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Wimbledon Tennis Day 12 Picks 2025 (Friday 11th July)

The Ladies Final has been set and you could argue that both Finalists are something of a surprise- Amanda Anisimova has shown some form on t...

Saturday, 19 July 2025

Boxing Picks 2025- Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois II (Saturday 19th July)

It has been a couple of months since the last Boxing Picks post and that is largely down to wanting to take a break after a disappointing opening four months.

Some bad luck has been a part of the problem, but there have been some poor picks and it was just nice to spend a bit of time enjoying the sport without making selections.

There have been some big fighters out in the time between picks, and the stronger backing being put forward by Turki Alalshikh in partnership with DAZN means the days of having one fight per year as one of the top names is over. The likes of Brian Norman Jr, Devin Haney, Naoya Inoue will be out in big events later in the year, while the announcement of the David Benavidez vs Anthony Yarde headliner for November is already building excitement.


In previous years June, July and August have tended to slow down as far as the Boxing events are concerned, but the investors in the sport want to make it more of a year-round spectacle. That has helped with some of the headline acts that have been out, including another big Ring card in New York City last weekend, and having all of the Heavyweight World Titles on the line in mid-July underlines the point.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois II may not have picked up the back pages of the sporting world as it would have done if the British representative was Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury, but this is still a big fight.

The undercard is disappointing to say the least, while the Boxing world will also have a very keen interest in a returning Manny Pacquiao as he bids to become World Champion again.

There is a big rematch on that card between Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu, while Bam Rodriguez looks to Unify before also joining the Night of Champions card that Riyadh are putting together for November.

It is a busy weekend for fight fans to say the least.


2024 was a positive year for the Boxing Picks, but it has been tough work in 2025.

There are still five months of the year to go and with some big fights to come, but picking up some momentum is key out of the short break taken. This is not going to be easy, but there is time to put back to back years on the board with a positive return and that has to be the focus through the remainder of the calendar year.



Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois II

Having won the Undisputed Heavyweight Title when beating Tyson Fury for the first time, Oleksandr Usyk is looking to become a two-time, four belt World Champion in the box office Division in Boxing.

He is 38 years old now and it has long felt that Father Time would be the one opponent that would eventually get the better of Oleksandr Usyk, although there has not been any sign of decline in his performances.

The Ukrainian is not the most active of fighters and since beating Tony Bellew in late 2018 he has fought twice in the same calendar year just once. That was last year when getting the better of Tyson Fury twice, but now Oleksandr Usyk returns to London for the first time in four years to turn back another British fighter in what is expected to be the sole outing of 2025.

It is another rematch and does mean Usyk has not taken on anyone outside of Anthony Joshua (twice), Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury (twice) since beating Dereck Chisora back in 2020.

This is a much different Daniel Dubois compared with the one that Oleksandr Usyk beat in Poland in 2023, although the former continues to take a lot of confidence from what he felt was a legitimate Knock Down in the Fifth Round. The referee called it a low blow, and the feeling it was low, but Daniel Dubois and his team believe they were robbed and should have been in the Undisputed bout against Tyson Fury instead of the unbeaten World Champion.

A win over Jarrell Miller to close out 2023 rebuilt some of the confidence and Daniel Dubois followed up with victories over Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua. The performances look to be improving after each of those fights, which means his team are very confident that Daniel Dubois has the right mentality to fulfil his dreams, but he had to withdraw from a fight with Joseph Parker earlier this year and that means Dubois has actually been out of the ring for longer than his opponent.

You have to give Daniel Dubois a lot of respect for the way he has bounced back from that defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, especially as many felt he had given up on the night. His trainer, Don Charles, has instilled plenty of belief in his fighter and is another deserving of respect, but this is a huge challenge for the younger fighter.

Unlike the last three opponents beaten, Oleksandr Usyk has strong footwork and countering ability to give Daniel Dubois problems.

Making him reset before throwing can just wear down Dubois, while the expectation is that the latter is going to employ different tactics compared to that night when beaten in Poland. This time Daniel Dubois will likely want to get on the front foot and try and bully Oleksandr Usyk, but the Ukrainian has seen almost everything in Boxing.

Fighters can age overnight, which is always going to be a concern with Oleksandr Usyk, especially with the tough nights he has been through, but the Champion hasn't shown many signs of slippage.

Daniel Dubois could have some early successes, but Oleksandr Usyk has been improved in rematches with Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury having had the previous Rounds to build up his knowledge of the opponent. The wins produced by Dubois will have this team shouting out how different their fighter is compared with two years ago, but this is the ultimate challenge in the Heavyweight Division.

There is a feeling that Oleksandr Usyk can weather an early storm and that may just break the heart of the challenger.

Pop shotting, countering, making Daniel Dubois think and think again, while keeping the feet moving and forcing Dubois to dance to his tune can see Oleksandr Usyk turn the screw, much as he did two years ago. I think Daniel Dubois will want to show how much stronger he is mentally and physically, but the gas tank may end up running close to empty when either an accumulation of shots puts him down or a careful referee steps in to stop what may feel like an increasingly one-sided contest.


