Australian Open Outsiders: Four Players To Cause A Stir In Melbourne
Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys start the defence of their Australian Open singles titles this week as the first grand slam of the year gets under way in Melbourne.
Sinner is the 10/11 favourite on betting sites to win the title for a third successive year, but world number one Carlos Alcaraz, who has yet to win the Australian Open, is snapping at his heels at 15/8.
In the women’s tournament, Keys broke her major duck 12 months ago and is available at 40/1 with Betfred for a successful title defence, but two-time winner and last season’s runner-up Aryna Sabalenka is the clear favourite at around 15/8, followed by Iga Swiatek (5/1).
Although it’s hard to look beyond Sinner and Alcaraz in the men’s tournament, Gambling.com has picked a couple of Australian Open each-way tips to challenge the status quo and selected two dark horses for the women’s.
Jannik has his path and task cut-out en route that three-peat he desires 💯https://t.co/UG2ZIMh2Yb
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2026
Australian Open Outsiders: Ben Shelton
Shelton enjoyed a run to the semi-finals 12 months ago, two years after making it to the last eight, so the Australian Open is a tournament where the American tends to thrive.
Last season went well for Shelton, who won his first ATP 1000 tournament in Canada, reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon and made his debut at the end-of-season ATP Finals.
Shelton achieved a career-high world ranking of fifth in November and although he has since slipped to eighth, he could be a major force over the fortnight.
His powerful serve will be a threat and he has a reasonably kind draw for the first three rounds, although Sinner awaits down the line.
At 90/1 with BetMGM, Shelton looks a decent each-way prospect.
Australian Open Each-Way Chance: Tommy Paul
Another American makes the cut for our Australian Open each-way contenders, with Tommy Paul priced at 150/1 with several betting apps.
At 28, time is running out for Paul to win a maiden grand slam, but he made it to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open last season on the back of a kind run.
Two years earlier, Paul had reached his one and only major semi-final in Melbourne, again thanks to a relatively easy draw until he ran into Novak Djokovic.
Paul may need similar luck to go deep into the tournament, but he has beaten his potential third-round opponent, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, twice at the Australian Open and should be confident of making it to the second week.
Australian Open Outsiders: Marta Kostyuk
The Ukrainian has made an encouraging start to the year and could cause a surprise at 33/1 with Betfred.
Kostyuk has reached at least the third round in the last four years, including a three-sets quarter-final defeat to Coco Gauff in 2024.
Last week, Kostyuk beat three top-10 players in a row at the Brisbane International (Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova, Mirra Andreeva and Jessica Pegula) before her luck ran out against Sabalenka in the final.
That’s an impressive run which should give her confidence a shot in the arm ahead of her first-round match against world number 58 Elsa Jacquemot.
Australian Open Outsiders: Karolina Muchova
It’s been slim pickings for Muchova at the Australian Open since she reached the semi-finals in 2021, but her performances on the hardcourts at Flushing Meadows in recent years suggest she could go well in Melbourne.
The Czech was a US Open semi-finalist in 2023 and 2024, and last year she lost to Naomi Osaka in the last eight.
Encouragingly, she beat Elena Rybakina in three sets at last week’s Brisbane International and tested Sabalenka in a 6-3 6-4 defeat in the semis.
Remarkably, the world number 19 has won just one title in 10 years, yet reached the French Open final in 2023, so she has an excellent grand slam pedigree.
Muchova is an unlikely winner Down Under, but could be an each-way contender at 40/1.
Do you have an interesting each-way bet for the Australian Open? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
