Tennis Betting Tips: 2026 Madrid Open Preview and Predictions

With the Madrid Open returning this week, here are our top tennis betting tips ahead of another year of exciting clay-court action in the Spanish capital. 

Once again, two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz misses out on this year’s men’s singles action due to injury, meaning he will not be able to add to his back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023.

Unlike last year, world number one Jannik Sinner will be competing, having missed the 2025 tournament due to suspension. The Italian is the tournament favourite in the absence of his main rival, Alcaraz, but will need to avoid a slip-up.

In the women’s singles, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka is one to watch. She won her third title last year, defeating Coco Gauff. Other former winners in this year’s competition include Iga Swiatek, who beat Sabalenka to the title in 2024. World number two Elena Rybakina is also among the favourites.

Madrid Open Preview

Alcaraz’s injury has given Sinner a fantastic opportunity to win his first Madrid Open, but it may not be as simple as he hopes. The Italian has been drawn on the tougher side of the bracket, and rivals will know that beating him opens up a great chance of reaching the final.

Both Ben Shelton and Arthur Fils will be difficult to get past, with the pair expected to meet in the fourth round before a potential semi-final showdown against Sinner. On the other side of the draw, number two seed and two-time former winner Alexander Zverev and defending champion Casper Ruud are the names to look out for.

For the women, Sabalenka will be aiming to repeat her triumphs in 2021 and 2023, and will likely face four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in the fourth round. Belinda Bencic, Hailey Baptiste, Marie Bouzkova and Jaqueline Cristian are the other seeded entrants, while Kazakhstan’s Rybakina is also a strong contender.

Odds taken from Matchbook at 3:00 PM UK Time.

Madrid Open Tips And Prediction

As mentioned, Jannik Sinner is the overwhelming favourite for the men’s title. The 24-year-old is 1/100 with some betting sites, making a win for the Italian one of the easiest tennis betting tips you’re likely to see.

Defending champion Ruud has been struggling for form in 2026, with a record of nine wins and eight losses so far. Having failed to get past the quarter-finals of any tournament this year, it seems highly unlikely he will retain his Madrid Open crown.

Alexander Zverev, meanwhile, looks to be the most likely challenger to Sinner. The German has faced Sinner three times already this year, losing on every occasion, but pushed world number one Alcaraz to five sets at the Australian Open.

While the men’s singles has a clear favourite, there are two names with a serious chance of winning according to the latest tennis odds. Both Sabalenka and Rybakina are well ahead of their rivals in terms of probability, with the former just about edging it on paper.

Our Predictions

• Men’s final: Sinner vs Zverev
• Men’s Winner: Sinner
• Women’s final: Sabalenka vs Rybakina
• Women’s Winner: Sabalenka

Best Tennis Betting Tips For Madrid Open

As for the best Madrid Open betting tips, it’s hard to look beyond Sinner in the men’s tournament. That said, Zverev currently has odds of around 10/1 to win the title and is the most likely to beat Sinner, making him a decent option for a big possible return.

Women’s favourite Sabalenka, meanwhile, is priced at around 13/8, meaning a bet on the 27-year-old Belarusian could still be a viable option despite entering the tournament as the number one seed.

Sinner and Sabalenka are both the most likely winners, but betting on either Zverev or Rybakina will have better returns, potentially making the outsiders a more worthwhile bet.