When this Heavyweight World Title was announced, the rumour mill ramped up about the kind of fights we would be getting on the undercard.

Instead it is something of a disappointment and falls short of the undercard that was put together for the Chris Eubank Jr-Conor Benn fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Solomon Dacres is returning after being Stopped by David Adeleye in the First Round last December and he is in with another unbeaten Ukrainian in Vladyslav Sirenko.

The latter is stepping up his level in some respects, while Dacres has plenty to prove.

It could end up being a shoot out in the Heavyweight Division and the power of Vladyslav Sirenko could see him come out on top.


Another Heavyweight contest on the undercard features Lawrence Okolie as he looks to move another step closer to challenging for a World Title.

There is plenty of reason to believe the World Titles could fragment over the next several months, especially if Oleksandr Usyk is the main event winner. Lawrence Okolie is Ranked highly by the WBC and he can retain his place in those Rankings by seeing off Kevin Lerena.

The South African has been floating between Bridgerweight and Heavyweight having begun his career at Cruiserweight and Kevin Lerena is perhaps best known for putting Daniel Dubois down three times in the First Round in December 2022.

Ultimately it was Dubois who rallied for a Third Round Stoppage, but Kevin Lerena did manage to go the distance with Justis Huni last year.

He will look to make things tough for Lawrence Okolie and there is always a concern that the British fighter will resort to his jab and grab tactic that can be so infuriating to watch.

Ultimately Lawrence Okolie has to look to make a statement and it does feel like he has the power and the set up to land a few big shots on Kevin Lerena and force a Stoppage in the contest.



Mario Barrios vs Manny Pacquiao

A legend returns to the ring on Saturday night and it is no surprise that Manny Pacquiao has been offered the chance to win a World Title in his comeback.

Rumours have long been running that Manny Pacquiao wanted to return to the ring, but four years have passed since he was pretty well beaten by Yordenis Ugas. He looked like a fighter that had seen Father Time catch up with him, but at 46 years old, Pac Man believes there is still something left in the tank.

He is returning to a Welterweight Division that is lacking a true number one and the feeling is that he is taking on the weakest of the three World Champions.

Mario Barrios had lost consecutive fights to Gervonta Davis and Keith Thurman in 2021 and 2022, but he picked up the WBC Interim World Title when getting the better of the aforementioned Ugas in September 2023. Even then, he has not really convinced as a World Champion since being elevated to full status and Barrios has not been out since November 2024.

Despite all of that, Mario Barrios is the fresher and much more active fighter and he should have all of the tools to break down an all-time great.

Like so many great Champions of the past, Manny Pacquiao refuses to accept that his greatness has dipped and that he can turn back the clock. He might even start out pretty well, but Pac Man looked well past his best in his last bout and the time spent away from the ring cannot have done him any favours at all.

When at his best, Pacquiao would have rolled past Mario Barrios, but at this stage of their respective careers, the World Champion should be able to turn the screw and potentially force an empathetic Stoppage.


The chief support on this card is a rematch between Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu and this is likely going to be a fascinating fight to watch.

Many have criticised Tim Tszyu's team for not withdrawing their fighter after he suffered an awful gash in the first fight- that withdrawal would have come at a time when the Australian could return home with his World Titles, but instead the Tim Tszyu career has just left the rail tracks.

Winning the rematch would rejuvenate the career, but this is a very tough fight and it is one that is likely going to have plenty of action attached to i.

Picking a winner looks tough and this is a bout worthy of viewing without landing on one side.


Matchroom are also running a card this Saturday in Texas and the lead is Bam Rodriguez who is looking to Unify World Titles.

He has already had another bout announced on the Night of Champions in Riyadh in November and that can be risky, but Bam should have too much for Phumelela Cafu, the WBO World Champion.

The chief support is an intriguing Super Middleweight bout between Diego Pacheco and Trevor McCumby.

The latter gave Caleb Plant all he could handle, but was eventually Stopped in the Ninth Round, and that has given Trevor McCumby another opportunity.

It will also give Diego Pacheco the motivation to put a stronger performance on the board than Plant, even if the latter has lost his way a little bit after suffering an upset loss last time out. That result should focus Pacheco, who believes he is the best Super Middleweight out there and looking to earn a shot at the winner of Canelo-Bud Crawford.

Fans will only call for that if Pacheco can continue to impress and he has the tools to secure a mid-fight Stoppage.

MY PICKS: Oleksandr Usyk to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.75 William Hill (1 Unit)
Vladyslav Sirenko to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Lawrence Okolie to Win by KO/TKO @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Mario Barrios to Win by KO/TKO @ 2.50 Bet365 (2 Units)
Diego Pacheco to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.50 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2025: 18-50, - 25.37 Units (83 Units Staked, - 30.57% Yield)

Saturday, 12 July 2025

Wimbledon Tennis Day 14 Pick 2025- Men's Final (Sunday 13th July)

The Ladies Final proved to be something of a damp squib, but Wimbledon comes to a close with the top two of the Men's game facing one another for a second Slam Final in succession.

