Carlos Alcaraz, the top seed in his quarter, delivered a strong performance in his opening match at the Australian Open, facing Australian Adam Walton. The match proved challenging, particularly in the second set, which Alcaraz clinched in a tiebreak. He ultimately secured victory with scores of 6-3, 6-7, and 6-2, showcasing his resilience and skill.
In the upcoming round, Alcaraz will face Yannick Hanfmann, who had a more arduous path to the second round, needing four sets and a tiebreaker to defeat Zachary Svajda. As the reigning top-ranked ATP player, Alcaraz is expected to be a major favorite against Hanfmann.
According to the latest odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, Alcaraz is heavily favored with a moneyline of -5100, while Hanfmann stands at +2300. The total games over/under is set at 29.5, with slight leanings toward the under at -130.
A look at their respective Australian Open histories reveals that Alcaraz debuted in 2021 but has not yet progressed beyond the quarter-finals, having reached this stage in the past two years, only to be eliminated by Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic. On the other hand, Hanfmann has made only his second second-round appearance at the tournament, having previously reached this stage in 2022 only to face an early exit against Rafael Nadal.
In terms of predictions for their matchup, while many might consider betting on Alcaraz to win in straight sets, which stands at -250, a potentially safer bet may be the under on total games, which is currently sitting at -130 for under 29.5 games. With Alcaraz’s earlier match reaching 30 games due to Walton’s strong showing, expectations are lower for Hanfmann, indicating a possible shorter match.
This match is highly anticipated as it not only features the world’s top player but also showcases the potential for an exciting matchup that could enhance the rivalry and competition in the tournament.