Boxing Picks 2024- Gervonta Davis vs Frank Martin (Saturday 15th June)

Two weeks ago Saudi Arabia hosted another big night of Boxing and there have long been a feeling that they will want to grab a firmer control of the sport.

Since that evening, reports have now come out that the Saudi Arabian authorities will be looking to make a big bid to bring the various promoters under the same banner and create a 'League' which is rumoured to be similar to the UFC model.

It will be interesting to see how the various organisations take to the suggestion/idea and that is because each Division would now likely have a single Champion with the top contenders fighting one another to be in line to knock off the king, very much like what we see in the UFC. It would mean fighters are matched up in very competitive outings, although I do wonder how the development of young, up and coming Boxers would be handled.

Perhaps those developments continue in the manner they have been for years and once a fighter hits a certain level, they are then invited into the Saudi League where they can look to be come the Champion within their Division. This is something that may be more explained when the actual model and format comes out, which could be as soon as the end of the month when a card at Wembley is expected to be announced with a full press conference too.

After a relatively quiet weekend, we have a couple of big shows in the United States that follow a decent Saturday night card put together by Boxxer on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom.

It is a shame that the rumoured Anthony Yarde vs Joshua Buatsi headliner could not be signed off, but there are some big names out on Saturday and fighters who will likely be targeted for solid fights under the Saudi banner in the weeks and months ahead.

Gervonta Davis vs Frank Martin

It has been fourteen months since Gervonta Davis finished Ryan Garcia and there is little doubt that Tank is one of the top American Boxing names out there. He is very much at the forefront of the mind of many Boxing fans and the only real criticism you could have of Davis is that he is not a bit more active.

Gervonta Davis has won a World Title in the Light Welterweight Division, but he has mainly been spending his time in the Lightweight Division in recent times.

While a match up with Devin Haney has yet to materialise, and may not be on the radar after his controversial defeat to Ryan Garcia, there are names like Shakur Stevenson and Vasyl Lomachenko holding World Titles in the Division and the hope is that Davis will look to chase those bouts if he can get through this one.

This weekend Gervonta Davis is facing unbeaten Frank Martin who only fought once in 2023 and who needed a Twelfth Round Knock Down to secure a narrow win on the cards. Frank Martin himself has admitted he was not at his best against Artem Harutyunyan last July and he believes that performance has provided this opportunity, while the American has taken unbeaten records away from his last two opponents.

However, those have not been against someone with the power and quality of Gervonta Davis and the feeling is that Frank Martin does not hit with enough force to deter Tank from walking him down.

Early on the feeling is that Martin can use his skills to give Gervonta Davis something to think about, but we have seen Tank make the in-fight adjustments and that has seen him find a way to break down opponents.

With the power in the punches, Gervonta Davis is dangerous throughout this fight, but he did need to get into the second half of the bout to earn his last two wins. Rolly Romero lasted until the Sixth Round before Davis was able to find the punch to finish that contest, and it is going to be tough for The Ghost to steer clear of the Champion's shots as the bout moves into the Championship Rounds.

Gervonta Davis did put Ryan Garcia down in the Second Round and it feels like Frank Martin could be deterred pretty early and slowly broken down. Much will depend on the kind of punishment that Martin could be willing to take, but the expectation is that Tank will finish this before the judges are needed.

A really good looking Light Heavyweight fight takes place on the undercard when Mexican Monster David Benavidez takes on former World Champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

Before Oleksandr Usyk and Vasyl Lomachenko became World Champions and pound for pound entrants, Gvozdyk beat Adonis Stevenson to become the WBC Champion in the Division. Eventually he ran into the buzzsaw called Artur Beterbiev and the Ukrainian was broken down and beaten in the Tenth Round before heading into retirement.

Four years passed and Oleksandr Gvozdyk returned in 2023 to win three fights in a row, albeit at a lower level than facing someone like David Benavidez, even if the latter is moving up in weight.

David Benavidez has been trying to tempt Canelo Alvarez into an Undisputed Fight in the Super Middleweight Division, and produced some big wins in order to do that, but Canelo seemingly has little interest in the bout. Even the hope that the Saudi Arabians will put in the money to bring that event together is looking weak with the ideas put forward by Turki Alalshikh for the two fighters involving different names.

Instead of sitting and waiting for an opportunity, David Benavidez has chosen to step up in weight and a win over the former World Champion might see him in line to face the winner of the upcoming Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol Undisputed Fight.

This is far from an easy fight, but the feeling is that Benavidez can come through some tough moments and just have too much youth for The Nail at 37 years old.

Both hit very hard and it could be a really good fight for the fans, while the toughness of both cannot be underestimated.

Eventually I can see a situation where David Benavidez has more in the gas tank and begins to tee off on Oleksandr Gvozdyk and that may force the referee or the corner to step in and protect the former Champion. The Nail does hit hard, but Benavidez may end up forcing the Stoppage in the second half of this very good chief support.

There is some excitement in the Light Welterweight Division with some solid fights to be made, but the focus for Subriel Matias is to retain his IBF World Title before targeting some of the other Champions.

Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney and Isaac Cruz are the other Champions within the Division, but Matias has to focus on the Challenger in front of him and avoid any slips.

He will be backed by the home Puerto Rico support when taking on Liam Paro, an unbeaten Australian fighter who upset Montana Love in December.

Boxers representing Australia have shown plenty of toughness and grit, but this is a huge test for Liam Paro to stand up to the power that has been displayed by Subriel Matias.

The Champion avenged his sole loss with a Stoppage and Subriel Matias has shown his dominance by forcing Retirements from his last two opponents after Five and Six Rounds respectively.

Liam Paro has shown enough to believe he can at least pose some threat, but keeping Subriel Matias off him will be tough and the feeling is that the Champion can give the home fans plenty to smile about with another mid-fight ending.

Over in the United Kingdom, Chris Billam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe meet in a rematch, but this time with a World Title on the line rather than both being up and coming prospects.

The layers are favouring a repeat with the Challenger becoming the new World Champion, and that does feel like the right fighter to back.

Chris Billam-Smith has plenty of wear and tear on him and that is perhaps going to be a factor in this one, although he is gritty and determined and that has to be respected.

We have seen the power that Richard Riakporhe carries, while the win on the cards over Billam-Smith will still give him confidence if this fight reaches the Championship Rounds.

It is a tough one to call with any certainty and the prices for a Riakporhe win in any fashion looks short enough to be left alone.

Isaac Chamberlain is going in with Jack Massey on the undercard after his original opponent withdrew, but this looks a tough test for him.

And we also have a surprising rivalry bout when Ben Whittaker returns- his opponent gatecrashed a presser earlier in the year to force his way into the picture.

We really don't know much about Eworitse Ezra Arenyeka.

He is unbeaten, but he has fought in multiple different countries and this is only his second fight in the UK, despite being a resident here.

There is clearly some irritation from Ben Whittaker that someone has been able to sign a fight with him without really 'deserving' it, and the feeling is that a spiteful performance could be produced by a boxer who will also looking to create a show for the fans.

MY PICKS: Gervonta Davis to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.62 William Hill (1 Unit)

David Benavidez to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.80 William Hill (1 Unit)
Subriel Matias to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Ben Whittaker to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 23-38, + 13.42 Units (84 Units Staked, + 15.98% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 15 Pick 2024- Men's Final (Sunday 9th June)

Iga Swiatek won a fourth Roland Garros title and there is every reason to believe she will end her career with the most on the WTA Tour side of the sport, although Rafael Nadal's overall record is expected to be safe.

She dominated after allowing Jasmine Paolini to find an early break, but the Men's Final is expected to be a lot more competitive on Sunday.

Alexander Zverev-Carlos Alcaraz Over 37.5 Games: After making an out of court settlement regarding a trial for domestic abuse allegations, Alexander Zverev came from behind to cruise into his first French Open Final on Friday.

In seven previous Grand Slam Semi Finals, Alexander Zverev had been beaten six times so this is a big achievement for someone who might have felt the window had been closing when it comes to winning a maiden title at this level. He will need to erase memories of his only ever Grand Slam Final appearance when leading Dominic Thiem 2-0 in sets, but losing in the US Open Final in 2020.

Injury, off court issues and the German having some inconsistent performances at the business end of tournaments means it has been some wait for Alexander Zverev to return to a Slam Final. The performances here in Paris have been strong though and Zverev has also won the Rome Masters in the build up so he will not be lacking for confidence in this big match.

The opponent has won Grand Slam titles in New York City and London and Carlos Alcaraz can move into World Number 2 with a title win in Paris, meaning winning a Slam on all three surfaces used on the Tour. He will be opening Wimbledon as the defending Champion next month and this is an opportunity for the Spaniard to remind the Tour that he is still the man to beat of the next generation having had some of the shine taken away by Jannik Sinner.

The Italian was beaten in five sets in the Semi Final and Carlos Alcaraz will know that he will need to raise his level if he is going to see off Zverev in the Final.

Over the last twelve months, Carlos Alcaraz has gotten a little nearer to Alexander Zverev on the head to head with crushing wins in Madrid, at the US Open and in Indian Wells. However, during that run, Alexander Zverev holds wins over the Spaniard at the World Tour Finals and the Australian Open.

Two years ago Zverev beat Carlos Alcaraz in the Quarter Final at Roland Garros in what was an upset and there is a feeling that the underdog is a big price to win this title on Sunday.

Alexander Zverev has been serving well and that will put some pressure on Alcaraz, while the confidence will have been restored after two strong wins over Alex De Minaur and Casper Ruud. The wins at Grand Slam level means he will not be intimidated by the obvious talented player standing on the other side of the net, and this could be a really good Final.

There is a temptation in backing Zverev, but this is a Final that should need at least four sets to decide it when all is said and done.

With that in mind, the total games line looks a tad shorter than it should be- the US Open win that Carlos Alcaraz produced over Alexander Zverev last year ended in straight sets, but the other two Grand Slam meetings have gone at least four sets and needed 43 and 39 games played respectively before a winner could be determined and so backing the total to be surpassed might be the play with less stress compared with looking for a live underdog to come through.

The experience edge is surprisingly with the younger player in this one and Carlos Alcaraz will feel he can make that pay, but the form is with Alexander Zverev and the fans should be the ones who benefit the most on the day.

MY PICK: Alexander Zverev-Carlos Alcaraz Over 37.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

French Open Update: 22-9, + 16.98 Units (61 Units Staked, + 27.84% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 14 Pick 2024- Women's Final (Saturday 8th June)

We are down to the final four players at Roland Garros in 2024 and there are three players vying for a first title in Paris.

Two are going for a first Grand Slam full stop, but it will be a tough ask in the Women's event with a dominant Champion in the way.

Iga Swiatek - 6.5 games v Jasmine Paolini: You can only be warmed by the infectious smile and the clear joy Jasmine Paolini feels when she is on a tennis court and a strong tournament for Italian tennis has been put together on both sides of the Tour.

On Monday we will have an Italian World Number 1 on the ATP Tour for the first time and Jasmine Paolini's run to the French Open Final has moved her into World Number 7, while an upset on Saturday will mean she will be the new World Number 5 when the Rankings are released following the tournament.

It is a remarkable rise for a 28 year old who had never been beyond the Second Round at a Grand Slam before reaching the Fourth Round at the Australian Open in January. She has won a big hard court title in Dubai, but Paolini had not really been in the best of form on the clay courts before arriving in Paris, despite most feeling this would be her best surface.

That form has counted for little as she has worked her way through the bottom half of the draw to reach the Final, including beating a couple of former Grand Slam Champions on the way. Jasmine Paolini dominated Mirra Andreeva in the Semi Final to earn her place in the showpiece event on Saturday, but another level is going to have to be found if she is going to prevent Iga Swiatek from joining legendary names like Monica Seles and Justin Henin in winning the French Open three times in a row.

It will actually be a fourth title in five years for Iga Swiatek and the World Number 1 has cruised through the draw after facing Match Points in the Second Round against Naomi Osaka. There is little doubt that Swiatek has been the best clay courter on the WTA side of the Tour for some time and she does go into this Final as a massive favourite.

Pressure and tension may be the biggest threat to Iga Swiatek who has produced really strong numbers throughout the tournament with the exception being the win over Osaka in the Second Round. The serve is really functioning well and the Pole has dropped this shot just twice in four matches after losing serve five times in the Second Round match, and that is going to be key for Iga Swiatek to try and keep the pressure on her inexperienced opponent.

You have to credit the grit and the defensive ability of Jasmine Paolini and that has helped her produce plenty of breaks of serve in this tournament, but this is an entirely different challenge, even compared with the multiple Breaks earned against big serving Elena Rybakina.

And the pressure that will be put on the Paolini serve cannot be underestimated with Iga Swiatek having broken every opponent at least four times, except for Naomi Osaka.

That exception was a real one and Iga Swiatek was very fortunate to get through that match against Osaka, but Paolini is not really going to be follow the blueprint left by the former World Number 1. Instead the match is more likely to be in line with others we have seen involving Iga Swiatek throughout this clay court season and the feeling is that she will have too much experience and quality for the Italian to deal with.

Last year's Final was a tighter affair than anticipated, but the previous two French Open titles won by Iga Swiatek have been in dominant victories and she would have covered this line in both.

Make no mistake it is a big line, but a 6-3, 6-2 kind of win has to be expected and the current World Number 1 can underline her status as the dominant clay courter on the WTA Tour.

MY PICK: Iga Swiatek - 6.5 Games @ 1.66 William Hill (2 Units)

French Open Update: 21-9, + 15.66 Units (59 Units Staked, + 26.54% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 13 Picks 2024 (Friday 7th June)

The Women's Final has been set for Saturday and Iga Swiatek has made it through for the fourth time in five years.

She is going to be a strong favourite, but all credit has to be given to Jasmine Paolini for finding her way through the draw and the Italian really has nothing to lose.

Before we get to the Women's Final, two quality looking Men's Semi Final matches have to be completed on Friday and both could go very long. It should also mean a very good Final will be set as we crown a new French Open Champion and potentially begin the next era without members of the Big Three who have achieved so much in the sport.

Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner Over 38.5 Games: If these two players can stay healthy and the desire never dips, this is a match up that is likely going to be deciding many Grand Slams in the years ahead.

There will be a number of other players preparing to fill the gap that will be left by the Big Three, but Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have won Grand Slams already and they are in the top three of the World Rankings right up there alongside Novak Djokovic.

With the Serb expected to miss at least Wimbledon and potentially the Olympics and US Open, most fans will figure Alcaraz and Sinner to be the leading names to add to the Slams they have already won.

Injury meant both players missed the Rome Masters, and there was some doubt about their participation at the French Open, but the two have been the best players in the tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz started a little slowly, which is not a surprise considering he was slightly concerned about his forearm, but he has grown and grown.

For Jannik Sinner, the new World Number 1, the tournament has largely gone to plan with a single set dropped in his march to the Semi Final.

This is the third Grand Slam meeting between the two with both holding a win apiece, while the two previous clay court matches have also been split. Their only match in 2024 was won by Carlos Alcaraz as he came from behind to beat Jannik Sinner in three sets at the Indian Wells Masters, but there really has not been much between the players and this is a fascinating Semi Final.

Over the course of the French Open, Jannik Sinner has perhaps served slightly better than Carlos Alcaraz, but the Spaniard has had a slight edge when it comes to the return. The new World Number 1 does look a big price to win this Semi Final, but the better approach may be looking for the match to go long.

Previous matches have featured plenty of one-sided sets, despite the obvious qualities that both of these players have.

Tension will be high in this Semi Final which could see something like that happen in one or two sets, but the feeling is that both are playing well enough to make this very competitive and push the match to four or possibly even five sets.

The previous two Grand Slam matches between Alcaraz and Sinner have both needed at least four sets and the feeling is that the likely top two Seeds heading into Wimbledon will be involved in a titanic battle on Friday.

Casper Ruud v Alexander Zverev: Twelve months ago Alexander Zverev returned to the French Open having suffered a serious injury here in 2022, but the expectations were not that high for the German after a mixed return to the Tour. He did reach the Semi Final surprisingly, but Casper Ruud stood in the way and proved to be too strong for Zverev.

They meet again on Friday in another Semi Final, but Alexander Zverev had arrived in Paris as one of the favourites and underlined that position by beating Rafael Nadal in the First Round.

Off court issues continue to cast a cloud over this Alexander Zverev run, but he has been doing what is needed on the court.

The only negative for him from a tennis point of view is the amount of time he has already spent on the court, although it was very important to win the Quarter Final in straight sets. That victory over Alex De Minaur followed back to back five setters and there has to be some fatigue at play.

He did not look at his dominant best in the win over the Australian, but getting off the court in under three hours will have helped the Zverev cause.

This is clearly going to be a tough match for the World Number 4, especially as Casper Ruud has reached consecutive French Open Finals and will have that mental edge of having beaten Zverev in the Semi Final in 2023. The Norwegian also benefits from Novak Djokovic's withdrawal before the Quarter Final and that should mean Casper Ruud is the fresher player having played in Geneva before the French Open began.

In saying all that, Casper Ruud has not really impressed in the tournament and he will need to raise his level against the Rome Masters Champion.

Casper Ruud is going to have to serve better than he has in the last three Rounds, but he will also perhaps have noted that Alexander Zverev's numbers have just dropped, which could be a sign of fatigue.

He is battling and the confidence is much higher than when he wilted against Casper Ruud last year so this will be close, but the tennis has mounted up in the legs and that may just hold Alexander Zverev back as he looks to reach his first French Open Final.

Three straight Semi Final losses in Paris will be hard to forget for the German and Casper Ruud's memories of this Round are much stronger which could see the narrow underdog come through.

MY PICKS: Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner Over 38.5 Games @ 1.85 Coral (2 Units)

Casper Ruud @ 2.10 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

French Open Update: 20-8, + 14.96 Units (56 Units Staked, + 26.71% Yield)

NBA PlayOffs 2024- NBA Finals Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks (June 6th-23rd)

The NBA PlayOffs have had some drama and some very good Series, but the Conference Finals were a massive disappointment.

The East was won in a sweep, while the Western Conference only needed a Game 5 to determine the winning team.

Yes, there was a disappointing lack of drama, but the good news is that we have a NBA Finals that features the two best teams from the last six weeks.

There is some pressure on both the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, but the stories before the Series has begun has set the table and the two teams have performed at a very high level.

Unsurprisingly the Boston Celtics will head into the NBA Finals, as they have been for a long time, but ruling out the Dallas Mavericks would be a mistake having come through as the underdog in each of the last two Series against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves. They are being led by a star looking to move into the next echelon, while the Boston Celtics have two players still looking to prove themselves by finally being able to call themselves NBA Champions.

It should mean a fun Series for as long as it lasts.

Much like last year, the first two Rounds produced a decent return for the NBA Picks, but the Conference Finals stumped me.

That is something to learn from when the PlayOffs come back around in twelve months time.

The entire NBA Finals coverage will be placed in this thread.

NBA Finals 2024- Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks (June 6th-23rd)

Thursday 6th June

Dallas Mavericks @ Boston Celtics Game 1 Pick: The NBA Finals begin on Thursday, although the wait between the end of the Conference Finals and the start of the Championship Series has not been ideal.

The schedulers cannot be blamed for that- not many would have tipped both Conference Final Series to have been as one-sided as they turned out to be.

It does mean plenty of rest for the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks ahead of the NBA Finals and that is also good news for the injured players who missed out on the Conference Finals.

Kristaps Porzingis is one beneficiary and he is set to suit up for the Boston Celtics in Game 1, which is a huge boost for the team. They have played well even without him, but the Celtics know they are a different beast with Porzingis in the starting lineup.

He will not be lacking for motivation against one of his former teams, but the Dallas Mavericks will also be suiting up a player with something to prove.

Kyrie Irving might not be the superstar for the Dallas Mavericks, but he has backed up Luka Doncic impressively in his time with the team. His play has been elevated in the post-season and Irving will be ready for Game 1 and the passionate Boston crowd that are going to try and rattle him out of his focus.

After winning a Championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving made a big splash by moving to Boston, but his two years with the team were underwhelming. The Celtics decided the team would grow more effectively without him and there was little love lost between the player and the team when he moved to Brooklyn.

Some believed that Kyrie Irving was a pretty poor fit in most places after failing with the Nets, but he has found a good home in Dallas and playing second fiddle to Luka Doncic might aid him.

At the same time, Irving will arrive in this Series with a point to prove and that certainly makes the NBA Finals that much more fascinating. He has played well in the post-season and Dallas are going to need him when facing this Boston Celtics team that could be back at full health and who have shown they can beat you in very different ways.

Defensively they have not played as well as hoped, but the return of Porzingis gives Boston a boost on this side of the court and the Celtics can make it pay in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are playing with the pressure to show they are able to fulfil the potential they have long held, but the supporting cast have been key for Boston. They will likely give Doncic plenty to think about when he is in the uncomfortable position of having to Defend against Derrick White or Jrue Holiday and the depth of this Celtics team is impressive.

Game 1 home favourites are on a strong run in the NBA Finals with the last ten ending 8-2 against the spread, while teams favoured by more than 4.5 points at home are 19-10-1 against the spread in the last thirty in that position.

The Celtics struggled for covers in the Eastern Conference Finals and this Dallas Mavericks team have played at a high level and been able to hang around in games. However, the return of Kristaps Porzingis and the crowd being fired up by seeing Kyrie Irving on the other side of the court feels like it will pump enough energy behind the home players to see them move into a 1-0 lead with a cover of this relatively wide line.

Sunday 9th June

Dallas Mavericks @ Boston Celtics Game 2 Pick: Despite being cleared to take part in Game 1, some fans of the Boston Celtics might have been a little concerned that Kristaps Porzingis was only going to feature from the bench.

Those concerns dissipated very quickly after Porzingis moved onto the court and he showed he is more than ready to take part in the NBA Finals and just gives the Boston Celtics a completely different look and feel.

They might have swept the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals, but Boston were made to work very hard and that meant there were one or two doubters about this time heading into the NBA Finals. However, the return of Kristaps Porzingis makes them that much tougher to defend and the Dallas Mavericks did not have many answers in a Game 1 in which they were down by 29 points during the First Half.

Luka Doncic did his best in the Third Quarter to rally the Mavericks and helped the team reduce that deficit to just 8 points, but the little support from those around him ultimately proved too much for Dallas and Doncic.

Adjustments will be made by Head Coach Jason Kidd and there may even be changes made to the starting lineup to make sure they can close on the Boston three point shooters. It was not a lights out display from beyond the arc, but the Celtics live and die by the three pointer and they threw up 42 of those in Game 1, which is 15 more than the Dallas Mavericks, while Boston also landed 16-7 compared with their visitors.

The reality is it has been tough to stop all season and especially with Porzingis on the court and the bigger adjustment for Dallas may be trying to match the output. They will certainly need more from Kyrie Irving, who heard the chants from a fanbase that have little love lost for him.

Boston felt like they had decided to try and lock down on the top two Dallas players and force others to beat them and that has been a concern for this Mavericks team. They have found a way to get the role players going in the previous Series, but doing so against the Boston Celtics is another challenge and the Dallas Mavericks may struggle to make this one much closer.

It should almost certainly be more competitive after Boston blew open a big lead by the middle of the Second Quarter, but getting much closer at the end of the game will be tough for the Mavericks.

Teams who have been blown out in the NBA Finals have followed up with a 9-18-2 record against the spread in the next outing over the last twenty-nine occasions when a double digit defeat has been suffered.

As mentioned in the Game 1 preview, teams favoured by at least 4.5 points at home are now 20-10-1 against the spread after Boston covered last time out, while home teams are 5-2-1 against the spread in the last eight Game 2 NBA Finals outings.

My concern is that Boston dropped Game 2 at home in the First Round Series and in the Conference Semi Final Series, but they avoided that fate in the Eastern Conference Finals. We have seen how much fight and determination this Dallas Mavericks team have and so they have to be respected, but the Celtics will feel that much stronger with Kristaps Porzingis back and they can back up the Game 1 win with another strong showing.

Wednesday 12th June

Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks Game 3 Pick: It was a much better effort from the Dallas Mavericks, but they were not able to sustain things and the Boston Celtics had moved clear in the Fourth Quarter before holding on for a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.

Both wins were at home so the Dallas Mavericks will make the trek back to Texas knowing that this Series is not beyond them, although Game 3 is effectively a 'must win' situation for them.

There was more support for Luka Doncic in Game 2 compared with Game 1, and he had eleven Assists compared with a single Assist. The whole starting lineup managed to get into double digits in terms of points, but the lack of depth was an issue for the Dallas Mavericks, while the continued struggles to hit consistently from the three point arc has proven to be fatal to the chances of earning an upset.

Being back at home should help the role players have a more consistent impact, but the Mavericks have not been dominant here in their run to the NBA Finals. This has to be a concern for Dallas and they will be looking to make a few more adjustments to make sure the players around Luka Doncic are able to have an impact on Game 3.

With a 2-0 lead, you might be forgiven for thinking the Boston Celtics are going to be extremely happy, but this is a team that knows it has yet to really perform to the level they have come to expect from themselves. They were very good in the First Quarter of Game 1, but the Celtics have not really imposed themselves on the NBA Finals and they have struggled to hit their three pointers as they would have liked.

Despite that, Boston have really ramped things up Defensively and they have made it clear that they are going to try and limit Doncic's impact as a playmaker. He has been allowed to make his own shots, but the Celtics are trying to make sure that others are not able to beat them and ultimately it has worked out as planned.

The Celtics have been dominant on the road in the post-season and that makes them dangerous, but Game 3s have tended to land in favour of the hosts and it makes this line a tough one to call. Boston have been the better team, but the Dallas Mavericks have to be highly motivated returning home and it would not surprise anyone if this came down to the final two minutes.

The trend that may continue to pay out is the 'under' with the total line dropping 3.5 points from Game 1.

The 'under' is 21-11-1 against the spread in the last thirty-three games in the NBA Finals and that includes in both games in this NBA Finals. Kristaps Porzingis is expected to be available for the Celtics and has offered a punch from the bench, but shooting has been a struggle for both teams and that may continue.

Friday 14th June

Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks Game 4 Pick: There was a feeling prior to the start of the NBA Finals that the depth of the Boston Celtics would prove to be too much, although plenty of 'experts' picked the Dallas Mavericks to make this a very competitive Series.

After coming through the Western Conference impressively, the Mavericks would have felt confident, but all of their weaknesses have been on display as they have slipped 3-0 behind the Eastern Conference Champions.

Luka Doncic will be looking to rally the troops, but he has been on the end of plenty of sharp criticism after the Game 3 defeat.

His lack of Defensive effort has been the main talking point and you have to believe Doncic is going to have something to prove. It was perhaps ironic that he fouled out of the Game 3 defeat when trying to actually get his body between the ball and the basket, but it came at a bad time for the Mavericks who had rallied from a 21 point deficit and had pulled within 3 points of the Celtics and with time remaining in the Fourth Quarter.

Ultimately losing their best player ended the rally and the Dallas Mavericks have very little time between Game 3 and Game 4 to make adjustments, dust themselves off and look to avoid an embarrassing sweep.

There is no doubt that Luka Doncic will have heard and read all of the words focusing on him, but it has been a tough Series for him. Defensively he has never been the best, but there is only so much Doncic can do on the other side of the court and Boston have made it clear that the role players are not going to have a big impact on the Series.

Kyrie Irving played well in Game 3, but the Celtics are living with their former player and Doncic scoring points and the efforts to shut down the rest have really paid off.

You have to expect more of the same from the Boston Celtics, even if they almost shockingly blew a massive lead in the Game 3 victory. Ultimately that has taken them to the brink of winning a first NBA Championship in sixteen years and will place Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on another level all together.

Both played a big game on the road to help the Celtics win again and they have shown they can cope without Kristaps Porzingis, who had to sit down in Game 3 and has to be considered doubtful with the short turnaround into Game 4.

