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Here's everything you need to know about Australian Open Picks on Monday, Jan. 15 including Evans vs Sonegoand Ofner vs Kokkinakis.
The first round of the Australian Open concludes on Monday with the remaining matches in the bottom half of the men's draw, and like Sunday there should be plenty of money-making opportunities. As the night wears on in Melbourne, I'll be targeting a very physical match and I'll be looking to fade an Aussie favorite.
Let's get into how to bet Evans vs Sonego and Ofner vs Kokkinakis. Here are my Australian Open predictions today.
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Australian Open Predictions Today
Daniel Evans (+100) vs Lorenzo Sonego (-120)
12 a.m. ET
I'll say this right off the bat: there may not be a bigger fan of Evans than me, and ordinarily I'd be all over him here against an opponent he's plenty capable of out-grinding in what should be a wildly physical match.
So, why the change? Well, Evans suffered a leg injury very recently — at the end of last season — and while his first match back last week went according to plan, as did the first set of his second fixture, he seemed to re-injure himself as he scrambled around the court trying to take the second set from Alexander Bublik.
He didn't wind up retiring from the match, but what we saw for the second half of that match was incredibly concerning. Evans couldn't get much lift when he went to serve, and his movement was pretty compromised. He was stomping on the ground and seemed to be peeved, which doesn't have me feeling very confident coming into this Australian Open.
Not only is Sonego 2-0 in his career against Evans, he's also the player in better form at the moment after finding his level in some tight battles over the last two weeks. He's as ruthless a competitor as they come, and without his best stuff I don't think Evans will find a way through.
Pick: Sonego ML (-120 via DraftKings)
Sebastian Ofner (-120) vs Thanasi Kokkinakis (+100)
12 a.m. ET
It's always hard to fade an Aussie in Melbourne, particularly one who garners as much fan support as Kokkinakis. We've seen him play his best tennis in his homeland, and with the entire crowd against Sebastian Ofner it may not be a pretty one to watch for someone taking the favorite here.
Well, that's what I'm prepared to do on Monday. Ofner has played some excellent tennis to kick off this 2024 season, showcasing a big serve and forehand combination that has stifled some solid baseliners. Kokkinakis, meanwhile has dropped both matches he's played in the lead-up to the Australian Open, and his most recent loss to Dusan Lajovic was most telling of all.
Lajovic isn't exactly a talented player, and Kokkinakis was out to an excellent start in front of a raucous crowd in his hometown of Adelaide before he collapsed in the following sets. His serve was under pressure throughout, which is bad news for a guy who relies so heavily upon it, and against Ofner you're going to have to play close to your best if you're not a top-30 talent.
Ofner surprisingly ranks second among all ATP players in under pressure rating, just after Novak Djokovic, saving break points at one of the highest rates in the world. He is one of the strongest players around in the mental department, so that should spell any fears of the Austrian cracking in a hostile environment.
Had this match been held in Montpellier, Ofner would surely be a -155 favorite given the form both players are in. You're getting a significant discount due to the location of this match, and given what I've just laid out it's one you should take advantage of. Kokkinakis had all the momentum and crowd support in the world last week in a primetime match only to fall to a player much weaker than Ofner. This man deserves some more respect with the way he's playing.
Pick: Ofner ML (-120 via DraftKings)
