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USATSI Iga Swiatek opens as the 2023 Australian Open favorite when first-round play begins on Sunday at Melbourne Park. Swiatek, the top-ranked player in the world, is looking for a second consecutive Grand Slam victory after winning the 2022 U.S. Open. The field, however, also includes a number of other heavy hitters. Among those expected to give Swiatek a run for the title are second-ranked Ons Jabeur and fifth-ranked Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. Swiatek is the +200 betting favorite in the latest 2023 Australian Open women's singles odds at Caesar's Sportsbook. Sabalenka follows at +750, with Caroline Garcia of France and Jessica Pegula of the U.S. at +1000. Other notables have Jabeur and American teenager Coco Gauff at +1200 and sixth-ranked Maria Sakkari of Greece at +2500 to win the grand slam title. Before making any 2023 Australian Open picks on the women's side, you need to see who SportsLine tennis Jose Onorato is backing . Onorato grew up playing competitive tennis … [Read more...] about 2023 Australian Open women’s odds, picks, predictions, schedule, draw: Elite tennis expert fading Iga Swiatek

Novak Djokovic makes his eagerly anticipated return to the Australian Open on Tuesday and women's world number two Ons Jabeur will also launch her title bid. Serbia's Djokovic, one of the finest men's tennis players of all time, was deported on the eve of last year's Grand Slam at Melbourne Park because of his stance on Covid vaccines. But the 35-year-old will be back when he faces Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain in his opener and looks likely to be given a warm reception by the Rod Laver Arena crowd. He is bidding to win the Australian Open for a record-extending 10th time and in doing so tie defending champion Rafael Nadal's men's all-time record of 22 Grand Slam crowns. Djokovic is hot favourite for the first Grand Slam of the year, but after winning an Adelaide warm-up tournament last week, he has been bothered by a slight hamstring injury. He was pictured practising on Monday with heavy strapping around his left thigh. "I always like my chances. I train as hard as … [Read more...] about Novak Djokovic Set For Eagerly Anticipated Australian Open Return | Tennis News

Caroline Garcia and Andrey Rublev swept into the Australian Open second round on a blisteringly hot day Tuesday ahead of Novak Djokovic making his eagerly anticipated return to the season-opening Grand Slam. Women's fourth seed Garcia and men's fifth seed Rublev both banked straight-sets wins before play was halted on outside courts and the roofs were closed on the main stadiums due to extreme heat. Their victories came on a day when Tennis Australia banned Russian and Belarusian flags after a complaint from the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia. The red, white and blue stripes of Russia were seen Monday during at least two matches, with Ukrainian fans reportedly calling security and police to the stands. "The ban is effective immediately," said Tennis Australia. Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian players have normally competed under a neutral flag as independents, as is the case at the Australian Open. Russia's Rublev ended the tournament of 2020 … [Read more...] about Garcia, Sabalenka Register Opening Wins, Muguruza Out Of Australian Open | Tennis News

MELBOURNE, Australia — Oh-so-close to completing a straight-set upset of No. 2 seed Casper Ruud at the Australian Open, Jenson Brooksby frittered away three match points, sat down at a changeover and began yelling at himself. “How?! How?! God!!” His face was flush, his emotions unhidden, his game unraveling. Soon enough, that set slipped away, as Ruud’s confidence seemed to surge and Brooksby’s collapse momentarily continued. And then, in a blink, Brooksby was back in charge, taking command immediately in the fourth set along the way to a 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-2 victory over Ruud and a spot in a surprisingly American-filled third round at Melbourne Park. “I was getting a little more frustrated out there that I didn’t close it out, and my mentality was changing a little bit,” said the 39th-ranked Brooksby, who sipped from little jars of pickle juice in the fourth set at Rod Laver Arena. “Those are the situations you have to handle sometimes in matches, and you’re going to face. … [Read more...] about Australian Open: No. 2 seeds upset in men’s, women’s draws

Elena Rybakina plays Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open women’s final, pitting the reigning Wimbledon champion against one of the best players yet to win a major. Rybakina, the No. 22 seed from Kazakhstan, knocked out three consecutive major champions en route to the final, including top-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland. Sabalenka, the No. 5 seed from Belarus, made her first Grand Slam final after reaching three previous semifinals. Some of the biggest names in women’s tennis weren’t at this year’s Australian Open, the first major field without any woman with four or more Slam titles since the 2003 U.S. Open. That’s due to Serena Williams ‘ retirement after the U.S. Open, Naomi Osaka ‘s pregnancy break and Venus Williams ‘ withdrawal due to injury. Other multiple major winners were also absent: Simona Halep due to a provisional doping ban and Angelique Kerber due to pregnancy. Not to mention reigning champion Ash Barty ‘s retirement last March. MORE: … [Read more...] about 2023 Australian Open women’s singles draw, scores – Tennis