Boston have shown a couple of times in this Series that once they get hot, they are going to have all of the answers to this Dallas Mavericks Defensive scheme. The Celtics are finding the open man when it comes to setting up the three pointers and they are draining enough of them to really take control of the tempo.

After three games, it is very difficult to see a massive shift in the NBA Finals and the 'under' continues to be the play.

With the win on Wednesday, the 'under' is now 22-11-1 in the NBA Finals, while Game 4s in the Finals are 9-1 in favour of the 'under'.

There is a short turn in the action and that may contribute to another low-scoring game as Boston continue to make things very difficult for the Dallas role players. The Celtics do have the capabilities of putting up big points if they find their three point shooting groove, but Dallas have shown they can at least force some misses and the one point drop in the total may not be enough for the 'over' to come in.

Monday 17th June

Dallas Mavericks @ Boston Celtics Game 5 Pick: Criticisms were heard and there was a real worry that the Dallas Mavericks were going to be swept out of the NBA Finals.

Instead Luka Doncic came out with something to prove and Kyrie Irving's long run of defeats to his former team were ended in emphatic fashion as the Mavericks blew out the Boston Celtics in Game 4.

The game was so far out of hand that the Celtics actually didn't play their starters in the Fourth Quarter and the Mavericks may feel they have some real momentum now. In recent years in the NBA Finals, momentum has certainly been a factor once we get into the latter stages of the Series, and that is something the Dallas Mavericks will lean on as they look to find a way to earn one more home game in the 2023/24 season.

The manner of the defeat on Friday will have been a shock to the Boston Celtics, but this is a team that is unlikely to panic.

It is only the third defeat Boston have suffered in the post-season, but the previous two have been followed up with big wins and they will certainly feel confident of closing this NBA Finals at home. The reality is that the Celtics just had an off-shooting night, as they had in the previous PlayOff defeats, but Boston have shown they can avoid making those nights the norm rather than the exceptions.

At home you have to believe they will shoot the ball that much better than they managed in Game 4 and this is a team that will still be firm in the belief of controlling this NBA Finals.

Kristaps Porzingis was given clearance to play in Game 4, but did not get onto the court- this perhaps indicates that he will be ready to play a part in Game 5 with two days of rest between those two games and that will be a huge boost for the Celtics too.

Game 5 hosts have not had the best record covering the spread in recent NBA Finals, but being a big home favourite is perhaps the exception. Those being asked to lay at least 4.5 points are now 20-10-2 against the spread in the last thirty-two NBA Finals games in that situation and Boston are 1-0-1 against the spread in this Series.

The blowout loss of Game 4 is hard to ignore, but the last three teams that have been beaten by at least 30 points in a NBA Finals game have followed up not only with a win, but a win by double digits. As well as the Dallas Mavericks played in Game 4, they were aided by a poor day in the office from the Boston Celtics and it may be asking too much for that to happen again.

Dallas have made some adjustments that helped, but there is a feeling they could turn back to poor habits if this game begins poorly and the Boston Celtics look ready to be crowned NBA Champions again.

MY PICKS: 06/06 Boston Celtics - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

09/06 Boston Celtics - 7 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

12/06 Dallas Mavericks-Boston Celtics Under 212.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

14/06 Dallas Mavericks-Boston Celtics Under 211.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

17/06 Boston Celtics - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

NBA Finals: 3-0-1, + 2.73 Units (4 Units Staked, + 68.25% Yield)

Conference Finals: 3-6, - 3.27 Units (9 Units Staked, - 36.33% Yield)

Conference Semi Finals: 13-11, + 0.87 Units (24 Units Staked, + 3.63% Yield)

First Round: 22-17, + 3.27 Units (38 Units Staked, + 8.61% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2024 (Thursday 6th June)

There is also the scenario where upsets can turn a tennis draw lopsided and that is something that UEFA may come to understand in the years ahead with their new Knock Out format in the Champions League.

Two upsets on Wednesday has certainly given the end of the Women's French Open that kind of feeling with the first Semi Final likely to send a very strong favourite into Saturday's Final.

Both Jasmine Paolini and Mirra Andreeva have to be given a lot of credit for the runs made, but the winner of Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff is likely going to be adding another Grand Slam to their collection and that may just build further pressure on that Semi Final.

Those two players go up first before the second Semi Finalists both look for a major early achievement in their careers. It should be a good day of tennis for the fans before we get to find out which two players compete for the second Grand Slam of the 2024 season.

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 games v Coco Gauff: This is a match up between two of the top three players on the WTA Tour, but the spread is heavily skewed in favour of the World Number 1.

That isn't a massive surprise with this Grand Slam Semi Final being played on the clay courts in Paris, but there is also the match up problem overall for Coco Gauff who has lost ten of her eleven previous matches against Iga Swiatek.

The one win was on a fast court in Cincinnati, but Iga Swiatek got the better of Gauff in a couple of other hard court matches after that and the World Number 1 has won all four previous clay court matches against the American.

The most recent was in Rome in the build up to this French Open and Swiatek was a more comfortable winner than the final 6-4, 6-3 scoreline might have suggested.

It underlines the huge challenge that Coco Gauff faces- her best efforts have led to very one-sided defeats on this surface, while the overall record suggests Iga Swiatek has the perfect blend of attack and defence to give the World Number 3 fits on the court.

Eight of the previous eleven matches competed between these two players would have seen Iga Swiatek cover this line and she is playing at a remarkably high level since the almost upset Second Round win over Naomi Osaka.

Iga Swiatek's real edge is that she is able to control her points behind serve much more effectively than Coco Gauff and that is likely going to be shown up in this Semi Final.

The American does enjoy the clay courts and she is playing well, but that is not enough to compete with Iga Swiatek alone- Coco Gauff is going to have to find something special to find an upset, but it is unlikely and the expected outcome is a routine win for the favourite to lift the trophy for a third time in a row.

Jasmine Paolini-Mirra Andreeva Over 8.5 Match Breaks: The overwhelming feeling was that we were on a collision course between all of the top four players in the World Rankings when it came to the Semi Finals at Roland Garros in 2024. The World Number 1 and World Number 3 cemented their places to face off against one another on Tuesday, but Wednesday proved to be much different.

First up Elena Rybakina was upset by Jasmine Paolini and then an out of sorts Aryna Sabalenka was beaten by teenage prodigy Mirra Andreeva in the second Quarter Final.

So to say this is an unexpected Semi Final is putting it lightly.

However, both Paolini and Andreeva have to be given a lot of credit for the path they have cut through the draw and both are deserving of their place in the final four. Jasmine Paolini has impressed by showing grit and determination to work her way into the top 10 of the World Rankings, while Mirra Andreeva has heaps of potential and seems capable of fulfilling that very quickly.

Tension will be high in this second Semi Final on Thursday and that is not going to be a surprise.

New emotions will have to be contained with the two players a win away from reaching a maiden Grand Slam Final and the only hope is that both are able to free up and play the kind of tennis they have produced in Paris over the last couple of weeks.

