Tennis betting tips: 2024 Grand Slam preview and best antepost bets including Naomi Osaka

Tennis betting tips: 2024 Grand Slams

1pt e.w. Qinwen Zheng in the French Open at 40/1 (General 1/2 1,2)

1pt e.w. Naomi Osaka in the US Open at 40/1 (Sky Bet 1/2 1,2)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

Maybe I’m being unkind, but, in my opinion, 2023 wasn’t a great year for talent production on the WTA Tour.

Women’s tennis has long been considered a youngster’s game – think the historic emergence of Tracy Austin, Martina Hingis, Serena Williams – but right now there are just two teenagers in the world’s top 20, three in the top 80 and six in the top 100.

OK, the average age is on the increase but when you ask yourself who could make their breakthrough at the Slams in 2024 and it’s not an easy question to answer.

I suspect many would raise the name of Mirra Andreeva, the 16-year-old who reached the last 16 of Wimbledon and ended the year as the world number 46.

She certainly has talent but it’s asking a lot for her to be winning at this level in the next nine months and its top-level winners we’re seeking in that period.

And, perhaps most importantly given we are talking about betting, the odds she’s been tagged with are frankly crazy – Betfred offer just 7/1 that she wins the Australian Open next month!

With the young guns failing to inspire, I feel some of the old guard come offer a bit of value in the ante-post markets at present.

Just as people should not go overboard about a talented youngster, neither should they be quick to dismiss established, older players with proven track records.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some players who may offer some long-term value as attention turns to 2024…

Australian Open

• When: January 14-28
• Where: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
• TV: Eurosport

Victoria Azarenka was a surprise semi-finalist in Melbourne at the start of 2023 and could offer some value for another deep run 12 months later.

The Belarusian is a two-time former champion at this event, albeit more than a decade ago, but she’s still capable to beating top players on her day, as she showed at the 2023 edition.

Her quarter-final victory over Jessica Pegula was one of two wins against top-10 players at the Slams last season and she has now won four of her last seven matches versus the top 10.

Crucially, this is a time of year Azarenka has always enjoyed.

Obviously those memories of her two major titles will have something to do with that but she’s got a fine record at many of the Australian events with five titles in total in the country, plus two other final appearances.

Judging by her social media, Azarenka has been putting in the hard yards during a lengthy pre-season and I’d expect her to be straining at the leash ahead of the new campaign.

All five of her Grand Slam finals have come on her favoured hardcourts and it may just be worth a dabble at 80/1 about her making it six in January.

French Open

• When: May 26-June 9
• Where: Roland Garros, Paris, France
• TV: Eurosport

While I’ve made it clear I’m not hugely impressed by the WTA’s ‘Next Gen’, one who could be worth following in 2024 is QINWEN ZHENG.

• CLICK HERE to back Qinwen with Sky Bet

She made remarkable progress last season, climbing up to 15th in the world rankings, yet there’s a feeling that she’s still going under the radar somewhat.

Only 21, there could well be more to come and after an acrimonious split from coach Wim Fisette, it’s interesting to see that she’s reunited with Pere Riba, who helped Coco Gauff to last season’s US Open title.

With both player and coach having developed since they parted ways earlier this year, there’s potential for her climb to continue.

The Chinese has a big serve that delivered a tour-high percentage of 73.7 for first-serve points won, while her heavy forehand is also a major weapon.

Fisette feels clay is her best surface. In September, he reflected: "Tactically, she was very strong. It’s where you see her at her best, on clay. The heaviness of her forehand, her movement, her quickness on the court – everything kind of comes together on the clay."

Iga Swiatek, winner of this title in three of the last four years, will likely take some beating – she’s been the best player on clay by some distance in that period – but don’t be surprised if Qinwen can make an impact at Roland Garros.

It would certainly be no surprise to see her going off considerably shorter than her current price – she’s 75/1 win only and 40/1 for those seeking the each-way option, with LiveScoreBet offering 50s.

Wimbledon

• When: July 1-14
• Where: All England Club, Wimbledon, London, England, UK
• TV: BBC

Sadly, the player I believe has a great chance of shortening up significantly in the next six months is already towards the top of the market, so we’re not talking a big price here.

But I do think the bookies could live to regret putting Coco Gauff up at 14/1.

The American made her breakthrough at the very top of the game by winning the US Open in September after a superb hardcourt season in North America.

Admittedly, Pere Riba has since left her coaching team but Brad Gilbert’s know-how was largely credited with helping Gauff get over the Grand Slam winning line after he joined the set-up last summer.

Gilbert, a hugely successful coach, remains and if he and Gauff want to add further coaching talent to the team, one suspects people will be queuing up for the job.

It’s easy to forget that Gauff is still a teenager and while she lost in the first round of Wimbledon back in July, it should also be remembered that it was in SW19 that Gauff announced her name to the world, beating Venus Williams en route to round four when only 15.

Iga Swiatek looks a weak favourite for this event, one at which she’s yet to go beyond the quarter-finals, and there are plenty of reasons to suggest Gauff can continue her improvement in 2024 and challenge for the top prizes again.

US Open

• When: August 26-September 8
• Where: Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
• TV: Sky Sports

This is a bet which could go horribly wrong, but also one with big potential upside – NAOMI OSAKA to win the US Open at 40/1.

• CLICK HERE to back Osaka with Sky Bet

Osaka is arguably one of the most talented players of the last decade and she’s already a two-time champion at Flushing Meadows.

With major power on serve and off the ground, she has won four Grand Slams in total, all on a hardcourt.

Of course, the reason she’s 40/1 is that she’s been out of the game for so long – she hasn’t played since September 2022 and during her spell away she’s given birth to daughter, Shai.

To be fair, Osaka’s level had dipped off prior to her pregnancy – she famously quit Roland Garros in 2021 amid a media row about her mental health.

The Japanese star never looked a happy tennis player but the fact she’s coming back after giving birth suggests a high level of motivation and if there’s anything that could have given her some new perspective on the game, it’s having a child.

She doesn’t strike me as someone who would make a half-hearted comeback and presumably coach Wim Fisette agrees – as mentioned above, he caused a stir by leaving Qinwen Zheng to rekindle his previously successful working relationship with Osaka.

In 2023, Marketa Vondrousova and Karolina Muchova both showed how spectacular comebacks can be made after long lay-offs. Each made a Grand Slam final, the former emerging as Wimbledon champion.

Perhaps Elina Svitolina is a better comparison. Like Osaka, she took maternity leave from the WTA Tour but was pretty darn good upon her return, making the Wimbledon semis among a string of other fine results.

The natural talent is unlikely to have disappeared so if Osaka goes at her comeback full pelt, it would be no surprise at all were she to return to the upper echelons of the game.

And, if that does happen, then she won’t be going off at 40/1 in New York.

Posted at 1630 GMT on 14/12/23

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