The Australian Open received a jolt in the bottom half of the draw in the first round as we’ve already seen a number of upsets. We elaborated about the No. 8 Venus Williams and No. 19 Caroline Wozniacki upsets yesterday and today we have more to add to the list. The biggest shock so far would have to be that No. 2 Simona Halep has been ousted. She was as high as a 15/1 favorite but lost in straight sets to the unseeded qualifier Zhang Shuai. She wasn’t the only one to get bounced as No. 23 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova bowed out, as did No. 29 seed Irina Begu and No. 31 seed Lesya Tsurenko. The good news for tennis fans is that No. 1 Serena Williams was unscathed as she barely broke a sweat in the first round, crushing Su-Wei Hsieh 6-1, 6-2.
On Thursday in Melbourne, the bottom half of the draw will play its second-round women’s singles matches. We’ve circled three matches that are off the beaten path that could offer some good betting value.
Barbora Strycova vs. Vania King
Odds: Strycova -415
One of the second-round matches which offers some intrigue is this one. Strycova beat the No. 32 seed, Caroline Garcia, in the first round, disposing of the Frenchwoman in straight sets. Strycova made the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2014 and had penetrated the top 30 for a while. She is an emotionally volatile player, but she has a big game off the ground and is good at putting pressure on her opponents. Dealing with adversity is her kryptonite, but when things are flowing smoothly, she is normally able to impose her game. Vania King just got done with a three-set win in the first round, and a comeback at that, beating Mona Barthel after losing the first set. Strycova should like this matchup. She plays an opponent who will not threaten her or hit a harder ball. That’s right where she wants it. You can lay the juice straight up here or you can specifically take Strycova in straights, which will lower the juice.
Pick: Strycova in straight sets
Johanna Konta vs. Saisai Zheng
Odds: Konta -390
This is a matchup in which you have to like the player who just showed that she can hang with the top players in her sport. Konta beat Garbine Muguruza (who is the third seed in Australia) at last year’s U.S. Open. She has now beaten Venus Williams at a major tournament, having done so in the first round. Konta is clearly not a one-hit wonder. Her steady hitting, in which she takes the ball early and redirects the angle, often going crosscourt with her shots, robs opponents of time. This proved to be effective against Venus, and it should be able to work against Saisai Zheng, a player who has not yet shown that she can go deep into majors. Both players are trying to get to that point where they reach the second week of a major tournament on a regular basis. Konta’s wins over top-10 players offer more of an indication that she can step forward and be the person who will take charge of this match. She won’t just likely win, but will do it in two sets, not three.
Pick: Konta in straight sets
Alize Cornet vs. Shuai Zhang
Odds: Cornet -265
This match is the product of Shuai Zhang’s stunning upset of No. 2 seed Simona Halep in the first round. Zhang was ranked 133rd, a qualifier who had never before won a match in the first round (or any round) of a Grand Slam event. This was her first win in such a situation in 15 attempts. She had lost her first 14, and she picked a great time to win number one. Halep was outhit by Zhang, who had more weapons and more answers all evening long on Tuesday. The hard part for Zhang will be to emotionally regroup and focus on every point here. Cornet is a tested veteran who is thrilled to not have to play Halep. Cornet’s experience should come through here. It is hard to bet on Zhang winning consecutive matches here.
Pick: Cornet in straight sets
