The build-up to the women’s Australian Open was a lot less intense than for the men’s draw but the prize on offer over the fortnight is exactly the same and with all the seeds who arrived still in the draw at the beginning of the event, we should be in for more of a competitive competition with the women.
There was little to no competition for Naomi Osaka here last year though as she powered her way to her second Australian Open title and she is back from her break to attempt to win a third crown at Melbourne Park.
Recent Winners
2021 – Naomi Osaka
2020 – Sofia Kenin
2019 – Naomi Osaka
2018 – Caroline Wozniacki
2017 – Serena Williams
2016 – Angelique Kerber
2015 – Serena Williams
2014 – Li Na
2013 – Viktoria Azarenka
2012 – Viktoria Azarenka
The Format
As with the men’s draw, the tournament bracket has already been pre-drawn and everyone in their places to prepare for the event. From the first round until the last ball is hit in this tournament each match will be the best-of-three sets but unlike in previous years should the final set reach 6-6 a champion’s tiebreak will be played with the match winner being the first to 10pts with at least a two point advantage.
Top Quarter
Ash Barty has been the world number one for a while and the Wimbledon champion is the top seed in her home tournament. She has yet to taste success in her home Grand Slam but she’ll attempt to do that from the top quarter this year. She is seeded to take on the much improved Greek ace Maria Sakkari in the quarter final but some big names are out to stop that from happening. The defending champion Naomi Osaka is one of those as is the Olympic champion Belinda Bencic. The other four seeds in this quarter are Veronika Kudermetova, Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur and Camila Giorgi.
A women’s draw is always wide open and there are some key names in the section who will be looking for a big week or two here. They include the doubles ace Kiki Mladenovic, Amanda Anisimova, Danaya Yastremska and Madison Brengle. They are all going to have their work cut out though because this section looks absolutely loaded in the seeded department and you would think one of them will go well.
Second Quarter
The reigning French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova is the star name in the second quarter of the draw. She will be looking for a deep tilt at a second Grand Slam title but might well have to overcome the woman who beat her in the Sydney final on Saturday in the form of Paula Badosa in the quarter final. As ever there are plenty of other seeds looking to deny the pair another meeting. They are Sara Sorribes Tormo, Coco Gauff, the 2020 champion Sofia Kenin, Elina Svitolina, Victoria Azarenka and Jelena Ostapenko.
Some real big names are in the unseeded players in this quarter as well. There might not be any bigger than Madison Keys who won in Adelaide on Saturday. She beat Alison Riske in that final and the American is another one in this quarter. Donna Vekic has been ranked a lot higher than she currently is so she’ll be looking for a decent fortnight as will Andrea Petkovic. Petra Martic, Qiang Wang and Ajla Tomljanovic are others who could run hot for a few rounds.
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Third Quarter
Anett Kontaveit has risen through the rankings since she had a great week in the WTA Finals last season and she is in the third quarter of the draw but it is Garbine Muguruza who is the leading seed in it. They are slated to meet in what would be an epic quarter final which would be a repeat of that final in the WTA Finals last term. There are six seeds looking to ensure that doesn’t happen in this quarter too. They are Tamara Zidansek, the US Open champion Emma Raducanu, Simona Halep, Elena Rybakina, Elise Mertens and Danielle Collins.
There are some massive names who don’t have a seeding by their name in this quarter and the biggest of them is the former US Open champion Sloane Stephens who will meet Raducanu in a blockbuster first round clash. Shelby Rogers is improving all the time and she is in this quarter as are the likes of Vera Zvonareva, Irina Begu, Alize Cornet and the other British star in the field in the shape of Heather Watson.
Bottom Quarter
Aryna Sabalenka still hasn’t really done herself justice in a Grand Slam tournament. She lost out in an epic to Serena Williams here 12 months ago and will be looking to win her maiden major title from the bottom quarter over this fortnight. The former French Open champion Iga Swiatek is her scheduled quarter final opponent but the likes of Daria Kasatkina, Petra Kvitova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Angelique Kerber, Leylah Fernandez and Marketa Vondrousova will all be out to get in the way of that happening.
In terms of unseeded campaigners in this quarter we don’t have the deepest pool I think it is fair to say. Caroline Garcia would be one of them who could go through a few rounds while Kaia Kanepi could be another. We also have the home star Sam Stosur who is coming to the end of her career while Anastasija Sevastova has been ranked much higher than she currently is. Harriet Dart gives us some British interest in this quarter.
Outright Betting
The bottom half of this draw looks like the place to target this fortnight because the main seeds all have question marks over them with the exception of Garbine Muguruza. The other leading seeds are Aryna Sabalenka, who flatters to deceive at this level still, Anett Kontaveit and Iga Swiatek, the latter whose best form has come on a clay court. Muguruza beat Kontaveit to win the WTA Finals in Mexico last year and were the two to meet in the quarter final here I would strongly favour the Spaniard, who knows how to go deep in a Grand Slam. You have to give respect in her quarter to the likes of Simona Halep, but I’m not sure she’s fit enough to go deep, and Emma Raducanu but she hasn’t won a match since she won the US Open I like Elena Rybakina but Muguruza has previous at this level and I like her as a main bet.
Angelique Kerber might be coming into the latter stages of her career but she can never be ruled out in a Grand Slam because you have to peel her off the court before you can beat her, such is the strength of her defensive skills. Kerber hasn’t dusted off the racket in 2022 but she has won this tournament before so knows how to prepare herself for it. We could be looking at her as the US Open champion had she not lost that epic encounter to Leylah Fernandez in the last 16 so the German still has it at this level. She might not be as strong a chance as a Muguruza but at 66/1 as a former champion here and her love for hard courts I’ll take a punt on the German ace.
Tips
Back G.Muguruza to win Australian Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 15.00 with Coral (1/2 1-2)
Back her here:
Back A.Kerber to win Australian Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Boylesports (1/2 1-2)
Back her here:
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