Australia Open 2024: Who will be this year’s winner?

The 2024 Australian Open began this past weekend, deviating from its customary 14-day duration to extend to 15 days.

Men at the Australian Open 2024

Novak Djokovic, the current title holder, aims to secure his 25th Grand Slam victory and 11th Australian Open triumph.

The Serbian top-ranked player has emerged victorious in the Australian Open four times in the past five years. However, he was ineligible to participate in the 2022 Australian Open owing to his COVID-19 vaccination status, resulting in his only defeat in the competition.

Following Rafael Nadal’s abrupt retirement as a result of injury, the sole remaining Australian Open champion in the men’s draw is Stan Wawrinka, a former world No. 3.

Women at the Australian Open 2024

Aryna Sabalenka, the current title holder, achieved her most impressive performance to date on the women’s side by winning her maiden Grand Slam tournament and only losing one set.

Sabalenka aims to secure her second title and maintain her previous points, but this draw is notable for its experienced players, including six previous Australian Open champions. Notably absent from last year’s tournament are Angelique Kerber (2016), Caroline Wozniacki (2018), and Naomi Osaka (2019, 2021).

If Sabalenka advances to the quarterfinals, she will become one of just three women this century, along with Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati, to reach the quarterfinals in six consecutive Grand Slam tournaments.

As the event is already underway, here is a comprehensive overview that includes forecasts for both the men’s and women’s draws.

Australian Open 2024 Event Information

Schedule: January 14^, 2024, to January 28^th

Location: Melbourne Park

How to Watch: ESPN and ESPN 2

Predicting the winner of the men’s Australian Open 2024

Although Novak Djokovic has achieved remarkable success in Melbourne in the past, his current endeavour to secure an unparalleled 25th Grand Slam championship, specifically his 11th victory at the Australian Open, is anticipated to be a formidable challenge.

Possible opponents on the horizon could be Andy Murray (3^rd round), Ben Shelton (4^th round), Stefanos Tsitsipas (quarterfinals – a repeat of last year’s Australian Open final), and finally, Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.

Djokovic is expected to surpass Tstispas, Shelton, and Murray easily, but Sinner might present a challenge.

Although the 24-time Grand Slam champion has a 2-0 advantage over Sinner in Grand Slam matches and has successfully recovered from two sets down against the Italian, he has recently lost two out of his last three games against Sinner. Sinner, who started the year as the world No. 4, his highest ranking so far, enters the match with justified confidence and momentum.

Sinner’s performance has reached a level that has caused Djokovic concern in recent months and is expected to continue to do so.

Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, is the main attraction in the lower part of the draw.

Nevertheless, before reaching the semi-finals, the Spaniard will have a challenging examination in potential encounters with Alexander Zverev and Tommy Paul. In that stage, he may meet the 3rd-seeded hard-court specialist Daniil Medvedev.

Although Alcaraz’s talent on the court is undeniable, he faced difficulties on hard-court surfaces in late 2023, making him appear vulnerable to defeat.

Daniil Medvedev is favoured in this half of the draw due to his prior success in reaching the final of the Australian Open in the past two years, despite his unexpected loss to Sebastian Korda in the third round of the 2023 tournament. Medvedev also has a preference for these court conditions.

What’s more tempting about Medvedev’s prospects of winning is that the sportsbooks underestimate him. While it’s possible to discover all free bets from UK bookmakers, you’ll also find an incredible price tag of 10/1 on the Russian star to win it all.

2024 Australian Open Men’s Prediction: Daniil Medvedev

Predicting the winner of the women’s Australian Open 2024

Following her victory at the 2023 Australian Open, Aryna Sabalenka has had a remarkable streak, consistently reaching at least the semifinals in subsequent tournaments such as the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

Sabalenka’s draw appears to be advantageous until the quarterfinals, where she would encounter more challenging adversaries in the form of No. 6 seed Ons Jabeur, against whom she has a 4-2 lifetime record, and Coco Gauff, whom recently upset Sabalenka in the 2023 US Open Women’s Final.

Iga Swiatek garners much interest in the upper bracket, but she has a challenging draw.

Following her match against former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin in the first round, Swiatek may likely play another formidable foe—either previous champ Angelique Kerber or past runner-up Danielle Collins.

Swiatek, who is expected to go through these challenging matches, will once again have to confront a formidable duo consisting of the two most recent Wimbledon winners, Marketa Vondrousova and Elena Rybakina.

Swiatek has emerged victorious in all three previous encounters against Vondrousova, winning each match in straight sets. It is anticipated that Swiatek will once again secure a tight victory.

While the Rybakina match is a cause for concern, it is worth noting that Rybakina has emerged victorious in two out of their three previous encounters and notably defeated the Polish player in the Round of 16 at the Australian Open 2022 just a year ago.

A potential reunion involving Rybakina and Sabalenka in the finale would not be unexpected. However, the outcome may vary from their previous encounter.

2024 Australian Open Women’s Prediction: Elena Rybakina