The tennis tournaments are being played across a number of timezones to open the 2016 season, but there are plenty of top names in action as the preparation for the Australian Open with competitive matches will only take place this week.
Most of the genuine contenders to win the Australian Open won't be on the Tour next week as they make sure they are fresh and ready to go at Melbourne Park so this is the week in which they look to make hay and show they are ready to go at the first Grand Slam of the season.
On Wednesday the tournaments continue at full tilt as we move into the Second Round of the events and start putting together the Quarter Final line ups in a number of the events.
Tuesday saw the picks go 1-2 thanks to the big points going against the players I picked. It's the first day of an extremely long season so nothing to be overly concerned about just yet, although I do want some positive signs out of the poor ending to 2015.
Fernando Verdasco + 6.5 games v Novak Djokovic: It is probably not the wisest decision to go against Novak Djokovic after the 2015 season he put together, especially after he dismantled Dustin Brown in the First Round in Doha. However, this looks a lot of games for Djokovic to have to cover against a player like Fernando Verdasco who still has plenty of talent if not the consistency of a few seasons back.
It has been seven years since Verdasco reached the Australian Open Semi Final and really became a feature of the top ten in the World Rankings and the Spaniard is not close to that level these days. I don't think there is a lot more to come from Verdasco, but he is still capable of a big tournament or two and this number of games given to him is a touch disrespectful.
Djokovic did beat Verdasco in relatively straight forward fashion in Australia last season and is clearly the far superior player, but I think the latter has enough in his game to force a break at least which should keep one set fairly close. There is always the fear Novak Djokovic will run through him in a set too which does bother me, but I think Verdasco still has the talent to look after his serve for the most part and I can see him winning at least six games in this one.
It would be more than a surprise if Djokovic was to be beaten by Verdasco at this stage of their careers, but I think he might have to settle for a 64, 62 kind of win which will allow Verdasco to cover.
Rafael Nadal - 5.5 games v Robin Haase: I really think this could be potentially be a big year for Rafael Nadal and I certainly think he is going to be amongst the top contenders to win Grand Slam titles. There was a real sign he was coming back to his best following the US Open in September, although Nadal has something of a gap to bridge when it comes to dealing with Novak Djokovic.
The World Number 1 aside, Rafael Nadal won't be intimidated by any player on the Tour at this moment in time and he was playing something like his best down the stretch in 2015. I am not suggesting Nadal is intimidated by Djokovic, but I think he recognises that there is a gap that needs to be bridged there and even a confident Nadal is going to have some difficulties with Djokovic at full tilt.
It isn't Novak Djokovic that will concern Nadal on Wednesday as he takes on Robin Haase who can be a dangerous opponent, but also one that is so erratic that he can quickly fall away in matches.
Haase pushed Nadal all the way at Wimbledon in 2010 before going down in five sets, but he hasn't really pushed on as a Singles player on the Tour. The Dutchman is down at World Number 66 and I think he will have to be at his very best to give Nadal the kind of test he would want to.
I am not that convinced that Haase will be able to do that in this Second Round match though and I am looking for Nadal to come through 63, 63.
Tomas Berdych - 5.5 games v Damir Dzumhur: I was let down by Tomas Berdych on Tuesday but I am going back to the well with the big Czech player as I expect him to be too strong for Damir Dzumhur.
It is going to be a tough career for Dzumhur on the Tour because of his lack of height which means he will have to battle for every point he earns in matches. I also think the slower surfaces will be more to his liking going forward and I imagine Dzumhur is put under some immense pressure from Tomas Berydch in this Second Round match.
The win over Sergiy Stakhovsky will have taken away some of the match rustiness that Berdych did seem to have a problem with during that contest. That had to be expected although Berdych will expect better from the return of serve in this match having failed to really get enough balls back in play in the First Round as he would have liked.
Dzumhur has some talent so Berdych will have to serve well, but the first serve should give Berdych a few more cheap points which makes life that much easier for him. I expect Berdych to dominate off the second serve of Dzumhur and I think the higher Ranked player will eventually prevail 64, 62.
MY PICKS: Fernando Verdasco + 6.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Rafael Nadal - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Tomas Berdych - 5.5 Games @ 1.85 Betway (2 Units)
Weekly Update: 1-2, - 2 Units (6 Units Staked, - 33% Yield)
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