MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Here are some of the top men at the Australian Open, which starts at Melbourne Park on Sunday morning local time (Saturday night EST), with money-line odds via BetMGM Sportsbook:
Jannik Sinner
Seeding: 1
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Italy
Age: 23
2024 Record: 73-6
2024 Titles: 8
Career Titles: 18
Grand Slam Titles: 2 — Australian Open (1: 2024), U.S. Open (1: 2024)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-Won Championship, 2023-Lost in 4th Rd, 2022-QF, 2021-1st, 2020-2nd
Aces: Sinner tested positive twice for a banned anabolic steroid in March but wasn’t suspended because a panel determined he didn’t use the drug intentionally and instead was exposed to it by his physiotherapist. The World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed his exoneration. ... Won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open last January and his second at the U.S. Open in September. ... Ended 2024 with winning streaks of 14 matches and 26 sets.
He Said It: “Of course, I had some ups and downs, and whoever knows me, (knows) I was emotionally a bit down and a bit also heartbroken."
Read All About It: Sinner's 2024 included two Slam titles and two positive doping tests
Odds Are: +125
Carlos Alcaraz
Seeding: 3
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Spain
Age: 21
2024 Record: 54-13
2024 Titles: 4
Career Titles: 16
Grand Slam Titles: 4 — French Open (1: 2024), Wimbledon (2: 2023, 2024), U.S. Open (1: 2022)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-QF, 2023-Did Not Play, 2022-3rd, 2021-2nd, 2020-DNP
Aces: Can complete a career Grand Slam at the age of 21 by winning the title at Melbourne Park. ... As it is, he is the youngest man in tennis history to win at least one major championship on three surfaces. ... Leads Jannik Sinner 6-4 head-to-head in their burgeoning rivalry. ... Went 12-5 against opponents ranked in the top 10 last year. ... Is 4-0 in Grand Slam finals.
He Said It: “I'm trying to make the people enjoy watching tennis."
Read All About It: Alcaraz wants a seat at the adult table after his fourth major trophy
Odds Are: +350
Taylor Fritz
Seeding: 4
Career-Best Ranking: 4
Country: United States
Age: 27
2024 Record: 53-23
2024 Titles: 2
Career Titles: 8
Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Runner-Up, U.S. Open (2024)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-QF, 2023-2nd, 2022-4th, 2021-3rd, 2020-3rd
Aces: Had never reached more than one Grand Slam quarterfinal in a single season until 2024, when he got there at the Australian Open and Wimbledon and made it to the final at the U.S. Open before bowing out against Jannik Sinner. ... Also lost to Sinner in the title match at the ATP Finals, becoming the first man from the U.S. to get that far at the season-ending championship since James Blake in 2006. ... Fritz's coach, Michael Russell, earned ATP Coach of the Year honors for 2024.
He Said It: "I’ve always said: Once I do something once, I just feel a lot more confident in being able to do it again.”
Read All About It: Fritz was the first American man in 15 years to reach a Grand Slam final
Odds Are: +2800
Daniil Medvedev
Seeding: 5
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Russia
Age: 28
2024 Record: 46-21
2024 Titles: Zero
Career Titles: 20
Grand Slam Titles: 1 — U.S. Open (1: 2021)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-RU, 2023-3rd, 2022-RU, 2021-RU, 2020-4th
Aces: Has made the final at Melbourne Park in three of the past four years but has yet to claim the championship. In two of those defeats in a title match, took a two-set lead before losing in five (to Jannik Sinner last year and to Rafael Nadal in 2022). ... Is 1-5 overall in Grand Slam finals.
He Said It: “Hopefully I can win some more Grand Slams. I believe in myself. I believe in my tennis.”
Read All About It: Medvedev once again came oh-so-close to an Australian trophy last year
Odds Are: +1400
Novak Djokovic
Seeding: 7
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Serbia
Age: 37
2024 Record: 37-9
2024 Titles: 1
Career Titles: 99
Grand Slam Titles: 24 — Australian Open (10: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), French Open (3: 2016, 2021, 2023), Wimbledon (7: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), U.S. Open (4: 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-SF, 2023-W, 2022-DNP, 2021-W, 2020-W
Aces: Being coached in Melbourne by former rival Andy Murray. ... Bidding to become the first player in tennis history with 25 Grand Slam singles titles. ... 2024 was his first season without at least one major trophy since 2017. ... Was 20-0 in semifinals or finals at the Australian Open until last year's loss to Jannik Sinner in the final four. ... 10 trophies in Melbourne are the most for a man. ... Won just one title in 2024, but it was a big one: an Olympic gold medal for Serbia.
He Said It: “To have a legend of the game, someone that is known to be as an intelligent tennis player as there is out there, it’s a great honor, great pleasure for me."
Read All About It: Djokovic adds an Olympic gold medal to his resume
Odds Are: +500
Alex de Minaur
Seeding: 8
Career-Best Ranking: 6
Country: Australia
Age: 25
2024 Record: 47-21
2024 Titles: 2
Career Titles: 9
Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Quarterfinals (four times)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-4th, 2023-4th, 2022-4th, 2021-3rd, 2020-DNP
Aces: No Australian man has won the title at the country's Grand Slam tournament since Mark Edmondson in 1976. ... This will be de Minaur's first time seeded in the top eight at a major. ... He had only once ever reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal before 2024, when he made it that far three times: at the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Now he'll try to do it in front of the home fans for the first time. ... Got engaged to British tennis player Katie Boulter in December.
He Said It: "I don’t make too much fuss. I just put my head down and work on my craft."
Read All About It: Hip injury forced de Minaur to pull out of Wimbledon showdown vs. Djokovic
Odds Are: +5000
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Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
