Tennis Betting Advice - January 2026
Australian Open: Fast Learner at 50/1...
Monday 26th January 2026
This year’s pre-season Ones to Watch in 2026 Report has so far served us well by providing our 100/1+ teenage pick in the women’s Australian Open, Iva Jovic.
The 18-year-old American is playing great. She takes on world no.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter finals tonight…
In the opposite half of the women’s draw, we have Jessica Pegula in the book at 40/1 – 33/1, and also through to the quarter finals. She’ll take on another American, Amanda Anisimova, on Tuesday night/ Wednesday morning. Jess is now trading at 14/1 – 12/1 to go all the way.
It’s a different story in the men’s event, where we took fewer chances… but there is one more position I want to get involved in today…
As with teenager Jovic, 20-year-old fellow American, LEARNER TIEN featured in our pre-season report…
And seeing as I also mentioned him in relation to the recent connection between ATP Next Gen Finals winners, and upcoming Australian Open prospects (This tournament breeds champions – 1st Dec). You could say the clues were there regarding Learner’s prospects Down Under this month…
He’s had a tough draw – and still does. But so far, Tien has outstripped expectations once again. Building on his breakthrough run here in Melbourne last January, where he came through qualifying and then made it to the Last 16. The current world no.29, Learner has gone one better already at the Grand Slams in 2026 – through to the quarter finals of a Major for the first time…
The left-hander has a tough but winnable match tonight. He takes on the vastly experienced – although still yet to win a Major – Alexander Zverev. Tien has beaten him before. The head-to-head is 1-1. Our boy’s victory came in their only previous hard-court meeting; a best-of-three sets match at ATP Acapulco last season.
Tonight’s encounter is best-of-five sets on hard courts – with the longer format often catching out newcomers and youngsters on the big stage (Lorenzo Musetti springs to mind from recent years). However, Tien has so far looked very good, very steady and composed, and if anything, it’s Zverev who may end up looking more in need of calling the trainer on court. Expect some gruelling rallies in this one.
In short, I like Tien at this stage of the competition, available at 50/1 right now with firms still offering Each Way bets (albeit at 1/3 odds).
If you prefer a bit bigger price for Win Only, Skybet, Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook are 66/1 as I write, with Unibet 60/1, and there’s a few quid available on the Betfair Exchange (or Matchbook Exchange) for Tien at around 80/1.
Then again, given how hard it would likely be to trade back much of that 66/1+ ticket for any worthwhile points return as a ‘saver’ or hedge bet, should Learner make an underdog run to the final (as we found out with our 250/1 WTA Adelaide semi-finalist Kimberly Birrell the other week). My preference today is to lock in the 50/1 Each Way.
The Zverev v Tien quarter final is scheduled for 2.30am+, UK time.
Men’s Outright Winner market (Oddshecker):
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Ones to Watch picks - Australian Open:
See above for full details
Men’s Outright Winner
Each Way (1/3 odds 1-2 places)
Open bets:
Women’s
Jessica Pegula
Iva Jovic
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P.S
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Enjoy the tennis…
Best wishes,
Oliver Upstone