I have taken a week off from the tennis picks I have been making after another successful tournament in Miami, mainly because there really wasn't anything that has taken my fancy from the Women's events taking place.
The ATP Tour has had a break in anticipation of the Davis Cup ties and will return to action next week as the first of the clay courts in preparation for the French Open take place. Most of the big names won't be in action until the Monte Carlo Masters which begins on April 14th and then we will quickly see some of the big tournaments taking place in Madrid (which have thankfully removed the blue clay that caused so many issues last season) and Rome before the French Open begins on May 26th.
This weekend we will see the conclusion of the Davis Cup Quarter Finals, but most of the big names on the Tour are not going to take part. However, that doesn't mean there aren't some interesting matches taking place and these are my picks from the Friday matches.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 4.5 games v Carlos Berlocq: I'll be honest with you- if this was the game spread between these players in a best of three set match, I would be a little tempted to go in on the Frenchman, so having the added benefit of this being a best of five means I will be backing Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Tsonga isn't the best on the clay courts, but he is effective enough to cause Carlos Berlocq some real problems and I was a little surprised that Argentina didn't pick up Horacio Zeballos in one of the first two matches.
I think there is every chance that Berlocq can take a set off of Tsonga, who has been erratic at times this season, but the big serving players cause the Argentine some real problems as his own serve will give his opponent chances to break.
This match looks like one that the French can win, likely with Tsonga taking a 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win.
Gilles Simon - 3.5 games v Juan Monaco: Juan Monaco looks like a player that is going to be falling down the Rankings at a rapid rate this season as he has struggled mightily to open 2013. When you're not feeling yourself, and have been struggling for wins, facing someone like Gilles Simon is the last thing you would want to be facing.
These two players have met six times in the past, but only once since 2008 and I think Simon has certainly been in the better form of the two players to open this season.
Simon also played well on the clay courts last season, reaching the Semi Final in Monte Carlo, and if he can keep hold of his emotions, I do think he can earn the French the second match in this tie and put them in a strong position to get into the Semi Finals of the Davis Cup.
I believe Simon will likely need four sets, but can come through with a 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win.
Venus Williams - 2.5 games v Varvara Lepchenko: It would be foolish to rule out a player that has beaten both Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci on the clay courts this season as Varvara Lepchenko has, but I still think Venus Williams is good enough to see her off on this surface.
The one concern I do have is that the winner of this match will have to play twice today and we know that Venus Williams has fitness concerns and could decide that playing twice in one day is not for her.
However, she has had additional rest with the day's play being almost completely wiped out yesterday and I do think Venus still has enough in the tank to beat Lepchenko. While Lepchenko has had a very good 14 months or so or the Tour, it is tough to play one of the Williams sisters in the United States and I think Venus will find a way to pull through.
MY PICKS: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 4.5 Games @ 1.85 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Gilles Simon - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Venus Williams - 2.5 Games @ 1.92 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Daily Picks: 17-11, + 10.74 Units (56 Units Staked, + 19.18% Yield)
Outright Picks: 1-4, - 6.70 Units (13 Units Staked, - 51.54% Yield)
Season 2013: + 47.03 Units (439 Units Staked, + 10.71% Yield)
Season 2012: + 49.21 Units (855 Units Staked, 5.76% Yield)
Season 2011: + 82.02 Units
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