Suffice to say it would be a huge surprise if this Final is nearly as one-sided as the Ladies Final on Saturday, especially with both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz looking in strong form.


Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz over 40.5 games: Fans of Men's Tennis have long hoped that a new rivalry would form at the end of the 'Big Three' era and that hope has long been on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz pushing one another forward.

For the second Grand Slam in a row, Sinner and Alcaraz will face off for the title and the pair have combined to win each of the last six Grand Slam titles with the number seven consecutive Slam to be held by one of the two to be decided on Sunday.

There is no doubt that these are the best two players in the world and it'll take a brave person to back the field against either of these two players when it comes to the US Open in September. Both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have won three Slams since the Australian Open in 2024 and no one will have forgotten the French Open Final played last month, which was won by Alcaraz in five sets having saved Championship Points and recovered from 2-0 behind in sets.

It is a victory that will give Carlos Alcaraz the mental edge having beaten his biggest rival in five consecutive matches, including in each two Grand Slams. Both victories have been at the French Open, but the Spaniard has also beaten Jannik Sinner at the US Open in 2022.

Being a two time defending Wimbledon Champion means he is a rightful favourite, but it is ironic that Jannik Sinner's sole Grand Slam victory over Carlos Alcaraz came at this tournament in the Fourth Round in 2021.

Jannik Sinner will have some regret about the two French Open losses considering the way the matches played out, especially the Final last month, and the World Number 1 has been dealing with an elbow issue. It is going to add to the challenge, but the performances in the last two Rounds have been very impressive and the Italian will feel a strong serving day will give him every chance of winning this title for the first time and ending the Carlos Alcaraz reign as Champion in SW19.

After that epic Final in Paris, all four of the previous Grand Slam meetings between these players have lasted at least four sets, while the last three have all ended in five sets.

It would be a massive surprise if there are not swings in this Men's Final with both players capable of going through periods of domination.

The fluctuation in the Carlos Alcaraz performances are perhaps higher/lower compared with a steadier Jannik Sinner, but the highs have seen the Spaniard play at an exceptional level. However, it is the lows where Sinner can take advantage and the feeling is that this could be another brilliant Final to watch.

Four sets have to be expected- a straight sets victory for either would be a huge surprise- and you cannot rule out another epic developing here.

Both have been serving very well in the last couple of Rounds and so tie-breakers could be in play again, as they were in the French Open Final, and backing the two best players in the world to combine for enough games to cover this total games line looks to be the right approach to take.

Picking a winner is incredibly tough, but my narrow lean may be with Jannik Sinner to find a way to end his losing run to Carlos Alcaraz and head into the US Open looking to win three of the four Slams played this season.

MY PICK: Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz Over 40.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 6-4, + 2.18 Units (20 Units Staked, + 10.90% Yield)

Friday, 11 July 2025

Wimbledon Tennis Day 13 Pick 2025- Women's Final (Saturday 12th July)

At the time of writing, the Men's Semi Final matches have yet to be completed, but the Ladies Final is know and will take centre stage on Saturday, albeit at a later start time than usual.

That may help as the main heat of the day is avoided and it should be a decent Final between two players who may not have felt they were going to be involved on the final Saturday when the tournament began.


Iga Swiatek - 3.5 games v Amanda Anisimova: Anyone who picked this as the Ladies Final at the start of the Wimbledon tournament would deserve a lot of praise, but to most, it is a surprising match up to determine the Champion of the third Grand Slam of the season.

Out of the two players, there is no doubt that former World Number 1 Iga Swiatek has the experience having won multiple French Open titles and also the US Open. She would become the only active player on the Tour that has won Grand Slams on all three surfaces if she can pick up the title on Saturday, although the run has surprised considering how little success Iga Swiatek has previously enjoyed at Wimbledon.

Prior to this season, Iga Swiatek had only reached the Quarter Final once as her best effort, but she has looked completely at ease on the surface having played well at Bad Homburg in the last warm up event on the grass.

The only 'negative' to her run through to the Final is that Iga Swiatek has only beaten one player Ranked inside the top 20 and you do have to wonder if that is going to be a potential problem. Yes, she has not really been pushed by opponents and the quality behind the serve has been really impressive, but it could also mean Swiatek is not as well prepared to play the Final as she would have been by beating stronger players.

Being prepared to face some of the best feels more comfortable for Amanda Anisimova having already seen off the World Number 1 in the Semi Final.

Strong performances on the grass ahead of Wimbledon will have given the American a lot of confidence, and that has shone through at tough moments with the win over Sabalenka meaning Amanda Anisimova has needed three sets in half of the six victories put on the board. However, that also means she will not be too concerned if this match gets tight having shown her character throughout the last fortnight.

It should be noted that Amanda Anisimova had enjoyed a pretty comfortable draw before the win over Aryna Sabalenka, but had made harder work of her run compared with her opponent in this Final.

There is a lot to like about the Anisimova game- she has a decent serve and aggressive groundstrokes which makes her dangerous on the return. The margins have felt tighter in her wins though and it is going to be tougher for Amanda Anisimova if she is not able to get plenty of first serves in play and try and shift the pressure onto Iga Swiatek.

The latter has been serving really well and looks to be about as comfortable as she has ever looked on the grass.

With the superior experience of Grand Slam Finals, Iga Swiatek may not make the mistakes that Aryna Sabalenka felt she did in the Semi Final and that could see her get the better of the lower Ranked player.

MY PICK: Iga Swiatek - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 5-4, + 0.52 Units (18 Units Staked, + 2.87% Yield)

Thursday, 10 July 2025

Wimbledon Tennis Day 12 Picks 2025 (Friday 11th July)

The Ladies Final has been set and you could argue that both Finalists are something of a surprise- Amanda Anisimova has shown some form on the grass this summer, as has Iga Swiatek, but neither has had a big impact at Wimbledon before and the winner is set to become the latest 'surprising' Champion here.

Before that, we have two huge Men's Semi Finals featuring three of the top four players and the seven time Champion Novak Djokovic.

No matter which permutation we get for the Final, it should bring together a really positive end to the third Grand Slam of the season and the attention will soon turn to the hard courts.

We do have some clay court events and some early hard court tournaments beginning right after Wimbledon concludes in what is a relentless Tour, but the majority of the biggest names will be thinking about the Masters events in Canada and Cincinnati before the US Open gets underway next month.

However, the focus for those left playing on the grass is picking up a Major trophy this weekend and you can read my thoughts on the two Semi Final matches taking place on Friday below this.


Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 games v Taylor Fritz: Tennis fans, especially fans of the Men's game, will feel a new era is being ushered in, although one where the young players are still growing.

You cannot dismiss the Grand Slam titles that have already been won by Carlos Alcaraz and he is the two time defending Champion at Wimbledon, but comparing his run in 2025 compared with the way dominant Champions like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer would move through the draws is night and day.

Yes, he keeps winning and that has to be respected- nineteen wins in a row have been produced at Wimbledon and there is a growing aura around Carlos Alcaraz, which makes it tough to face him. However, the likes of Fabio Fognini, Jan-Lennard Struff and Andrey Rublev have taken sets from the World Number 2 and the Spaniard was under a bit of pressure when playing at Queen's Club, although ultimately winning the title.

The manner of the win over Cameron Norrie will certainly have the Alcaraz fans feeling much better about their man and he is deserving of being a strong favourite even when taking on a very comfortable grass court player in Taylor Fritz. Titles have been won on the surface and the American has reached the Wimbledon Semi Final for the first time, although, much like Carlos Alcaraz, it has been far from a straight-forward pathway through the draw.

In some ways Taylor Fritz was fortunate to come through in four sets against Karen Khachanov in the Quarter Final and there is a lot of pressure on the World Number 5 to make sure he is serving at his very best. Anything less would see him in a tough position trying to win rallies against someone who is superior on the ground, and the match up has proven to be a difficult one for Taylor Fritz in the past.

This is the first meeting on grass, but Carlos Alcaraz holds two hard court wins over the American and neither was very competitive with Taylor Fritz restricted to winning 59% of points behind serve. Obviously that is a number that will need to be improved dramatically if Taylor Fritz is going to threaten the upset, but there is also the pressure of knowing how important it is to get plenty of first serves in play.

In the two meetings on the Tour, the Fritz second serve has been attacked relentlessly by Carlos Alcaraz, while the defending Champion has been picking up his own level behind the serve in the last two Rounds.

The Semi Final is going to be much more competitive than the Carlos Alcaraz Quarter Final win over Cameron Norrie, but there is this feeling that the defending Champion will begin to pull away from his opponent again.

He has not been at his best in this tournament, but Taylor Fritz has had plenty of moments where he has been struggling and Carlos Alcaraz can beat him for a third straight time, while also reaching the Wimbledon Final for a third year in a row.


Jannik Sinner - 1.5 sets v Novak Djokovic: An injury scare during the Fourth Round 'win' over Grigor Dimitrov had some wondering if Jannik Sinner would play in the Quarter Final, but he did and he was a strong winner over Ben Shelton.

The Italian has been given a second chance in the tournament having looked all but out against Grigor Dimitrov with the World Number 1 trailing 2-0 in sets and struggling to really get to grips with what the veteran was producing. A really unfortunate pectoral injury saw Dimitrov forced to pull out of that match and there is every reason to believe Jannik Sinner is even more dangerous than usual if he feels he is playing with 'house money'.

A four set was produced by Novak Djokovic in his own Quarter Final, but it was a tougher than expected match against Flavio Cobolli and a slip in what proved to be the last game of the match has raised some doubt about the seven time Champion's health.

