Australian Open Final
Published:
Nadal expected to triumph
Sunday brings the final of this year’s Australian Open, and it’s a pairing many have expected for the majority of this week, but one very few punters would have predicted before the competition got underway.
With Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, two at the head of the betting pre-tournament, losing in the early rounds in real shocks, it paved the way for old rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to battle their way to a place in the final.
Impressive form by both men to get within touching distance of the prize-money, but they still have it all to do if they are to get their hands on the grand prize. Coral traders have Nadal as odds-on favourite, and there’s no more than 4/5 currently available about the Spaniard.
Rafa whitewash looks likely
There’s little drama in that call either, and the 30-year-old, a champion back in 2009, has caught the eye on-route, beating Zverev 3-2 last week, before going on to claim the scalps of Monfils 3-1, Raonic 3-0 and, most recently, Dimitrov in the semi-final, courtesy of a 3-2 score.
If Nadal is to get the job done on Sunday, a 3-0 whitewash is the most likely outcome, according to the odds, and punters who would like to get involved in a second Oz Open title for Nadal courtesy of that score can fill their boots on our 7/2.
This final really is worth celebrating and we offer up a range of betting markets to help you get in the mood, and keep you involved throughout. Rafa to win the first set is 8/11 fav, against Federer’s even money. Pick a winner there and that will set the pace for the rest of the match.
Federer can’t be overlooked
Those prices would suggest Sunday’s showpiece is a straightforward affair, but that’s not the case by any stretch of the imagination. Federer has made this competition his own and arrives chasing down a fifth Australian Open, although he has not ended on top since 2010.
Critics suggest that the 35-year-old’s best form is behind him, but that hasn’t been evident during this competition, with wins over the likes of Berdych 3-0, Nishikori 3-2, Zverev 3-0 and Wawrinka 3-2 in a semi-final thriller.
When sizing up this match from a betting perspective punters should remember that Fed has beaten Nadal in the final in Basel, ATP World Tour Finals, Madrid and Wimbledon, to name a few. The underdog has the experience of big game wins and that makes his 11/10 price all the better.
We look all set for a thriller
Nadal’s one Australian Open winner’s medal came back in 2009, and was achieved by beating none other than Roger Federer. Followers of the sport will remember it as a cracker too, with the Spaniard scraping through courtesy of a 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2 result.
Fancy more of the same? We are giving an appealing 5/2 on the final to be won in five sets, while Nadal 3-2 in the sett betting is sure to attract attention at 5/1.
