The first Grand Slam of the 2015 season is in the books with the two favourites both succeeding in their aims to win the Singles events that were run at the Australian Open.
Serena Williams looks like she has put down a marker for the season, although all the talk of the her completing a sweep of all the Grand Slam events seems a little premature. Once again there were signs early in the tournament where Serena Williams did look vulnerable and I do think there will be chances for players to perhaps beat her when she is not completely on her game.
Some were also talking about whether Novak Djokovic will be able to win the remaining three Grand Slam events to be played, but that is even more unlikely than Serena Williams doing it. Djokovic played well through the last couple of weeks, but the Australian Open has always been his favourite Slam and there will be big challenges to overcome if he is to go on and win either of the next two Slams at the French Open and Wimbledon.
It is no surprise that the big names are not in action this week after the efforts of playing at the Australian Open, but the Tour doesn't stop and there are stops in Montpellier, Quito and Zagreb on the ATP Tour. The Fed Cup gets underway so there are no main Tour events on the WTA Tour.
The tournament being run in Quito is a new one which takes over from Vina del Mar and is the beginning of the 'Golden Swing' in South America and the first clay events of the season. Plans are always changeable, but Rafael Nadal is expected to play one of the bigger events during this part of the season, while other names like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will return to action later this month.
The highest Ranked player to take part in the tournaments this week is Number 14 Feliciano Lopez who is taking in the event in Quito, and that also is shown with the big prices being offered in every tournament being played this week.
Without the big names, it is a good chance for someone to add a title to their CV this week and also pick up vital Ranking points that can help see players get into main draws of the bigger events down the line.
I didn't make any picks in the first two weeks of the tennis season after looking at the records over the last few seasons and realising I didn't have a good read of the form of players coming off a relatively long absence.
The off-season means new tactics, perhaps new motivation for players and others are still trying to peak for the Australian Open.
It turned out to be very much the correct decision after a pretty awesome two weeks at the Grand Slam to give the 2015 season a perfect start.
Hopefully February turns out to be another successful month to back up the Australian Open success.
ATP Zagreb
I am concentrating on the tournament being played in Zagreb for my outright picks this week because I feel the two players at the top of the Montpellier draws, Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils, are a little short considering the lack of form they have displayed.
The event in Quito looks wide open considering the top Seed is Feliciano Lopez and his struggles on clay courts, while the other players involved have been inconsistent to say the least.
Zagreb looks a wide open tournament which has been dominated by home players in recent years- 5 of the last 6 winners here have been Croatian, although Marin Cilic is not fit enough to return to the Tour and try and win here for the third time in a row.
Ivo Karlovic leads the way as the Number 1 Seed and I can imagine that he might have a few supporters this week, but he hasn't been beyond the Quarter Final in Zagreb before. He has also been given a pretty tough draw with a potential Second Round match against Marcos Baghdatis in the offing and Mikhail Youzhny, a former Champion here, a potential Quarter Final opponent.
That might open the door for someone like Victor Troicki to breakthrough in the top half of the draw and he has plenty of supporters this week which has seen him backed down to joint-favourite to win the event.
Troicki has returned with new motivation from his ban and he already has one title this season as be bids to move back up the Rankings. while the draw looks a good one for him. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez is a tough potential Quarter Final opponent, but you would think the indoor hard court conditions would favour Troicki in that potential match up and he is worth backing this week.
However, I also want to back Ivan Dodig from the bottom half of the draw as a former winner of this event and with the trend that has favoured a Croatian winner in Zagreb. Dodig has a Quarter Final under his belt this season and he did push Kei Nishikori, while I expect the indoor hard court will favour the booming serve and aggressive play that Dodig likes to demonstrate.
He has reached the Quarter Final in three consecutive appearances in Zagreb since winning the event, but a defeat to eventual Champion Marin Cilic last season isn't a disappointing result. Dodig won't have a lot to fear in the bottom half of the draw until the Semi Final stage at least and can keep up the proud record the Croatian players have in front of their own fans.
As a former winner here, I think Dodig looks a pretty big price to earn a title again and make a positive move up the Rankings from his current position of 85th.
MY PICKS: Victor Troicki @ 6.00 Coral (1 Unit E/W)
Ivan Dodig @ 13.00 Bet365 (1 Unit E/W)
Australian Open Daily Picks Final: 36-23, + 29.35 Units (111 Units Staked, + 26.44% Yield)
Australian Open Outright Picks Final: 1-3, - 2 Units (10 Units Staked, - 20 % Yield)
Season 2015: + 27.35 Units (121 Units Staked, + 22.60% Yield)
Season 2014: + 45.05 Units (1586.5 Units Staked, + 2.84% Yield)
Season 2013: + 21.74 Units (1251.5 Units Staked, + 1.73% Yield)
Season 2012: + 49.21 Units (855 Units Staked, + 5.76% Yield)
Season 2011: + 82.02 Units
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