Australian Open Tuesday tips: back Barty to carry on the party

Ash Barty continues her quest to win the Australian Open on Tuesday as Rafael Nadal also looks to maintain his march towards a record Grand Slam win, as they reach the quarter-finals in Melbourne. 

Australian Barty is aiming to become the first home winner for 44 years, while Nadal is gunning to get to 21 Grand Slam titles and break the tie with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. 

Barty marches on in Melbourne 

Barty has still not dropped a set in Melbourne after she beat Amanda Anisimova, who put out defending champion Naomi Osaka, 6-4 6-3 and now goes up against another American in Jessica Pegula. 

Pegula is a former quarter-finalist here and the 21st seed, but it’s hard to see how she can stop world number one Barty who is just gathering more momentum as she continues through the rounds. 

Barty’s won all eight of her singles matches in 2022 and is a huge 1.15 favourite here against 7.2 outsider Pegula. 

Barty shouldn’t have too many problems here, and she should get this done in straight sets again, but for a touch more value go for under 19.5 games in the match at 1.82. 

French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova is also in quarter-final action against unseeded American Madison Keys – who stretched her unbeaten run to 10 matches by beating Spanish eighth seed Paula Badosa in the last round. 

Fourth seed Krejcikova will be a tougher test though, as she also hasn’t dropped a set as yet, but she’s only a narrow 1.85 favourite with Keys a 2.12 shot. 

With former US Open finalist Keys in such good form you’d have to back her to win a set, but Krejcikova is the winner for me, so take the 4.3 on her to win 2-1 in sets.  

Nadal comes through epic tie break 

Rafael Nadal beat Adrian Mannarino in straight sets, but it was far from straightforward in the opening set as the two played out an epic tie breaker that lasted 28 minutes! 

Once Nadal took that opening set he walked away with the victory, and he now faces the dangerous Denis Shapovalov after he dumped out third seed Alexander Zverev. 

Canadian 14th seed Shapovalov is in his first Australian Open quarter-final after a straight sets victory over Zverev and will feel he has nothing to lose against Nadal as a 3.45 underdog. 

Nadal is a 1.38 favourite, but given the confidence Shapovalov has then backing him to win a set but lose 3-1 priced at 3.95 looks a good bet. 

Nadal knows history now beckons with Federer and Djokovic absent and that will certainly play on his mind at points throughout the rest of the tournament, but it will also act as motivation. 

Nobody fights like Nadal and he can battle through here in four sets.  

Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini is 1.61 favourite to beat experienced Frenchman Gael Monfils in their quarter-final tie – with Monfils priced up at 2.54. 

Monfils, 35, will play in his 10th Grand Slam quarter-final but he may be outgunned by Berrettini if the Italian repeats his 28 aces and 87% of first serve points won in his win over Pablo Carreno Busta. 

Back Berrettini to progress.

Recommended bets

Back under 19.5 games in Barty v Pegula @ 1.82

Back Krejcikova to win 2-1 @ 4.3

Back Nadal to win 3-1 @ 3.95