Djokovic v Murray best bets: First set tie-break looks a ripper
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Early Sunday risers are in for a treat as Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray take to the Rod Laver Arena for the Australian Open final and all things considered it is a very difficult result to call.
Being a four-time champion and world number one are clearly reasons enough to be labelled as the warm 4/9 favourite for Djokovic, as the super Serb bids for an Open Era record of five titles Down Under.
Then again, Murray claimed both of his previous Grand Slam crowns by defeating his old adversary and considering the Brit arrives in his fourth Aussie Open showpiece off the back of 11 straight wins in 2015, there’s plenty to like about his odds of 7/4 for the match.
Therefore, in our attempts to guide punters down a few profitable avenues, the three best bets for the contest take a tactical swerve away from the identity of the eventual champion:
This will be the players’ fourth meeting at a hard-court Grand Slam since Murray earned his maiden US Open title in 2012.
Taking in their 2013 Australian Open clash, each of the last three first sets have gone the distance, as have three of the last four opening sets Djokovic has contested at this year’s tournament.
If Murray is to finally land this elusive Slam then he will have to continue to serve as well, if not better, than he has for the duration of the tournament.
Encouragingly for this wager, the Scot’s serving has been brilliant up to now. Murray laid down 16 aces against Tomas Berdych in the semis, the third match in a row and the fourth in six rounds of the Australian Open where he’s exceeded the quoted line.
Another flick through the annals ahead of the 25th career meeting between these warriors could well pay dividends.
Four of the last five Grand Slam collisions have seen Muzza claim the second set of the match.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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