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Emma Raducanu faces Shelby Rogers in her return to women’s tennis after a long injury hiatus. The British superstar will take on the American in a battle of unseeded players with little playing time to show for themselves. Rogers has also been out of commission, with this being her first match in six months. Read on to access an expert prediction and explore the latest Emma Raducanu odds and news for the Australian Open 2024.
- Emma Raducanu vs Shelby Rogers, The Australian Open
- First Round
- Hard Surface (Outdoors)
- Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- ESPN, ESPN+
Emma Raducanu Odds vs Shelby Rogers: Australian Open 2024
Emma Raducanu is favored as high as (-425) to defeat her first round opponent Shelby Rogers. The American will look to avoid an early exit from the Australian Open but will have to play the role of underdog in doing so. She is lined up to win at (+290), good for an implied probability of only 25.6%.
Australian Open 
Emma Raducanu -347 -425 -375 -425 Shelby Rodgers +277 +250 +290 +250
To learn more, visit our tennis betting tips and explore the Australian Open betting odds.
Heat Policy to be Invoked at Australian Open Again?
Challenging at the Australian Open comes with the added obstacle of coping with the scorching weather, a persistent concern in previous editions. The tournament, held during the intense summer months in Australia, has implemented a heat policy to safeguard the well-being of professional athletes. With Rod Laver Arena equipped with a retractable roof, organizers have the option to shift matches indoors based on specific weather conditions.
In the record-breaking 2009 tournament, the policy came into play multiple times due to exceptionally high temperatures, averaging 34.7 °C (94.5 °F). Fast forward to the 2023 edition, on the second day, the policy was activated as temperatures soared to 98 degrees Fahrenheit, with a “feels like” temperature of 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Consequently, play on all open courts was halted until conditions improved.
Fortunately, according to the most recent weather forecast, the initial three days of the 2024 Australian Open might experience varying intensities of rainfall. However, starting from January 17, the weather is expected to clear up, creating ideal conditions for the anticipated tennis spectacle that fans worldwide have been eagerly awaiting. Predictions indicate temperatures ranging in the 70s for the first week at least, offering a pleasant environment for both players and spectators on the grounds.
Emma Raducanu Odds and Current Form
There’s a touch of destiny surrounding Emma Raducanu’s debut match, following her commendable return from three surgeries with a competitive performance against Elina Svitolina in the Auckland Classic last week. Despite the setbacks, the 21-year-old achieved a career-high WTA world ranking of 10th after an extraordinary journey, winning the 2021 US Open as a qualifier just months after her WTA tour debut.
During that triumphant run, Raducanu didn’t drop a set, including in a match against Rogers. However, Raducanu has faced numerous injuries and obstacles since then, entering the Australian Open with a world ranking of 299. Both Raducanu and the 31-year-old Rogers are entering Melbourne with protected rankings. Raducanu made her first appearance in 8 months at the Auckland Classic last week. This match marks the American’s return to the tour since sustaining an injury at Wimbledon last summer.
Emma Raducanu vs Shelby Rogers Prediction for Australian Open 2024
Despite Rogers reaching a career-high WTA world ranking of 30th in August 2022, her potential has always hinted at a higher, albeit fleeting, ceiling. Notably, she was the last player to defeat the now-retired Ash Barty before facing Raducanu in New York two years ago. The outcome of that match was pivotal; had Barty won against Rogers that day, Raducanu’s miraculous victory at Flushing Meadows might never have transpired.
Nevertheless, Rogers enters this match without any recent competitive play, putting her at a disadvantage compared to Raducanu. Additionally, the Melbourne crowd, considering Raducanu a true darling of the sport, is expected to fully support her.
Therefore, betting on a Raducanu straight sets win can be made in a variety of ways. We can look at the set spread, which is set at 1.5 (-150) in favor of the Brit. We can also take an exact set number of 2, or a correct set score of 2-0 for Raducanu. An exact set number of 2 would cover in the event Rogers pulls it off in straight sets, but considering how we are looking to fade her, the (-250) number simply isn’t worth it.
The bet I favor most is the under in the total games market. At 20.5, two sets of 6-4, 6-4 for either player would hit. I think this is the best way to back Raducanu while minimizing the juice we lay on a player who may also be experiencing some rust on the tennis court after being out for so long in 2023. Take under 20.5 games (-106) for a half unit.
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