ATP Tour 2019 Brisbane International Odds: Nadal The Heavy Favorite
- Rafael Nadal is heavily favored to win the 2019 Brisbane International
- Andy Murray is a two-time winner of the Brisbane International
- Four defending champs are in the field
The 2019 Brisbane International is where Rafael Nadal will begin his comeback journey and Andy Murray will resume his own rally from injury.
Nadal touches down in Brisbane ahead of the Brisbane International and the summer of tennis. #9WWOS #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/DDYtQ0Mowa
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) December 30, 2018
Nadal, currently the world’s No. 2-ranked player, will be seeing his first ATP tournament action since retiring against Juan Martin del Potro from the semifinals of the US Open with a knee injury.
Nadal has also dealt with abdominal and ankle injuries and underwent off-season surgery on his ankle.
But oddsmakers are feeling good about his return at the 2019 Brisbane International.
Odds to Win ATP Brisbane International
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Rafael Nadal | +300 |
| Kei Nishikori | +450 |
| Andy Murray | +700 |
| Nick Krygios | +800 |
| Grigor Dimitrov | +900 |
| Milos Raonic | +1000 |
| Kyle Edmund | +1100 |
*Follow link in table to see complete list; odds taken 12/30
Nadal hasn’t won the Brisbane International, but has said that he is ahead of schedule in his recovery from surgery.
Murray Has Never Known Brisbane Defeat
Murray’s 2017 season ended when he was forced to retire from Wimbledon due to his injury, and he played just a dozen times last season.
The former world No. 1 has dropped all the way to 256th in the ATP rankings.
Murray allowed that while his hip is much better than a year ago, he’s still not completely pain free and won’t know how far he can push it until he plays some tournament tennis.
Andy Murray moving freely in his first hitout ahead of the Brisbane International, showing no signs of the hip injury that’s plagued him. @9NewsQueensland pic.twitter.com/EIYgil4LGj
— Adam Jackson (@AdamJackson_9) December 27, 2018
He’s loved his time in Brisbane, though. Murray has played this event twice, and won both times. He beat Alexandr Dolgopolov in the 2012 final and in 2013, toppled Grigor Dimitrov in the final.
Defending Champ Also Ailing
Nick Krygios, the defending Brisbane Open champion, spent Christmas in hospital getting treated with antibiotics after the Aussie suffered a spider bite on his foot.
Unable to practice, Krygios admitted he anticipated being rusty as he returned to the court.
The drawmaster has done Krygios no favors. He’ll open defense of his title with a first-round rematch of last year’s final against American Ryan Harrison. If he wins there, Krygios would likely deal with Brit and world No. 14 Kyle Edmund in the second round.
Time To Seek Value?
With so many of the top contenders evidently below 100%, and no doubt with their eyes cast toward the upcoming Australian Open, it might be advisable not to expect them to tax themselves to the limit in this event.
Perhaps then it’s time to look a little further down the odds charts for a prospective champion?
Canada’s Milos Raonic also dealt with a multitude of injuries last year, but the 2016 Brisbane champion looked strong in losing to Kei Nishikori in the final of last week’s tournament in Hawaii.
Nishikori, a 2017 Brisbane finalist, is the No. 2 seed this year.
No better way to prepare for the Brisbane International than to hit the Arcade if you're @GrigorDimitrov. ? pic.twitter.com/BDAc6VWxPX
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) December 30, 2018
Dimitrov, who won Brisbane in 2017, will make his debut under the tutelage of coach Andre Agassi. And don’t sleep on Aussie sensation Alex De Minaur (+1800), just 19 but already No 31 in the world.
Pick: Kei Nishikori (+450)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
