Australian Open 2025: Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic lead the men’s field
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Here are some of the top men at the Australian Open, which starts at Melbourne Park on Sunday morning local time (Saturday night EST), with money-line odds via BetMGM Sportsbook:
Jannik Sinner
Seeding: 1
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Italy
Age: 23
2024 Record: 73-6
2024 Titles: 8
Career Titles: 18
Grand Slam Titles: 2 — Australian Open (1: 2024), U.S. Open (1: 2024)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-Won Championship, 2023-Lost in 4th Rd, 2022-QF, 2021-1st, 2020-2nd
Aces: Sinner tested positive twice for a banned anabolic steroid in March but wasn’t suspended because a panel determined he didn’t use the drug intentionally and instead was exposed to it by his physiotherapist. The World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed his exoneration. … Won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open last January and his second at the U.S. Open in September. … Ended 2024 with winning streaks of 14 matches and 26 sets.
He Said It: “Of course, I had some ups and downs, and whoever knows me, (knows) I was emotionally a bit down and a bit also heartbroken.”
Read All About It: Sinner’s 2024 included two Slam titles and two positive doping tests
Odds Are: +125
Carlos Alcaraz
Seeding: 3
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Spain
Age: 21
2024 Record: 54-13
2024 Titles: 4
Career Titles: 16
Grand Slam Titles: 4 — French Open (1: 2024), Wimbledon (2: 2023, 2024), U.S. Open (1: 2022)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-QF, 2023-Did Not Play, 2022-3rd, 2021-2nd, 2020-DNP
Aces: Can complete a career Grand Slam at the age of 21 by winning the title at Melbourne Park. … As it is, he is the youngest man in tennis history to win at least one major championship on three surfaces. … Leads Jannik Sinner 6-4 head-to-head in their burgeoning rivalry. … Went 12-5 against opponents ranked in the top 10 last year. … Is 4-0 in Grand Slam finals.
He Said It: “I’m trying to make the people enjoy watching tennis.”
Read All About It: Alcaraz wants a seat at the adult table after his fourth major trophy
Odds Are: +350
Taylor Fritz
Seeding: 4
Career-Best Ranking: 4
Country: United States
Age: 27
2024 Record: 53-23
2024 Titles: 2
Career Titles: 8
Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Runner-Up, U.S. Open (2024)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-QF, 2023-2nd, 2022-4th, 2021-3rd, 2020-3rd
Aces: Had never reached more than one Grand Slam quarterfinal in a single season until 2024, when he got there at the Australian Open and Wimbledon and made it to the final at the U.S. Open before bowing out against Jannik Sinner. … Also lost to Sinner in the title match at the ATP Finals, becoming the first man from the U.S. to get that far at the season-ending championship since James Blake in 2006. … Fritz’s coach, Michael Russell, earned ATP Coach of the Year honors for 2024.
He Said It: “I’ve always said: Once I do something once, I just feel a lot more confident in being able to do it again.”
Read All About It: Fritz was the first American man in 15 years to reach a Grand Slam final
Odds Are: +2800
Daniil Medvedev
Seeding: 5
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Russia
Age: 28
2024 Record: 46-21
2024 Titles: Zero
Career Titles: 20
Grand Slam Titles: 1 — U.S. Open (1: 2021)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-RU, 2023-3rd, 2022-RU, 2021-RU, 2020-4th
Aces: Has made the final at Melbourne Park in three of the past four years but has yet to claim the championship. In two of those defeats in a title match, took a two-set lead before losing in five (to Jannik Sinner last year and to Rafael Nadal in 2022). … Is 1-5 overall in Grand Slam finals.
He Said It: “Hopefully I can win some more Grand Slams. I believe in myself. I believe in my tennis.”
Read All About It: Medvedev once again came oh-so-close to an Australian trophy last year
Odds Are: +1400
Novak Djokovic
Seeding: 7
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Serbia
Age: 37
2024 Record: 37-9
2024 Titles: 1
Career Titles: 99
Grand Slam Titles: 24 — Australian Open (10: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), French Open (3: 2016, 2021, 2023), Wimbledon (7: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), U.S. Open (4: 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-SF, 2023-W, 2022-DNP, 2021-W, 2020-W
Aces: Being coached in Melbourne by former rival Andy Murray. … Bidding to become the first player in tennis history with 25 Grand Slam singles titles. … 2024 was his first season without at least one major trophy since 2017. … Was 20-0 in semifinals or finals at the Australian Open until last year’s loss to Jannik Sinner in the final four. … 10 trophies in Melbourne are the most for a man. … Won just one title in 2024, but it was a big one: an Olympic gold medal for Serbia.
He Said It: “To have a legend of the game, someone that is known to be as an intelligent tennis player as there is out there, it’s a great honor, great pleasure for me.”
Read All About It: Djokovic adds an Olympic gold medal to his resume
Odds Are: +500
Alex de Minaur
Seeding: 8
Career-Best Ranking: 6
Country: Australia
Age: 25
2024 Record: 47-21
2024 Titles: 2
Career Titles: 9
Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Quarterfinals (four times)
Last 5 Australian Opens: 2024-4th, 2023-4th, 2022-4th, 2021-3rd, 2020-DNP
Aces: No Australian man has won the title at the country’s Grand Slam tournament since Mark Edmondson in 1976. … This will be de Minaur’s first time seeded in the top eight at a major. … He had only once ever reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal before 2024, when he made it that far three times: at the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Now he’ll try to do it in front of the home fans for the first time. … Got engaged to British tennis player Katie Boulter in December.
He Said It: “I don’t make too much fuss. I just put my head down and work on my craft.”
Read All About It: Hip injury forced de Minaur to pull out of Wimbledon showdown vs. Djokovic
Odds Are: +5000
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Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis