Unfortunately it looks like it is going to be a frustrating time for us tennis backers over the next week. Day 9 was cancelled as a whole as the rain showed no signs of abating, and the forecast for the rest of the week does not exactly bode well for the tournament.
I am almost sure the Men's Final will have to be played on a Monday for the 4th year in succession- for the first time in a long time, the US Open is going to be left behind by the other Grand Slams.
This has always been my favourite Grand Slam, but the decision to not create Arthur Ashe Stadium with a roof looks to be a terrible one considering the last few years rain.
Australian and London both have roofs for their main court, while Paris is due to have completed work on a roof by 2014, meaning New York will be the only Grand Slam without the benefit of playing regardless of the weather.
Things are not exactly helped with the decision NOT to put down 'ugly' covers over the courts which could speed up the chances of getting things going quicker than it takes right now.
The forecast for today suggests play will not start on time and the players are likely to be going on and off court for most of the day- the organisers will be desperate for the 4 remaining Men's 4th Round matches to be completed today and also hope at least 2 of the Women's Quarter Finals can be played.
The schedule also looks to be favouring Novak Djokovic, in my opinion, as he is due on 2nd on Arthur Ashe, and there is a good chance he could have booked a Semi Final spot while his rivals wait on their Quarter Final clashes.
Day 10 Picks:
Novak Djokovic - 8.5 games vs Janko Tipsarevic: If this match had occurred earlier in the tournament, I think Tipsarevic could have caused plenty of problems, but he looked to be running out of gas a little in his win over Juan Carlos Ferrero in the last Round.
Tipsarevic is a player capable of pushing the very best players, but there may be a slight lack of belief mentally as he plays his compatriot knowing everything Djokovic has done this year.
I imagine the first set could be close, but I think Djokovic will end up breaking any belief Tipsarevic has by winning that set and then running away with the match.
The World Number 1 will want to get his match completed as quickly as possible so he has additional rest on some of his rivals and I expect he will come through 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.
Roger Federer to win 3-1 in sets vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: I still have the belief that Roger Federer is capable of winning a Grand Slam, and this match could be the key to his success this year.
Everyone knows that Tsonga is capable of beating Federer, as he has proven in his last 2 meetings including that fabulous come from behind win at Wimbledon at this very stage.
We have also seen Federer beaten by the bigger hitting players on the tour over the last 18 months, with players like Robin Soderling, Tsonga and Tomas Berdych all recording wins over the former World Number 1.
However, I also know Federer had beaten Tsonga twice this season before the loss at Wimbledon, and that was actually due to a special performance from the Frenchman.
I think Tsonga is still more than capable of hitting through Federer to take a set, but he looked a little out of sorts against Mardy Fish in the last Round and looked certain to exit the tournament before a mental lapse from the American allowed him back in.
The potential for rain delays during their match may also favour Federer as Tsonga could be cooled off by breaks in play.
I feel a Federer win coming, 6-3, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4.
Serena Williams - 6.5 games vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: Serena Williams did not play that well against Ana Ivanovic in the last Round, but was still far too good in a routine win. She admitted she didn't play her best and I expect her to come out firing in this one.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has proven in the past she can hang with Williams, although that came on a clay court, and I think this match will be very difficult for her. Williams has the better serve, is quicker and has better variation in her shots off the ground.
I expect that to bamboozle the Russian more often than not, and I think Serena will come through 6-3, 6-2.
MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 8.5 games (from Day 9)
John Isner (from Day 9)
David Ferrer to win 3-1 (from Day 9)
Sam Stosur (from Day 9)
Novak Djokovic - 8.5 games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Roger Federer to win 3-1 in sets @ 4.00 Sporting Bet (1 Unit)
Serena Williams - 6.5 games @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)
US OPEN UPDATE: 22-14, + 20.83 Units
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Showing posts with label Sam Stosur. Show all posts
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Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Tuesday, 6 September 2011
US Open Day 9 Picks
The rain did finally begin falling yesterday, only half an hour after Roger Federer managed to book his place in the Quarter Final, and today's play looks to be affected completely.
According to reports, there will be steady rain the entire day and I think the tournament is in a bit of bother now as the forecast for the next few days does not exactly make me confident.
We have to expect a few stop-start matches with showers expected from tomorrow afternoon all the way through till Sunday.
The conditions could be a little reminiscent of the tournament last year as the wind was picking up too and it might be a physical examination of players, particularly the Men in the bottom half of the draw who are still in the 4th Round.
These are my Day 9 Picks, but don't be surprised if none of them are finished today:
Andy Murray - 8.5 games vs Donald Young: The flashy Donald Young has finally made a real impact at this level, after many years of expectations, but I think he is in for a tough time against Andy Murray, even though he beat the Brit at Indian Wells earlier this year.
Murray played brilliantly against Feliciano Lopez in the last Round and I expect he will end up frustrating Young on his way through to a straight sets win.
Young has the shot making ability to push Murray close for a set, but it is the World Number 4 that has the edge in almost all departments and I expect him to show that.
Murray may be pushed to a 6-4 first set win, but I expect him to get a couple of breaks in the last two sets and come through 6-2, 6-3 to cover the spread.
John Isner vs Gilles Simon: John Isner has enjoyed a wonderful Summer that will see him finally going back up the Rankings. There is no doubt he enjoys the American hard courts the best and I think the additional rest he is likely to get today will serve him well after playing a lot of tennis over the last 6 weeks.
Isner won in Winston Salem the week before the Open began, and he is likely to get plenty more free points on his own serve.
Simon was brilliant in dispatching Juan Martin Del Potro in the last Round, and he will be used to the fact that many serves he will be facing are unreturned, but he will feel confident he can at least trouble Isner.
However, the Frenchman is always liable to throwing in a bad service game in sets and that could cost him a Quarter Final place here as Isner is a wonderful front runner.
Simon is also only 11-12 in tie breaks this season, even including the 2 he won against Del Potro, and Isner may be able to punish him in those considering he is 32-19 in tie breakers this year.
I think the match could go 5 sets, but I think Isner's serve, coupled with the additional rest for his body, will be the last American standing at this years Open.
David Ferrer win 3-1 in sets vs Andy Roddick: This is scheduled to be the first night game and so the atmosphere will be electric IF the weather decides to make a drastic move away from Flushing Meadows.
David Ferrer has far too much consistency for Andy Roddick these days, and it is indicative from the head to head which is led by the Spaniard 5-3. In fact, he has won 4 of the last 5 matches between the players and Ferrer will not feel more pressure from the crowd than when he knocked off Roddick in straight sets in Austin, Texas in July.
