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Get Australian Open daily tips 16-29 January
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Djokovic firm favourite to win 10th men's single title
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Alcaraz and Medvedev only other players under 10/1
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Kyrgios participation in doubt after Adelaide withdrawl
Novak Djokovic will make a triumphant return to Melbourne this month and claim his 10th Australian Open men's singles title, according to the latest odds on the Betfair Exchange.
The 35-year-old missed last year's tournament due to controversy around his Covid-19 vaccination status.
Rafael Nadal won in Djokovic's absence but the Spaniard is 19.018/1 to retain the title.
Djokovic almost even odds for title
Bettors are so confident that Djokovic, who is currently warming up for the year's first Grand Slam at the ATP Adelaide, is heading for glory Down Under that he is almost a 50/50 chance to go all the way at 2.26/5.
Djokovic received a warm reception in Adelaide as he swept aside Constant Lestienne in straight sets yesterday.
The Serb holds the record for the number of Australian Open men's single titles with nine of his 21 Slams won in Melbourne.
He is likely to face further difficulties this year about his vaccination status after the US this week extended its requirement for international visitors to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
That means Djokovic could miss Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March.
For now, though, his focus will be on Australia and there is little doubt about his chances of success there.
His nearest rival in the outright betting is Carlos Alcaraz 8.27/1, the Spanish wonder kid who is currently ranked as the world number one after he won the US Open in September.
The 19-year-old has never been beyond the third round in Melbourne, although his stunning victory in New York left nobody in any doubt about his hardcourt pedigree.
Medvedev and Kyrgios aim to overcome demons
Daniil Medvedev 8.88/1 is close behind Alacaraz in the market. The Russian comes into this tournament having lost two Australian Open finals in a row.
He was two sets up against Nadal last year before the Spaniard rallied to deny Medvedev what would have been a second Grand Slam title.
He has since slipped to seventh in the ATP rankings and it will be fascinating to see whether he can overcome the heartbreak of 2022 to challenge again this year.
Australian fans will wonder if this could be Nick Krygios's 22.021/1 year after he reached the Wimbledon final last summer.
The fiery Canberra native has only been as far as the last eight in Melbourne, and that was in 2015, and lost in the second round to Medvedev last year.
Now there are question marks over whether Kyrgios will compete after he pulled out of last week's United Cup at the 11th hour.
He has since withdrawn from the Adelaide event, throwing into doubt his participation at the Slam and raising the prospect that he will be unprepared even if he does show.
World number four Stefanos Tsitipas comes next in the betting at 24.023/1 while Jannik Sinner is 27.026/1.
You can read an in-depth preview of both the men's and single's draws at the Australian Open next week from our tennis betting expert Dan Weston who will also provide daily tips throughout the tournament.