Miami Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 24th)

The scheduling of the early Rounds of the ATP and WTA Masters event in Miami is very different to most tournaments of this nature- it means some players are being asked to play on back to back days early in the event and against opponents who have received a Bye through to the Second Round.

It is not ideal, especially in the tough conditions in Miami with the humidity and heat making it hard to compete.

That may be the reason that three of the five Picks I've made across the first two days of the tournament have ended in a retirement- it is a surprising number, but may just be a bit of a strange coincidence considering there has not been a host of retirements in the tournament.

Andy Murray - 4.5 games v Federico Delbonis: The move back to the clay courts cannot come quick enough for Federico Delbonis and it has been a long time since he produced strong results on the hard courts. Over the last twelve months, Federico Delbonis has won just two hard court matches and those have come against opponents Ranked at Number 570 and Number 399 in the world.

He has suffered some very one-sided losses in 2022 and Federico Delbonis has some very disappointing numbers on the surface as he has struggled to be a competitive threat to others.

A quick look at the numbers from the last twelve months does not make very good reading for the Argentinian who is Ranked at Number 36 and still very close to his career best mark. That is largely down to a very good year on the clay courts and so the upcoming season is going to be very important for Federico Delbonis as he looks to perhaps set a new mark for a career best World Ranking.

Federico Delbonis has only held 61% of service games played on the hard courts over the last twelve months and he has won just 54% of points played behind serve. That is a remarkably low number, but Federico Delbonis may find some confidence from the fact he has beaten Andy Murray before and that win came on the hard courts of Indian Wells in 2016.

Much has changed for both players since then and Andy Murray is not the player he once was- he has struggled for consistency in 2022 and the return game has not been as effective as it was during his peak run on the Tour.

Andy Murray is struggling to get back up the World Rankings and that has meant facing some of the very best players in the early Rounds of the tournaments he has entered. He has played better when facing those Ranked outside the top 20 in the World Rankings and the Andy Murray numbers are pretty good in those matches in 2022.

Expanding the look to the results over the last twelve months shows Andy Murray has been able to hold 83% of service games played on the hard courts against opponents Ranked outside the top 20. In those same matches, Murray has been able to break in 26% of return games played and I do think he can earn a measure of revenge over Federico Delbonis by beating him in the First Round in Miami.

There is no doubt that this is a big handicap mark for Andy Murray to cover in his current point of his career, but this may be the right opponent to face. Federico Delbonis has just struggled to compete with top 100 Ranked opponents on this surface and I think he may already be focused on the big clay court events coming up, which could see him come up short against the former World Number 1.

Lloyd Harris - 3.5 games v Facundo Bagnis: Last season was a very productive one for Lloyd Harris who reached a career high World Ranking in September, but it has been a tough start to 2022 for the South African. Indian Wells proved to be the first tournament in which Lloyd Harris has managed to put a win on the board, but he was beaten in the Third Round and in this Masters event he has to enter a Round earlier than he did last week.

The only positive for Lloyd Harris is that he is facing the one player he has beaten in 2022 for a second time in back to back tournaments. He needed three sets to see off Facundo Bagnis in Indian Wells, but Harris created double the amount of break points and should have perhaps gotten things done in a much more routine fashion.

Confidence can be lost pretty quickly on the Tour, but this is a big event for Lloyd Harris- he is slipping back in the World Rankings and there is no doubt that the clay courts are his weakest surface, so failing to produce a big tournament could soon hit his World Ranking significantly.

Facundo Bagnis will be feeling the opposite- the hard courts have proven to be a difficult surface for him, but he is much happier on the red dirt and the upcoming two months could be a very productive time for the Argentine.

His serve is a challenge coming out of the lefty stance, but even then, Facundo Bagnis has held 74% of service games played on the hard courts over the last twelve months. That has put a lot of pressure on his return and he has broken in just 17% of return games and I do think Lloyd Harris will have the majority of break points in this match too.

2022 has been a difficult time for Lloyd Harris with just 10% of return games ending in a break, but he managed to do that three times against Facundo Bagnis in Indian Wells. Over the last twelve months the break percentage is at 20% on the hard courts and I think Lloyd Harris will be at least good enough to frank the form of last week and win this match against the same opponent.

He could have won in straight sets in Indian Wells and I think Harris can do enough to cover this spread on his way into the Second Round.

Arthur Rinderknech - 2.5 games v Laslo Djere: Some consistency has been lacking over the last month for Arthur Rinderknech, but he has been a solid enough performer on the hard courts. This is a player that has also been pretty happy playing clay court tennis over the last year and I think that will see Arthur Rinderknech moving up the World Rankings.

His numbers are more impressive than Laslo Djere has produced over the last twelve months on this surface and the Serbian has produced his best on the red dirt. The move back to the clay courts will be welcomed by Laslo Djere, but he did win his First Round match in Indian Wells when set as the underdog and that has to be respected.

Laslo Djere has held 75% of service games played on the hard courts over the last twelve months and that will be encouraging, even if the numbers is below what is usually required at this level. The problem for Laslo Djere is that he has been unable to get his teeth into return games to make up for the slightly below average service numbers on the surface and I do think that will cause him problems against Arthur Rinderknech.

The Frenchman is not exactly known for his own returning ability on the hard courts, but he has held 85% of service games played on the surface over the last twelve months. That can build scoreboard pressure and it is something that could prove to be the difference between Arthur Rinderknech and Laslo Djere in this First Round match.

These two did play a very tight match on the clay courts last year with Laslo Djere coming out on top having protected his serve and broken twice on the day. It was a very tight match and it was actually Arthur Rinderknech who won a higher percentage of points played behind serve, but Laslo Djere played the big points more efficiently to secure the win.

Laslo Djere is a stronger clay court player than on the hard courts though and I think that will show up in this match.

Covering the spread will not be easy, but Arthur Rinderknech's edge on the serving numbers could pay dividends in this First Round match. There won't be much between them, but the scoreboard pressure may be enough to give the lower Ranked player the path through to the next Round.

Lorenzo Musetti - 1.5 games v Alexei Popyrin: Two relatively young players on the Tour have just hit the wall in terms of their results and they will meet in the First Round looking to produce a confidence boosting win. Lorenzo Musetti feels like he has more upside than Alexei Popyrin in the long-term, but the Italian has really been struggling for form and that is a worry when backing him.

This season Lorenzo Musetti has a losing run on the hard courts, while the numbers on the surface over a twelve month period are nothing to write home about. The Italian has really had a hard time moving into a position to be an effective return player and he has broken in just 16% of return games played over that time, but Lorenzo Musetti is facing someone who is having as hard a time putting up wins.

Alexei Popyrin has had much stronger hard court numbers of the two players over a twelve month period, especially on the serve, but he has struggled in 2022 with a 3-10 record on the hard courts. While he has held 80% of service games played on the hard courts, Alexei Popyrin has only broken in 12% of return games this season and that has dented the confidence of a player that is slipping towards an exit from the top 100 of the World Rankings.

In 2022, Lorenzo Musetti has a similar number when it comes to holding serve on the hard courts compare with Alexei Popyrin, but he has broken in 16% of return games played.

That is not a significant edge, but it is an edge.

Also, Lorenzo Musetti has enjoyed the match up with this opponent and the Italian has won his last three matches played against Alexei Popyrin. One of those was only last week in the Phoenix Challenger as Musetti dropped just four games against Popyrin, while the higher Ranked player has broken in 33% of return games played against Alexei Popyrin in their two previous hard court matches.

At the same time, Lorenzo Musetti has held 94% of the service games played and I think this is a match up that will give the Italian confidence enough to move through to the Second Round. With a slightly superior return game overall in 2022 and the solid match up against Alexei Popyrin, I will look for Lorenzo Musetti to do enough to get the better of this handicap mark.

MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Lloyd Harris - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Arthur Rinderknech - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Lorenzo Musetti - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Alison Riske - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Simona Halep - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Anett Kontaveit - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Miami Update: 1-2, - 2.40 Units (6 Units Staked, - 40% Yield)

Miami Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 23rd)

Tuesday was not a very productive day for the Tennis Picks with a couple of retirements on top of a couple of losing selections, but it isn't something to get too downhearted about with the tournament played over the next fortnight.

News outside of the Miami Open took the tennis headlines more than anything out of the First Round- Rafael Nadal looks to have been ruled out for the next month and will be hoping to be able to find some form ahead of the French Open, but, more importantly, the surprising news out of Australia that Ashleigh Barty is retiring has rocked the top of the WTA Tour.

After winning the Australian Open, I thought Ashleigh Barty was ready to dominate the WTA Tour- she also won Wimbledon last year- but the current World Number 1 has always been her own person and the decision is a real surprise, but also something you could have imagined Barty doing.

It is a disappointment- I really do think she had the all-court game to become the clear World Number 1 on the WTA Tour.

However, the Tour will move on and it opens the door for others to fill a void that has been left since Serena Williams dominated a few years ago. There are players like Iga Swiatek who look capable of doing that, but consistency is going to be the key for so many on the WTA Tour, one that has been lacking until it looked like Ashleigh Barty was ready to take over.

Clara Tauson - 4.5 games v Shuai Zhang: When Caroline Wozniacki retired from the WTA Tour, Danish Tennis fans must have been wondering how long they would have to wait to have another potential top ten and Grand Slam challenger to follow. It hasn't taken as long as some may have expected with 19 year old Clara Tauson looking like she has all of the potential to be a major player on the Tour for years to come.

Over the last twelve months Clara Tauson has really showcased her talents and her numbers are very impressive. She has really performed well when facing players Ranked outside the top 20 on the hard courts, but even taking into account those matches, Clara Tauson has looked really good and capable of winning some big titles as she gains experience.

Clara Tauson has a really big serve and it puts her on the front foot on the hard courts, while the Dane is a strong return player. I certainly think she is capable of getting the better of someone like Shaui Zhang who is an inconsistent player and who has the kind of numbers to underline the point.

Shuai Zhang did win the title in Lyon, but she had not won a main draw match since the Australian Open before that and was beaten in the First Round at Indian Wells last week. Even looking at a larger sample over the last twelve months, Shuai Zhang has been someone who can struggle when it comes to the return game and that puts a lot of pressure on her serve.

The First Serve can be a potent weapon at her best, but I think Clara Tauson can put considerable pressure on the Zhang Second Serve. That is where this match may be decided with Tauson having the stronger return numbers of the two players and I do think her own serve should contain the pressure that Shuai Zhang is able to try and exert.

It also should be noted that Shuai Zhang has really struggled to be as competitive as she would like when she has faced opponents Ranked inside the top 50 on the hard courts. The Second Serve and the return has been vulnerable in those matches and I think Clara Tauson is able to come through with a good, solid win to take her place in the Second Round.

Irina-Camelia Begu - 3.5 games v Hailey Baptiste: You can't help but feel these are two players that will soon be moving in opposite directions in the World Rankings with the veteran Irina-Camelia Begu falling and young American Hailey Baptiste at a career best World Ranking.

However, that is something to come and right now you have to favour Irina-Camelia Begu to have a little too much know-how for her opponent.

Neither player has shown enough consistency in the 2022 season and both players were beaten in the First Round at the Indian Wells Masters in the lead up to this event. Hailey Baptiste did upset Caroline Garcia at the Australian Open after Qualifying for the main draw, but she has yet to really handle facing top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts and has suffered some big losses already in 2022.

A 5-7 record against top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts over the last twelve months does not really paint the full picture for the young American- Hailey Baptiste has produced some poor numbers in that time with her second serve vulnerable and having won just 39% of return points played across those twelve months in those matches.

I can't ignore the fact that Irina-Camelia Begu has had an average record against players Ranked outside the top 50 in the World Rankings, but she has had the stronger numbers than her opponent in this First Round match. The feeling is that Begu can keep Hailey Baptiste under the gun if she can produce plenty of first serves in this one, while she has been pretty good in the return part of her tennis which will give her the edge in this match.

A poor record against players Ranked outside the top 100 in hard court matches over the last twelve months is a real surprise, even if Irina-Camelia Begu's best days are behind her. However, I do think the Romanian has been a little unfortunate in those matches that have produced a 1-3 record and the feeling is that she will have enough in her game to get the better of Hailey Baptiste despite the latter being an improving player on the Tour.

Irina-Camelia Begu has lost four matches in a row and she has not won a match in Miami since 2016, but she has operated at a higher level than Hailey Baptiste and I expect her experience to help her edge to the win and the cover of this mark.

