$1,500
Defending champion gets his AO campaign underway.
Double defending champion Jannik Sinner begins his quest for a hat-trick of successes at Melbourne Park, as he challenges Hugo Gaston of France in the Australian Open 2026 Round of 128. The World No. 2 did not play any competitive match before entering the first major of the season. On the other hand, Gaston is searching for his first main draw victory after faltering in Brisbane and Auckland. Will the Italian beast pick up his 15th consecutive win at the Australian Open?
Winning four out of the last five tournaments he competed in last year, Jannik Sinner ended his campaign with a 58-6 record. The four-time Grand Slam champion has never lost to Gaston in the past. In fact, the 25-year-old southpaw is yet to grab a set against Sinner. He has a career win-loss record of 48-75, with the highlight being a Round of 16 qualification at the Roland Garros 2020. Meanwhile, Sinner has won 68% service points and 40% return points on hard courts throughout his career.
According to the tennis betting odds, Jannik Sinner is an outright favorite to win this match as well as the tournament. BetMGM gives him pre-match odds of -10000 for Tuesday’s clash. Meanwhile, Hugo Gaston is an underdog with +1700 odds. Here’s how we are betting on this highly anticipated contest on Rod Laver Arena, including our best bets, supporting odds and a set-score prop for bigger prices.
Given below are the latest odds for Jannik Sinner vs Hugo Gaston from the top sportsbooks. We are looking at the match money line, game handicap and total games, plus some set betting markets where available.
| Market | BetMGM | FanDuel |
| Moneyline | Sinner (-10000), Gaston (+1700) | Sinner (-20000), Gaston (+3500) |
| Game Handicap | Sinner -10.5 (-134), Gaston +10.5 (+104) | Sinner -10.5 (-130), Gaston +10.5 (-102) |
| Total Games | >25.5 (-129), <25.5 (+100) | >26.5 (+100), <26.5 (-132) |
| Set Betting | Sinner 3-0 (-500) | Sinner 3-0 (-500) |
Our Pick: Total Games Under 25.5 at +100
Sinner has dropped two games or fewer in three out of four sets against Gaston so far. The Italian has a brilliant record at the Australian Open, and will be fresh since he hasn’t played a match this year. With Gaston having a relatively slow average serve speed, Sinner is likely to dominate the groundstroke exchanges. He will push the Frenchman behind the baseline and draw the short responses to keep the points short.
When we compare the careers of Sinner and Gaston, both players turned pro in 2018. Yet, the left-hander’s height of 5’8” limited the x-factors he could possess. Moreover, his struggle with injuries meant that Gaston was left competing in the qualifiers for a vast majority of his career. Sinner’s ascent began at this very event in 2024. He has won 24 singles championships with a record of 321-86.
Jannik Sinner has a 2-0 advantage in the head-to-head rivalry vs Hugo Gaston. Having faced each other twice in 2021, the current World No. 2 secured a pair of comfortable victories in Marseille and Miami.
| Event | Round | Winner | Score |
| 2021 Miami | Round of 64 | Jannik Sinner | 6-2 6-2 |
| 2021 Marseille | Round of 16 | Jannik Sinner | 6-4 6-1 |
The Australian Open 2026 can be viewed live on a variety of streaming platforms and TV channels across the world. This includes Tennis Channel, Stan Sport, ESPN International, TSN, beIN Sports, SuperSport, Canal+, Sony Sports, Eurosport and TNT Sports – depending on where you are watching from.
| Date | January 18, 2026 |
| Time | 19:00 Local |
| Tournament | Australian Open 2026, Round of 128 |
| Surface | Outdoor Hard Court |
| Court | Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne |
| TV/Streaming | Tennis Channel, Stan Sport, ESPN International, TSN, beIN Sports, SuperSport, Canal+, Sony Sports, Eurosport, TNT Sports |
(Image Credits: Mike Frey, Imagn Images)
