Australian Open day nine predictions and tennis betting tips

Free tennis tips, best bets and analysis for day nine at the Australian Open, which starts at midnight on Monday night UK & Ireland time.

Where to watch

Eurosport 1 & 2, from midnight Monday

Best bets

Rafael Nadal to win & both players win a set
1pt 6-4 bet365

Matteo Berrettini to beat Gael Monfils
2pts 8-13 general

Day nine preview

Rafael Nadal v Denis Shapovalov

The absence of world number one Novak Djokovic and surprise fourth-round exit of Alexander Zverev has put Rafael Nadal in a commanding position to reach his sixth Australian Open final.

The Spaniard has added motivation to make the most of the opportunity he has been presented with as victory in Melbourne would see him surpass the achievements of Djokovic and Roger Federer, who have also claimed 20 Grand Slam titles.

Nadal has fallen at this hurdle in each of the last two years but a quiet 2021 appears to have done the trick and a win in the Melbourne Summer Set earlier this month has restored his confidence.

The fifth seed has carried that form with him into the Australian Open with wins over Marcos Giron, Yannick Hanfmann, Karen Khachanov and Adrian Mannarino.

However, Nadal dropped a set in round three against Karen Khachanov and was involved in an epic 28-minute first-set tie-break with Mannarino, so Alexander Zverev’s conqueror Denis Shapovalov can offer stiff resistance.

The Canadian youngster is fearless and although perhaps flattered by his margin of victory over Zverev, has the weapons to make Nadal work hard for his rewards.

The 22-year-old needed five sets to see off Soonwoo Kwon and also dropped sets in wins over Laslo Djere and Reilly Opelka and for all his excellent efforts may still come up short.

Gael Monfils v Matteo Berrettini

French veteran Gael Monfils has rolled back the years to reach the last eight of the Australian Open, but may need to take his game to another level to see off the challenge of seventh-seed Matteo Berrettini.

The rejuvenated 35-year-old won silverware in Adelaide earlier this month and has been as equally impressive in Melbourne, recording four straight-set wins.

However, he has faced only one player inside the world’s top 36 during that run and a busy recent schedule may soon take its toll as he is regularly battling injury.

Berrettini has had a much tougher route to the quarter-finals with Carlos Alcaraz and Pablo Carreno Busta his last two victims and he has now won 20 straight Grand Slam matches against players other than Novak Djokovic, so looks a worthy favourite.

Ashleigh Barty v Jessica Pegula

World number one and home favourite Ashleigh Barty is already odds-on in places to record Australian Open glory and should have few concerns seeing off her quarter-final challenger Jessica Pegula.

The Queensland native has registered four straight-set victories in her home Slam, meaning she has now recorded routine wins in 14 of her last 16 encounters.

Barty’s list of victims in Melbourne include Italian 30th seed Camila Giorgi and American Amanda Anisimova, who had earlier overcome Naomi Osaka, and she should also wrap things up quickly against Pegula. However, a straight-set win is priced accordingly at 8-15.

Barbora Krejcikova v Madison Keys

There is an intriguing last-eight battle taking place between Barbora Krejcikova and Madison Keys, with bookmakers having slight preference for the Czech fourth seed.

That looks about right given Krejcikova, who won the French Open and also made the US Open quarter-finals last year, has been more consistent in recent Grand Slam.

That said, Keys has won ten of her 11 games this year and a convincing 6-3 6-1 win over world number six Paula Badosa last time out suggests she is capable of working her way back towards her career-high ranking of seven.

With both players in such good heart, this looks a tricky match to call and from a punting perspective is best left alone.

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