It would be a surprise if Novak Djokovic is not able to go on Friday, but he will need to be at full health as he looks to secure yet another Wimbledon Final spot. Winning a 25th Grand Slam is the goal for Djokovic and he remains one of the top grass court players in the world, but Carlos Alcaraz has beaten him twice in a row at Wimbledon and the former World Number 1 has lost his last four matches against Jannik Sinner.

None of those have been on the grass, but the Italian crushed Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in 2024 and that court is the one where the latter is at his very best. Last month Jannik Sinner secured a straight sets win over Novak Djokovic at the French Open to reach the Final and the mental edge may just be with the current World Number 1.

Of course Sinner has not had the same type of success on the grass compared with Novak Djokovic and was beaten by the latter in 2022 and 2023 right here at Wimbledon. However, the second of those defeats felt very unfortunate for Sinner who had played well, but could not take his Break Point chances compared with a clinical Novak Djokovic and that ultimately cost him the match.

Both will appreciate the importance of serving well in this match, but it has felt like Sinner has been a touch more consistent in this part of his tennis.

Novak Djokovic has to take encouragement from the stronger return numbers he has put on the board at the tournament, but that is also partly down to the match ups he has faced and getting into the Jannik Sinner serve is a completely different test, even for the best return player of all time.

In the recent head to head, Novak Djokovic has really had a tough time dealing with the power and ability to back up the serve that Jannik Sinner has been able to produce. The scoreboard pressure has made it tough on the veteran and it is going to take something pretty special for Novak Djokovic to win this match.

The Sinner elbow issue has to be watched in what could be a longer, drawn out match compared with the big hitting power battle he had with Ben Shelton. However, Jannik Sinner's movement and heavy ball gives him the edge and the feeling is that he will find a way to win this one in three or, most likely, four sets.

MY PICKS: Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Jannik Sinner - 1.5 Sets @ 1.83 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 4-3, + 0.86 Units (14 Units Staked, + 6.14% Yield)

Wednesday, 9 July 2025

Wimbledon Tennis Day 11 Picks 2025 (Thursday 10th July)

Four days remain at Wimbledon in 2025 and that means we are down to the last eight players at the tournament as the third Grand Slam of the season draws to a close.

By the end of Thursday, we will have the Ladies Final and the next Champion will be a step closer to achieving their aim.

Both favourites are rightly favoured in the Semi Final matches to be played on Day 11, although conditions are going to be far from easy with the temperature soaring in London.


Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 games v Amanda Anisimova: The Quarter Final proved to be a very exhausting occasion for Aryna Sabalenka, both mentally and physically, but she remains a part of the Wimbledon draw. After the win over Laura Siegemund, the World Number 1 admitted her thoughts had turned to leaving another Grand Slam without the trophy as the lower Ranked player's style bamboozled Sabalenka.

There were a lot of spins and slices, a change of rhythm between points and just the all-around grass court tennis style that so few play with these days.

Allowing her frustration to build, Aryna Sabalenka showed plenty of character and resolve to eventually come through in almost three hours on the court and the day of rest between the Quarter Final and Semi Final will do her good.

You can guarantee that Amanda Anisimova will emphasise with the Belarusian having reached the Final at Queen's Club last month before being beaten by veteran Tatjana Maria and all of the grass court nous that the older player had. That has not stopped Amanda Anisimova from building her confidence on this surface and a strong run through to the Semi Final will have added to her belief.

This is also a match up that Amanda Anisimova has enjoyed- she has won five of the eight previous matches against Aryna Sabalenka, although the World Number 1 will point out that three of the last four have been won by herself. That includes revenge wins over the American at the Australian Open in 2024 and French Open in 2025 having lost at both of those Slams to Amanda Anisimova in 2019.

Aryna Sabalenka will appreciate that she will enjoy this match up much more than the Quarter Final in that she is going to be opposed by someone who will want to hit through the ball as much as she will herself. That should mean an 'easier' rhythm to understand, although Sabalenka will be well aware of the threat that Amanda Anisimova will bring onto the court.

Both are going to be well aware of the importance of serving well- on what is expected to be a hot day, the ball is going to be tough to deal with if the server is playing at a top level.

The consistent serving at the tournament has been with Anisimova, but there is little doubt that the higher level can come from Aryna Sabalenka and that is where the World Number 1 may prove to have an edge. She has not always looked at her most convincing this year at Wimbledon, but Sabalenka has shown plenty of character to come through difficult moments and she may also be a bit more battle-hardened having had a tougher pathway into the Semi Final.

When they met at Roland Garros last month, Amanda Anisimova was being given a couple more games on the handicap and she was able to cover, despite a straight sets defeat. This time the spread looks a bit more manageable for Aryna Sabalenka to win and cover, just as long as the top Seed can deal with the nerves and tension she has displayed at the business end of Slams throughout her career.

A first Wimbledon Final will mean a lot to Aryna Sabalenka and she can win a big-hitting Semi Final.