Roddick has the edge in terms of serve, but Ferrer is the better returner, is definitely better off the ground on both wings and is faster. The Spaniard is super-consistent and I think he will keep the pressure on Roddick throughout the match.
I think Roddick is capable of pushing the match to 4 sets if he is serving well, especially considering Ferrer can sometimes throw in a poor service game, but once the dust settles, I think Ferrer will have come through, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Samantha Stosur vs Vera Zvonareva: I feel like I am always tipping Sam Stosur to win her matches, mainly because the layers continuously underestimate the gritty Australian, and the fact she keeps winning the picks for me.
Vera Zvonareva was Runner Up here last season, and she is favoured by the layers, but the fact is she is 7-2 down in the head to head with Stosur, losing the last SEVEN meetings.
Stosur has come back from a set down in her 2 wins over Zvonareva this season, and it just seems the added spin she plays with bamboozles the Russian.
I think Stosur is set as a bigger underdog due to the time she has spent on court, but she has shown some really good mental strength to overcome losing the 2nd set in her last 2 matches, and that is a department she holds a real edge over Zvonareva.
It could go 3 again between these two players, but the added rest Stosur is likely to get thanks to the weather could see the Aussie fighting through.
MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 8.5 games @ 2.00 Stan James (2 Units)
John Isner @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
David Ferrer to win 3-1 in sets @ 4.33 Sporting Bet (1 Unit)
Sam Stosur @ 2.10 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
US OPEN UPDATE: 22-14, + 20.83 Units
According to reports, there will be steady rain the entire day and I think the tournament is in a bit of bother now as the forecast for the next few days does not exactly make me confident.
We have to expect a few stop-start matches with showers expected from tomorrow afternoon all the way through till Sunday.
The conditions could be a little reminiscent of the tournament last year as the wind was picking up too and it might be a physical examination of players, particularly the Men in the bottom half of the draw who are still in the 4th Round.
These are my Day 9 Picks, but don't be surprised if none of them are finished today:
Andy Murray - 8.5 games vs Donald Young: The flashy Donald Young has finally made a real impact at this level, after many years of expectations, but I think he is in for a tough time against Andy Murray, even though he beat the Brit at Indian Wells earlier this year.
Murray played brilliantly against Feliciano Lopez in the last Round and I expect he will end up frustrating Young on his way through to a straight sets win.
Young has the shot making ability to push Murray close for a set, but it is the World Number 4 that has the edge in almost all departments and I expect him to show that.
Murray may be pushed to a 6-4 first set win, but I expect him to get a couple of breaks in the last two sets and come through 6-2, 6-3 to cover the spread.
John Isner vs Gilles Simon: John Isner has enjoyed a wonderful Summer that will see him finally going back up the Rankings. There is no doubt he enjoys the American hard courts the best and I think the additional rest he is likely to get today will serve him well after playing a lot of tennis over the last 6 weeks.
Isner won in Winston Salem the week before the Open began, and he is likely to get plenty more free points on his own serve.
Simon was brilliant in dispatching Juan Martin Del Potro in the last Round, and he will be used to the fact that many serves he will be facing are unreturned, but he will feel confident he can at least trouble Isner.
However, the Frenchman is always liable to throwing in a bad service game in sets and that could cost him a Quarter Final place here as Isner is a wonderful front runner.
Simon is also only 11-12 in tie breaks this season, even including the 2 he won against Del Potro, and Isner may be able to punish him in those considering he is 32-19 in tie breakers this year.
I think the match could go 5 sets, but I think Isner's serve, coupled with the additional rest for his body, will be the last American standing at this years Open.
David Ferrer win 3-1 in sets vs Andy Roddick: This is scheduled to be the first night game and so the atmosphere will be electric IF the weather decides to make a drastic move away from Flushing Meadows.
David Ferrer has far too much consistency for Andy Roddick these days, and it is indicative from the head to head which is led by the Spaniard 5-3. In fact, he has won 4 of the last 5 matches between the players and Ferrer will not feel more pressure from the crowd than when he knocked off Roddick in straight sets in Austin, Texas in July.
Roddick has the edge in terms of serve, but Ferrer is the better returner, is definitely better off the ground on both wings and is faster. The Spaniard is super-consistent and I think he will keep the pressure on Roddick throughout the match.
I think Roddick is capable of pushing the match to 4 sets if he is serving well, especially considering Ferrer can sometimes throw in a poor service game, but once the dust settles, I think Ferrer will have come through, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Samantha Stosur vs Vera Zvonareva: I feel like I am always tipping Sam Stosur to win her matches, mainly because the layers continuously underestimate the gritty Australian, and the fact she keeps winning the picks for me.
Vera Zvonareva was Runner Up here last season, and she is favoured by the layers, but the fact is she is 7-2 down in the head to head with Stosur, losing the last SEVEN meetings.
Stosur has come back from a set down in her 2 wins over Zvonareva this season, and it just seems the added spin she plays with bamboozles the Russian.
I think Stosur is set as a bigger underdog due to the time she has spent on court, but she has shown some really good mental strength to overcome losing the 2nd set in her last 2 matches, and that is a department she holds a real edge over Zvonareva.
It could go 3 again between these two players, but the added rest Stosur is likely to get thanks to the weather could see the Aussie fighting through.
MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 8.5 games @ 2.00 Stan James (2 Units)
John Isner @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
David Ferrer to win 3-1 in sets @ 4.33 Sporting Bet (1 Unit)
Sam Stosur @ 2.10 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
US OPEN UPDATE: 22-14, + 20.83 Units
Sunday, 4 September 2011
US Open Day 7 Picks
An interesting day yesterday as Serena Williams became a short priced favourite to win the Women's tournament and Roger Federer moved through after a fairly impressive win over Marin Cilic.
Novak Djokovic looks to be making easy progress through the draw, but may have a tougher time against Alexandr Dolgopolov than some may expect, while a match between Mardy Fish and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the next Round should be a classic.
The picks improved to 15-9 for the last 7 days and hopefully that trend can continue.
Day 7 Picks:
Rafael Nadal - 7.5 games vs David Nalbandian: David Nalbandian was one of the few players that would give both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal fits when he played them a few seasons ago, but he is clearly not the same player and I expect Nadal to roll.
The head to head is 2-2, with Nadal winning the last 2 matches including a comfortable win in Miami last season.
Nalbandian can push Nadal for a set, but his losses to Andy Murray, James Blake and Stanislas Wawrinka in the last 6 weeks shows he is still far short of matching it with the top 4 where he is in his career.
I expect Nadal to win 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
David Ferrer - 7.5 games vs Florian Mayer: David Ferrer was my tip to come through this Quarter of the draw and I expect he will be far too good for the awkward Florian Mayer tonight.
Mayer had lost his only 2 matches on the US hard courts this Summer before coming through the first 2 Rounds here, but he has been very fortunate with the draw and now faces a battle hardened Ferrer who beat Igor Andreev and James Blake.
Ferrer leads the head to head 3-2, winning their last 3 matches and he has not lost a set in those including a destruction here at the US Open in 2007.
I expect Ferrer's consistency to break down Mayer, and come through with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win.
Andy Roddick - 4.5 games vs Julien Benneteau: I think Julien Benneteau has been overestimated in this match due to his excellent run at the Winston Salem Open last week, but that amount of tennis could catch up with him against Andy Roddick.
Roddick has looked in decent, if not spectacular, form in the tournament and his 3 wins last week at the Winston Salem Open will have gotten him in some shape. His serve will cause Benneteau problems and put the Frenchman under pressure on his own service games.
Roddick leads the head to head 3-1 but they have not played one another since 2008. In that time, I think Benneteau has regressed as a player and I expect the American to continue going forward.
I fancy a Roddick 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win
Sam Stosur - 3.5 games vs Maria Kirilenko: Both women have done very well to come through the draw to this 4th Round encounter, but it is Sam Stosur who has been showing better form over the last 6 weeks and I expect she will be too good for her Russian opponent tonight.
Stosur had a hard time against Nadia Petrova in the last Round due to the heavy hitting nature of her opponent, but Kirilenko is less likely to bludgeon her off court.
Stosur's serve should be the difference between the two players and I think she will increase her head to head advantage to 4-2 tonight.
I expect the Australian will come through 6-3, 6-4.
Vera Zvonareva vs Sabine Lisicki: Sabine Lisicki has been in wonderful form over the last 2 weeks as she won a tournament in Dallas and has made easy progress through the draw here at Flushing Meadows, but I feel her run will come to an end against Vera Zvonareva.
Zvonareva enjoys playing on the hard courts and has also been in decent form of late. She also has won all 3 previous meetings with Lisicki, including in San Diego recently.
I expect the match will go 3 sets, as have all their previous meetings, but I think last year's Runner Up will still be standing at the end of a titanic battle.
Juan Martin Del Potro to win 3-1 in sets vs Gilles Simon: This is definitely going to be a closer match than some people may imagine because Gilles Simon's style of play gives Juan Martin Del Potro fits.
Just take a look at their head to head record- Simon won the first meeting in 3 sets in New Haven, Del Potro won in 5 here at the US Open in 2008 and then won in straight sets at Wimbledon in June (7-6, 7-6, 7-5) in a match that could easily have gone a lot longer.
The difference in the match will come down to the fact Del Potro gets plenty more free points on his serve, because I think Simon can hang around in rallies, and so I do expect the Argentine to get through.
I just wouldn't be that surprised if Simon manages to take a set off of him on the way as Del Potro wins 7-5, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Andy Murray to win 3-1 in sets vs Feliciano Lopez: These two players last met at Wimbledon in June in what was a routine straight sets win for Andy Murray but that was at a time when Feliciano Lopez was shattered after a long run in the tournament.
The Spaniard has been serving well in the tournament so far and usually plays some solid stuff on the hard courts with a big serve and good volleying skills.
He has only taken 1 set in 5 meetings against Andy Murray, whose strong returning game makes life a little awkward for Lopez, but I see him picking up his 2nd tonight as the British Number 1 has not been serving as well as he can.
I think the match will be close for 2 sets, which will be split between the players, before Murray's superior returning begins to tell on Lopez and he comes through 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3
MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal - 7.5 games @ 1.91 Stan James (2 Units)
David Ferrer - 7.5 games @ 2.10 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Andy Roddick - 4.5 games @ 2.18 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Sam Stosur - 3.5 games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Vera Zvonareva @ 2.05 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Juan Martin Del Potro win 3-1 in sets @ 3.80 Sporting Bet (1 Unit)
Andy Murray win 3-1 in sets @ 3.75 William Hill (1 Unit)
US OPEN UPDATE: 15-9, + 13.29 Units
Novak Djokovic looks to be making easy progress through the draw, but may have a tougher time against Alexandr Dolgopolov than some may expect, while a match between Mardy Fish and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the next Round should be a classic.
The picks improved to 15-9 for the last 7 days and hopefully that trend can continue.
Day 7 Picks:
Rafael Nadal - 7.5 games vs David Nalbandian: David Nalbandian was one of the few players that would give both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal fits when he played them a few seasons ago, but he is clearly not the same player and I expect Nadal to roll.
The head to head is 2-2, with Nadal winning the last 2 matches including a comfortable win in Miami last season.
Nalbandian can push Nadal for a set, but his losses to Andy Murray, James Blake and Stanislas Wawrinka in the last 6 weeks shows he is still far short of matching it with the top 4 where he is in his career.
I expect Nadal to win 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
David Ferrer - 7.5 games vs Florian Mayer: David Ferrer was my tip to come through this Quarter of the draw and I expect he will be far too good for the awkward Florian Mayer tonight.
Mayer had lost his only 2 matches on the US hard courts this Summer before coming through the first 2 Rounds here, but he has been very fortunate with the draw and now faces a battle hardened Ferrer who beat Igor Andreev and James Blake.
Ferrer leads the head to head 3-2, winning their last 3 matches and he has not lost a set in those including a destruction here at the US Open in 2007.
I expect Ferrer's consistency to break down Mayer, and come through with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win.
Andy Roddick - 4.5 games vs Julien Benneteau: I think Julien Benneteau has been overestimated in this match due to his excellent run at the Winston Salem Open last week, but that amount of tennis could catch up with him against Andy Roddick.
Roddick has looked in decent, if not spectacular, form in the tournament and his 3 wins last week at the Winston Salem Open will have gotten him in some shape. His serve will cause Benneteau problems and put the Frenchman under pressure on his own service games.
Roddick leads the head to head 3-1 but they have not played one another since 2008. In that time, I think Benneteau has regressed as a player and I expect the American to continue going forward.
I fancy a Roddick 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win
Sam Stosur - 3.5 games vs Maria Kirilenko: Both women have done very well to come through the draw to this 4th Round encounter, but it is Sam Stosur who has been showing better form over the last 6 weeks and I expect she will be too good for her Russian opponent tonight.
Stosur had a hard time against Nadia Petrova in the last Round due to the heavy hitting nature of her opponent, but Kirilenko is less likely to bludgeon her off court.
