Australian Open Women’s 2026 Betting Preview – Can Sabalenka Win Again in Melbourne?

Despite losing the 2025 WTA Finals to Elena Rybakina, Sabalenka is still #1 in the WTA rankings by 2,662 points over Świątek. The Belarusian led the tour with four wins, including the U.S. Open, and she reached the final in three of the four Grand Slams last year. She also opened 2026 by winning the Brisbane International by not dropping a set.

The Tiger roars again in Brisbane!

Congratulations to our 2026 Women’s Singles champion, Aryna Sabalenka! pic.twitter.com/260gSnW1XB

— Brisbane International (@BrisbaneTennis) January 11, 2026

She was going for a three-peat at the 2025 Australian Open before she was upset 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 by Madison Keys, but Sabalenka seems to have figured out this tournament. Her heavy serve makes her a top threat at any hard court event she plays in. It seems like Sabalenka’s biggest issue is self-doubt. She gets in her head sometimes when things aren’t going well.

She did lose the Battle of the Sexes exhibition to Nick Kyrgios in December. Sabalenka should be back and ready to roll in Melbourne, and I’m surprised she’s not a bigger favorite in the WTA Australian Open odds!

Świątek finished 2025 by failing to get out of the round-robin stage, losing two of her three matches. But she is still second in the WTA Rankings heading into 2026’s Grand Slam after winning three tournaments in 2025, including Wimbledon. Świątek helped Poland win the United Cup, although she did lose her singles match to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in the final.

POLAND ARE YOUR 2026 UNITED CUP CHAMPIONS 🇵🇱 🏆 pic.twitter.com/uMVFdHZX8f

— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) January 11, 2026

She is more known for her exploits on clay, as Świątek has won four French Open titles in the last six editions. But she is also good on hard surfaces, winning the 2022 U.S. Open, and she has gone to the semifinals in two of the last four Australian Opens. She lost to Keys in three sets after a long tiebreak at this stage last year.

Świątek is still one of the best players in the world, and very good on hard courts. But there are other players I think you could find better value on in these Australian Open women’s odds.

Gauff is third in the WTA rankings, well behind Świątek, but just ahead of fellow American Amanda Anisimova. She won twice in 2025, including the French Open. Gauff, who didn’t make it out of the group stage at the WTA Finals, did take part in the United Cup. The United States lost to Poland in the semifinals, but Gauff beat Świątek 6-4, 6-2 in their singles match.

Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff playing some big tennis at the United Cup.

Two of the most incredible athletes in the world going toe to toe.

🇵🇱🇺🇸

pic.twitter.com/jsG5gCJEcI

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 10, 2026

Gauff is looking to bounce back in the Grand Slams after a shock first-round exit at Wimbledon, and she lost in the fourth round of the U.S. Open. She fell out in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 2025, losing to Paula Badosa. But she looked very focused at the United Cup.

The American offers some value at the Australian Open, but Gauff was boom or bust in 2025. Which version will we see Down Under over the next month?

Anisimova is hot on Gauff’s heels, trailing her by 103 points in the rankings. She is coming off her best season as a professional, losing in the finals of Wimbledon (to Świątek) and the U.S. Open (to Sabalenka). She did win twice in 2025, and she lost to Sabalenka in the WTA Final semifinals. But Anisimova lost in the round of 16 to Marta Kostyuk in Brisbane.

She has never made it past the fourth round at this tournament, but Anisimova is a different player than she was at the start of 2025. She looks more confident, like she belongs with the top players, especially after she was blown out 6-0, 6-0 in straight sets by Świątek at Wimbledon. Anisimova recovered nicely, and gave Sabalenka a run at the U.S. Open.

She needs to find another level to win this event, but I think Anisimova is a solid sleeper pick, so don’t be afraid of her Australian Open WTA odds!

I had to include the defending champion, as Keys is ranked ninth in the world, and she looks to be healthy after withdrawing from the WTA Finals due to illness. She won twice in 2025, including in Adelaide in the run-up to the Australian Open. Keys is coming off a quarterfinal loss to Sabalenka in Brisbane.

A lot needs to go right for Keys to defend her maiden Grand Slam. Her results in the big tournaments got worse throughout the year. But returning to a place you’ve won before can help with confidence, and I could see Keys going on a run in Melbourne.

Kostyuk is 20^th in the rankings, and her +2800 price offers a great Australian Open betting return. She didn’t win in 2025, but the Ukrainian is coming off a run to the final in Brisbane, where she lost to Sabalenka in straight sets.

She has made it to the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam just once, but that came at the 2024 Australian Open. This pick is based on momentum, as Kostyuk beat three top-10 players before losing to the world’s #1 in Brisbane. If she can carry that form to Melbourne, Kostyuk could provide a nice payday for some tennis bettors!

You might get some value out of Pegula’s price in this spot! She is ranked sixth in the world, winning twice in 2025, and she went to the semifinals at the U.S. Open. The American lost to Rybakina in the semifinals at the WTA Finals.

Her price might be a matter of her play in Brisbane, where Pegula needed three sets to get past Dayana Yastremska and Anna Kalinskaya. She also required a tiebreak to beat Liudmila Samsonova, before losing to Kostyuk 0-6, 3-6. She may have been working on things for the Australian Open, where Pegula has three quarterfinal appearances, but she has lost in the second and third rounds in each of the last two editions.

This might be a good spot to get a considerable return on the American’s WTA Australian Open odds.