Day 2 of the Australian Open is in the books, and the favorites are doing exactly what favorites are supposed to do: win without scares and advance to the next round.

Carlos Alcaraz dismantled Adam Walton 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 in his first-round match. Now the world No. 1 continues his quest for the career Grand Slam while defending champion Jannik Sinner waits in the other half of the draw.

The Quick Hit

• Alcaraz result: def. Walton 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2
• Current odds: Sinner -120, Alcaraz +175
• The storyline: Can Alcaraz complete the career Grand Slam?
• Potential final: Sinner vs Alcaraz—again

Alcaraz Looks Sharp Early

The Spaniard didn't mess around. Local wildcard Adam Walton hung around in the second set, but Alcaraz showed why he's the best player in the world when he elevated his level to close it out in the tiebreak.

Alcaraz is chasing history at Melbourne Park. If he wins this tournament, he'll complete the career Grand Slam and become just the fifth man in the Open Era to win all four majors at least once. He's 23 years old.

The betting market opened with Sinner as the favorite at -115, but Alcaraz has been attracting action as the tournament progresses. The narrative of the career Grand Slam is powerful, and Alcaraz's form coming into Melbourne has been excellent.

Sinner Seeks Three-Peat

Jannik Sinner is the two-time defending Australian Open champion. He won this tournament in 2024 and 2025, and he's looking to become the first man since Novak Djokovic to win Melbourne three straight times.

The Italian has been dominant on hard courts. He's 32-0 against anyone not named Carlos Alcaraz over his past five Grand Slams. That's not a typo. Thirty-two wins, zero losses, against everyone except one guy.

The draw has Sinner and Djokovic in the same half, meaning they could meet in the semifinals. Alcaraz, meanwhile, could face last year's runner-up Alexander Zverev in his semi.

The Betting Picture

Current outright odds at most books:

• Jannik Sinner: -120
• Carlos Alcaraz: +175
• Novak Djokovic: +600
• Alexander Zverev: +1200

The market is basically saying this is a two-horse race with Djokovic as a live long shot. Which, honestly, makes sense given how these two have dominated.

For match betting, look for value on underdogs in the early rounds who can keep things competitive before the big names pull away. Total games lines have been profitable when both players can hold serve.

What to Watch Monday

Sinner plays his first-round match on Monday. The Italian has historically started Grand Slams slowly before finding his groove in the second week. Worth monitoring if you're thinking about fading him early.

Several other seeds are in action, including potential upset opportunities in the women's draw. The first week of a Grand Slam is when value hides in plain sight.

The Inevitable Final?

The draw has Sinner and Alcaraz in opposite halves, which means they can only meet in the final. Given their recent dominance—they've combined to win the last eight Grand Slam titles between them—that's exactly where this tournament seems headed.

A Sinner-Alcaraz final would be appointment television. Their rivalry has become the best in tennis, and a tenth meeting at the Australian Open would carry massive stakes for both.

The Bottom Line

The Australian Open is rolling, and the favorites are taking care of business. Alcaraz looked sharp in his opener. Sinner awaits. The path to a potential epic final is starting to take shape.

Two weeks of tennis action. Plenty of betting opportunities. And the dream of the career Grand Slam for Alcaraz hanging in the balance.

Melbourne Park doesn't disappoint.