Betting: Who will win the 2022 Australian Open Women's Singles?

BetKing odds: (3.85)

The Australian and world number one is the outright favourite for the women's singles title. After taking a hiatus in 2020, Barty had a very strong 2021 where she took home five titles that included Wimbledon, the second Grand Slam of her career after the 2019 French Open.

Barty's best showing at the Australian Open was the semi-finals in 2020 where she lost to eventual champion Sofia Kenin. As an Australian, all eyes will be on her to become the first woman to win at Melbourne Park since Christine O'Neil 44 years ago.

Naomi Osaka

BetKing odds: (7.75)

The Japanese player is the defending Australian Open champion but she is ranked second favourite according to bookies. Perhaps this was because of her hiatus in 2021, as a result of mental health struggles, which has dropped her to number 14 in the world rankings.

Naomi Osaka celebrates after defeating the United States' Jennifer Brady in the women's singles final at the Australian Open in February 2021. 7475cdba-b629-44c6-acd0-763f691737e0

The two-time Australian Open champion will be looking to lift a third and fifth Grand Slam overall. She is certainly not one to be written off when she is on top of her game.

Garbine Muguruza

BetKing odds: (12.00)

The Spaniard is another favourite for the women's crown in Melbourne. She is a two-time Grand Slam winner but the Australian Open is not one of them. The closest she came was in 2020 when she lost the final to Kenin in three sets.

Muguruza's best Grand Slam performances in 2021 were fourth round finishes at the Australian Open and US Open. She did however take home three WTA titles (Dubai, Chicago and the season-ending finals in Guadalajara).

Garbine Muguruza won the year-end 2021 WTA Final in Guadalajara omnisports

2017 was the last time Muguruza won a Grand Slam—a long time ago. She is probably the third favourite because of her WTA Finals win. The world number three must however do much better if she is to be really reckoned with in Melbourne.

Iga Swiatek

BetKing odds: (13.00)

The 20-year-old Polish star has been in the reckoning since lifting the French Open in 2020 when she defeated Kenin, becoming the first player from Poland to win a Grand Slam.

Since then, her best performance at other Grand Slams is reaching the fourth round, twice at the Australian Open (2020, 2021). 2021 saw the world number eight take home two titles in Adelaide and Rome.

(IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/Rob Prange) Pulse Nigeria

Swiatek is the pride of Poland but she has to go further up the ladder to make an even bigger name for herself.

Simona Halep

BetKing odds: (15.00)

The former world number one is usually among a host of women seen as favourites heading into Grand Slams. That is after claiming the French Open and Wimbledon in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

The closest Halep came at the Australian Open was the final in 2018. She however lost to the now-retired Caroline Wozniacki in three sets.

Simona Halep omnisports

Halep did not have a very strong 2021, failing to win any titles. The closest she came was reaching the final of the Transylvania Open in her home country Romania, losing to world number seven, Estonia's Anett Kontaveit.

Halep has however began her preparations for 2022 and the Australian Open by winning the Melbourne Summer Set 1 warm-up tournament, dispatching Russia's Veronika Kudermetova in straight sets. Hopefully, it translates to victory on Rod Laver Arena on January 29.