Australian Open 2025 experts' picks and betting tips - ESPN

The first Grand Slam of the year is upon us and the Australian Open promises to deliver epic action and storylines. Two-time defending women's champion Aryna Sabalenka will attempt a three-peat which has eluded the game's best since the dominant days of Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and, most recently, Martina Hingis in 1997-99. She'll likely need to beat two of Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina to do so.

On the men's side, Novak Djokovic and his 10 titles loom large, but 23-year-old Jannik Sinner is the defending champion and the future of men's tennis alongside 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz. The 2025 Australian Open begins Sunday in Melbourne. You can read more about it, or we can get down to the business of predicting winners, as well as getting an odds-on take from our tennis wagering experts.

Rennae Stubbs: I think Coco Gauff can do it. Her confidence is sky-high. It will be interesting to see who gets through the top half of the draw between Aryna Sabalenka and Gauff, but whoever does is my favorite and I think it's Coco's time.

Jarryd Barca: I think we're going to witness history. It's likely to be the popular — and perhaps boring — answer, but it's hard to go past current world No. 1 Sabalenka, who is looking to claim a third consecutive Australian Open title. It's a feat no woman has achieved this century, and it's the pressure of that monumental milestone that could prove to be her biggest challenge. But the 26-year-old has a strong record Down Under, winning her past five tournaments there, and in recently winning the Brisbane International, she enters the first Grand Slam of the year in top form, which is exactly what you want to see from a main contender.

Bill Connelly: It's tempting to go with Gauff, who