Tennis Picks April 19th (Monte Carlo)

I don't know if it is just me, but it doesn't feel like a Masters event here at Monte Carlo this year and I am not sure why that is... Is it the absence of Roger Federer? Is it the fact that six of the top 20 have not turned up here? Or is it the fact that there seem to be a lot of matches that don't have the 'wow' factor?

Whatever it is, the tournament has reached Round 3 and we get down to the last 16 players in the tournament. The path for Novak Djokovic was just cleared a little yesterday as Thomaz Bellucci knocked out David Ferrer in two very one sided sets.

The picks were also successful with both Tomas Berdych and Gilles Simon winning without too many issues. With the way the tournament has panned out so far, it looks like another tough day to get too involved in the matches.


Fernando Verdasco v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: I said before the Miami that I thought Fernando Verdasco was beginning to find some of the form that took him into the top 10 of the World Rankings in 2009, but he was a disappointing 3rd Round loser to Nicolas Almagro in that event.

He is now back on the surface on which he would have grown up and the Spaniard has made a decent start here in Monte Carlo by coming through his first couple of Rounds, although in more difficult fashion than I would have imagined.

Despite that, I think he is being under-estimated against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The Frenchman was a comfortable winner in his first match here, but he has not found any consistency on clay courts, going just 7-6 last season after finishing 14-9 in the previous two seasons.

Tsonga did not get past the 3rd Round in any tournament on a clay court last season, and I think taking Verdasco as the big dog could pay off.

Janko Tipsarevic v Gilles Simon: I am going against one of the winners from yesterday with a favourite of mine in the form of Janko Tipsarevic.

I have so much respect for the Serb who has made the most of the talent he has been blessed with and he is clearly beginning to feel he belongs at the back end of tournaments these days with his latest success coming in reaching the Quarter Final in Miami.

My biggest concern for him in this match up is that Gilles Simon can frustrate opponents with his ability to make them closer to the lines thanks to his keeping balls in play. That can be made a lot tougher for opponents mentally on the slower surfaces.

Simon also has won all 3 meetings between the players, including twice last season, although both of those were incredibly tight contests.

I just think Tipsarevic has a slightly more solid serve and the chance to hold on to serve and that is why I like him to get his first win on the board against Simon. The Serb has been set as the underdog so could be worth a small interest too.


MY PICKS: Fernando Verdasco @ 2.75 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Janko Tipsarevic @ 2.20 Pinnacle (1 Unit)


Weekly Update: 3-1, + 4.44 Units (7 Units Staked)