Australian Open 2019 Preview – January 21st, 2019 at 1:30 am
It has arrived. As soon as the draw was made for the 2019 Australian Open there was a hope that this showdown would happen. It’s world number one Simona Halep taking on Serena Williams, a seven-time Australian Open champion. Simona Halep lost last year’s Final and has to overcome the biggest challenge of all to try and get back there.
Simona Halep v Serena Williams odds*
Serena Williams 2/5
Simona Halep 2/1
* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 19th, 2019 at 11:27 pm)
Halep slips into form
Simona Halep stepped out at the Sydney International earlier this month and couldn’t make it through her first match. She lost out at against Ashleigh Barty. So there were question marks over Halep, having been working her way back from injury over the winter break. Just how match sharp was she going to be? She has been up against it in the tournament a couple of times so far.
In her first round match, she had to recover from having lost the opening set of her match against Kaia Kanepi. Halep had recent issues with Kanepi, losing to the Estonian in the first round of last year’s US Open. Then Halep was again taken to a three-set match by Sofia Kenin in the second round. Halep had won the first set in that match but lost a grip in the second on a tie break.
But then she saved her best for the third round. Maybe those couple of matches were key for Halep getting her eye in. Halep was up against Venus Williams in the third round at Melbourne Park and powered her way to a 6-2 6-3 victory in the match. Now it is Serena standing in her way and Halep is a big 2/1 underdog for the match* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 19th, 2019 at 11:27 pm).
Williams cruising
Williams hasn’t gained a lot of attention in the tournament so far. That is because she has barely spent any time on course. Williams has produced three straight emphatic victories on her way to the fourth round. She dropped just two games in her opening match, four in the second against Eugenie Bouchard and then just three in her third round breeze against teenager Dayana Yastremska.
So it’s easy to see why the bookmakers are siding with Williams in this one. She has been to the final of the last two Grand Slam tournament, at Wimbledon and the US Open last year. While she didn’t convert things into a title on either occasion, it shows that she is still going very strongly. She is the front runner and the one to beat. Can Halep, who has often found Williams in the way of title-shots, take her down this time?
Head to head
Serena Williams bosses the head to head between the two players. The American has won eight of the nine previous meetings between the two players. This will be their first meeting though since the 2016 US Open when Serena won in three sets. Halep’s only victory over Serena during her career happened at Indian Wells back in 2015. This will be their first meeting in Melbourne. The only other Grand Slam meeting besides the aforementioned US Open was a 2011 Wimbledon clash with Williams winning in straight sets.
Prediction
If you’re going out and backing Williams to get the job completed then she is at even money odds to win the match in straight sets* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 19th, 2019 at 11:27 pm). Frankly, we have a hard time looking past that option. Even though Williams hasn’t been tested yet at the Slam, she is probably going to step it up.
