Betting unmoved by Novak’s Qatar win, but Serb lays down major Oz marker

If their first clash of 2017 is anything to go by, then Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are in for the fiercest year of their rivalry yet.

The Serbian prevailed over three thrilling sets to claim the season-opening Qatar Open, and in the process ended Murray’s stunning 28-match winning run.

And now it’s all eyes on Melbourne, as the pair head to the Australian Open.

It’s a tournament both players have excelled at in the past, with the duo claiming 10 of the last 14 spots available in Aussie open finals.

So it’s no surprise the bookies can’t split the pair at 6/4 apiece.

But interestingly, that was the price before Djoko’s win this weekend.

In times gone by, victory for the Serbian would have seen him head Down Under as odds-on favourite.

So it would appear the bookies have more confidence in Murray than ever before.

But after a difficult autumn which saw him lose the number one spot to his Scottish rival, Djokovic’s success in Doha is a major statement of intent for the year ahead.

And with Stan Wawrinka leading the best of the rest at 11/1, the bookies don’t offer much hope to anyone troubling the sport’s top two.

But although our traders can’t split Djokovic and Murray, the result emerging from Qatar might just point you in the right direction.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing