US Open Day 1 Picks

The schedule for Day 1 of the US Open was revised on Sunday evening as the effects of Hurricane Irena are still being felt up and down the East Coast.

Now on to the Day 1 Picks as the final Grand Slam of the year gets underway:

Marin Cilic - 4.5 games vs Ryan Harrison: Marin Cilic had one of his best Grand Slam performances at this tournament when reaching the Quarter Final in 2009, but he has not progressed as much as he would have liked since then yet I do fancy him to get his US Open campaign off to a strong start against the young American.

Harrison has shown some real promise over the Summer by reaching Semi Finals in LA and Atlanta, but a heavy defeat at the hands of Mardy Fish and Victor Troicki suggest he still has some work to do against the bigger guns.

Harrison did surprise Ivan Ljubicic at this stage last year, but I think Cilic will be too strong and should cover the spread even if it takes 4 sets to win the match.


Richard Gasquet - 6.5 games vs Sergiy Stakhovsky: Richard Gasquet is having a decent season on the tour and has shown his class against the lesser opponents he has faced and I feel he will be able to do the same thing here.

Stakhovsky has not had a great season and his serve is erratic and can let him down in sets. He has been beaten in straight sets when exiting the last 2 Grand Slam events, although finished as a 3rd Round loser here last year.

Gasquet should have too much all around game for Stakhovsky and I expect him to come through in 3 sets with a break in the first 2 before running away with the 3rd to cover the handicap.


Treble; Michael Llodra vs Victor Hanescu, Ivo Karlovic vs Fernando Gonzalez and Radek Stepanek vs Philipp Kohlschreiber: Ivo Karlovic and Radek Stepanek have strong records against their opponents and have also been in stronger form than them.

Michael Llodra and Stepanek have also won matches against their respective opponents in the US Open and the treble looks value at over 2-1.


MY PICKS: Marin Cilic - 4.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Richard Gasquet - 6.5 games @ 1.91 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Treble; Michael Llodra, Ivo Karlovic and Radek Stepanek @ 3.17 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Tennis Picks August 10th

Due to my laptop officially dying today, I have to put my picks up without my boss seeing me so no time for analysis unfortunately:

Roger Federer - 5.5 games vs Vasek Pospisil

Richard Gasquet - 4.5 games vs Thomaz Bellucci


MY PICKS: Fernando Verdasco - 4.5 games @ 1.91 Still Running
Radek Stepanek @ 1.90 Still Running
Juan Martin Del Potro - 4.5 games @ 1.91 From Yesterday
Novak Djokovic - 5.5 games @ 1.83 From Yesterday
Roger Federer - 5.5 games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Richard Gasquet - 4.5 games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Tennis Picks August 9th

It was a decent enough day yesterday for the picks, although the happenings in London are both frustrating and angering me beyond belief. I really hope it will be the last night I am glued to my television watching the News channels rather than the tennis in Montreal or the football.

On to the Picks:

Richard Gasquet - 3.5 games vs Florian Mayer: I actually took something similar when they played in a Davis Cup match after Wimbledon, and I still cannot believe I failed to collect on that occasion.

Richard Gasquet is the stronger hard court player and his serve is perhaps a little more consistent than Mayer's. The lack of playing time since that Davis Cup tie is a real concern when it comes to backing Gasquet, but Mayer has not been in great form and I expect the Frenchman will come through in straight sets.


Andy Murray - 5.5 games vs Kevin Anderson: The first match after a long break can be tough for players, but I think Andy Murray will take full advantage of Kevin Anderson if the South African plays like he did yesterday against Pablo Andujar.

Murray is a far better returner than the Spaniard, yet Andujar was creating plenty of opportunities on the Anderson serve, and it is also true that Anderson has been struggling in recent weeks.

There is a slight worry that Murray will be a little 'cold' coming in from a lack of competitive tennis, but I fancy him to grab a double break in one set as he goes on to win in straights.


Juan Martin Del Potro - 4.5 games vs Marin Cilic: Juan Martin Del Potro was serving big yesterday and I expect he will put a lot of pressure on Marin Cilic, and especially the serving problems the Croatian has been having.

I fancy Del Potro to win with a break of serve in each set and he should cover this spread if he is serving first.


Novak Djokovic - 5.5 games vs Nikolay Davydenko: The simple reason for this pick is the Serbian is far too good defensively and offensively off the ground for the Nikolay Davydenko of today and I expect him to win with a bit to spare. Davydenko has struggled to win matches this season and his serve gives far too many chances for his opponent so I can see a 6-4, 6-2 win for Djokovic here.


Fernando Verdasco - 4.5 games vs Tobias Kamke: Fernando Verdasco is not the most trustworthy of players at the moment and he has failed to reach the heights of 2009, but I expect he will have far too much for Tobias Kamke here.

I can see Verdasco winning this with a double break in the 2nd set after winning a tight 1st set and securing a 6-4, 6-1 win.


Radek Stepanek vs Feliciano Lopez: The head to head is 8-1 in favour of Stepanek and the Czech player is coming in off a morale boosting title win in Washington. Feliciano Lopez has been playing a lot of clay court tennis and could be caught out on the faster surface against a player that is clearly on form.

My one concern is whether Stepanek has enough left in the tank to pull the win here after a long week in Washington. However, he was not as affected by the adverse weather as others, so I expect he should have enough to win this match, although it could be a tight one.


MY PICKS: Richard Gasquet - 3.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Andy Murray - 5.5 games @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Juan Martin Del Potro - 4.5 games @ 2.10 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Novak Djokovic - 5.5 games @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Fernando Verdasco - 4.5 games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Radek Stepanek @ 1.90 Pinnacle (2 Units)


WEEKLY UPDATE: + 1.71 Units

Davis Cup Quarter Final Picks- July 8th 2011

It wasn't a great day for me yesterday with both picks failing to deliver. Juan Monaco dominated his match against Andrey Golubev and was never in any real danger of dropping a set, while Edouard Roger-Vasselin lost after winning the first set of his match with Tobias Kamke.

However, both picks were with minimum stakes as I was not overly confident in either and I hope to have a better day as the 3 other Davis Cup Quarter Final ties begin.


So without further ado, it is on to the Picks:


Richard Gasquet - 4.5 games vs Florian Mayer: This match is the opening Rubber of the Germany-France match and will be played on clay courts, but I am still a little surprised that Gasquet is being considered a tight favourite to win the match.

As I have mentioned before on the blog, Florian Mayer can be an awkward player to get used to as he has a very unique style of playing and serving. The German has had a good season so far, but I think his World Number 20 Ranking is a little bit too kind to his ability.

Mayer's serve is a weakness and that is an area Gasquet will look to expose. He is also only 4-4 in Davis Cup matches in the past, although Mayer does hold a 4-1 record on matches played on clay. Generally his best results to come on clay.

Gasquet, on the other hand, is once again establishing himself as one of the better players on the ATP Tour and is now just outside the top 10. He has performed admirably on the clay this season, and it has taken the likes of Rafael Nadal (twice) and Novak Djokovic to prevent him having more success.

The French Number 2 will be making his first Davis Cup singles appearance since 2008 and will hope he can improve his 5-5 record (1-2 on clay).

The head to head is 1-1, with Gasquet winning the most recent meeting in 2007.

Gasquet should have the edge in the match in terms of serve and overall groundstrokes. If he can ignore the vocal home support Mayer will receive, I think he can get through in 3 or 4 sets. Mayer is also capable of going walkabouts in sets as can be seen in recent defeats to Alejandro Falla and Xavier Malisse, so Gasquet could cover the spread thanks to a 6-2/6-1 set.


Mardy Fish - 1.5 sets vs Feliciano Lopez: This is also the opening Rubber of the Quarter Final between the USA and Spain and could set the tempo for the entire tie.

Mardy Fish is the top rated American coming into this tie and pulled out of the tournament at Newport where he was the defending Champion so he could take part here. Fish is having a very good season and has all the tools to be very effective in what is being described as a much faster hard court than many of the players will be used to.

That wont bother Feliciano Lopez too much if that is the case, especially as it could make his serve even more effective. Lopez got the nod to represent Spain ahead of good friend Fernando Verdasco after reaching the Quarter Finals at Wimbledon.

Lopez will make life difficult with his serve, especially if he gets it firing early in the match, but I just feel Fish moves better and is perhaps the more consistent player of the two, especially when it comes to the crunch.

Fish may also hold the mental edge as he has won the last 3 meetings between the two players, one of those on the hard courts of Miami, after losing the first 2 meetings. In fact, Fish has won the last 6 sets between the players.

We could see a couple of tie breakers here to separate the players, but I feel it will be Fish who is too consistent and may just 'batter' Lopez in 4 sets.


Potito Starace - 5.5 games vs Blaz Kavcic: The Italians meet the Slovenians at home on the comfort on the clay courts and that should give Potito Starace a big advantage in this matchup. I know Starace is a player that predominantly does his best work when on the red dirt underneath his feet and he will have the full support of the crowd behind him, a crowd that should have been warmed up with this the 2nd of the Rubbers to be played tomorrow.

Blaz Kavcic is more than capable of playing on clay courts, but could be feeling additional pressure if Slovenia are already 1-0 down in the tie.

Starace also holds a straights sets win over Kavcic on the clay courts from last season and I think he is more than capable of winning this one in straight sets and covering the spread in the process.


Gael Monfils win 3-1 in sets vs Phillip Kohlschreiber: This is a tough match for Gael Monfils who likes to entertain the crowds, but will not be receiving much support in this tie. He meets a player in Phillip Kohlschreiber that he has enjoyed considerable success against in the past, although their last meeting was won by the German in straight sets(also played in Germany).

However, Monfils seems to raise his game when playing for his country and I expect him to be focused on this match. His retrieving skills can make it tough for Kohlschreiber to break him down and I feel the clay courts will aid Monfils in frustrating the crowd and his opponent.

Monfils holds a Davis Cup win over Kohlschreiber, beating the German in straight sets last season, but this is a tougher prospect and I definitely see Kohlschreiber getting at least one set on the board.

I just feel Monfils is too strong a player for him, and he will come through in 4 sets to put France in a commanding position on Day 1.


MY PICKS: Richard Gasquet - 4.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Mardy Fish - 1.5 sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Potito Starace - 5.5 games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Gael Monfils win 3-1 in sets @ 3.75 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)


WEEKLY UPDATE: - 2 Units

Wimbledon Day 5 Picks

It was the best day of the week as far as my picks were concerned yesterday and I am hoping to add a few more units to the coffers today.

My outright picks are also in good shape, with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic progressing through another Round with ease and bringing us one step closer to the top 4 seeds reaching the Semi Final.

Maria Sharapova's match with Laura Robson was postponed because of rain, so she will have to win 2 matches in 2 days if she wants to reach the 2nd week of the tournament.

The weather looks like it will be bright for the majority of play tomorrow, although showers are due to arrive in the area in the evening.


Now on to Day 5 Picks:


Andy Roddick win 3-1 in sets vs Feliciano Lopez: I actually thought Lopez had more than half a chance of winning this match before the tournament started, but I now feel Andy Roddick is playing very well and also holds a mental edge over his opponent in this match.

Roddick improved to 7-0 against Lopez at Queens just 2 weeks ago, coming through in 3 tight sets. That means Lopez has taken at least 1 set in 3 of the last 4 meetings between the players.

With this match likely to see a couple of tie breakers, I would not be surprised if Roddick drops his first set of the tournament, even though I think he is playing well enough to come through in 4 sets.


Tomas Berdych - 7.5 games vs Alex Bogomolov Jr: Tomas Berdych has started this Wimbledon in fine fashion as he looks to make an impact like he did last year. He has blasted Julien Benneteau and Filippo Volandri away, losing just 12 games in the 6 sets he has competed.

Bogomolov was a surprise winner over Juan Ignacio Chela in the last Round, but this is an altogether tougher test. The American has not fared well on the grass in the past and I think he has taken advantage of a decent draw this time around.

However, I feel Berdych will end his participation in this year's tournament with a bit to spare.


Richard Gasquet - 6.5 games vs Simone Bolelli: Simone Bolelli really surprised me with this win over Stanislas Wawrinka in the last Round, but much of that was down to the poor performance of his opponent when it came down to the big points.

Now he faces Richard Gasquet, a player very accustomed to the grass courts, and also one that has been playing some fantastic tennis of late. Gasquet is yet to drop a set in this tournament.

The Frenchman also holds a 3-0 head to head lead over Bolelli, winning 6 of the 7 sets they have contested. 1 of those wins came on grass, with Gasquet winning 6-3, 6-3.

Bolelli was a little fortunate in the last Round, and I expect Gasquet to come through this one while clearing the handicap.


Venus Williams - 4.5 games vs Maria-Jose Martinez Sanchez: This was supposed to be one of the highlights of the 3rd Round as it was supposed to be Venus Williams against Jelena Jankovic, but it was Maria-Jose Martinez Sanchez who put pay to that.

Williams struggled to get by Kimiko Date-Krumm in the last Round, but that match may just give her the confidence to make a really deep run in the tournament.

Williams has also won both previous matches against the Spaniard, including a straight sets win here at Wimbledon in 2008, and I expect she will be focused after the scare of Wednesday to come through easily enough this time.


Tsvetana Pironkova + 4.5 games vs Vera Zvonareva: Now I have already advised an e/w pick of Vera Zvonareva in the tournament, but I think Pironkova is being a tad underestimated here on the spread. I still expect Zvonareva to find a way to get through, I just wouldn't be surprised if it went the distance.

They share a 1-1 record on the head to heads, with Zvonareva beating Pironkova in 3 sets last year in the Semi Final here.

Pironkova had been out of form before the grass court season began, but she has made easier progress through the draw here and pushed Serena Williams all the way last week in Eastbourne.

Personally, I would not be surprised if she pushes Zvonareva before perhaps falling in 3 sets.


MY PICKS: Andy Roddick win 3-1 in sets @ 3.5 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Tomas Berdych - 7.5 games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Richard Gasquet - 6.5 games @ 2.05 BoyleSports (2 Units)
Venus Williams - 4.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Tsvetana Pironkova + 4.5 games @ 2.14 Pinnacle (2 Units)


WEEKLY UPDATE: + 7.03 Units (+ 6.2 Units Day 4)

Wimbledon Day 1 Picks

The third Grand Slam of the year is upon us and it is one of my favourite tournaments, especially being so close to the event.

The weather forecast for the first week is disappointing to say the least, and it will be the first year when the roof on Centre Court will be used heavily in my opinion. Tomorrow we are to expect consistent rain for much of the day and I have a feeling that a lot of matches will have to be postponed for Tuesday.

Worryingly for the organisers, Tuesday seems to be the only day where rain is not forecasted and we may just see play on the middle Sunday, a day usually reserved for rest.

It also looks like a tough opening day to make picks, with plenty of very short prices around while the handicaps are set almost perfectly to leave me doubtful of the outcome. However, I will play a couple of picks from today.

Now on to the picks from Day 1:


Fernando Verdasco - 3 games vs Radek Stepanek: Fernando Verdasco does not have the best pedigree on the grass courts, but he has had plenty of practice this season as he gets ready for Wimbledon. A win over David Nalbandian at Queens shows he does have the capabilities to produce good results on the surface.

Radek Stepanek has had a decent couple of weeks on the grass courts, but he is not at the same level as a couple of years ago. He may well cause problems for a little while, but the strength of Verdasco's shots are sure to give him the edge.

The head to head is 3-2 in favour of Stepanek, but it is Verdasco who has won the last 2 meetings. Verdasco has won the last 5 sets played against Stepanek for the loss of just 8 games.

Stepanek did beat Verdasco in 5 sets here in 2006, but I think the players have moved in separate directions since then, and I do think the Spaniard will move forward.


Four Fold: Feliciano Lopez vs Michael Berrer, Richard Gasquet vs Santiago Giraldo, Ekaterina Makarova vs Christine McHale and Jelena Jankovic vs Maria-Jose Martinez Sanchez: I hate putting more than a treble in for tennis picks but I feel all 4 players have a good chance of progressing here.

Feliciano Lopez has performed well at Wimbledon in the past and I think he will be too strong in a tight match with Michael Berrer.

Richard Gasquet has not played competitive tennis since the French Open, but should have too much nous for his Colombian opponent.

Ekaterina Makarova has shown some real good grass court pedigree this year following on from a win at Eastbourne last year.

Jelena Jankovic is the most worrying pick against an opponent that has a winning record head to head against her. Jankovic has also not played since the French Open so may take a little time getting used to the grass. However, she has played well on the surface in previous years and I fancy her to get the job done in 2 tight sets.


MY PICKS: Fernando Verdasco - 3 games @ 1.90 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Four Fold: Feliciano Lopez, Richard Gasquet, Ekaterina Makarova and Jelena Jankovic to win @ 2.41 Pinnacle (1 Unit)