During the 2022 Australian Open, Australian native daughter Ashleigh Barty took home the crown, thanks to a sensational final set. However, she shocked the tennis world by suddenly retiring, leaving the 2023 Australian Open crown open to the field. One of the leading frontrunners to take home the title will be three-time major singles champion Iga Świątek, who won both the French and U.S. Opened last year. Another rising star to keep an eye on is Aryna Sabalenka, who is a former world No. 1 player in doubles and the no. 2 player in singles. Finally, as pointed out by some outlets, a dark horse contender to take the title is Jessica Pegula, who is ranked as the No. 3 player in the world, her highest ranking ever.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each player, the predicted winner of the 2023 Australian Open, and also some more thoughts about tennis wagering.
Favorites to win 2023 Australian Open (Women's Singles) | |
---|---|
Iga Swiatek | +220 |
Aryna Sabalenka | +900 |
Jessica Pegula | +1000 |
One of the complete players in the world, Świątek is aiming for her fourth overall Grand Slam title and has the tools to get it done. After a phenomenal 2022, the 21-year-old phenom is on her way to becoming tennis’ next great champion. With Barty retiring, she is now the unquestioned No. 1 player in the sport and has held that ranking since April of last year. With an aggressive playing style that incorporates a lot of different moves and elements into her game, Świątek has shown she can take on all challengers. Riding a hellacious hot streak, the Polish player will certainly be hungry to win her first-ever Australian Open after finishing in the semi-finals last year.
A towering player at six feet exactly, the Belarusian tennis star is looking to make her mark on the singles division for women’s tennis. With an aggressive style of play, Sabalenka is a former world No. 1 player (February 2021) and won the Australian Open back in 2021 as part of a doubles team. While the majority of her success has come as part of a doubles team, she has found more steady results on the singles circuit with semifinal finishes at Wimbledon (2021) and the U.S. Open (2021 and 2022). Ranked as the No. 5 player in the world, perhaps this is the tournament that will be the 24-year-old’s big break.
Our final athlete spotlight, Pegula is currently ranked as the No. 3 player in the world but is still looking to make a big splash at a Grand Slam tournament. Though she is one of the top three players in the world, the American has never made it past the quarterfinals of a major tennis tournament. That being said, she has still won two career titles and a strong winning percentage in matches at 61.1%. Even if she has not captured a Grand Slam title yet, 2022 was her best year as a singles player, advancing the furthest she ever has as a professional in each Grand Slam tournament.
Prediction: Although this field is certainly wide-open, taking a favorite like Sabalenka to win is always wise, choosing a known commodity.
Once you are all squared away regarding your tennis wagers, make sure to check out all the latest information that SBS has put together for you. For more betting markets and info related to tennis, our tennis betting sites rundown has you covered with all the latest matches from the sport. Moreover, given the topic, we have done the heavy lifting for you by putting together the SBS Australian Open betting guide, which details everything you need to know about wagering on the tournament for men and women. Finally, if you are perhaps uncertain about which payment options are the right choice for you, then the SBS payment methods breakdown has your back. With this handy page, you can find all kinds of options for deposits and withdrawals from traditional banking to crypto.