Ashleigh Barty v Madison Keys Betting Tips [27 January 2022]

Ashleigh Barty is just two wins away from finally becoming Australian Open champion. The world number one takes on unseeded Madison Keys in the semi-final, with the winner facing either Iga Swiatek or Danielle Collins in the final. Barty knows that despite winning 14 WTA Tour singles finals, she needs to win more Grand Slam tournaments. Only two of the 14 have been in Grand Slams but Barty is in the form to make that three this weekend. After missing the final months of 2021, Barty returned this year and won one of the Adelaide warm-up tournaments, losing just one set. That form has continued into the Australian Open. Five matches have been won in straight sets and only 17 games dropped. Her quarter final saw Barty demolish Jessica Pegula for the loss of just two games. 

Madison Keys won the other tournament held in Adelaide, her first title since 2019. The former top ten player was as low as 87th in the rankings just over a fortnight ago. Her win in Adelaide and run to the last four in this Grand Slam have taken her live ranking up to 28th. This is her second Australian Open semi-final, the other being in 2015. Wins have come against former champion Sofia Kenin, Jaqueline Cristian, Wang Qian (her only three-setter), eighth seeded Paula Badosa and fourth seed Barbora Krejcikova. Those wins over seeded players saw her only lose nine games. Keys has played Barty on three occasions and is 2-1 down, losing the last two. The American will make a fight of this but it's Barty who has to be backed to win this.