The second round of the Australian Open wraps up on Wednesday night and Thursday morning for American viewers.
These are my Australian Open best bets to target on DraftKings Sportsbook for the second round.
2026 Australian Open Second Round Best Bets
Ben Shelton vs. Dane Sweeny: Shelton to Win 3:0 (-130)
Ben Shelton is looking to break through to his first Grand Slam Final at this year’s Australian Open. Shelton made it to the semfinals here last year, his second Grand Slam semis, but couldn’t take that next step. He has made it to at least the quarterfinals in two of his three appearances at this event, and should be able to make another deep run this year. Shelton was unlucky to draw the World No. 33, Ugo Humbert, in the first round. Despite that tough draw, Shelton won in straight sets. His second-round draw is much more fortunate, getting to face World No. 182, Dane Sweeny.
Sweeny got into the field through qualifiers, then pulled off a massive upset over Gael Monfils. It was Sweeny’s first-ever win in the main draw of a Grand Slam. It was a remarkable achievement, but the Australian should be physically and emotionally spent after that match. Monfils is 39-years-old and at the twilight of his career, so Sweeny had a big fitness advantage over him. He does not have the same advantage over Shelton. Shelton should use his athleticism, powerful serve and confidence to stifle Sweeny. Shelton beat a much tougher opponent in straight sets in the first round and should do so again in this second round matchup.
Parlay: Jannik Sinner to win 3:0, Taylor Fritz -1.5 Sets, Casper Ruud ML (-104)
Jannik Sinner is an unstoppable force, especially here in Melbourne. Last year, en route to his second straight Australian Open title, Sinner won five of his seven matches in straight sets. He was dominating Hugo Gaston in the first round of this year’s tournament, 6-2, 6-1, before Gaston retired. Crucially, that is now an extra bit of rest for Sinner, who is showing that he is as dominant as ever. Sinner is taking on 34-year-old James Duckworth in the second round. Duckworth is past his prime and got pushed to five sets in the opening round. He will not be at his best physically for this match, and Sinner should continue his dominance. It’s hard to imagine Sinner even dropping a set.
Taylor Fritz played well in his opening round match. After dropping the second set, he dominated the next two sets 6-1, 6-3. His opponent in the second round, Vit Kopriva, is the No. 101 player in the world. Kopriva had to battle for five sets to pull off a first round upset over J.L. Struff. It was a great win for Kopriva, but he could be worn out coming into a much tougher matchup against Fritz. If Fritz keeps his serve under control, he should win this match in at least four sets. Kopriva is just 1-3 in his career against top ten players, with that lone win coming back in 2021. He should be outmatched by Fritz and fall quickly.
Casper Ruud is taking on Jaume Munar in the second round. Ruud is the No. 13 player in the world, but is still looking for his first Grand Slam title. He has been to three major finals, but has never been able to take that final step. His time in Melbourne this year is under the spotlight because his wife is expecting their first baby any day. Just like Scottie Scheffler at the 2024 Masters, Ruud said he is ready to leave at a moment’s notice if his wife goes into labor. However, that big distraction didn’t effect his opening round performance. He cruised to a 3:0 win, only allowing his opponent to win only seven total games. Munar is a tougher opponent, but Ruud has Munar’s number. The two faced off three times in 2025, and Ruud won all three matchups. He should keep that momentum going and move on to the next round.
