A small bit of history is being made at the Australian Open semifinal.
For the first time since 2013, neither the Men's or Ladies' draw at a major will have a first-time semifinalist.
In the first Women's matchup, heavy underdog Madison Keys will try and upset WTA No. 1 and home-soil favorite Ashleigh Barty.
Covers Experts’ resident tennis handicapper Tennis Insiders breaks down the semi-finalists and matchups with our Australian Open semifinal picks.
Ashleigh Barty vs Madison Keys odds
| (1) Ashleigh Barty | Madison Keys | |
|---|---|---|
| -450 | Moneyline | +333 |
| -4.5 (-120) | Match Handicap (Games) | +4.5 (-120) |
| 4.5 (Over -163/Under +120) | Total Breaks of Serve | 3.5 (Over -110/Under -125) |
Odds courtesy of bet365 as of January 26, 2022.
Australian Open women's semifinal betting preview
Ashleigh Barty betting breakdown
Barty has been phenomenal as she’s raced through her draw to reach the semi-finals, winning ten consecutive sets. She’s aiming to become the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong to win the title on home soil.
Barty’s hand skills are probably the best the WTA Tour has ever seen — she has few weaknesses and even those weaknesses are hard to unlock as she’s so adept at keeping her opponents uncomfortable.
Madison Keys betting breakdown
Keys is well known for her winning and losing streaks, she caught fire in Adeliade and has knocked out three Top-16 seeds already, beating Sofia Kenin, Paula Badosa and Barbora Krejcikova in straight sets.
This is Keys’ second semifinal in Melbourne — she was 19 years of age when she made her first appearance in 2015, beating Petra Kvitova & Venus Williams before losing a narrow first set to Serena. Her firepower as always been clear to see, controlling it has proven problematic.
Australian Open women's semifinal matchup preview
Barty’s variety has given the majority of the WTA Tour nightmares and that should also apply against Keys’ heavy baseline game. She likes a set rhythm to the rally — how does she cope with the constant changing of speeds & spins?
Barty recorded 63 consecutive service holds before Amanda Anisimova finally broke her during the fourth round. Despite being small in stature, the power she generates and placement on her serve prevent it from being attacked.
If Keys can settle into a rhythm from the baseline and take time away from Barty, she can have success, however, in these slow conditions, her shot tolerance will be tested.
Australian Open women's semifinal pick
- Madison Keys Over 2.5 double faults (+120 at bet365)