Stosur's serve should be the difference between the two players and I think she will increase her head to head advantage to 4-2 tonight.
I expect the Australian will come through 6-3, 6-4.
Vera Zvonareva vs Sabine Lisicki: Sabine Lisicki has been in wonderful form over the last 2 weeks as she won a tournament in Dallas and has made easy progress through the draw here at Flushing Meadows, but I feel her run will come to an end against Vera Zvonareva.
Zvonareva enjoys playing on the hard courts and has also been in decent form of late. She also has won all 3 previous meetings with Lisicki, including in San Diego recently.
I expect the match will go 3 sets, as have all their previous meetings, but I think last year's Runner Up will still be standing at the end of a titanic battle.
Juan Martin Del Potro to win 3-1 in sets vs Gilles Simon: This is definitely going to be a closer match than some people may imagine because Gilles Simon's style of play gives Juan Martin Del Potro fits.
Just take a look at their head to head record- Simon won the first meeting in 3 sets in New Haven, Del Potro won in 5 here at the US Open in 2008 and then won in straight sets at Wimbledon in June (7-6, 7-6, 7-5) in a match that could easily have gone a lot longer.
The difference in the match will come down to the fact Del Potro gets plenty more free points on his serve, because I think Simon can hang around in rallies, and so I do expect the Argentine to get through.
I just wouldn't be that surprised if Simon manages to take a set off of him on the way as Del Potro wins 7-5, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Andy Murray to win 3-1 in sets vs Feliciano Lopez: These two players last met at Wimbledon in June in what was a routine straight sets win for Andy Murray but that was at a time when Feliciano Lopez was shattered after a long run in the tournament.
The Spaniard has been serving well in the tournament so far and usually plays some solid stuff on the hard courts with a big serve and good volleying skills.
He has only taken 1 set in 5 meetings against Andy Murray, whose strong returning game makes life a little awkward for Lopez, but I see him picking up his 2nd tonight as the British Number 1 has not been serving as well as he can.
I think the match will be close for 2 sets, which will be split between the players, before Murray's superior returning begins to tell on Lopez and he comes through 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3
MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal - 7.5 games @ 1.91 Stan James (2 Units)
David Ferrer - 7.5 games @ 2.10 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Andy Roddick - 4.5 games @ 2.18 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Sam Stosur - 3.5 games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Vera Zvonareva @ 2.05 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Juan Martin Del Potro win 3-1 in sets @ 3.80 Sporting Bet (1 Unit)
Andy Murray win 3-1 in sets @ 3.75 William Hill (1 Unit)
US OPEN UPDATE: 15-9, + 13.29 Units
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Tennis Picks August 14th
Today we have a slight overlap as the we have a couple of games beginning in Cincinnati for the next Masters event that immediately follows the tournaments in Toronto and Montreal.
The week has turned around in the latter part as close losses became close wins and that has led to a little bit more profit as we get ever closer to the US Open.
On to the Picks:
Serena Williams - 4.5 games vs Sam Stosur: I am picking Serena Williams to put down another statement win here against Stosur and underline the fact she is back and very much the favourite to win at Flushing Meadows.
Unbelievably, this is only Williams' 4th tournament in the last 12 months since recovering from injury and a life-threatening illness, but she is beginning to show how far and away she is from the nearest challengers on the WTA Tour.
The American won at Stanford recently and seems to up her game against the very best players on the WTA Tour as if to really show who is the boss. She has recorded straight set wins over the likes of Maria Sharapova, Sabine Lisicki, Marion Bartoli and Victoria Azarenka and it is the ease of those victories that really stand out to me.
Sam Stosur has had a good week, but I can't help feel she has taken advantage of a weak looking draw. Stosur beat a rusty Na Li and a tired Agnieska Radwanska this week but wins over Roberta Vinci and Alexsandra Wozniak will not be that great preparation for someone like Williams.
The serve will help Stosur to try and keep up with Williams, and she has beaten the American in 2 of their last 3 meetings, but I just feel Williams is making waves at the moment and could win with a bit to spare.
MY PICKS: Serena Williams - 4.5 games @ 2.20 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
WEEKLY UPDATE: + 5.85 Units
The week has turned around in the latter part as close losses became close wins and that has led to a little bit more profit as we get ever closer to the US Open.
On to the Picks:
Serena Williams - 4.5 games vs Sam Stosur: I am picking Serena Williams to put down another statement win here against Stosur and underline the fact she is back and very much the favourite to win at Flushing Meadows.
Unbelievably, this is only Williams' 4th tournament in the last 12 months since recovering from injury and a life-threatening illness, but she is beginning to show how far and away she is from the nearest challengers on the WTA Tour.
The American won at Stanford recently and seems to up her game against the very best players on the WTA Tour as if to really show who is the boss. She has recorded straight set wins over the likes of Maria Sharapova, Sabine Lisicki, Marion Bartoli and Victoria Azarenka and it is the ease of those victories that really stand out to me.
Sam Stosur has had a good week, but I can't help feel she has taken advantage of a weak looking draw. Stosur beat a rusty Na Li and a tired Agnieska Radwanska this week but wins over Roberta Vinci and Alexsandra Wozniak will not be that great preparation for someone like Williams.
The serve will help Stosur to try and keep up with Williams, and she has beaten the American in 2 of their last 3 meetings, but I just feel Williams is making waves at the moment and could win with a bit to spare.
MY PICKS: Serena Williams - 4.5 games @ 2.20 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
WEEKLY UPDATE: + 5.85 Units
Saturday, 13 August 2011
Tennis Picks August 13th
After a horrendous start to the week and looking like I was going to struggle to a heavy loss, things turned around yesterday as all 5 picks came in as winners.
I really felt I deserved that change in fortune after having a few really close losses earlier in the week that added up to my struggles. Now I am back in profit for the daily picks with the Semi Finals tonight and the Finals tomorrow from the events in Montreal and Toronto.
On to the Picks:
Sam Stosur vs Agnieska Radwanska: I am going to back the Australian in this one to come through as the underdog.
Stosur has played well in her last 3 matches after struggling in Round 1, and I really think she has an excellent chance of making the Final. She is one of the few players on the WTA Tour that plays with a lot of heavy spin on her shots and that may make life difficult for a defensive player like Radwanska.
The other issue is the amount of matches Radwanska has had to play recently and fatigue must be an issue. Unlike a 2 week Grand Slam, the Pole has had very little rest after coming in from the West Coast of America on Monday following a win in San Diego.
This will eventually tell on Radwanska, and I think it is Stosur who will take advantage.
