A new wave of talented players has emerged at the top of women's tennis, which means the 2022 Australian Open field is wide open. Australian Ashley Barty is the favorite at +275, but also expected to make a run is last year's champion Naomi Osaka. Because she took some time off to deal with mental health issues, Osaka drew an unusually low seed at 13, and could be a dangerous out. Osaka, who has sagged to No. 14 in the WTA Tour rankings, has four Grand Slam titles to her name, including the 2019 and 2021 Australian Opens.
Osaka also won the 2018 and 2020 U.S. Opens. Caesars Sportsbook lists Osaka at +550, just behind Barty in the 2022 Australian Open odds. Also in the mix are several other favorites, including Garbine Muguruza (+1000), Iga Swiatek (+1200) Anett Kontaveit (+1400) and Simona Halep (+1400). Before making any 2022 Australian Open picks or predictions, check out the expert tennis picks and analysis from SportsLine's Gavin Mair.
A renowned women's tennis handicapper, Mair has cashed in huge in the past. In the 2020 French Open, Mair picked Iga Swiatek to win (-163) and win in straight sets (+140), and he was right on both counts.
He also called unseeded Jelena Ostapenko (80-1) winning the 2017 French Open, Naomi Osaka (32-1) winning the 2018 U.S. Open and Bianca Andreescu (20-1) winning the 2019 U.S. Open.
Now, Mair has scrutinized the latest Australian Open 2022 odds and released his coveted best bets to win it all. He's sharing all his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Top 2022 Australian Open women's predictions
One shocker: Mair is fading the favorite in Barty (+275), the tournament favorite. The Australian has been ranked No. 1 since Sept. 9, 2019. Barty has 14 career titles, including two Grand Slams, the 2019 French Open and 2021 Wimbledon. She reached the semifinals of the 2020 Australian Open for her best finish there.
"The big question mark is whether or not Barty can handle the pressure of claiming the big one in her homeland," Mair told SportsLine. "Last year she felt the pressure of tabloid media expectancy, which resulted in an uncharacteristic meltdown in form whilst leading by a set during her quarterfinal match against Karolina Muchova."
Mair sees better values on the board and he isn't including Barty in any of his 2022 Australian Open bets.
How to make 2022 Australian Open women's picks
Mair has locked in his best bets, and they include a pair of long shots who would bring big returns. He's especially high on one player who "owns elite level hard-court data." You need to see his picks and analysis before considering any 2022 Australian Open bets.
So who wins the Australian Open 2022? And which long shots could take the crown? Visit SportsLine now to see Gavin Mair's bets for the 2022 Australian Open, all from the tennis expert who has called long-shot winners of three grand slam women's titles since 2017.
2022 Australian Open odds (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Ashleigh Barty +275
Naomi Osaka +600
Garbine Muguruza +1200
Iga Swiatek +1200
Anett Kontaveit +1400
Simona Halep +1400
Paula Badosa +1400
Barbora Krejcikova +1800
Cori Gauff +2000
Elena Rybakina +2000
Aryna Sabalenka +2500
Victoria Azarenka +3300
Emma Raducanu +3300
Madison Keys +4000
Ons Jabeur +4000
Daria Kasatkina +4000
Leylah Fernandez +4000
Maria Sakkari +4000
Petra Kvitova +5000
Danielle Collins +5000
Amanda Anisimova +5000
Angelique Kerber +5000
Sloane Stephens +6600
Clara Tauson +6600
Belinda Bencic +6600
Marketa Vondrousova +6600
Elina Svitolina +6600
Jessica Pegula +8000
Elise Mertens +8000
Sofia Kenin +10000
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova +10000
Veronika Kudermetova +10000