MY PICKS: Irina-Camelia Begu - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Clara Tauson - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Miami Update: 0-2, - 4 Units (4 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Miami Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 22nd)

The Grand Slams are clearly the biggest events on the calendar during the Tennis season, but the Masters events are scattered throughout the year and those can inspire big performances when the Slams come around.

Indian Wells is the first Masters in the books in the 2022 season as it returns to its rightful place in the calendar.

But there is no rest for the top names with the Miami Masters set to begin on Tuesday and played through the remainder of the month before the entire Tour shifts attention to the French Open. The clay court season begins in April and there are two more big Masters events to be played in Madrid and Rome before the second Grand Slam of the season begins, but for those who are not at their happiest on the red dirt, the Miami Masters is the last big chance to put up some significant points for a couple of months.

Taylor Fritz and Iga Swiatek took home the Indian Wells titles and it is not easy to complete a back to back- the former might not even play in Miami if his injury has not calmed down.

Without Novak Djokovic, it has felt like the top of the ATP Tour has become a lot more open, even if Rafael Nadal has been the one member of the Big Three competing and clearing up some of the trophies that have been handed out. The Spaniard was not at his best last week, but reached another Final before his unbeaten run to begin 2022 was over and Rafael Nadal may soon return to the top of the World Rankings now we are about to enter the clay court season.

He was suffering with an illness at the end of Indian Wells so there is every chance both Men’s Finalists miss out in Miami.

Iga Swiatek’s win in Indian Wells will be well received by fans of the WTA Tour as it begins to feel like the Pole is producing the consistency that has sometimes been lacking from the top names. There was no Ashleigh Barty in the draw, but Iga Swiatek has made a fast start to the season regardless and is a former French Open Champion so will have to be respected going forward.

She has moved into the World Number 2 spot in the World Rankings and beaten Finalist Maria Sakkari is up to World Number 3, although it does feel like the Greek player is in an artificially high spot having failed to win a Slam or a Masters title.

Maria Sakkari is improving though and may be reaching her peak years so I think there is more to come, although the longer you have to wait to break through the ceiling, the more likely it is that you won’t be able to achieve that.

The WTA Miami event looks like it will be another open one, although it was good to see some of the top names reaching the business end of the Indian Wells event. As much as we love competition, I do feel the Tennis Tours need those big time rivalries at the top to bring in the casual viewers so the big names facing each other more and more often for the biggest prizes is important.

This week there will be a number of disappointed ATP players heading to Miami looking for a much better event than the last Masters played. Uncertainty about the status of some of the top names is not helping, but I am hoping to see another good couple of weeks in North America before the move onto the clay courts.

Novak Djokovic is almost certainly going to be back when the Tour moves back to Europe and there will be many looking forward to seeing the World Number 1 back on the court.

The Indian Wells Masters was a decent tournament for fans, but I did expect better from the Tennis Picks.

It has been tough sledging since the Australian Open, when producing a winning return, but the Miami Masters offers the chance for redemption before the return to the clay courts, which is usually my favoured time of the season.

That’s a big statement to make, but I am looking for some momentum to take into those tournaments as we build towards the French Open.

Amanda Anisimova - 3.5 games v Shelby Rogers: I have absolutely no doubt the kind of player that Amanda Anisimova will become on the WTA Tour, but the last couple of years have been very difficult for her. Personal issues and the pandemic have slowed some of the progression that was being made by the young American, but there have been signs that Amanda Anisimova is ready to move back up the World Rankings having won a title and reached the Fourth Round at the Australian Open already.

The career best World Ranking was achieved at the back end of the 2019 season, but Amanda Anisimova looks to be moving back in a positive direction. An illness forced her out of the Indian Wells Masters in the Second Round, but there should have been enough time to overcome any lingering issues and Anisimova can have a much bigger impact all around in the Miami Masters.

The numbers over the last twelve months have been impressive and Amanda Anisimova is certainly capable of beating her compatriot Shelby Rogers in the First Round here. There is still some room for improvement when it comes to the return of serve, but Amanda Anisimova is a solid server and she will certainly feel she is the superior return player on the court in this First Round match.

Shelby Rogers reached a career best World Ranking earlier this season, but she had been struggling before winning a couple of matches at Indian Wells. Both wins came in competitive matches, but Rogers was well beaten in the Third Round and she has won just 39% of return points played on the surface in 2022.

She will have to be wary of allowing Amanda Anisimova to see too many Second Serves, especially as Shelby Rogers is not likely to have much success attacking the Anisimova serve if the latter is close to her top level.

Shelby Rogers did win a really close, competitive match between these players on the clay courts last year, but I think Amanda Anisimova is showing strong form. Barring any lingering illness concerns, Amanda Anisimova should have the quality of tennis to get the better of her compatriot in this First Round match and I think she can do that well enough to cover this spread.

Ann Li - 4.5 games v Mayar Sherif: There is no doubt the kind of impact that Mayar Sherif will be having on young girls in her homeland and surrounding nations to show what is possible and she has reached a career high World Ranking at the back end of 2021. 2022 has been a much tougher year for her so far though and Mayar Sherif will be a significant underdog when she takes on Ann Li, who should receive plenty of backing from the stands.

Since reaching the Semi Final of a tournament in Melbourne prior to the Australian Open, Ann Li has had a much tougher time on the Tour and she has slipped twenty places from the career best World Ranking of Number 44. That has to be a concern, but Ann Li is a young player who has plenty of potential and I do think the slump in form is something she will be able to arrest.

Ann Li is just 2-5 beginning at the Australian Open, while the American has not quite reached the numbers that she was producing in 2021. Over the last twelve months Ann Li has been a solid hard court player, but she has room for improvement and that makes this a potentially awkward First Round match if there has been a dent in the confidence.

However, Mayar Sherif is also going to be struggling with her confidence having lost seven of her eight matches played on the hard courts this season. The serve has been vulnerable and the Egyptian has only won 36% of return points played, while those numbers have not been that impressive even when taking into consideration opponents Mayar Sherif has played that are Ranked outside the top 50.

Ann Li has handled the players she would be expecting to beat in better fashion than Mayar Sherif, while the American also has won both previous matches between these players.

The first of those came at the Australian Open in January 2020, while Ann Li dominated Mayar Sherif in Melbourne a couple of months ago. Ann Li has dominated the two previous matches and has won 49% of return points played, while her first serve has been very tough for Mayar Sherif to deal with so there is every chance the American can produce a big win here.

A lack of confidence is a potential hindrance, but I think Li will know she likes the match up and I think she can clear a big spread.

Caroline Garcia - 2.5 games v Anna Bondar: The improvement in her World Ranking and entry into the top 100 is largely down to the performances Anna Bondar has produced on the clay courts. Her hard court numbers over the last twelve months are less impressive, but she did reach the Quarter Final in Lyon before her early loss at the Indian Wells Masters.

The clay court season is coming up in a couple of weeks and Anna Bondar might already be focusing on trying to have a some successes that can see her improve her World Ranking further. However, she has entered the Miami Masters and the Hungarian has won enough matches on this surface this season and over the last twelve months to believe she can take on someone who has been as erratic as Carolina Garcia.

It has been a difficult season for Caroline Garcia who is down at World Number 66 in the Rankings and who has struggled to string wins together. A Semi Final run in Lyon may have given her a boost, but the Frenchwoman was beaten in the Second Round at Indian Wells and her numbers on the hard courts over the last twelve months have been fairly average.

Caroline Garcia has generally been able to handle those players Ranked outside the top 50 and that will offer her encouragement. One of the areas that will need to be improved is the returning part of her tennis, but Caroline Garcia will feel she can at least showcase better against an opponent like Anna Bondar who has a 1-6 record when facing top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts.

Like her opponent, Anna Bondar has struggled with her return against some of the better players she is likely to face and that is expected to be the situation for her in the First Round.

The outcome of the spread is likely to depend on how high the percentage of First Serves found are for Anna Bondar, but she has yet to really get to grips with hard court tennis at this level. While Caroline Garcia has struggled for consistency, she has found a bit more from the return against lower Ranked players on this surface and I think the Frenchwoman can cover the wide handicap mark to move through to the Second Round.

Kaia Kanepi - 2.5 games v Maryna Zanevska: The run to the Australian Open Quarter Final was unexpected for veteran Kaia Kanepi and she won a couple of matches on her return to the Tour last week in Indian Wells. There will be some disappointment that the tournament ended at the hands of Harriet Dart, but Kaia Kanepi is producing enough solid tennis in 2022 to believe she can have another decent impact when the Miami Masters begins.

The Estonian is a pretty strong favourite to beat Maryna Zanevska, but this is a player that needs to be respected.

Maryna Zanevska lost a tight First Round match in Indian Wells, while she has a return game that makes her dangerous on the hard courts. Over the last twelve months, Maryna Zanevska has won 45% of return points played and that means there will be some pressure on Kaia Kanepi to find the level of serving that has allowed her to make such a positive start to the season.

There is no doubt that both players have decent First Serves that have to be respected, but the match could be decided by which of the two is able to get more of those in play. Kaia Kanepi has also won 45% of return points played on the hard courts in 2022, while I think there has been a significant edge in her performance on the Second Serve that should give her the edge in this First Round meeting.

Both have had a slippage in numbers when facing top 100 Ranked players, but again Kaia Kanepi's edge on the Second Serve may end up being the difference between the players.

Mentally, Kaia Kanepi has the edge having won the last two matches against Maryna Zanevska, although they are playing one another for the first time since November 2020. The last match was on the clay courts, but Kaia Kanepi has also won their previous hard court match in good fashion and I think the veteran can get the better of this match.

I would not be surprised if there are a few breaks of serve over the course of the match, but Kaia Kanepi may have enough all around game to cover here.

MY PICKS: Amanda Anisimova - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Ann Li - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Caroline Garcia - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Kaia Kanepi - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 20th)

The Indian Wells Masters comes to a conclusion on Sunday with both ATP and WTA Finals set to be played on the same day.

Iga Swiatek - 3.5 games v Maria Sakkari: A World Number 6 should have played in a WTA 1000 Final before, but Maria Sakkari will be doing that for the first time on Sunday. She has become a consistent player at the top of the WTA Tour, but it also underlines the feeling that the Tour is lacking serial winners at the moment when a player can reach those heights in the Rankings without playing in the Finals of the biggest events.

She has reached the Final at the WTA 500 level earlier this season, while Maria Sakkari may be quite content with the potential match up in this Final against an opponent she has largely gotten the better of in their previous meetings.

Iga Swiatek did snap the losing run to Maria Sakkari by beating her earlier this season and it has been a very strong tournament for the former French Open Champion. The slower conditions in Indian Wells have suited her, but Maria Sakkari has looked very happy here too and I think it has the makings of a quality Final.

Both players will be very happy with their level- Iga Swiatek has had the edge with her returning numbers, but Maria Sakkari has served really well throughout the tournament and has yet to drop a set.

In their three matches in 2021, Iga Swiatek was unable to deal with the Maria Sakkari serve and was beaten in all three in straight sets. Two of those defeats came on the hard courts, but the Polish player did get the better of Sakkari in Doha last month and that will give her a real mental boost.

On that day it was Iga Swiatek's return which proved to be the difference between the players and she has won around 7% more points on the return than Maria Sakkari in this tournament. The Greek player has been really good behind the serve in the tournament, but I do think Iga Swiatek will be much happier with the match up after beating this opponent in Doha in the Semi Final.

Emotionally I am expecting Iga Swiatek to cope with the experience a little better than Maria Sakkari, who will know all about the lack of big titles, and I think that will lead to a win for the higher Ranked player.

MY PICKS: Iga Swiatek - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 19th)

The ATP Semi Finals are set to be played on Saturday at Indian Wells and there are two decent matches scheduled for the day.

Rafael Nadal - 2.5 games v Carlos Alcaraz: There are going to be plenty out there looking for a passing of the torch moment when the present and the future of Spanish Tennis face off in the Semi Final at Indian Wells.

No one can deny the obvious talent of Carlos Alcaraz who is into the top 20 of the World Rankings and that is something special at the age of 18 years old. In years past, a teenager breaking onto the Tour and climbing the Rankings was all the rage, but Men's tennis has become very physical and the feeling was that it would take players a lot longer to mature and be ready to compete with the very best players on the Tour.

Carlos Alcaraz is making a mockery of those feelings though and he is improving at a rate of knots every time he plays. Even moving between the hard courts and clay courts doesn't seem to bother him too much and he has been in dominating form in this tournament where the slower hard court conditions seem to suit him very much.

The serve is still a work in progress, but Carlos Alcaraz has stunningly broken in 57% of return games played in the tournament- the fact he has played three players Ranked inside the top 30 in his four matches at Indian Wells underlines how impressive that number is and Carlos Alcaraz was able to beat the defending Champion Cameron Norrie in straight sets in the Quarter Final.

An aggressive player, Carlos Alcaraz feels he is going to show a lot better against unbeaten Rafael Nadal than when they met on the clay in Madrid last year.

On that day, Rafael Nadal handed out a lesson to his young compatriot, but Carlos Alcaraz feels he has learnt plenty from the veteran in their practice sessions together. In fact they were on the practice courts together here at Indian Wells and that should stand the younger player in good stead, although it is still a big ask to beat Rafael Nadal at such a big event.

He has remained unbeaten, but Rafael Nadal has at least looked a little beatable here which should encourage Carlos Alcaraz.

Unlike the lower Seed, Rafael Nadal has not blown away opponents and that is largely down to the fact he has only found breaks of serve in 18% of return games played in the four matches here. You have to factor in the opponents though and the likes of Reilly Opelka and Nick Kyrgios are huge servers, although Carlos Alcaraz may take inspiration from Sebastian Korda who pushed Rafael Nadal all the way and was unfortunate to lose in three sets in the Second Round.

Unfortunately it feels like Nadal has been allowed to settle into the tournament now and I do think there will be an aura on the other side of the net that will be difficult for Carlos Alcaraz to deal with. I don't think he gets blown away like he did in Madrid, but Rafael Nadal has been serving slightly better than Carlos Alcaraz in this tournament and I think that may give the Australian Open the edge.

Carlos Alcaraz will see his time come, but I think the veteran Spaniard can stay on top of him here and just remind Alcaraz how much more work has to be done to compete with the very top names on the Tour.

MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 18th)

The Indian Wells Masters is coming to a conclusion this weekend and there are some big names on both the ATP and WTA Tours looking to make a statement by winning one of the big prizes outside of the Grand Slam events.

It certainly feels like it makes a more immediate impact for the players on the WTA Tour with the same format of best of three sets used in the Slams- granted you need to win one more match in the big events, but this is still a real marker.

The same cannot fully be said on the ATP side of things with more sets and more matches between a player and the title, but it is still a big moment for players looking to announce themselves to a wider audience like Carlos Alcaraz, who has made the Semi Final.

Andrey Rublev - 3.5 games v Grigor Dimitrov: Seeds have fallen throughout this tournament and that leaves Andrey Rublev as the second highest Ranked player left in the draw. He is the favourite in this Quarter Final when he takes on Grigor Dimitrov, although Rublev will do well not to overlook an opponent who is having one of his better weeks on the Tour.

The consistency is not there to match some of the top players on the Tour, but Grigor Dimitrov is able to put his tennis together at any time and that ends up making him a potentially dangerous opponent once he has built up some momentum. His last twelve months on the hard courts has produced some decent numbers, but Dimitrov has not really produced the results he would have liked and that has dropped him down to World Number 35 in the Rankings.

I do feel his best days are already behind him, but Grigor Dimitrov is putting a strong Indian Wells tournament together. His three wins have all come in straight sets and Grigor Dimitrov has been very effective behind serve with 96% of service games being held, although it can't be ignored that he has yet to face an opponent Ranked inside the top 20.

The Bulgarian will likely feel he needs to up his return game, although again the numbers are influenced by the fact he has faced some solid servers in the event.

Andrey Rublev is not going to blow anyone away in the same way John Isner is, but he is a very efficient server and has held 86% of service games played on the hard courts in 2022. Like his opponent, Rublev has yet to drop a set in this tournament and he has a significant edge when it comes to the return game, which will give him the edge in this Quarter Final.

They have split four previous matches, all on the hard courts, but the last of those matches were played in 2019.

There is no doubt that things have changed since they last met- three of the four previous matches took place when Grigor Dimitrov was Ranked inside the top ten and all four matches played came at a time when the Bulgarian was the higher Ranked player. Nowadays it is Andrey Rublev in the top ten and his overall performance on the hard courts over a considerable sample size suggests he will be able to get the better of this Quarter Final.

With a superior return game, I think Andrey Rublev can cover on his way into the Semi Final.

MY PICKS: Andrey Rublev - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Simona Halep @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Paula Badosa - 1.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 23-21, - 4.60 Units (88 Units Staked, - 5.23% Yield)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 17th)

It was a tough day in the office and the Indian Wells tournament has not really been the one I wanted after a difficult February for the Tennis Picks.

