Tennis Picks 2014 (February 16th)

I think over the last eighteen months, it has been the outright picks that have really given my tennis season a tough time as trying to recover those misses, but Ivo Karlovic moved into the Final at Memphis which means this is going to be a very good week for the picks all around.

That also means the 2014 season has turned around from a tough start with this being the second really successful week and one that will hopefully spark something for the rest of the season.

The picks went 3-1 yesterday with the only disappointment being Agnieszka Radwanska's loss to Simona Halep after she blew a 5-2 lead in the first set of that match.

Now we reach Sunday which is the day this week's tournaments are concluded and hopefully will be the exclamation point on the season.


Tomas Berdych - 2.5 games v Marin Cilic: It has been a long eighteen months since Tomas Berdych was last lifting a title in terms of his singles career (he has won two Davis Cup titles with the Czech Republic in that time frame), but I think he has been playing well enough to beat the in-form Marin Cilic for the title this week.

It won't be easy, but Berdych has been serving well and there was some vulnerabilities in the Cilic serves yesterday in his Semi Final win.

It will be a very close match, but I do think Berdych has enough to come through with a 63, 46, 64 win and finally get his hands on a trophy.


David Ferrer - 3.5 games v Fabio Fognini: In the form that Fabio Fognini is in, it was perhaps unsurprising to see Tommy Robredo get a chance to serve for the match in the Semi Final, but the Italian breaking serve and continuing his dominance on the clay courts.

Since winning his first title on the ATP Tour last summer, Fognini has been on an incredible run on the clay and has added three further titles since then. However, this could prove to be the toughest opponent he has played on the surface since his defeat to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros.

David Ferrer had to come through some sticky moments in his Semi Final win over Nicolas Almagro, but it was the second decent performance in succession and the Spaniard has a strong record in Buenos Aires where he looks for a third title.

Picking against Fognini is much harder to do these days, especially on clay, but Ferrer will be able to live with the long rallies that the former has been winning against other opponents. There should be a number of breaks of serve against both players, but that little bit of quality that makes all the difference may come from Ferrer's racquet and help him to a 75, 64 win.

MY PICKS: Tomas Berdych - 2.5 Games @ 1.90 Pinnacle (2 Units)
David Ferrer - 3.5 Games @ 1.73 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 12-7, + 13.34 (63 Units Staked, + 21.17% Yield)