World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty will have a chance to win a third career grand slam in front of a home crowd when she faces American Danielle Collins in the Australian Open final.
Barty reached the title round with a win over Madison Keys, while the 27th-seeded Collins (ranked 30th) upset No. 7 Iga Swiatek to get there.
It’s the first career grand slam final for Collins, who will enter the match as a massive underdog. The odds on her moneyline are +350 versus -520 for Barty on Tipico Sportsbook, and the odds on either to win a set are +240 for Collins and -350 for Barty.
Made Down Under ™️
🇦🇺 @ashbarty defeats Madison Keys 6-1 6-3 to become the first home representative to reach the #AusOpen women's singles final since 1980.
🎥: @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/C7NtLJySmp
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2022
However long the odds are, there is reason to believe Collins could give Barty a match.
Though Barty won three of the previous four head-to-head meetings between the two, Collins won three of the last five sets they’ve played since 2020, including a straight-set match win in their last meeting in 2021. Only one of their four matches resulted in a straight-set loss for Collins.
Of course, the way Barty is playing going into the final would suggest a bet against her to win is unwise. She hasn’t dropped a single set this tournament, losing more than three games just once out of the 12 sets she’s won. Collins has dropped two sets this tournament and had another go to seven games in the quarters. But she’s also riding high going into the final after winning 6-4, 6-1 in the semifinals.
Danielle. Rose. Collins. 🇺🇸💪🗣#AusOpen • #AO2022• #AOTennis pic.twitter.com/mmVhHjzMfH
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2022
Collins had only reached the semis of a grand slam once prior to this tournament, at the 2019 Australian Open. To finally breakthrough for her first final and have to face the top-ranked player in the world who has home-court advantage is a tough draw. A win is unlikely, but the odds are favorable enough to put a little something on Collins to at least take a set. That also puts the over on 20.5 games in play at -107 odds. Odds on the under are -118.
The Australian Open women’s final is scheduled for 3:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.