Both of these players are comfortable on the red dirt and the return games have been very impressive and that is the main reason this feels like a match that will produce at least nine breaks of serve. Four of the five matches played by Jasmine Paolini has seen that mark surpassed, although it is only the case in two of the five matches played by Mirra Andreeva.

These two met in Madrid and shared out eleven breaks of serve that day in what was a two set win for the younger player and you do have to appreciate how well both Paolini and Andreeva have been returning in this event.

Mirra Andreeva does have the edge when it comes to the serve and that may ultimately be the reason she is able to reach what should be the first of many Grand Slam Finals, but the 17 year old will have to overcome some nerves. The Italian across the net will fight until the match is over and so this could be a back and forth Semi Final with a huge number of breaks of serve for both players.

MY PICKS: Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jasmine Paolini-Mirra Andreeva Over 8.5 Match Breaks @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

French Open Update: 19-7, + 15.52 Units (52 Units Staked, + 29.85% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 11 Picks 2024 (Wednesday 5th June)

It looked like a serious injury, but Novak Djokovic ended his Fourth Round match in such strong fashion that the feeling was that a day of rest would be enough for him to take to the court.

Unfortunately the MRI scan on Tuesday showed more knee damage than hoped, and Djokovic has to withdraw from the tournament.

The longer-term concern is that the 24 time Grand Slam Champion will be unable to compete at Wimbledon and then potentially the Olympic Games and US Open. More on that will likely come out in the days and weeks ahead, but the short turnaround into the third Grand Slam of the season makes it unlikely that Novak Djokovic can add to the seven titles he has won in SW19.

A new World Number 1 will be made official on Monday when Jannik Sinner moves into that slot, and deservedly so, but before that a new French Open Champion will be crowned on Sunday. Every player left in the draw will feel confident about winning the title and you can make a case for all five left in the draw, although Casper Ruud might benefit from the Novak Djokovic walkover in their Quarter Final.

Elena Rybakina - 4.5 games v Jasmine Paolini: The World Ranking points might suggest the top three are clear of the rest on the WTA Tour, but there is little doubt that the 2022 Wimbledon Champion Elena Rybakina is right up alongside Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka.

An Australian Open Runner Up and a Wimbledon Quarter Final were the highlights of her 2023 Grand Slam season, but a very disappointing Second Round defeat in Melbourne earlier this year has kept Rybakina from really closing on the top three players in terms of Ranking points.

Illness meant she could not defend the title she won in Rome last year, meaning more significant points came off the record, but Elena Rybakina has powered through the draw in Paris. She has matched her Quarter Final appearance in 2021, but Rybakina has to be feeling pretty confident about her all around tennis to believe she can set a new career mark for this tournament.

Overlooking Jasmine Paolini would be a mistake and a win for the Italian would mean she would enter the top ten in the World Rankings for the first time. While the path through to the Quarter Final has been relatively serene for Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini has come through a couple of three setters, although the sets won were very one-sided in her favour.

Earlier this year she reached the second week at a Grand Slam for the first time and Paolini has made it through to her first Quarter Final at this level in Paris on her favoured clay courts.

The build up to the French Open was perhaps a little disappointing as far as Jasmine Paolini is concerned, but her performances here will give her confidence. She also pushed Elena Rybakina in a three set loss in Stuttgart on an indoor clay court, but it was the higher Seed who created double the Break Point chances and that is likely to be the case here.

Defence is key for Paolini as she will look to frustrate Elena Rybakina and ask her to play one more shot wherever she can, but the serve looks to be a huge weapon as far as the World Number 4 goes.

Ruling out Jasmine Paolini completely would be a mistake and she can make this competitive, but Elena Rybakina has powered her way through big moments throughout this week. She looks to be playing with a real confidence and the bigger hitting could shine through even when the weather is perhaps taking a slight dip again.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Mirra Andreeva: There is little doubting the sense of expectation around Mirra Andreeva and her potential as a multiple time Grand Slam Champion in the making.

She has only just turned 17 years old at the end of April and continues to show maturity beyond her years in handling the pressures that are around her.

In the Fourth Round, Mirra Andreeva faced a home player who had the crowd firmly behind her, but it did not rattle the youngster at all and she came through with a strong win. The victory marked her first Grand Slam Quarter Final appearance and plenty more are expected from a player who will be allowed to play more tournamnts and really grow onto the Tour.

Regardless of the result on Wednesday, Mirra Andreeva will be reaching a new career high World Ranking as she enters the top 30 for the first time. An upset would really see her making moves towards the top 20 and that will be motivation for Andreeva, although she will also understand there is a huge challenge in front o her.

Aryna Sabalenka is the current World Number 2 and she will not be able to improve on that position even if she was to win the title in Paris next Saturday. However, it would mean Sabalenka holds the first two Grand Slams of the 2024 season and not many would consider anyone else to be the top player in the world.

This is the seventh Grand Slam in a row that Aryna Sabalenka has made it through to the Quarter Final since her Third Round loss in Paris in 2022, and she made it into the Semi Final on each of the last six occasions. Two Slams have been won in that time, and she has been a beaten Finalist, while Sabalenka has become a very consistent force on the Tour.

She reached the Final in both Madrid and Rome, although was beaten both times by Iga Swiatek, and the feeling is that Aryna Sabalenka will overpower Mirra Andreeva.

That has been the case in their two previous meetings, both in Madrid, in 2023 and this year. In both matches Mirra Andreeva has picked up just four games and the youngster has found very little joy at winning points against the big Sabalenka serve.

In Paris the conditions may suit Mirra Andreeva a bit more than Madrid, especially with the weather not as hot as it could be. However, it will still take a big shift in the match up for this to be much more competitive and right now Aryna Sabalenka might just be too powerful for a younger player still growing into her body.

Aryna Sabalenka has simply not been troubled in Paris and seems to be enjoying her time here and that makes her dangerous- she can come through this one with another reminder to Mirra Andreeva that there is still considerable work to be done before she really begins to mix it with the elite of the WTA Tour.

Alexander Zverev - 1.5 sets v Alex De Minaur: Get things right, playing back to back five setters in a Grand Slam is extremely challenging for any player and especially when you think there are still three more matches to win if a title is to be secured.

That is the challenge for Alexander Zverev who is playing under the cloud of a legal case being heard in Germany regarding domestic abuse allegations.

While the ATP Tour and the French Open are trying to ignore those off the court issues, Alexander Zverev himself has also managed to bring in enough PR support to ensure that he is not being heckled by the crowd.

It has been a tough tournament from the outset with Zverev having to beat Rafael Nadal in the Spaniard's potentially last French Open appearance. That was in the First Round, while the last two wins over Tallon Griekspoor and Holger Rune have both needed some late drama for the World Number 4 to progress.

He has long had a liking for the clay courts and this Quarter Final may feel a step down in level of opponent compared with the Fourth Round when facing Holger Rune.

Alex De Minaur may have something to say about that after an impressive win over Daniil Medvedev, but the run to the Quarter Final has been surprising to say the least. He had never been beyond the Second Round at Roland Garros before, while the Australian has proven to be much happier on the faster surfaces rather than the red dirt.