Iga Swiatek - 4.5 games v Belinda Bencic: The second Semi Final in the Ladies tournament is the one occasion in this Grand Slam where players are actually scheduled to play on back to back days.

Both winners came through in straight sets on Wednesday, which will help, although there was a slight concern about Belinda Bencic's health having called for the trainer towards the end of the second set.

However, it is the Wimbledon Semi Final and that is going to mean the adrenaline will be used to push Bencic through.

A bigger test may be the opponent standing on the other side of the net, even if Iga Swiatek is playing in her first Wimbledon Semi Final too.

The Quarter Final win over Liudmila Samsonova was another solid one for Swiatek, although she will know that she needs to improve her serving having faced ten Break Points in that win. She saved eight of those, but Iga Swiatek had been much more dominant behind serve before that victory and she will look for that to be a big weapon for her against Belinda Bencic.

In previous meetings between the players, the Iga Swiatek serve has been a big advantage for her, although Belinda Bencic has shown her own qualities behind that shot. It was the key to getting past youngster Mirra Andreeva and the Swiss player is going to be well aware of the importance of trying to keep the former World Number 1 under the pump.

Playing on the grass should help, but Belinda Bencic is going to need to be healthy and it is important to note that Iga Swiatek has beaten her here at Wimbledon before.

That was in July 2023 and it will give the multiple time Grand Slam Champion a little more belief in her ability to make it through to a maiden Wimbledon Final. It is Iga Swiatek who has dominated the break points in recent matches against Belinda Bencic and she has been playing well enough to put the pressure on the World Number 35 if there is any lingering injury concern.

Matches between the pair have been competitive, but it is Iga Swiatek who is playing at a good enough level to work her way through to the Final behind a solid win.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Iga Swiatek - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 3-2, + 0.66 Units (10 Units Staked, + 6.60% Yield)

Tuesday, 8 July 2025

Wimbledon Tennis Day 10 Picks 2025 (Wednesday 9th July)

The big news that everyone is waiting to hear is all about the Jannik Sinner elbow ahead of Day 10 at Wimbledon.

He looked to be on course for a Fourth Round exit before the most ill-timed of injuries suffered by Grigor Dimitrov, but Jannik Sinner had been worrying about his elbow after a very early fall. Despite admitting that the fall did not seem to be a big deal, Sinner also mentioned that he could feel an issue when serving or hitting a forehand and a MRI was scheduled for Tuesday.

At the time of writing, the only indication about his health is cancelling a practice session he had set for the day and there has to be some serious doubt about whether he can participate in the Quarter Final against Ben Shelton.

His withdrawal would be a blow for those on Court One on Wednesday, but the other three Quarter Final matches will make for good viewing for those watching back home. In a tournament filled with upsets, it may not be the wisest decision to back favourites, but the Picks below all lean that way and you can read the reasoning as to why further on down.


Mirra Andreeva - 3.5 games v Belinda Bencic: Losing both matches played on the grass in 2024 and beginning this year's short stint on the surface with two defeats in three matches may have just given Mirra Andreeva pause for thought. However, it has to be remembered that she reached the Fourth Round on debut at Wimbledon having coming through the Qualifiers and the youngster is Coached by a former Champion at this event.

She lost a couple of tight matches last year and there is no doubting the talent of Mirra Andreeva and what she is likely to achieve in the sport. There have been moments where you have to be reminded that she is a teenager and an inexperience has been seen in some of the defeats she has suffered in recent weeks.

Despite that, Mirra Andreeva enters Wimbledon as the World Number 7 and she is set to improve that regardless of how the tournament ends. However, the Ladies draw has opened up through the opening four Rounds and there has to be some real belief that a maiden Grand Slam title could be secured here, especially if Andreeva can maintain current levels of form.

All eight sets have been won on her way to a first Quarter Final in SW19 and only one of those sets has seen an opponent win more than three games. Mirra Andreeva has been returning so well and putting an extreme amount of pressure on opponents, while her serve is very effective for an 18 year old.

The youngster will need all of that if she is going to get the better of Belinda Bencic, a player who has long enjoyed playing on the grass even if the results have not always been there at Wimbledon. She has made the Fourth Round three times previously, but this is the first time Belinda Bencic has made the Quarter Final with all of her previous experiences of making this Round coming in New York City at the US Open.

Belinda Bencic is going to return to the top 30 of the World Rankings at the end of the tournament, which should mean a Seeding spot when the US Open is played later in the year, and it may have done her some good at being pushed in the previous Rounds.

While it has been largely comfortable for Mirra Andreeva, Belinda Bencic won't panic if things go against her early on and that is due to the fact she has won a couple of matches in three sets. Even the straight sets win in the Fourth Round was a challenge for the Swiss player, but there will be some pressure on Bencic to serve more effectively than she has in the last three Rounds.

Anything else could mean Mirra Andreeva is able to get on the front foot and her experience of reaching a Quarter Final and a Semi Final at the French Open may mean the young player is able to cope with the occasion better than most 18 year olds could do.