The Quarter Final matches are set to be played on Thursday and there are still four days to at least put a positive run together to take into the Miami Masters, but I do need a little more fortune than has been around in this tournament so far.

Paula Badosa - 3.5 games v Veronika Kudermetova: One saving grace for Veronika Kudermetova is that her Quarter Final has been scheduled for Thursday rather than Wednesday after spending almost three hours on court to beat Marketa Vondrousova. A strong tournament has been produced by the Russian player who is at a career best World Number 24 in the Rankings and likely going to see that improved before heading to the Miami Masters next week.

Veronika Kudermetova will not want her tournament in Indian Wells to end just yet either, but she will be playing the confident defending Champion.

Paula Badosa has played a consistent level in her three wins in the tournament and winning the title here a few months ago will certainly mean she is full of belief as we enter the business end of the event. It is the second serve which has been particularly effective for Paula Badosa and this is a key shot for the Spaniard if she is going to beat an opponent who has had the better of their match up.

In three previous matches, Veronika Kudermetova has beaten Paula Badosa each time and two of those wins came in the 2021 season. Both previous hard court matches have resulted in a win for the Russian, which includes a meeting in Indian Wells in 2019 when both of these 24 year olds were still working their way onto the Tour.

It will certainly give Veronika Kudermetova confidence and she has played well in her three wins here, especially behind the serve. Like her opponent, Kudermetova will feel this is a key shot for her if she is going to upset the defending Champion, although the big difference between the two players has been the effectiveness of the return of serve.

This is an area in which Paula Badosa has looked more comfortable of the two players at this tournament and in the 2022 season in general. I am expecting it to be a key reason Paula Badosa is finally able to get the better of Veronika Kudermetova on the Tour, while lingering fatigue, both physical and emotional, from the Fourth Round win cannot be underestimated.

Paula Badosa may have to weather some tough emotional moments as she bids to beat this opponent for the first time, but her tennis looks capable of doing that and I think she can cover this spread in this Quarter Final.

Elena Rybakina + 2.5 games v Maria Sakkari: This has all of the makings of a big time Quarter Final between two top 20 Ranked players who are having very strong weeks at Indian Wells.

Anyone who has reached the Quarter Final of the first Masters event of the season will be feeling like they have had a big week, but the manner of the wins have to be respected too. Both Maria Sakkari and Elena Rybakina have been dominant winners in their three matches in the tournament and the numbers have been very impressive all around.

Maria Sakkari is really enjoying the conditions all around and her serve has proved to be a big weapon in her wins so far. The same can be said for Elena Rybakina, who is perhaps getting a little more out of her second serve compared with her higher Ranked opponent.

However, it is the Maria Sakkari return which has had the edge and I think that it could ultimately prove to be the difference in what looks like a really competitive match. The Greek player hits the ball pretty hard and has a little more movement around the court, but you do have to worry for her if she allows Elena Rybakina to play first strike tennis with the ability to hit through even the slower courts.

Both of these players have had strong wins over former Grand Slam Champions in their run to the Quarter Final and so I don't think either player is going to be intimidated by who they see on the other side of the net.

The feeling is that this could look like their sole previous meeting on the Tour which ended in a three set win for Elena Rybakina- the outcome may change, but I would not be surprised if this is another match that needs the final set decider to produce a winner.

In that previous match on an indoor hard court, Elena Rybakina earned more than double the break points of Maria Sakkari and it does feel she has the tennis that should produce a Grand Slam title or two in the near future. Sometimes it can be hit or miss, but Elena Rybakina has produced strong numbers on the hard courts all season and I do think she is a live underdog in this Quarter Final.

There is no doubting how well Maria Sakkari has performed in 2022 on the hard courts too, but I do think the second serve can be a little vulnerable to a big hitter like the one she faces in this Quarter Final. It could prove to be the reason this match goes long and the games given to the underdog could end up being plenty valuable.

MY PICKS: Paula Badosa - 3.5 Games @ 

Elena Rybakina + 2.5 Games @ 

Nick Kyrgios + 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Carlos Alcaraz - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 20-20, - 7.68 Units (80 Units Staked, - 9.60% Yield)