Serena Williams might not have played enough tennis in the lead-up to the Australian Open according to a former tennis star but she will still start off a heavy favourite to win the title according to bookmakers.
The American legend is 11/2 (with bet365 here) to add to her burgeoning list of Grand Slam titles when she takes to court in January in Melbourne despite having lost four Grand Slam finals since her return to tennis. Williams was on a maternity break before making a comeback at the 2018 French Open.
Since then, Williams has made it to the final at both, Wimbledon and US Open in 2018 and 2019 but failed to pass that final hurdle. She lost to Angelique Kerber, Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep and Bianca Andreescu in those finals and will now enter the Australian Open having not played too much competitive tennis.
And according to former world number four, and current commentator Jelena Dokic, that could go against her in this first Grand Slam of the year.
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Dokic, a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2000, said in her chat with World Wide Sports, reckoned Serena’s losses in the finals could be down to her lack of match practice before Grand Slam tournaments.
The Aussie pointed to Serena having not played any tennis since her US Open final defeat which in her words, was a question-mark considering how little her preparation has been. Dokic asked whether Williams was going to feature in any tournaments even before the opening Grand Slam of the year.
Dokic said:
“The question is also her preparation going into the Australian Open; is she going to play any tournaments going into the AO? I definitely think she hasn’t had enough matches. That’s why I think she’s struggled in Grand Slam finals.”
She also pointed Williams having never lost four finals in a row and something that could play on her mind going into the competition.
Serena has only recently, announced she has opted to play in the WTA Auckland Open as a tune-up competition before the Australian Open. She had last participated in that tournament in 2017 and even then it was her first WTA International competition in many seasons. As it turned out, she was sent packing from it in the second round by the unseeded Madison Brengle.
The American world number 10 will have stiff competition at the season’s first major from the US Open winner Bianca Andreescu, home favourite world number one Ash Barty and defending champion Naomi Osaka, not to mention the usual suspects in the form of Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova and Elina Svitolina.
Andreescu is nursing her own fitness issues since her US Open victory in 2019 but Barty (8/1) is one of the strongest contenders in the women’s draw after a rocking previous season.
Get all the latest women’s outright betting odds for the 2020 Australian Open here.
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