Australian Open: back Rafa to get on a roll

Sunday at the Australian Open sees two of the big fancies for the men’s title back on court in the fourth round while the women’s top seed and a former two-time champion also look to book their spots in the quarter-finals. 

Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev are both 5.3 joint-second favourites for the Australian Open title behind Daniil Medvedev and with Novak Djokovic out of the picture it’s a lot more wide-open this year. 

Home hope and world number one Ash Barty is in action and is now the big tournament favourite with the Australian 2.86 to win her home open for the first time and add a third Grand Slam title. 

Victoria Azarenka, a back-to-back winner here in 2012 and 2013, suddenly finds herself a 14.5 chance for a third title with seeds dropping like flies in the women’s draw. 

Back Rafa to roll back the years

35-year-old Nadal has won this tournament just once before, way back in 2009, but with no Djokovic he’ll be hoping to go one better than the four losing finals he’s been in since. 

He’s a huge favourite at 1.06 for this match with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, who has never been beyond the third round here, a huge outsider at 16. 

Nadal has dropped just one set so far while Mannarino had to come through a five-setter in his opener before putting out 18th seed Aslan Karatsev in a marathon four-hour, 38-minute contest in the last round. 

He has, though, pushed Nadal in a couple of sets in their previous two meetings, so 4.2 on him to pinch one here and Nadal win 3-1 looks a nice bet. 

Third seed Alexander Zverev is 1.22 to take out dangerous Canadian 14th seed Denis Shapovalov, who has won two of their six meetings and arrived in Melbourne after winning the ATP Cup team tournament with his country. 

Shapovalov will be a handful here, but back Zverev to win in four at 2.44 or over 38.5 games in the match at 1.91. 

Rafael Nadal last won the Australian Open back in 2009, but can go a long way this year

Barty time in Melbourne? 

Ash Barty carries the hopes of a nation with her as she’s a huge 1.25 favourite to beat giant killer Amanda Anisimova – the dangerous young American who put out Naomi Osaka in the last round. 

The 20-year-old also beat 22nd seed Belinda Bencic so her thrilling tie-break win over defending champion Osaka was no fluke. Anisimova is 4.6 to cause yet another upset. 

Barty beat her in the French Open semi-finals before claiming the 2019 title at Roland Garros, but only in three sets after losing the first, and the American was a teenager back then.

The reigning Wimbledon champion, who has reached two quarters and a semi in Melbourne in the last three years, has dropped just eight games and spent only two hours and 47 minutes on court so far, so is in great form. 

But we have to back Anisimova to at least take a set, so Barty 2-1 at 4.6 is the bet. 

Victoria Azarenka, ranked 25th in the world, put out 15th seed Elina Svitolina in the last round and now goes into her last 16 match with French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova as the 1.57 favourite. 

The Czech fourth seed will be going into this one to prove a point, and as the 2.6 underdog she’s worth a play here in case the great story of a resurgent Azarenka has clouded our judgement. 

Recommended bets

Nadal to beat Mannarino 3-1 @ 4.2 

Zverev to beat Shapovalov 3-1 @ 2.44

Krejcikova to beat Azarenka @ 2.6