Belinda Bencic is likely going to be highly motivated by the challenge, but there have been one or two signs that she may have peaked already and Mirra Andreeva's strong form can see her through to her first Semi Final here.


Iga Swiatek - 3.5 games v Liudmila Samsonova: If this match was being played on another surface, you would have to make Iga Swiatek a massive favourite to get the better of Liudmila Samsonova.

Not only has she won all four previous matches against this opponent, but Iga Swiatek has not even faced a Break Point in the last three wins, including in the Fourth Round at the US Open last year.

However, this is a Quarter Final at Wimbledon and the grass courts on which Iga Swiatek has not always felt her most comfortable, even with a decent career record on the surface. This is just the second time she has reached the last eight at Wimbledon, but the former World Number 1 has plenty of Grand Slam experience and that could be very important in what is a remaining eight players where very few have the know-how to win at the business end of a major.

Plenty of respect will be given to Liudmila Samsonova, a player that has won multiple titles on the grass and who has rolled through the first four Rounds at Wimbledon this year. The Fourth Round win was a bit more challenging, but Samsonova has been looking really strong in the opening three wins and has a game that is well suited to the surface.

Inexperience may be an obstacle here with Liudmila Samsonova only reaching the second week of a Grand Slam four times before and never making it beyond the Fourth Round. Her Wimbledon record has perhaps not reflected the capabilities on a grass court and the World Number 19 will also have the mental challenge of facing an opponent that has given her very little encouragement in the last three meetings.

The service numbers have dipped in the last couple of wins, which will be concerning for Liudmila Samsonova, and that could be a problem with Iga Swiatek serving as well as she has been throughout this tournament.

You do have to feel that the World Number 4 is going to be pretty comfortable having contained any threat that Liudmila Samsonova brings onto the court in their most recent meetings. Serving well will allow Iga Swiatek to go on the attack against the Samsonova serve and the belief is that she can reach her maiden Semi Final at Wimbledon with a good, strong win when all is said and done.


Novak Djokovic - 7.5 games v Flavio Cobolli: There have been plenty of upsets and surprising runs in the Ladies tournament at Wimbledon in 2025, but there have been one or two names that have arrived in the last eight of the Men's event that would have surprised too.

One of those is Flavio Cobolli, despite being a Seed, and the young Italian has made it through to the second week of any Grand Slam for the first time. He then got the better of an experienced player in Marin Cilic in the Fourth Round to reach the Quarter Final and that meant plenty of emotions were on display from his father and brother.

Jannik Sinner may be the poster boy of Italian tennis and there have been players like Jasmine Paolini and Matteo Berrettini who have had considerable successes, and that will be a source of inspiration for Flavio Cobolli. Some have suggested that Cobolli has not always focused on his tennis, but he looks to be locked in now and he is at a career best World Ranking with more to come next Monday.

The key for the younger player is to make sure he focuses on his own tennis- there has to be some improvement in the service numbers if Flavio Cobolli is going to earn the upset and it is so important not to be overawed by taking on a seven time Wimbledon Champion and someone who has won twenty-four Majors.

Flavio Cobolli does know Novak Djokovic and will have practiced with him (and his son), but it is a different experience in a competitive environment on a show court, having not played on Centre or Court One before. In their sole previous meeting last year on the hard courts of Shanghai, the Italian managed to win just three games and the mental battle is going to be just as important as anything happening on the court.

The World Number 24 has served well in the tournament, but it should be noted that half of the four wins have been against players Ranked outside of the top 200 and one of the other wins was against veteran Marin Cilic.

Facing Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon is a very different challenge, even if the seven time Champion was not at his very best in the win over Alex De Minaur in the Fourth Round. The Serb was not that comfortable in the conditions nor with the movement and defensive capabilities of De Minaur, but Novak Djokovic should be much happier on Wednesday in warmer and what is forecasted to be much calmer conditions.

The serve was not working nearly as well as Novak Djokovic would have hoped, but the first three Rounds showed he is still very capable behind that shot.

You cannot expect Djokovic to come out as poorly as he did in the last Round, especially with the whole day being more to his liking in terms of the wind. He will be looking to put the Italian under pressure with his own return and if Novak Djokovic is serving back at the level we have seen through the first three Rounds, he should be able to contain much of the threat from the other side of the net.

The match up may be a bit more to Novak Djokovic's liking with Flavio Cobolli looking to hit the ball with more power compared with Alex De Minaur, but that also means likely to make more errors against the best defensive player of all time.

Covering this mark will not be easy for Novak Djokovic, but it is a huge test for an inexperienced opponent and that could see Flavio Cobolli fall away in at least one of the sets played. He will likely enjoy moments of success with the big game he can bring onto the court, but Djokovic has seen most of what his opponent will look to do and he can find the solutions to move through with some relative comfort.

MY PICKS: Mirra Andreeva - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Iga Swiatek - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Novak Djokovic - 7.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 2-0, + 3.06 Units (4 Units Staked, + 76.50% Yield)

Monday, 7 July 2025

Wimbledon Tennis Day 9 Picks 2025 (Tuesday 8th July)

Personal time needed to be taken at the start of the tournament in Wimbledon and it feels like I've benefited from avoiding the carnage that took place through the first week of the third Grand Slam of the season.

In the main the top names in the men's draw have made it through to the last eight, although Jannik Sinner was very fortunate to come through his Fourth Round match with Grigor Dimitrov in the most unexpected of ways.

However, the WTA event is once again about as open as you can imagine and none of the remaining eight players should feel like this is not a huge opportunity for them to win a Grand Slam title. Unexpected Ladies Champions have become the norm at SW19 in recent years and, outside of Aryna Sabalenka, the same is likely to happen in 2025.

Iga Swiatek remains active in the draw, but her previous poor form on the grass means she remains vulnerable despite a strong run.


We are into the last eight of both draws and selections will be made from the final few days.

That begins with the Day 9 Picks from two of the four Quarter Final matches, which can be read below.


Taylor Fritz - 1.5 sets v Karen Khachanov: American tennis has seen plenty of those playing on the WTA Tour having success at the Majors, but over twenty years have passed since a male player has been able to pick up one of the big four titles.

One of the big hopes to break that run has been Taylor Fritz, but the Quarter Final Round had proven to be too much to handle with four exits at that stage being as good as it got. That was before the run to the US Open Final last year, but 2025 has been a real disappointment for Taylor Fritz having failed to reach the second week in Melbourne or Paris.

Two of the five Grand Slam Quarter Finals that have been reached by Taylor Fritz have been right here at Wimbledon and so it is no surprise to see him back in that Round. It backs up what has been a strong run on the grass over the last month with two titles picked up and Taylor Fritz will have plenty of belief in his tennis being good enough to win the title here on Sunday.

He has to be considered a strong favourite to beat Karen Khachanov, who has been slipping back in the World Rankings, but who deserves respect having been a former Quarter Finalist at Wimbledon in his own right. Decent runs had been produced in the build up to the 2025 tournament, but Karen Khachanov has also benefited from a number of upsets in his portion of the draw.

It has meant recording wins over players Ranked at Number 88, 147, 37 and 109 in his four wins at the tournament.

Karen Khachanov has perhaps made harder work than he should have to win his four matches at the tournament and he is going to have to serve better than he has at times if he is going to earn the upset.

Two previous wins over Taylor Fritz will give Karen Khachanov belief, but those were both recorded at a time when he would have been the higher Ranked player compared with the American. That has switched around ahead of this Quarter Final and you do feel the match will be won or lost on the racquet of the World Number 5.

Taylor Fritz has become one of the leading performers on the grass courts at this moment in time and that should see him find a way to come through in three or four sets. None of those will be easy to win, but Fritz can out-serve the World Number 20 and earn his first ever spot in the Wimbledon Semi Final.


Amanda Anisimova - 3.5 games v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: Back in 2019, a 17 year old Amanda Anisimova made a stunning run through to the Semi Final at the French Open and there were some huge expectations that would be heaped onto her shoulders.

At 20 years old, Amanda Anisimova made the Quarter Final at Wimbledon, but a year later she decided to take a break from tennis having mentioned potential burnout as a reason. Personal issues had taken a toll and the World Ranking slipped well outside the top 200, but the benefits can be seen in July 2025.

Just prior to Wimbledon, Amanda Anisimova reached her career best World Ranking just outside of the top 10 and at the end of this tournament she will be entering those positions for the first time. A run to the Queen's Club Final showed how comfortable her game translates onto the grass and Amanda Anisimova has battled through the draw where so many other Seeds have fallen.

This is going to be a tough Quarter Final against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova who has reached the last eight at all four Grand Slams- her run to the Quarter Final here means the World Number 50 has reached the last eight at least twice in three of the four Grand Slams with an opportunity to complete the set at the US Open.

It is the eleventh time Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has reached the Quarter Final at a Grand Slam event, although it should be noted that she has been beaten in nine of the last ten. Experience is one thing, but there will also be pressure on the 34 year old who may feel this open draw is the best opportunity she will have to win a maiden Grand Slam title.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has had to dig deep in the last two Rounds and this match up has proven to be a tough one for her in the past.

All three Tour matches between Pavlyuchenkova and Amanda Anisimova have ended in favour of the younger player, including both matches played in 2024. Those were both hard court matches, but the feeling is that the two players are going to want to challenge one another from the baseline in this one too.

Big serving is key to set things up for the heavy groundstrokes that both players can produce and the tournament numbers suggest Amanda Anisimova has been the more consistent on that front.

Amanda Anisimova will have to come through some tough moments, as she has in each of the last two Rounds, but the younger, fresher player may just out-hit Anastasia Pavyluchenkova again. In the two wins over this opponent last year, Amanda Anisimova was the superior server and her performances over the last month may just see her come through with a win and a cover.

MY PICKS: Taylor Fritz - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Amanda Anisimova - 3.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)