up here, and Paul is a player that can grind with the best of them. He is going to be confident that he can avenge last week’s loss, especially in a best-of-5 setting. Look for Paul to try and move Draper back and forth as much as possible, as this one can easily go the American’s way if these two find themselves battling it out in a lengthy match. Paul has also proven that he can up his game at Grand Slams, so I trust him to turn in a good performance here.
Bet: Paul ML (-148)
Grigor Dimitrov vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis
Dimitrov already has a title early in the 2024 season, so he has carried the momentum over from a strong second half of 2023. However, Dimitrov did get pushed by Marton Fucsovics in the opening round of the Australian Open, and I just don’t think he can be counted on to beat Kokkinakis in straight sets. Kokkinakis had to use a lot of energy to get by Sebastian Ofner in the opening round here, but he’s not a player that should need a ton of recovery time. Kokkinakis has a booming first serve and that gives him a great shot at winning any time he’s out there. Whether it’s with aces or serve-plus-ones, he’s lethal with the ball on his racquet. Kokkinakis should also feed off the Australian crowd here, which is why I don’t see him going down without a fight. That said, I’m playing him to win at least a set here.
Bet: Kokkinakis +2.5 Sets (-130)
Jelena Ostapenko vs. Ajla Tomljanovic
These two players absolutely hate one another, so I find it hard to believe this will be one-way traffic. Tomljanovic is not going to want to lose this one in lopsided fashion, especially in front of her home crowd. With that in mind, I’m expecting her to play a really clean match, getting a ton of balls in play and forcing Ostapenko into some difficult situations. If she can do that, she has a good shot at winning a set and possibly even pulling off the upset. Ostapenko is a remarkable talent and her aggressive style of play can be breathtaking to watch. However, she’s also prone to racking up unforced errors. And a raucous crowd can definitely get some mistakes out of her. Once those start piling up, you’ll be happy you have Tomljanovic and her steady hand. This has the makings of a special Australian Open atmosphere.
Bet: Tomljanovic +1.5 Sets (+105 – 2 units) & Tomljanovic ML (+340)
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