Opening WTA 2020 Australian Open Odds: Serena Williams & Naomi Osaka Lead the Way

• Naomi Osaka won the 2019 Australian Open
• Serena Williams is the early favorite to win 2020 Australian Open
• The 2020 Australian Open begins on January 20th, 2020

The 2020 Australian Open is still 10 months away but odds have already posted some early lines on who’ll be the first Grand Slam champion of the next year. We’ve handicap the early lines to give you a three separate picks, including one from the favorites category, one mid-range selection, and one long shot.

Check out our 2020 Australian Open Odds Tracker to see the average odds of all top contenders.

2020 Australian Open Odds

*Odds taken 03/21/19

Health the Key to Williams’ Success

The top-tier favorite you should consider is Serena, for two reasons. First, she was playing well in 2019 and was stopped largely because of the ankle roll she suffered when she was one point away from beating Karolina Pliskova in the quarterfinals. That injury didn’t necessarily decide the match, but it certainly influenced it.

She then followed her 2019 Australian Open by having an Indian Wells tournament in which she came down with a virus which sidelined her. However, she looked great prior to that, ousting Victoria Azarenka and then also holding a 3-0 lead in her next match before withdrawing with a virus.

One of my favorite moments of all time, when Serena Williams won her 22nd Grand Slam pic.twitter.com/nziKwSNFq4

— Mpumelelo Ngwenya (@_Mpumz) March 17, 2019

Serena just needs to stay healthy. If she can, she is still showing that she is the best player in the sport, with the possible sole exception of Naomi Osaka. There’s ample reason to pick Serena in 2020 because if she keeps this up, she’s not going to be priced at +350 for much longer.

Sabalenka on the Rise

From the mid-range, Sabalenka is an intriguing choice. She has struggled to start 2019 as the competition has focused on her after she ended the 2018 season on a roll. It’s normal for young players who do well one year to be knocked back a peg or two the next.

This. Is. Incredible.

Riske and Sabalenka giving it everything!#ShenzhenOpen pic.twitter.com/WGYvHPfkuj

— WTA (@WTA) January 5, 2019

We saw a young up-and-comer win the 2019 Australian Open when Naomi Osaka claimed the crown. That shows that a very young player can win this event. Sabalenka could follow in her footsteps next year.

Can Azarenka Rise Again?

Taking a look at the longer shots, Azarenka is quite appealing with a price tag of 28/1. Remember, at this point we’re mostly throwing darts at the board but this is one that could hit a bulls-eye.

Azarenka played what will likely go down as one of the best matches of 2019 in Indian Wells, losing to Serena in two very close, high-level sets.

Azarenka played what will likely go down as one of the best matches of 2019 in Indian Wells, losing to Serena in two very close, high-level sets. That shows that she’s getting close to playing at a level where she can again compete at the top of women’s tennis. If she can sustain this level, she will end 2019 with a much higher ranking.

Victoria Azarenka returns to action next week in Indian Wells and it looks like little Leo could be joining her as a ballboy. ??https://t.co/opU9EQlrPi #USOpen

?: @vika7 pic.twitter.com/2meS2733Ya

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) March 1, 2018

Remember that she took off most of 2016 and 2017 for a pregnancy, so she’s still working her way back to form. But she’s won the Aussie Open twice in her career and made it to the quarterfinals in 2014 and 2016. At 28/1, she’s worth a flier.