The first Grand Slam on the tennis calendar is almost here as the best players in the world are in Melbourne for the Australian Open.
This is a look at the 2026 Australian Open odds on DraftKings Sportsbook for the American men: Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and more.
2026 Australian Open Odds
There have been two runs of dominance in men’s tennis over the last 20 years, and neither of them has involved Americans. There was a clear top two of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, which became a “Big Three” with Novak Djokovic added to the mix. Djokovic continued his reign of dominance until Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner broke onto the scene. There was a “Big Three” once again, but this time with Djokovic as the elder statesman. Over the last two years, Alcaraz and Sinner have emerged as the clear top two players in the sport, reaching a level that even Djokovic can contend with at this age. Between Alcaraz and Sinner, they have won all eight men’s singles Grand Slams over the past two years. Meanwhile, the American men are still seeking their first Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open.
At that time in the early 2000s, the Americans were a force in the sport. From 2002 to 2003, three different American men won Grand Slams: Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Roddick. However, ever since that era of Federer/Nadal dominance began, the American men have not been able to keep up with the best players in the world. There was a time when it looked like the American men might never be competitive again. However, over the last couple of seasons, a few American men have started to challenge at the top of the sport: Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe. There is also an up-and-coming generation of young American men, led by Learner Tien, that could be challenging for titles in the near future.
Taylor Fritz got as high as No. 4 in the ATP rankings after reaching the 2024 US Open Final. Fritz got so close to finally winning that Grand Slam title, then spent most of the 2025 season at that No. 4 ranking. However, his form has fallen off ahead of the Australian Open, and he now ranks No. 9 in the world. The top-ranked American man heading into this event is Ben Shelton at No. 8. Shelton broke onto the scene by making the 2023 US Open semifinals, then made the semifinals here in Australia last year. Between his huge serve, his incredible left-handed backhand and extreme confidence, Shelton could be the one who finally delivers a Grand Slam for the American men.
2026 Australian Open: American Prop Bets
There are two prop bets that you can place on DraftKings Sportsbook on the American men. At +600, you can back an American man to make the Final, and at +1400, you can back an American man to win the Australian Open. Taylor Fritz is +3500 to win the tournament, while Ben Shelton is +6500. Every other American man has 100/1 or longer odds. Fritz, Shelton, even Tommy Paul, and Learner Tien have the ability to get to a Grand Slam Final. The obvious obstruction is the duo of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Those two players are simply on another level than any of the American men.
The year that Taylor Fritz made his lone Grand Slam Final, he was the beneficiary of someone else taking Carlos Alcaraz out of his path. He then didn’t face either of the top two until he lost to Jannik Sinner in the Final. In order to win a Grand Slam, an American might need to beat both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the same tournament, a feat that seems nearly impossible. Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz are a combined 1-20 in their last 21 matches against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. That does not inspire much confidence in their ability to win one of these, while both Alcaraz and Sinner are in this field in peak form.
Carlos Alcaraz has struggled in Australia in the past. This is one Grand Slam where he has been made to look human at times. There is a chance that either Fritz or Shelton could knock off Alcaraz if he continues his poor form in this event. There is also a chance that one of them is a beneficiary of someone else knocking out Alcaraz, just like Fritz was in 2024 at the US Open. If one of them can have a path to the Final that doesn’t involve Sinner or Alcaraz, they are both more than capable of beating anyone else in the field. So, between these two bets, I would back an American man to make the Final at +600. It seems there is still work to do before an American man can take that next step and win a Grand Slam title.
