Tennis Picks June 20th

I have only made one pick so far this week as it is the final one before Wimbledon begins so I sometimes like to see what kind of motivation is still around for players. Much like last week at Queens, there have been a number of surprise results already this week as Richard Gasquet, Petra Kvitova, Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieska Radwanska have all gone out in their first matches played.

Others like Andy Roddick are around to get a couple more matches underneath their feet after a poor tournament last week, while the likes of Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Tomas Berdych are playing in exhibition matches.

Today, I am going to play the following four picks:

Denis Istomin - 3 games v Marcel Granollers: I think Denis Istomin is definitely the more comfortable of the two players on the grass courts, while Marcel Granollers also suffered an ankle injury last week in Halle so it will be interesting to see how the Spaniard has recovered from that and whether he takes too many chances with the Grand Slam ranking points just around the corner.

Granollers has also struggled to make a real impact on the grass in his career, while Istomin can consider himself very unlucky last season to finish with a 1-3 record on the surface considering he was drawn against Juan Martin Del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mardy Fish and all of those players would have been heavily favoured against him.

The year before last, Istomin finished as a Semi Finalist here, while also pushing Rafael Nadal to three sets at Queens and Tomas Berdych to five sets at Wimbledon and I will back him to show his capabilities in this one.


Marcos Baghdatis - 3.5 games v Steve Darcis: Marcos Baghdatis was not that impressive at Queens last week, but he has the tools to play on the grass courts and he has been successful in the past to think he can take care of Steve Darcis in this one.

Both players won comfortably in the First Round, but it is the Cypriot who has shown the much stronger pedigree in the past on the grass courts and I think he can pressure Darcis enough with his returning game to win this match.

Baghdatis has beaten Darcis in both their previous matches against one another, including a comfortable four set win at Wimbledon and I will look for him to earn the win with a break in each set as he gets through in straights.


David Ferrer - 4.5 games v Leonardo Mayer: The motivation of the top players has to be questioned the week ahead of a Grand Slam event and that is the case for David Ferrer this week. This time last season, Ferrer used the exhibition tournaments to hone his skills on the grass, but he didn't have as strong a Wimbledon as he may have liked and that could have changed his schedule this season.

The Spaniard did reach the Fourth Round at Wimbledon, and he has shown his capability in playing on any surface, while he also comes across as someone that is unlikely to tank a match easily.

I also think he has the 'know-how' edge on Leonardo Mayer who is much more comfortable on the clay courts. Mayer has never really enjoyed any real success on the grass courts and I think Ferrer will be too consistent for him and should be able to get through without too many issues.


Petra Cetkovska v Klara Zakopalova: It is the battle of two girls from the Czech Republic and I am going with the younger and higher ranked player to come out on top of a pick 'em contest.

Petra Cetkovska had a really good grass court season last year, reaching the Final in a Challenger in Nottingham, while also getting through to the Fourth Round at Wimbledon having beaten Agnieska Radwanska and Ana Ivanovic on the way.

She is also having a decent season, even if it is not spectacular, and I think she is likely to be a little too consistent for Klara Zakopalova who has shown some grass court ability in her career, but who can be a little hit and miss in her matches.

Both have won 1 match apiece against one another, but it was Cetkovska who won the last meeting and that should take away an inferior complex she could possibly have against an older compatriot. I will look for Cetkovska to rubber stamp that with a win in this one.


MY PICKS: Denis Istomin - 3 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Marcos Baghdatis - 3.5 games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)
David Ferrer - 4.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Petra Cetkovska @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units)


Weekly Update: 0-1, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked)