Tennis Today: $40k punt on Kyrgios to win Australian Open

In Tennis Today, every man, his dog and their hip expert have their say on Andy Murray while someone is rivalling T365 tipster Deggsy’s betting lows.
What’s On The Site
Naturally Andy Murray dominates the news after he posted an emotional Instagram message following his withdrawal from the Brisbane International.
Our own Kevin Palmer wonders “Will we ever see Andy Murray on a tennis court again?“
Should Murray withdraw from the Australian Open, then he won’t be the first or the last person or team to pull out of a major event.
Our high-profile sporting withdrawals piece features the 1930 FIFA World Cup, the 2002-2014 Indian Wells Masters (featuring Serena and Venus Williams) and the 2005 United States Grand Prix, among other things.
What’s In The Papers
The Telegraph has gone all out with Murray as they have Hip Expert (?) Robert Marston, who says Murray “may have degenerative arthritis, leaving hip replacement as the likely option”.
Oliver Brown says the British No 1 “should consider retirement” after his latest setback.
Of course there is the Daily Mail with Martin Samuel saying “British tennis would be bereft without Andy Murray“.
Moving away from Murray, the good old The Sun has a story about Boris Becker being investigated for “accidentally flogging the wrong tennis racket in a £9k charity auction”.
What’s On Social
Money down the drain?
One punter has bet $40,000 on @NickKyrgios at $21 to win the Australian Open & stands to win a cool $800,000! #AusOpen
— Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) January 3, 2018
“This bet totally took us by surprise. Kyrgios has the weapons to win a Grand Slam, but that’s about it really. Best of luck to the punter…..I think they’ll need it,” said sportsbet.com.au’s Christian Jantzen told Foxsports.com.
We worry that this could put T365 tipster Deggsy’s betting lows to shame, but if the punter wins he will make a handy profit of A$800,000.
And just to get you in the mood for a good day’s tennis.
And the rest…
Security Guard: “Lets Go Verdasco! Come on Verdasco!”
Not sure if it was the body, the forehand or the tan that confused him. pic.twitter.com/FWcTBfmyln
— Jamie Murray (@jamie_murray) January 2, 2018
What’s On TV
Brisbane International
Nick Kyrgios, Milos Raonic and Karolina Pliskova will all be in action today.
03:00-09:00
LIVE – BT Sport 1
05:00-07:30
LIVE – Eurosport 1
09:00-11:00
LIVE – Eurosport 2
Shenzhen Open
Top seed and world No 1 Simona Halep will play Ying-Ying Duan in the feature match while Kristyna Pliskova and Katerina Siniakova will also be in action.
06:00-14:00 LIVE – BT Sport 3
Hopman Cup
Canada take on Germany with Angelique Kerber squaring off against Eugenie Bouchard and Alexander Zverev clashing against Vasek Pospisil. Meanwhile, Australia are up against Belgium and the feature match will see Thanasi Kokkinakis play David Goffin.
11:00-12:30 Eurosport 2
LIVE – Eurosport 2
Qatar Open
Top seed Dominic Thiem faces Great Britain’s Aljaz Bedene while Spaniard’s Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez will also be in action.
12:30-18:30
LIVE – Eurosport 2
18:40-20:30
LIVE – Eurosport 2
Latest
-
Australian Open
‘Really unjustified’ – Boris Becker leaps to Novak Djokovic’s defence over his quarantine pleas
Boris Becker believes world No.1 Novak Djokovic has come in for unfair criticism after writing a letter to Australian Open chiefs.
-
Tennis News
Umpire suffers heart attack as another Australian Open player tests positive for Covid-19
Spanish player Paula Badosa has announced she has tested positive for coronavirus during quarantine in Australia.
-
News
Laura Robson unsure about tennis future after third hip operation
The 27-year-old said her priority now is to live a pain-free life.
-
Australian Open
Andy Murray believes he can still play at the Australian Open as he plots return to action
Former world No.1 Andy Murray is still hopeful of playing in next month’s Australian Open.
-
Australian Open
Players are urged not to feed the mice in their hotel rooms as Heather Watson turns to Tik Tok
Britain’s Heather Watson has turned to Tik…
-
News
On this day in 2014: Stan Wawrinka ends Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open run
The Swiss won a five-set epic to deny Djokovic a piece of history.
-
News
Novak Djokovic hits back at allegations of being ‘selfish, difficult and ungrateful’
Djokovic says he finds it tough to be ‘a mere onlooker’.
-
Australian Open
Australian Open boss defends ‘better deal’ for the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams
Big-name players self-isolating in Adelaide.
-
ATP Tour
Rotterdam Open boss reveals delight as ‘one of his all-time favourite players’ Rafael Nadal joins field
Rafael Nadal will return to Rotterdam.
-
Australian Open
Roberto Bautista Agut says quotes comparing quarantine to ‘jail, but with WiFi’ was ‘taken out of context’
Roberto Bautista Agut issues an apology.