Jack Draper, Holger Rune, and Arthur Fils have already withdrawn from the Australian Open. Novak Djokovic pulled out of next week’s ATP 250 tournament in Adelaide, saying that he is “not quite physically ready.” Joao Foseca exited the Brisbane draw due to a back injury. Taylor Fritz is battling knee tendonitis at the United Cup and has already lost to both Sebastian Baez and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
And we’re only one week into the New Year.
For tennis fans who are hoping that some kind of newcomer — or even a veteran — can rise up and challenge world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 2 Jannik Sinner at the Aussie Open, the above developments are not encouraging. If top 10, top 20, and top 30 players are already dropping like flies, what will we be left with at Melbourne Park later this month?
The good news is that despite the recent monopoly on Grand Slam titles that Alcaraz and Sinner have enjoyed, men’s tennis boasts plenty of depth these days. Even with Draper, Rune, and Fils sidelined while Djokovic, Fonseca, and Fritz are ailing, there are other outside title contenders on the odds list who can compete. In addition to making wagers on the upcoming festivities in Melbourne, visit this site for the best crypto casino bonus hub for real bettors.
World No. 3 Alexander Zverev is a three-time Grand Slam finalist, including at last year’s Aussie Open (lost to Sinner). He has reached the semis at six other majors, including Down Under in 2020 and 2024. As the third seed in Melbourne, Zverev is guaranteed to avoid both Alcaraz and Sinner at least until the semifinals.
Daniil Medvedev is showing early signs in 2026 of turning back the clock to his former self. The 29-year-old Russian ended a 28-month title drought by winning the Almaty event last fall to go along with semifinal showings in Beijing and Shanghai plus a quarterfinal result in Paris. Medvedev has kicked off this season with straight-set victories over Marton Fucsovics and Frances Tiafoe in Brisbane. The former world No. 1 is a three-time runner-up at the Australian Open.
Ben Shelton does not yet have the accolades of Zverev and Sinner, but the 23-year-old American’s huge-hitting game makes him dangerous on any given day. When Shelton is serving well, he can beat anyone on tour. Conditions in Australia are favorable for his game, and he advanced to the semifinals there 12 months ago. In fact, the world No. 8 loves any kind of big stage. He is also a U.S. Open semifinalist (2023) and has reached two other slam quarters (2023 Australian Open, 2025 Wimbledon).
Other relative longshots worth taking a look at in Melbourne are Felix Auger-Aliassime, Lorenzo Musetti, and the super talented but often erratic Alexander Bublik.