Friday Australian Open WTA Betting Odds & Picks: A Pair of Plays for Day 6

Friday Australian Open WTA Betting Odds & Picks: A Pair of Plays for Day 6 article feature image
Credit:

Emilee Chin/Getty Images. Pictured: Iga Swiatek

What a wild day of tennis we saw on Thursday with Serena Williams, Madison Keys and Naomi Osaka all going down.

Luckily for us, Ons Jabeur came through once again to lock in a profitable day despite Sofia Kenin coming up one game short later in the evening.

For today, a pair of plays made the final cut. Below I will detail my two favorite WTA bets for Friday at the 2020 Australian Open, hitting on the following matchups:

  • Anett Kontaveit vs. Belinda Bencic  (8:15 p.m. ET)
  • Iga Swiatek vs. Donna Vekic (8:30 p.m. ET)

Tournament Record: 9-5 +4.75 units

All odds as of Friday morning.


Iga Swiatek +115 vs. Donna Vekic

Back to the teenage Pole on Friday.

Swiatek didn't look as strong in Round 2 as she did in Round 1, but still got the job done in straight sets against a tricky opponent in Carla Suarez Navarro. She will now face a more straightforward power-hitter in Vekic.

After a shaky performance versus an unfit Maria Sharapova, Vekic looked unstoppable against Alize Cornet in the second round, hammering winners from both wings. Cornet fought hard though and Vekic got a little tight toward the end of the match, but still closed out the win in straight sets.

When both players are on the top of their games, they can hit multiple winners and dominate their opponents. However, both also have volatile games and are susceptible to spraying the ball around the court.

Each player has shined on a big stage in a Grand Slam before. Last year, Vekic made her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in New York before bowing out in a tight match versus Belinda Bencic. Meanwhile, Swiatek made the Round of 16 in Paris in her second career Grand Slam.

Ultimately, this match should be very tight. But there are a few advantages I give to Swiatek.

  • Superior movement. Vekic can blast winners but mainly stands on the baseline and fires.
  • Wider variety. Including a drop shot that she should be effective against Vekic.

Vekic’s serve is her No. 1 weapon and it can certainly win the match, but I think Swiatek has the mobility and variety to withstand any runs from the Croat.

The Pol also has higher upside than Vekic, so we most likely haven’t seen her ceiling. Teenagers dominated the discussion on the WTA Tour for much of 2019 — and I don’t see any reason Swiatek can't throw her hat into the ring to start 2020.

I have this match as a true pick’em so anything at plus money works in my book.

Pick: Iga Swiatek +115

[Bet now at DraftKings. NJ, PA, IN and WV only.]


Belinda Bencic -130 vs Anett Kontaveit

This number is just too far off for me. I have the more talented and accomplished Bencic as a -160 favorite here.

Before the lines came out, I even thought Bencic could potentially open up much higher and Kontaveit would warrant a look, but I have to play the Swiss at this price.

These two were supposed to meet in R3 of the US Open last year, but Kontaveit had to withdraw due to illness and didn’t return until 2020.

Kontaveit started off her 2020 campaign with a 1-2 record prior to Melbourne. But after two fairly impressive victories here, the market is giving her a lot of credit. However, this is a major step up in class for the Estonian.

Kontaveit is a powerful 24-year-old who's still coming into her own on Tour. Despite making a couple Grand Slam Round of 16’s and the semifinals in Miami last year, she's never had a truly break-out event.

On the other hand, Bencic is only 22 years old, but it feels like she’s been on Tour for a decade. Despite lacking elite power, she’s still one of the best players on Tour. Her best attributes are her elite anticipation and high tennis IQ. She takes the ball early and puts her opponents in compromising positions. She seems to always keep her opponents off balance.

Even though Kontaveit has above average power, I don’t think she can hit it through the court against Bencic, who can win this match with  her counterattacking defense.

I can't pass up anything below -140 on the top-10 talent Bencic.

Pick: Belinda Bencic -130

[Bet now at FanDuel. NJ, PA, IN and WV only.]

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