Australian Open Day 7 Tip: Haddad Maia can get one over occasional doubles partner

• Top 10 seeds falling to next gen stars

• Practice partners priced as pick-em

• Good match-up for Haddad Maia

• Completely FREE Bet when you place an Acca on the Australian Open

There was another surprise in the men's draw on Thursday as three time finalist Daniil Medvedev exited the tournament at the hands of 19-year old rising star Learner Tien.

The young American was good value for the win, edging a five hour, five set classic settled in a match tiebreak in which he outfought and outthought his more experienced opponent.

It has been a breakout tournament for the next generation of men's players as Tien joined fellow teenagers Jakub Mensik and Joao Fonseca in knocking out top 10 talents.

It was another good day for this column as Holger Rune got the win over Matteo Berrettini. I advised that there was likely to be good value on the Dane in-play and his victory was matched as high as 4.216/5 on the Betfair Exchange.

On day seven the most compelling action is likely to be found in the women's tournament with some exciting tussles between Elena Rybakina and Dayana Yastremska, Elina Svitolina and Jasmine Paolini and the match of the day featuring Emma Raducanu 11/26.50 and Iga Swiatek 1/91.11.

Raducanu is playing some quality tennis in Melbourne but as ever there are question marks over her fitness, and she will need to be at her best to overcome Iga Swiatek who dropped only two games in her defeat of Rebecca Sramkova in round two.

It is not outwith Raducanu's ability to beat Swiatek but she will need to have a good day and for Swiatek to have a drop in her usual standards.

However, on a day of heavy favourites and trappy contests the best value is on Beatriz Haddad Maia 1.9620/21 getting one over her regular practice partner Veronika Kudermetova 2.021/1.

Haddad Maia finding form

I have been able to watch all of Haddad Maia's matches this season and there has been a noticeable improvement in her level.

Admittedly, the Brazilian is not always an entertaining watch as her game can often be scrappy, and despite having flat hitting power she can become too comfortable relying on her admittedly impressive physicality to grind her way past opponents.

Bea had a shocking start to the season with a string of ropey performances and poor defeats to world number 175 Xinyu Gao and 80th ranked Laura Siegemund before a 6/2 6/1 thrashing at the hands of Madison Keys.

Her tennis lacked confidence and you could sense that all was not well with her game. It was therefore no surprise to see her get off to a slow start by losing the first set as a 1/51.20 shot versus Argentinian clay courter Julia Riera in the opening round.

It was a nervy touch-and-go second set but Haddad Maia rose to the occasion, increasing her aggression to take it. Confidence can be a super-power and since that sliding doors moment the form that has established Haddad Maia as a top 20 player revealed itself. She cruised to a 6/2 final set victory against Riera.

Haddad Maia was honest in her appraisal of that match stating, "Today my tennis level was well below what I was training for. I know I need to improve. But I am happy with my fight and for having found a way to win. Today I am leaving the court unsatisfied. I need to conduct the match better."

I wasn't sure what to expect from a tricky second round fixture against Erika Andreeva, but Haddad Maia came through it with flying colours demonstrating strong numbers behind her first and second serve.

Is Kudermetova back?

This time last year Veronika Kudermetova was a top 16 seed at the Australian Open but 12 months later she is ranked a lowly 75 in the world. It was a drastic drop in form for a player that was a regular contender for titles in 2023.

Although there are some examples of positive results this season such as dominant wins over Camila Osorio and Elisabetta Cocciaretto this have been balanced by one sided defeats to Peyton Stearns and Elise Mertens, which suggests to me that her form is still trending on the wrong side of erratic.

Kudermetova enjoyed an easy opening round against a badly out of her depth Aussie Olivia Gadecki, although she did score an underdog win that looks decent on paper against the seeded Katie Boulter.

However, I wasn't at all surprised to see Boulter lose this match as she is very much a one trick pony that performs well against opponents that give her rhythm to line up her repetitive power shots over and over again. When faced with some variation, which Kudermetova does possess, Boulter can fall apart at the seams.

Even then Kudermetova was a little bit fortunate to get off to a good start against Boulter as she squandered a double break lead in set one before requiring medical attention to investigate her vital signs and losing the second set 6/2. Everything is a bit random and erratic, rather than the confident and authoritative level that she was demonstrating at her world number nine peak.

Practice partners know each other well

These two players are well acquainted, not only practicing together regularly but occasionally partnering together on the doubles court. There will be no surprises for either player.

Last season Haddad Maia won both of their meetings on hard court in straight sets, and by clear and convincing four game and seven game margins of victory.

The matches were notable for Haddad Maia's strength of character under pressure as she tended to play her best tennis in these moments while Kudermetova crumbled. A match report from the time said the two players were chalk and cheese in how they appeared in these moments - with Haddad Maia self-motivating and positive, while Kudermetova sulked and became negative.

Another positive factor in Haddad Maia's favour is the presence of the Brazilian fans in attendance. Brazilian tennis fans have been everywhere on the tournament grounds this week celebrating the emergence of new superstar Joao Fonseca as well as Haddad Maia who always experiences the love from these supporters at the Grand Slams.

With a clear up-turn in confidence, a much higher current ranking and dominant 12 month hard court statistics, a convincing recent head to head record and an anticipated vibrant atmosphere that she will likely handle better than her opponent there are many reasons to support a Haddad Maia victory in this contest.

At 1.9620/21 on the Betfair Exchange Haddad Maia looks the value.

Now read Ultimate Guide to Australian Open 2025: Betting odds, schedule, how to watch