- Briton continues comeback
- Place opens up after Davis injury
- Australian Open begins on January 14
British tennis player Emma Raducanu has received a direct entry into the main draw of this month’s Australian Open after American Lauren Davis withdrew due to a shoulder injury. Despite being ranked 301st in the world, Raducanu qualified with a special ranking of 103, which reflects her position before missing a minimum of six months due to injury.
Check out the best Australian Open betting sites in the UK with Betting.com.
Raducanu to play in first Grand Slam for a year
The Australian Open is set to commence on January 14 in Melbourne, with the draw scheduled for Thursday, January 11. In addition to Davis, several other players, including French Open finalist Karolina Muchova, Irina-Camelia Begu, Caty McNally, and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova (who is expecting her first child), have also withdrawn from the tournament.
Raducanu’s most recent Grand Slam appearance was at the 2023 Australian Open, where she exited in the second round after losing to Coco Gauff. The former US Open champion marked her return to the tour in Auckland this week, securing a victory over Romania’s Elena Gabriela Ruse. This match in Auckland was Raducanu’s first since undergoing minor operations on both hands and her left ankle in early May.
Australian Open Betting
At the time of writing, Raducanu is 66/1 to win the tournament with bet365. This is hardly surprising given her recent injuries and, that since her fantastic triumph in the US Open in 2021, she has not come close to winning a major. Bettors need to monitor her performance to see if she is showing signs over overcoming her injuries. Raducanu is undoubtedly talented and if she manages to get near her US Open levels then she could be a great each-way bet at a major in the future.
Iga Swiatek is the current favourite to lift the women’s title at 12/5. Novak Djokovic is favourite to win the men’s singles, priced at evens.
Check out our top list of Australian Open betting sites before making your picks.