Mardy Fish - 2.5 games vs Janko Tipsarevic: This may look a risky play after Mardy Fish decided to lose his mind when serving in the 2nd set against Stanislas Wawrinka yesterday, but I think he has the edge over Tipsarevic on the hard courts of North America.
Janko Tipsarevic is a very good player, but still is very inconsistent when following strong performances with very poor ones. His serve is effective on the faster surfaces, but I think Fish attacking the net will eventually pay dividends and allow the American to move through in 2 sets.
The first set could be a tight affair before Fish takes complete control, and the fact he has won their last 3 meetings on different surfaces should give the American additional confidence and reach yet another Masters Final on North American soil.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga + 4.5 games vs Novak Djokovic: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is playing some of the best stuff in his career over the last couple of months and has transferred his form from Wimbledon onto the hard courts here in Montreal.
He will receive a lot of support from the French-speaking residents of this city and I think he is playing well enough to at least pose problems for Djokovic.
What can I say about the Serb that hasn't been said already this season? He has lifted his level to such a high standard and to lose just 1 match all season in this period of Men's tennis is something very very special.
In saying that, I think Tsonga has the game to give anyone problems, and if he is hitting as clean as he has been this week, I really feel the Frenchman will give Djokovic his biggest test of the tournament this week.
MY PICKS: Sam Stosur @ 2.20 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Mardy Fish - 2.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga + 4.5 games @ 1.91 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
WEEKLY UPDATE: + 2.65 Units
I really felt I deserved that change in fortune after having a few really close losses earlier in the week that added up to my struggles. Now I am back in profit for the daily picks with the Semi Finals tonight and the Finals tomorrow from the events in Montreal and Toronto.
On to the Picks:
Sam Stosur vs Agnieska Radwanska: I am going to back the Australian in this one to come through as the underdog.
Stosur has played well in her last 3 matches after struggling in Round 1, and I really think she has an excellent chance of making the Final. She is one of the few players on the WTA Tour that plays with a lot of heavy spin on her shots and that may make life difficult for a defensive player like Radwanska.
The other issue is the amount of matches Radwanska has had to play recently and fatigue must be an issue. Unlike a 2 week Grand Slam, the Pole has had very little rest after coming in from the West Coast of America on Monday following a win in San Diego.
This will eventually tell on Radwanska, and I think it is Stosur who will take advantage.
Mardy Fish - 2.5 games vs Janko Tipsarevic: This may look a risky play after Mardy Fish decided to lose his mind when serving in the 2nd set against Stanislas Wawrinka yesterday, but I think he has the edge over Tipsarevic on the hard courts of North America.
Janko Tipsarevic is a very good player, but still is very inconsistent when following strong performances with very poor ones. His serve is effective on the faster surfaces, but I think Fish attacking the net will eventually pay dividends and allow the American to move through in 2 sets.
The first set could be a tight affair before Fish takes complete control, and the fact he has won their last 3 meetings on different surfaces should give the American additional confidence and reach yet another Masters Final on North American soil.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga + 4.5 games vs Novak Djokovic: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is playing some of the best stuff in his career over the last couple of months and has transferred his form from Wimbledon onto the hard courts here in Montreal.
He will receive a lot of support from the French-speaking residents of this city and I think he is playing well enough to at least pose problems for Djokovic.
What can I say about the Serb that hasn't been said already this season? He has lifted his level to such a high standard and to lose just 1 match all season in this period of Men's tennis is something very very special.
In saying that, I think Tsonga has the game to give anyone problems, and if he is hitting as clean as he has been this week, I really feel the Frenchman will give Djokovic his biggest test of the tournament this week.
MY PICKS: Sam Stosur @ 2.20 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Mardy Fish - 2.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga + 4.5 games @ 1.91 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
WEEKLY UPDATE: + 2.65 Units
Friday, 12 August 2011
Tennis Picks August 12th
The most frustrating element of this week has been how close some of these picks have been to winning, yet I find myself in a very bad position.
Both tournaments in Toronto and Montreal have seen a huge number of surprise results, and I guess that has to be expected considering a lot of the players are playing in their first events since Wimbledon. Still, I expect better from myself and am hoping I can have a strong end to the week to salvage some pride.
Now on to the Picks:
Sam Stosur - 3.5 games vs Roberta Vinci: If you had blindly backed Roberta Vinci in every match this week, you would have + 8.52 Units for every 1 Unit you have staked- it has been more than a surprise to see Vinci still participating in a tournament after struggling on the hard courts for much of her career.
I backed Ana Ivanovic to beat Vinci yesterday, but I am going back to the well with Sam Stosur, a player that looked in fine fettle in her win over Na Li yesterday.
Stosur plays her game with a lot of spin and that could cause problems for the 5 foot 4 inch Vinci, especially if she gets as much off the court as the Australian did yesterday. The hard courts should favour Stosur's game much more and I will expect her to come through in straight sets, 7-5 6-3.
Agnieska Radwanska vs Andrea Petkovic: I am a little concerned with the amount of tennis Radwanska has played recently, but she showed she is in fine form after winning the tournament in San Diego last week. The Polish Number 1 beat Petkovic en route to the trophy and I expect her consistent game will be too much for the German again.
Petkovic took advantage of an error-ridden game from Petra Kvitova yesterday, but she has lost all 3 previous meetings with Radwanska and finds it hard to break down the defence the Pole employs.
This could go the distance, but I think the edge will be with Radwanska at the end of the day.
Mardy Fish - 2 games vs Stanislas Wawrinka: Mardy Fish has been in fine form during the US hard court swing, winning the tournament in Atlanta before reaching the Final in LA, and I think he is favourite to come through the bottom half of the draw since Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal exited early.
Wawrinka has done well to reach this Quarter Final, but I can't shake the feeling he has taken advantage of a very straight forward draw especially after Murray went out.
I expect Fish will have a little too much for Wawrinka in this match, although it is possible it goes the distance. His serve is a little more solid, while he has the knowledge to end points quickly at the net. I would guess the pressure of keeping up with Fish will eventually be the difference and Fish will get through.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 3.5 games vs Nicolas Almagro: While we saw Ivan Dodig and Kevin Anderson falter after knocking out players in the top 4 of the World Rankings, I do not expect the same of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who is finally beginning to play with the belief that he should be much higher in the rankings himself.
Many would have been watching out for Juan Martin Del Potro as a dark horse for the US Open, but I have now been converted into thinking Tsonga can do enough to make a serious splash at that event.
His win over Roger Federer showed his serve is working very effectively while his returning game has come on leaps and bounds in the last 8 months.
Nicolas Almagro is a tough competitor, but one who is much happier with the clay under his feet. He has a big serve, but his groundstrokes can be inconsistent and I think that is where Tsonga will have the edge.
Importantly, Tsonga has also won all 4 of their previous meetings, the last 3 all being on clay courts which I would have expected to suit Almagro a little more. I think Tsonga will come through tonight 6-3, 6-4 with a break in each set.
Victoria Azarenka - 5.5 games vs Galina Voskoboeva: Galina Voskoboeva is having a huge week- after qualifying for this event, she has gone on to beat Marion Bartoli and Maria Sharapova and has lost just 2 sets in her 5 matches this week.
This could be her toughest test of the week against Victoria Azarenka who has been playing some good stuff this week, losing just 3 games in 4 sets played. I expect the World Number 4 to have too much for Voskoboeva, and to run away with the match after a tight first set.
MY PICKS: Sam Stosur - 3.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Agnieska Radwanska @ 1.85 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Mardy Fish - 2 games @ 1.91 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 3.5 games @ 1.72 Coral (2 Units)
Victoria Azarenka - 5.5 games @ 2.05 Coral (2 Units)
WEEKLY UPDATE: - 6.41 Units
Both tournaments in Toronto and Montreal have seen a huge number of surprise results, and I guess that has to be expected considering a lot of the players are playing in their first events since Wimbledon. Still, I expect better from myself and am hoping I can have a strong end to the week to salvage some pride.
Now on to the Picks:
Sam Stosur - 3.5 games vs Roberta Vinci: If you had blindly backed Roberta Vinci in every match this week, you would have + 8.52 Units for every 1 Unit you have staked- it has been more than a surprise to see Vinci still participating in a tournament after struggling on the hard courts for much of her career.
I backed Ana Ivanovic to beat Vinci yesterday, but I am going back to the well with Sam Stosur, a player that looked in fine fettle in her win over Na Li yesterday.
Stosur plays her game with a lot of spin and that could cause problems for the 5 foot 4 inch Vinci, especially if she gets as much off the court as the Australian did yesterday. The hard courts should favour Stosur's game much more and I will expect her to come through in straight sets, 7-5 6-3.
Agnieska Radwanska vs Andrea Petkovic: I am a little concerned with the amount of tennis Radwanska has played recently, but she showed she is in fine form after winning the tournament in San Diego last week. The Polish Number 1 beat Petkovic en route to the trophy and I expect her consistent game will be too much for the German again.
Petkovic took advantage of an error-ridden game from Petra Kvitova yesterday, but she has lost all 3 previous meetings with Radwanska and finds it hard to break down the defence the Pole employs.
This could go the distance, but I think the edge will be with Radwanska at the end of the day.
Mardy Fish - 2 games vs Stanislas Wawrinka: Mardy Fish has been in fine form during the US hard court swing, winning the tournament in Atlanta before reaching the Final in LA, and I think he is favourite to come through the bottom half of the draw since Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal exited early.
Wawrinka has done well to reach this Quarter Final, but I can't shake the feeling he has taken advantage of a very straight forward draw especially after Murray went out.
I expect Fish will have a little too much for Wawrinka in this match, although it is possible it goes the distance. His serve is a little more solid, while he has the knowledge to end points quickly at the net. I would guess the pressure of keeping up with Fish will eventually be the difference and Fish will get through.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 3.5 games vs Nicolas Almagro: While we saw Ivan Dodig and Kevin Anderson falter after knocking out players in the top 4 of the World Rankings, I do not expect the same of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who is finally beginning to play with the belief that he should be much higher in the rankings himself.
Many would have been watching out for Juan Martin Del Potro as a dark horse for the US Open, but I have now been converted into thinking Tsonga can do enough to make a serious splash at that event.
His win over Roger Federer showed his serve is working very effectively while his returning game has come on leaps and bounds in the last 8 months.
Nicolas Almagro is a tough competitor, but one who is much happier with the clay under his feet. He has a big serve, but his groundstrokes can be inconsistent and I think that is where Tsonga will have the edge.
Importantly, Tsonga has also won all 4 of their previous meetings, the last 3 all being on clay courts which I would have expected to suit Almagro a little more. I think Tsonga will come through tonight 6-3, 6-4 with a break in each set.
Victoria Azarenka - 5.5 games vs Galina Voskoboeva: Galina Voskoboeva is having a huge week- after qualifying for this event, she has gone on to beat Marion Bartoli and Maria Sharapova and has lost just 2 sets in her 5 matches this week.
This could be her toughest test of the week against Victoria Azarenka who has been playing some good stuff this week, losing just 3 games in 4 sets played. I expect the World Number 4 to have too much for Voskoboeva, and to run away with the match after a tight first set.
MY PICKS: Sam Stosur - 3.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Agnieska Radwanska @ 1.85 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Mardy Fish - 2 games @ 1.91 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 3.5 games @ 1.72 Coral (2 Units)
Victoria Azarenka - 5.5 games @ 2.05 Coral (2 Units)
WEEKLY UPDATE: - 6.41 Units
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Tennis Picks August 11th
It has been an extremely difficult week so far both for us making the picks and for the players as Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal have both 'one and done' in Canada.
The manner of Nadal's loss brought back memories of Roger Federer's defeat on the same court to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2 years ago as the Spaniard blew winning positions time after time.
Nadal won the first set with minimal fuss and then moved into a 3-1 lead in the second set as a routine victory looked on the cards. However, Ivan Dodig clearly had other plans and fought back to take the set on the tie break.
Order looked to be restored with Nadal taking a 3-0 lead in the decider but that was quickly wiped out. Again it looked all over as Nadal broke to lead 5-3 and served for the match but Dodig was inspired and managed to once again fight back and took the match with a stunning backhand on his first match point.
It's another busy day in Canada today but the forecast does not look pretty so it will be some feat to get all the matches through.
Still, here are my picks for the day:
Sam Stosur vs Na Li: Thanks to Shuai Peng's withdrawal, this is the first match Na Li will play since Wimbledon and it cannot get much tougher against the big serving Sam Stosur, a player that also holds a 3-0 head to head record against Li.
Stosur has not been in great form in recent weeks, but she is used to the conditions in Toronto thanks to her 2 wins to reach this stage. Her game is suited to the hard courts and she will feel confident having won all 6 sets contested with Li.
Li is just 2-2 since winning the French Open and she seems to have a problem adapting to her new found fame. I am not sure if she will be mentally ready for this tough test and she has lost her last 5 matches on hard courts. She was also beaten at this stage in Canada last year and that was with a number of matches behind her since Wimbledon.
Petra Kvitova - 3.5 games vs Andrea Petkovic: I was interested to see how Kvitova was going to play following her successful Wimbledon, but the young Czech star was very solid in coming through her opening match here in Canada.
A concern is she did struggle in North America earlier this season with quick exits at Indian Wells and Miami and she also lost early during this part of the season last year. However, I think she is mentally so much stronger now and has complete belief in her own game.
Petkovic has really made the best out of her talent, but she remains a step below the elite in the Women's game and she has regularly come up short when playing the best this season. I fear this will be yet another one of those occasions as her serve and groundstrokes just cannot compete with the other more consistent players.
The German is 2-3 in her head to head meetings with Kvitova, and was beaten heavily in their one and only meeting this season after winning the previous 2 contests.
Ana Ivanovic - 4.5 games vs Roberta Vinci: Ana Ivanovic is striving to regain her position at the top of the Women's game and she has been playing a little better in recent months, although still having the lack of confidence to throw in some terrible losses.
She reached the Semi Final in San Diego last week before finding Vera Zvonareva too good, but there have been signs in the last 2 weeks that she is moving into some good form.
Roberta Vinci is a surprise opponent for Ivanovic after beating Yanina Wickmayer and Caroline Wozniacki as the underdog in the last 2 Rounds, but I cannot remove the Jie Zheng defeat in San Diego from my mind.
This is the Italian's best run on a North American hard court, and she also holds a win over Ivanovic from earlier this season. That snapped a 4 match losing run to her opponent, but I think Ivanovic is playing too good for her at the moment and I see a 6-4, 6-2 win for the former World Number 1.
Double; Tomas Berdych vs Ivo Karlovic and Janko Tipsarevic vs Ivan Dodig: I think Tomas Berdych will be too strong for Ivo Karlovic who is coming to the end of a career that was far more productive than I think even Karlovic would have expected.
The win over Alexandr Dolgopolov for Berdych in the last Round would have boosted his confidence and I think he will be too strong for the big Croatian here.
I am also backing Janko Tipsarevic in a big Serb-Croat clash today. Ivan Dodig played the best match of his career yesterday against Rafael Nadal and I feel this may be a case of 'after the Lord Mayor's show' for the Croatian. Tipsarevic is a tough opponent and has already beaten Dodig in straight sets earlier this year.
Stanislas Wawrinka - 2.5 games vs Kevin Anderson: This is another match where I am taking on a player that had a big win in the last Round- Kevin Anderson beat Andy Murray but had been not been in that great shape in his win over Pablo Andujar and I think he may be caught out by Stanislas Wawrinka here.
Wawrinka looked good in his win over David Nalbandian in the 1st Round and made short work of Michael Russell- the Swiss Number 2 will also see this as a chance to make a real impact in a Masters tournament with the exits of Murray and Rafael Nadal from the bottom half of the section.
Anderson served big in his win over Murray, but the serve was not so effective against Andujar and Wawrinka has faced him before, winning in straight sets in Miami last year.
I am a little concerned with the lack of form Wawrinka has shown in recent weeks, but I think he will be too good today.
Roger Federer - 3.5 games vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: This is a rematch from 2 years ago when these two players were involved in a memorable match that Tsonga won after being 5-1 down in the final set.
More importantly, it is a rematch of this years Wimbledon Quarter Final that saw Tsonga fight back from a 2-0 deficit to knock out Federer and you can be sure the Swiss former World Number 1 is out for revenge.
Tsonga played absolutely brilliantly when he beat Federer at Wimbledon, a performance to match his destruction of Rafael Nadal in the 2008 Australian Open Semi Final. The problem remains the Frenchman's lack of consistency to put together those performances more regularly and I cannot see him beating Federer again.
It wasn't the best performance from Federer yesterday when beating a Canadian Wild Card, but he did enough and was serving well. That will be the key tonight and he will also need to return better than he did.
The last time Tsonga beat Federer, he was crushed fairly easily in their 3 subsequent meetings, and I am not comfortable backing a player that needs to catch lightning in a bottle to win... I think Federer wins 6-3, 6-4
MY PICKS: Sam Stosur @ 1.80 BetFred (2 Units)
Petra Kvitova - 3.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Ana Ivanovic - 4.5 games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Double; Tomas Berdych and Janko Tipsarevic @ 2.36 BetFred (2 Units)
Stanislas Wawrinka - 2.5 games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Roger Federer - 3.5 games @ 2.00 Coral (2 Units)
WEEKLY UPDATE: - 2.73 Units
The manner of Nadal's loss brought back memories of Roger Federer's defeat on the same court to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2 years ago as the Spaniard blew winning positions time after time.
Nadal won the first set with minimal fuss and then moved into a 3-1 lead in the second set as a routine victory looked on the cards. However, Ivan Dodig clearly had other plans and fought back to take the set on the tie break.
Order looked to be restored with Nadal taking a 3-0 lead in the decider but that was quickly wiped out. Again it looked all over as Nadal broke to lead 5-3 and served for the match but Dodig was inspired and managed to once again fight back and took the match with a stunning backhand on his first match point.
It's another busy day in Canada today but the forecast does not look pretty so it will be some feat to get all the matches through.
Still, here are my picks for the day:
Sam Stosur vs Na Li: Thanks to Shuai Peng's withdrawal, this is the first match Na Li will play since Wimbledon and it cannot get much tougher against the big serving Sam Stosur, a player that also holds a 3-0 head to head record against Li.
Stosur has not been in great form in recent weeks, but she is used to the conditions in Toronto thanks to her 2 wins to reach this stage. Her game is suited to the hard courts and she will feel confident having won all 6 sets contested with Li.
Li is just 2-2 since winning the French Open and she seems to have a problem adapting to her new found fame. I am not sure if she will be mentally ready for this tough test and she has lost her last 5 matches on hard courts. She was also beaten at this stage in Canada last year and that was with a number of matches behind her since Wimbledon.
Petra Kvitova - 3.5 games vs Andrea Petkovic: I was interested to see how Kvitova was going to play following her successful Wimbledon, but the young Czech star was very solid in coming through her opening match here in Canada.
A concern is she did struggle in North America earlier this season with quick exits at Indian Wells and Miami and she also lost early during this part of the season last year. However, I think she is mentally so much stronger now and has complete belief in her own game.
Petkovic has really made the best out of her talent, but she remains a step below the elite in the Women's game and she has regularly come up short when playing the best this season. I fear this will be yet another one of those occasions as her serve and groundstrokes just cannot compete with the other more consistent players.
The German is 2-3 in her head to head meetings with Kvitova, and was beaten heavily in their one and only meeting this season after winning the previous 2 contests.
Ana Ivanovic - 4.5 games vs Roberta Vinci: Ana Ivanovic is striving to regain her position at the top of the Women's game and she has been playing a little better in recent months, although still having the lack of confidence to throw in some terrible losses.
She reached the Semi Final in San Diego last week before finding Vera Zvonareva too good, but there have been signs in the last 2 weeks that she is moving into some good form.
Roberta Vinci is a surprise opponent for Ivanovic after beating Yanina Wickmayer and Caroline Wozniacki as the underdog in the last 2 Rounds, but I cannot remove the Jie Zheng defeat in San Diego from my mind.
This is the Italian's best run on a North American hard court, and she also holds a win over Ivanovic from earlier this season. That snapped a 4 match losing run to her opponent, but I think Ivanovic is playing too good for her at the moment and I see a 6-4, 6-2 win for the former World Number 1.
Double; Tomas Berdych vs Ivo Karlovic and Janko Tipsarevic vs Ivan Dodig: I think Tomas Berdych will be too strong for Ivo Karlovic who is coming to the end of a career that was far more productive than I think even Karlovic would have expected.
The win over Alexandr Dolgopolov for Berdych in the last Round would have boosted his confidence and I think he will be too strong for the big Croatian here.
I am also backing Janko Tipsarevic in a big Serb-Croat clash today. Ivan Dodig played the best match of his career yesterday against Rafael Nadal and I feel this may be a case of 'after the Lord Mayor's show' for the Croatian. Tipsarevic is a tough opponent and has already beaten Dodig in straight sets earlier this year.
Stanislas Wawrinka - 2.5 games vs Kevin Anderson: This is another match where I am taking on a player that had a big win in the last Round- Kevin Anderson beat Andy Murray but had been not been in that great shape in his win over Pablo Andujar and I think he may be caught out by Stanislas Wawrinka here.
Wawrinka looked good in his win over David Nalbandian in the 1st Round and made short work of Michael Russell- the Swiss Number 2 will also see this as a chance to make a real impact in a Masters tournament with the exits of Murray and Rafael Nadal from the bottom half of the section.
Anderson served big in his win over Murray, but the serve was not so effective against Andujar and Wawrinka has faced him before, winning in straight sets in Miami last year.
I am a little concerned with the lack of form Wawrinka has shown in recent weeks, but I think he will be too good today.
Roger Federer - 3.5 games vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: This is a rematch from 2 years ago when these two players were involved in a memorable match that Tsonga won after being 5-1 down in the final set.
More importantly, it is a rematch of this years Wimbledon Quarter Final that saw Tsonga fight back from a 2-0 deficit to knock out Federer and you can be sure the Swiss former World Number 1 is out for revenge.
Tsonga played absolutely brilliantly when he beat Federer at Wimbledon, a performance to match his destruction of Rafael Nadal in the 2008 Australian Open Semi Final. The problem remains the Frenchman's lack of consistency to put together those performances more regularly and I cannot see him beating Federer again.
It wasn't the best performance from Federer yesterday when beating a Canadian Wild Card, but he did enough and was serving well. That will be the key tonight and he will also need to return better than he did.
The last time Tsonga beat Federer, he was crushed fairly easily in their 3 subsequent meetings, and I am not comfortable backing a player that needs to catch lightning in a bottle to win... I think Federer wins 6-3, 6-4
MY PICKS: Sam Stosur @ 1.80 BetFred (2 Units)
Petra Kvitova - 3.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Ana Ivanovic - 4.5 games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Double; Tomas Berdych and Janko Tipsarevic @ 2.36 BetFred (2 Units)
Stanislas Wawrinka - 2.5 games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Roger Federer - 3.5 games @ 2.00 Coral (2 Units)
WEEKLY UPDATE: - 2.73 Units
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Tennis Picks 15th June 2011
It's been a tough couple of days to find potential winners in the world of tennis as the Grand Slam at Wimbledon fast approaches. Some players may already be looking ahead to that event which begins on Monday so I would not be surprised if there are some 'tanks' as people dont want to waste too much energy with such a big tournament coming up.
Therefore I only have had a couple of picks so far this week and am only playing a 1 unit treble for today.
Eastbourne
TREBLE: Kevin Anderson vs Gregor Dimitrov, Petra Kvitova vs Ekaterina Makarova and Sam Stosur vs Bojana Jovanovski: This is not the easiest treble in the world, but I really feel all 3 players are good enough to get through their individual matches.
Kevin Anderson proved at Queens that he has all the tools to be an effective grass court player and I think he will have the edge solely because his serve is a little more dependable than the talented Bulgarian's. Dimitrov is still learning his trade on the main ATP Tour and I think this is a tough match up for him.
Petra Kvitova is one of the up and coming stars on the WTA Tour and has shown she can play on the grass after making the Semi Finals of Wimbledon last year. Makarova is the defending Champion so this wont be easy, but I feel Kvitova has too much talent for her.
Sam Stosur has one of the best serves on the Women's tour and I expect that will give her the edge over the talented young player from Serbia. Jovanovski has pushed players in matches this year, but I think Stosur will be too strong as she looks to go better than her Semi Final here last season.
MY PICKS: Kevin Anderson, Petra Kvitova and Sam Stosur @ 3.13 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
WEEKLY UPDATE: + 5.16 Units (+ 0 Units yesterday)
Therefore I only have had a couple of picks so far this week and am only playing a 1 unit treble for today.
Eastbourne
TREBLE: Kevin Anderson vs Gregor Dimitrov, Petra Kvitova vs Ekaterina Makarova and Sam Stosur vs Bojana Jovanovski: This is not the easiest treble in the world, but I really feel all 3 players are good enough to get through their individual matches.
Kevin Anderson proved at Queens that he has all the tools to be an effective grass court player and I think he will have the edge solely because his serve is a little more dependable than the talented Bulgarian's. Dimitrov is still learning his trade on the main ATP Tour and I think this is a tough match up for him.
Petra Kvitova is one of the up and coming stars on the WTA Tour and has shown she can play on the grass after making the Semi Finals of Wimbledon last year. Makarova is the defending Champion so this wont be easy, but I feel Kvitova has too much talent for her.
Sam Stosur has one of the best serves on the Women's tour and I expect that will give her the edge over the talented young player from Serbia. Jovanovski has pushed players in matches this year, but I think Stosur will be too strong as she looks to go better than her Semi Final here last season.
MY PICKS: Kevin Anderson, Petra Kvitova and Sam Stosur @ 3.13 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
WEEKLY UPDATE: + 5.16 Units (+ 0 Units yesterday)
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