The 2022 Australian Open is set to begin on January 17, when the world-renowned Melbourne Park will welcome some of the best tennis players in the world who will duke it out in the first Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year.
This year will mark the 110th edition of the Australian Open, and to commemorate the occasion, we have been witnessing a highly controversial lead-up to the event. Novak Djokovic, who traveled to Australia earlier this year to defend his Australian Open title, has found himself nearly deported from the country but is now nearly confirmed to attend the event.
Although we don’t have an official statement on Djokovic’s situation yet, we know that the draw for the 2022 Australian Open included Djokovic, suggesting that there is a high chance that the Serb will compete for his 10th Australian Open title. And with his attendance all but confirmed, Djokovic remains as the favorite to go all the way and lift the trophy. With that in mind, here’s our Tennis Betting analysis so you can continue planning your bets against the Australian Open odds.
2022 Australian Open Betting News and Updates | January 14th Edition
ATP 2022 Australian Open Odds
All Eyes On Djokovic
Since the Djokovic drama began and put the Serb’s participation at the tournament in question, many bettors considered backing Daniil Medvedev, as the second-highest rated player, to claim the trophy.
As a result, the odds on the Russian tennis player started to lower to a point where he was priced right up there, with Djokovic as one of the two clear favorites to win the 2022 Australian Open. However, now, with Djokovic’s attendance all but confirmed, it’s unlikely that Medvedev will claim the throne as the bookie’s favorite – at least not for a couple more days.
Only three days from the opening rounds of the 2022 Australian Open, Medvedev is priced at +208, slightly below Djokovic, who continues to hold the tag as the top dog, at +186. With the uncertainty of what the next few days will bring, we can expect more volatility to be introduced to the 2022 Australian Open betting markets, or at least until Djokovic is either confirmed or denied an entry to Melbourne Park.
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev continues to carry the tag as the third-most-like tennis player to win the Australian Open. Currently priced at +400, Zverev’s chances seem pretty slim; however, according to sportsbooks, his chances to cause an upset are far higher than Rafael Nadal’s (+1075) and Stefanos Tsitsipas’ (+2400).
Djokovic Could Still Get Deported
While there seems to be a good chance that Djokovic will defend his Australian Open title, there is still a chance he could be required to leave the country before the tournament begins. The decision relies solely on Australian minister Alex Hawke, who could deport the 34-year-old from Australia by the end of the week.
If it comes to that, Djokovic will have a chance to appeal and extend his stay in the country, but it remains to be seen for how long and whether Djokovic’s appeal will be accepted. In the worst-case scenario, the Serbian tennis star could be banned from entering Australia for three years, effectively denying him a shot for the 10th title until 2025.
How will this drama play out is anyone’s guess, but we should get a more precise answer in the coming days. But until then, Djokovic is still the main favorite to win the 2022 Australian Open.
Australian Open Betting Center
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