Frank LorenzoThe year in tennis Grand Slams started off with a surprise when Stan Wawrinka defeated three-time defending Champion Novak Djokovic at the 2014 Australian Open. By spring however, it was back to easy favorites paying out. We all expected Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, two of the best players in the world, to take Roland Garros and Wimbledon respectively.
The year in tennis Grand Slams started off with a surprise when Stan Wawrinka defeated three-time defending Champion Novak Djokovic at the 2014 Australian Open. By spring however, it was back to easy favorites paying out. We all expected Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, two of the best players in the world, to take Roland Garros and Wimbledon respectively.
And Nadal was strong heading into the US Open, listed as the second favorite for the tournament, but a week before the Open, he was forced to pull out because of a wrist injury he sustained less than a month before the final Grand Slam.
Which led to the second major surprise of the year. Kei Nishikori against Marin Cilic. In the US Open final. Goran Ivanisevic, 2001 Wimbledon Champ and Cilic’s coach put it best: “If somebody told you ‘a Nishikori-Cilic final at the US Open,’ three weeks ago, you would look at them like they don’t know what they’re talking about.” We all know what happened after that.
So how will this year’s surprises affect 2015 betting? Here are the latest 2015 Men’s Future Betting Odds to win the Australian Open:
Novak Djokovic +162
Rafael Nadal +300
Andy Murray +550
Roger Federer +1000
Stan Wawrinka +1200
Marin Cilic +1400
Grigor Dimitrov +2000
Kei Nishikori +2000
Juan Marton Del Potro +3300
Jo Wildfred Tsonga +4000
Thomas Berdych +4000
Milos Raonic +5000
David Ferrer +6600
Gael Monfils +8000
Yes. That’s Roger Federer listed fourth in the odds to win the Aussie Open at +1000. Our theme was surprises for a reason. Federer proved himself to be close to another Grand Slam victory at Wimbledon, and he made it to the semis at the Open, losing to Cilic. We think he’ll be back.
