
Borges – Auger-Aliassime: 19.01.2026 01:00 CEST
H2H: 0-1
Nuno Borges has won three of his last five matches. Last week in Auckland, Borges lost to Spizzirri in the 1/8-Finals in straight sets. Last season in Melbourne, he lost to Alcaraz in the third round in four tight sets.
Felix Auger-Aliassime has won three of his last five matches. So far this season, the Canadian has only played in the United Cup. His most significant result happened in 2022, when he lost to Medvedev in the quarterfinals. Last season, Auger-Aliassime lost to Davidovich Fokina in a five-set thriller in the second round.
According to the bookies, Borges is the heavy underdog in this matchup, but we disagree. Last season in Dubai under similar conditions, Auger-Aliassime won in three tight sets in a match that could have gone either way. We expect Borges to keep this match tight.
That being said, Borges covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Nuno Borges +4.5 games handicap @1.83 @bet365
Damm – Vacherot: 19.01.2026 06:00 CEST
H2H: first meeting
Martin Damm has won four of his last five matches. This week in Melbourne, Damm qualified for the main draw tournament, whilst dropping only a single set. In the final qualifying round, the American defeated Bailly in straight sets.
Valentin Vacherot has won three of his last five matches. Last week in Adelaide, Vacherot lost to Davidovich Fokina in the quarterfinals in straight sets. Last season in Melbourne, Vacherot failed to qualify for the main draw tournament. This will be his debut campaign in the main draw of the Australian Open.
According to the bookies, Vacherot is the favourite in this matchup, and we agree. He loves playing under pressure. Last season, Vacherot dominated in the second part of the season under similar conditions. On the other hand, Damm is a Challenger Tour player, so we expect Vacherot to win easily.
That being said, Vacherot covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Valentin Vacherot -2.5 games handicap @1.80 @bet365
Sinner – Gaston: Time TBA
H2H: 2-0
Jannik Sinner has lost three of his last five matches. So far this season, Sinner has not played any competitive matches. The Italian is a back-to-back Australian Open champion, winning consecutive titles in 2024 and 2025. Last season, Sinner defeated Zverev in the final in straight sets.
Hugo Gaston has lost three of his last five matches. Last week in Auckland, Gaston lost to Norrie in the opening round in straight sets. The Frenchman retired against Lehecka in the second round last season in Melbourne. He has never made it past the second round here.
According to the bookies, Sinner is the heavy favourite in this matchup, and we agree. Gaston has no weapons for his game, and we expect clear dominance from the Italian.
That being said, Sinner covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Jannik Sinner -10.5 games handicap @1.91 @bet365
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!