2012 Australian Open Tennis Futures: Men’s Singles

2012 Australian Open Womens Singles Futures

*Update: Rafael Nadal will meet world #1 Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2012 Australian Open, scheduled for Sunday at 3:30 am ET (US). Djokovic has won the last six meetings with Nadal, and of course comes in as the favourite. Nadal took out Roger Federer in the semi-finals, while Djokovic beat Andy Murray. Novak will be looking to defend his 2011 Aussie Open Championship, and begin the 2012 season on top once again. Rafael Nadal is looking to record his 2nd title at the Australian Open.

2012 Australian Open: Mens Singles Odds

* Odds have closed for the 2012 Aussie Open mens finals.

The 2012 Australian Open is scheduled for January 16 through January 29, 2012 at Melbourne Park. 2012 commemorates the 100th year of the Australian Open, and will offer the largest prize pool in the history of Grand Slam tennis. The men’s and women’s champions will take home $2.3 million apiece.

Of course Novak Djokovic comes in as the favourite for the men’s title, followed by Roger Federer and Andy Murray respectively. Djokovic is a two-time winner of the Aussie Open, and the reigning champion as well. The question for Djokovic will be his health. He retired from a couple of matches late in 2011, sighting lower back and shoulder injuries. If he’s healthy, fit, and practicing well, I think he’s the best value (even at his current 2.25 odds). However, if he’s still nursing injuries and isn’t as fit as he normally is, this could be a battle between Federer and Nadal (no, not Murray).

Right now, the best Australian Open Futures odds for Novak Djokovic is 2.25 at Bovada.lv and Bet365.com. Bovada typically has the best futures odds, but they only accept US customers. Bet365 accepts punters from most of the world, excluding the US.

If you like Federer in this one, the best odds on him are at BetOnline.com, at 5.00 (+400). BetOnline accepts punters from all over the world, including the US.

Who Will Win the 2012 Australian Open Tennis Championship?

Beyond Djokovic, Federer and Nadal, there are other players with a chance. However, getting past these players is going to be tough for anyone – especially on a Grand Slam stage. All three of these men are fighters, and if any other men are going to win the 2012 Australian Open, it will likely require that each of these players get upset before the finals.

Although Andy Murray is favoured right after Federer, until he has a Grand Slam win under his belt, we can’t place a futures bet on him to win one. This drama queen has become famous for injuries faking injuries and acting like a baby at critical times during big matches. It’s always the same thing with Murray – he starts losing, loses his cool, then come the ugly grimaces as he pretends something broke. Maybe this year he’ll get a bug in the eye, a toe cramp, or invisible aliens will violate him on the court – just when he was down 5-0 and ready to make a comeback. There’s always an excuse with this guy, and I think he’s a poor value until he actually proves he can make it past the finish line. After he’s won a Grand Slam we can start considering him a real threat for future Slams – but not until then.

* If you’re interested in betting on the 2012 Australian Open from your mobile phone or tablet, you can do this at Bet365.com. Their mobile betting software is clean and easy to navigate, making it simple even for new users.

Our 2012 Australian Open Men’s Singles Prediction

* The content below was written in early January.

As mentioned above, I think this comes down to Novak Djokovic’s health. He’s had plenty of time off to nurse his ailing back & shoulder, and will be highly motivated to defend his 2011 Australian Open title. Even as the early favourite with the shortest odds, I think Novak gives us decent value.

Unless he withdraws before the tournament begins (no reason to believe he will), we aren’t likely to know much about how he’s really feeling until he plays his first match. However, if he plays well in his first match, I expect to see his futures odds to drop to something like 1.90 – 2.20. We’re losing value at that point, and considering the amount of time off Djokovic has had (and his history for being in excellent physical shape), we’re going to place our futures bet now and take the small risk. I much prefer him at 2.75 or 2.88 than I do at 1.90 or 2.20, and I think the risk is minimal. Keep in mind, if he withdraws before the tournament begins, punters will get their futures wagers returned to them.