An inconsistent build up to the second Grand Slam of the season would have underlined the feeling that Alex De Minaur would have been a vulnerable higher Seed, but all credit has to be given to him. He has dropped the first set in each of his last two wins, but this will feel a much tougher match up for him as long as Alexander Zverev is able to recover from a late night finish.

The German does have a solid match up record against Alex De Minaur and their one sole clay court match in Rome in 2022 ended up in a relatively comfortable win for Alexander Zverev. The serve is really working well for the higher Seed in this Quarter Final and that is likely going to be key for Zverev in his bid to reach another Semi Final in Paris.

Nothing ever comes easily against a tenacious competitor like De Minaur, but the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas have had strong wins over the Aussie on this surface over the last couple of months. Alexander Zverev is certainly playing up to that kind of level and overcoming any lingering fatigue can be helped with a strong Quarter Final win.

MY PICKS: Elena Rybakina - 4.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Coral (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 1.5 Sets @ 1.75 Coral (2 Units)

French Open Update: 18-5, + 18.02 Units (46 Units Staked, + 39.17% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 10 Picks 2024 (Tuesday 4th June)

There have been some fair criticisms of the scheduling of the French Open, but the weather has really not played ball with the organisers.

What has been a positive is the standard of matches we have seen through the first nine days at the tournament.

We saw more of that on Day 9 as Novak Djokovic fought back from 2-1 down in sets to earn yet another Quarter Final spot at a Grand Slam event. Following that was a really good match between Alexander Zverev and Holger Rune for the Night Session crowd and hopefully there is more top quality tennis for the fans to enjoy in the days ahead.

Coco Gauff - 4.5 games v Ons Jabeur: Winning a Grand Slam means everything to those starting on the professional tennis tour and Ons Jabeur has made no secret of her desire to win one of her own. She reached three Grand Slam Finals between 2022 and 2023, but came up short each time, and the window is most definitely closing.

Wimbledon may prove to be her best chance with so many players uncertain about playing on the grass and Ons Jabeur reaching the last two Finals in SW19, although the defeat to Marketa Vondrousova last year has had a big impact on her tennis.

However, Ons Jabeur has matched her best run at Roland Garros by reaching the Quarter Final here for the second year in a row and that despite dropping down to World Number 9. These days there are four players who look to have moved clear of the rest of the pack and Jabeur will likely have to beat three of them if she is going to win the title here next Saturday.

First up is Coco Gauff, the US Open Champion and a player who has reached the Quarter Final at Roland Garros for the fourth time in a row. Despite making her breakthrough on the Tour at Wimbledon, the American World Number 3 has produced her most consistent Grand Slam results in Paris, which may come as a surprise.

On the other hand, watching Gauff play on the red dirt and it becomes very easy to understand why she is so effective on this surface.

Beating Iga Swiatek remains the biggest challenge for any player on this surface, but Coco Gauff has shown she can handle most other challengers very effectively. She has barely broken a sweat to move through the four Rounds played at the 2024 French Open and it says something about Coco Gauff that the last three defeats at Roland Garros have all been to the eventual Champion (Barbora Krejcikova and Iga Swiatek twice).

Ons Jabeur has only dropped one set of her own during this four match winning run, but her numbers prior to the French Open were pretty average and this is a big step up.

The expectation is that Jabeur will pick up more than a single game as she did when being crushed by Coco Gauff in the WTA Finals at the end of last year, but it also should be noted that the Tunisian only managed four games in a routine defeat to this opponent at Roland Garros in 2021. The improvements made by Coco Gauff since then makes her more dangerous and the feeling is that she will be able to come through this match with another strong win.

Iga Swiatek - 6.5 games v Marketa Vondrousova: The defending French Open and defending Wimbledon Champions meet in the Quarter Final at Roland Garros in 2024 and the layers have Iga Swiatek down as a big favourite.

That may be harsh on Marketa Vondrousova, who is a former Finalist in Paris, but there is no doubt that this is a massive challenge for the player who will be opening up Centre Court on Day 2 of the Wimbledon Championships in July.

During this tournament, we have managed to back Vondrousova a couple of times with solid returns, and that underlines her qualities on the clay courts. She is a good player, one that moves well enough and can cause problems with her groundstrokes, but it has also been a kind draw for the Czech player to exploit and that all changes massively on Tuesday.

This time she has to play the two time defending Champion Iga Swiatek who has recovered from almost losing to Naomi Osaka in the Second Round exactly how you would come to expect. In her last two wins, Swiatek has not needed to spend any significant time on the court and has dropped just six games having faced a Match Point in her eventual win over Osaka.

Sixteen straight wins on the clay courts means Iga Swiatek will arrive with a lot of confidence whenever she feels the red dirt under her feet.

She will be extremely happy on the main court in Roland Garros and the World Number 1 has been able to dominate opponents on this surface.

To add to that aura, Iga Swiatek will begin this match knowing she has won all three professional matches against Marketa Vondrousova and all relatively comfortably. There were two strong hard court wins over the lefty last year after a competitive first set, but this surface is one where Swiatek should have more of an edge and she can find the breaks of serve needed to cover this big line.

Jannik Sinner - 5.5 games v Grigor Dimitrov: The potential of winning a Grand Slam has not been realised by Grigor Dimitrov so far in his career, but there may be an opportunity to do something special in 2024.

However, you would have certainly placed the French Open at the bottom of the Grand Slam pile when it came to ranking the likelihood of the Bulgarian winning one of the four tournaments played.

2024 is the first time in his career that Grigor Dimitrov has made it into the Quarter Final at the French Open and it is a surprising run considering the inconsistent results in the build up to the tournament. The win over Hubert Hurkacz in the last Round is a solid one, but even the strongest of Dimitrov fans will accept that their player has made use of a very good section of the draw.

That is the benefit of being a top ten Seed in the tournament, but this is now a big step up for Dimitrov when he faces Jannik Sinner.

The Italian has not had much tennis under the legs after picking up a hip injury in Madrid which meant missing a home tournament in Rome. It meant Jannik Sinner arrived in Paris under a cloud of doubt, but he has held up pretty well even if his preparation was perhaps not as it should have been.

There is still a chance that Jannik Sinner will leave Paris as the new World Number 1, but the focus will be on picking up a second Grand Slam title having beaten Daniil Medvedev in Melbourne. Jannik Sinner reached the French Open Quarter Final on debut in 2020, but has not made it back this far until doing so this year and that is perhaps a real surprise considering how well he can play on the red dirt.

He had some troubles in the Fourth Round win, but that may actually have hardened Sinner for the business end of the tournament and this has proven to be a good match up for him in recent meetings with Grigor Dimitrov.

It was the Bulgarian that won their only previous meeting on a clay court in 2020, but Jannik Sinner has won the last three in a row and all on the hard courts where Dimitrov would have felt more comfortable than on this surface. In those three wins, Sinner has dominated behind serve and managed to keep the pressure on Grigor Dimitrov and this is how this Quarter Final may end up being played out.

The World Number 10 is playing well enough to perhaps edge a set, but Jannik Sinner may end up breaking him down and that may see him dominate one or two sets in order to clear this handicap mark.

Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 games v Stefanos Tsitsipas: With Novak Djokovic struggling for form and both the World Number 2 and Number 3 clouded by injury concerns, Stefanos Tsitsipas has to have arrived in Paris feeling like a first Grand Slam could be earned.

He has been close- he has reached four Grand Slam Semi Finals and two Grand Slam Finals, but the Greek player has ultimately come up short. However, his best results have tended to be in the first half of the season and Stefanos Tsitsipas will be playing in his fourth French Open Quarter Final in five years.

One defeat from the previous three will give Tsitsipas confidence, although that one defeat came against the player who will be standing across the net from him on Tuesday.

Carlos Alcaraz was beaten in Madrid and had to miss Rome with a forearm issue, but he did find a way to be involved here at the French Open. The defending Wimbledon Champion will hold this Grand Slam very dear to the heart, as it is for many Spanish players, and he is playing in his third straight Quarter Final here.

Last year he looked to have all of the momentum against Novak Djokovic until being hit by severe cramps and barely being able to move and Carlos Alcaraz admitted feeling 'scared' early in this tournament with the forearm at the forefront of the mind.

That was perhaps evident in his Second Round win, but the World Number 3 is playing with a lot more confidence now and this has been a match up where he has been incredibly successful.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is trying to be more aggressive on the backhand, but it is an area that Carlos Alcaraz has exploited in previous matches and the latter will be looking to make it six wins in a row against the Greek player. The previous five wins have included three wins on the clay courts and the numbers in those matches heavily lean towards Carlos Alcaraz, which underlines the feeling that this is a good match up for him and he has the ability to negate the early Tsitsipas aggression and force mistakes and short balls from the other side of the net.

The forearm issue does raise some doubts, but Carlos Alcaraz looks quite healthy and he can find the big points at the big moments to come through with a strong win in this Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Coco Gauff - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Coral (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 6.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jannik Sinner - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Coral (2 Units)

Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

French Open Update: 14-5, + 11.66 Units (38 Units Staked, + 30.68% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 9 Picks 2024 (Monday 3rd June)

The French Open continues on Monday as the remaining Quarter Final places are contested.

With better conditions expected all around, the last of the late night finishes might finally be behind us.

Mirra Andreeva - 4.5 games v Varvara Gracheva: Two young players meet with a big opportunity in front of them to reach the French Open Quarter Final, although one of the names is more surprising than the other.

After some stunning results last year, Mirra Andreeva has been a name to look out for and the only recently turned 17 year old is continuing to develop at a rapid rate. Three wins in Paris means she has already reached the Fourth Round in three of the four Grand Slams played having surpassed her Third Round run last year and the young Russian is playing with a lot of confidence.

A couple of Quarter Final runs on the clay courts in the build up to the French Open continues to underline the potential that Mirra Andreeva has and she has played well here having overcome a slump to outlast Victoria Azarenka in the Second Round. The other two wins have been comfortable, but Andreeva will be dealing with a player performing at a strong level and one that will have the home crowd behind her.

This is the first year that Varvara Gracheva has played at the French Open with the French flag beside her name having earned the right to represent the nation last year. Having previously twice reached the Third Round here, the win in the last Round means Varvara Gracheva has entered the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time and she has looked strong throughout the tournament since dropping the opening set to Maria Sakkari.

Six straight sets have been won since then, although the form in the lead up to the French Open may not have offered much suggestion that Varvara Gracheva was ready for this run.

While she has been competitive in some matches, Varvara Gracheva has a vulnerable serve and that may be exploited by someone with the talent of Mirra Andreeva.

The younger of the two player is also developing in her service part of her tennis, but Mirra Andreeva has been the superior return player and that is expected to see her past Varvara Gracheva. It should be a good match and Andreeva is going to have to handle the loud support in favour of her opponent, but she can break new ground in what is expected to be a career filled with Grand Slam trophies.

Novak Djokovic - 6.5 games v Francisco Cerundolo: A strong first half of the 2023 season took Francisco Cerundolo to a new career high World Ranking inside the top 20, but he has slipped a little bit since June 2023.

He reached the Fourth Round in Paris twelve months ago before losing a tight match to Holger Rune, but surpassing that achievement for his first Quarter Final at Grand Slam level is going to be a considerable challenge. The clay courts are favoured by Francisco Cerundolo, but there has been little in the lead up to the French Open to suggest he is ready to knock off the defending Champion.

In saying that, Francisco Cerundolo does hold a win over Alexander Zverev and he has beaten Tommy Paul twice, including in his run to the Fourth Round here. Those are solid results, but the biggest edge Cerundolo may have in this match is his fitness compared with Novak Djokovic who had an incredibly late finish to his Third Round win over Lorenzo Musetti.

Rain in Paris meant that match was not able to start until well after 10pm local time and it ended up being played until 3am on Saturday night/Sunday morning. This means very little recovery time for Novak Djokovic who is scheduled third on court on Monday, and that may be the factor that is the most telling on the day.

It has not been a memorable season for Novak Djokovic through to this point- he has yet to reach the Final of any event and some disappointing defeats in the build towards the French Open means he arrived with lower expectations than he usually places on himself. However, it will still take something special to beat him on this court and Lorenzo Musetti perhaps tightened up when things were going his way in the Third Round.

The Italian is a very competent clay courter, as is Francisco Cerundolo, but the flourish Novak Djokovic produced to that win on Saturday may just set him up to ride the momentum into the Quarter Final. A concern for the underdog in this match is that his serve can be really vulnerable at times and Novak Djokovic may end up moving through the gears and keeping Francisco Cerundolo under the cosh in this big match.

Novak Djokovic does feel a little more vulnerable anyway these days and the late finish to the Third Round is likely to have an impact, but we may not see that immediately and the World Number 1 can produce a solid win.

Casper Ruud - 1.5 sets v Taylor Fritz: There are going to be tough moments through the two weeks of any Grand Slam and both of these players have had to win a match in five sets.

Winning is the important factor though and both Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud have found a way through to the second week.

Out of the two players, Casper Ruud has shown a much more affinity with the red dirt, but ruling out Taylor Fritz completely would be a mistake.

In the lead up to the French Open, Taylor Fritz reached the Semi Final in Madrid, the Quarter Final in Rome and also reached the Final in Munich. He has won a few matches against some of the other players that have moved into the second week in Paris, which underlines their quality, while a strong serve has been rewarded with enough cheap points throughout the time on the clay.

He will need more of the same in this Fourth Round match against a player who is looking to reach the French Open Final for a third year in a row.

Casper Ruud has long been one of the stronger players on the surface and he has shown a bit more quality in his return game compared with Taylor Fritz. However, the key for Ruud is that he is a pretty good server on the surface too and he may believe he can get on top of this match as long as he matches the kind of serving that he has produced during this clay court season.

These two players met at the World Tour Finals in November 2022 and Casper Ruud came through a tough three setter, but that was also on an indoor hard court that theoretically should have favoured Taylor Fritz.

This time it is Ruud who should be comfortable in the conditions and he can win this match, most likely in four sets.

MY PICKS: Mirra Andreeva - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Novak Djokovic - 6.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Casper Ruud - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

French Open Update: 12-4, + 10.78 Units (32 Units Staked, + 33.69% Yield)