NFL Week 1 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 9th September-Monday 14th September)

Super Bowl LV is in the books and six months have passed in the off-season, which means it is time to go again in the NFL in 2026.

Last season was a strange one with so many of the top teams being held back as injuries piled up, while a number of those involved in the Playoffs can be considered as surprise contenders.

You'd have been hard pressed to find too many people tipping up the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots as the teams that would reach the Super Bowl and that means these teams will be playing under very different pressures in 2026.

Further to those two teams, you could argue that Divisional Winners Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars were all surprising teams to go along with Seattle and New England and all of those mentioned will have to contend with raised expectations.

Going into 2026, teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals are some of the leading names that will look for a big bounce back season, especially if they can benefit from better health to key players.

Changes have been made by those like the Buffalo Bills who have felt they have hit the ceiling under previous Head Coaches and they are very much one of a number of teams in Super Bowl or Bust mode. You could add the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers to that list!

As has been stated every year, making Super Bowl selections in September can look very foolish by December when injuries and other factors come into play.

The expectation is that it will be a season that is not as impacted by the kind of injuries we saw in 2025 and that should make it another memorable one.

If they can stay healthy, Baltimore Ravens look like a team that could go far, but they are another making a move from a long-term Head Coach like the Buffalo Bills.

Teams like the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans could grow having had Playoff experience, while this might finally be the season when a good looking Dallas Cowboys team can put it all together.

Much like some of the top teams in the NFL, 2025 was a disappointing year for the NFL Picks and so a bounce back is required for the pages as well as for those players heading to the field.

Picks from Week 1 will be added to this thread over the next few days with the rare Wednesday start to the season perhaps catching some unaware. There is a full round of games from Wednesday through to Monday and hopefully this is the start of a very good season both on these pages and across all the Stadiums that will be used heading towards Super Bowl LXI which will be hosted at Sofi Stadium.

Both Los Angeles teams will be hoping to be involved in that Super Bowl in the home Stadium, but the season will begin at the home of the defending Champions.

New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks Pick: Almost exactly six months have passed since the Seattle Seahawks crushed the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LX and the two teams will meet again in Week 1 of the 2026 season.

In a very rare situation, Week 1 will get underway on Wednesday rather than the traditional Thursday, but that is not going to be an excuse for either of these teams that have been retooled for another crack at the Championship.

Despite being the defending Champions, the Seattle Seahawks have to be extremely frustrated that all of the talk ahead of this season has been about NFC West rivals Los Angeles Rams. Big moves have been made by the Rams to try and get past Seattle, and the rest of the NFL, but the Seahawks beat them twice in three games last season and keeping hold of the majority of the Offensive unit has to be a confidence booster.

One who has departed is Super Bowl LV MVP Kenneth Walker III, but the Seahawks are still going to be confident they can run the ball effectively enough to open up the passing game for Sam Darnold at Quarter Back. That was certainly the case in the Super Bowl win, although the Seattle Seahawks will be hoping they have ironed out any lingering issues in converting drives into Touchdowns rather than having to settle for Field Goals.

There will be a confidence about Seattle thanks to the Offensive unit largely being kept together, but there has been a change in the Offensive Co-Ordinator position and that is something the fans may be feeling a little uncertain about. The previous Co-Ordinator, Klint Kubiak, is now the Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, but Brian Fleury will not want to shake things up too much to ease the transition for the team.

The home team can keep this tough New England Defensive unit guessing about what is coming up, although the Patriots will feel they did enough to try and keep the team in the Super Bowl in February.

Instead the pressure will be on the New England Offense to show what they have learned from the huge struggles in the Super Bowl and that has included giving Drake Maye new weapons in the passing game. AJ Brown is the big player coming in from the Philadelphia Eagles and that gives the Quarter Back a legitimate Number 1 Wide Receiver, while bringing in Romeo Doubs looks a smart piece of business.

The Offensive Line has to be able to give Drake Maye time and it will be remembered that Seattle racked up six Sacks in the Super Bowl win.

All of that began from the fact the Seahawks Defensive Line shut down the run and forced Drake Maye into obvious passing situations, which also meant allowing the pass rushers to get out quickly and put the Quarter Back under pressure. The Patriots Offensive Line is healthier than it was in the Super Bowl, but an inability to establish the run could make this another tough experience for a team having to travel across the country for the road opener.

The Seahawks do have some injuries in the Secondary that can be exploited by the Patriots, but it is never easy throwing from third and long spots and Drake Maye will also be well aware of the pressure that is likely to collapse the pocket around him. The Quarter Back is likely to better than he was in the Super Bowl, but that may not be enough to bridge the double digit gap that the final scoreboard showed in February.

Super Bowl rematches in the following season have been won by the same team that picked up the Championship on nine of twelve occasions it has occurred and Seattle are very good at home.

New England should be better this season as a team, although unlikely to match the regular season record of 2025, but this is a very tough opener and a late play or two made by the Seattle pass rushers may end up being the difference on the day.

The Seahawks finished 8-2 at home in 2025 on the way to the Super Bowl success and they look capable of winning this one by around a Touchdown mark.

Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco 49ers Pick: Much like so many other sports, the NFL are continuing to expand their appeal well outside of the North American borders.

In the last several years, it has become common place for the NFL to play a handful of regular season games in Europe with Germany and Spain added to the games played in London.

However, Week 1 will see two NFC West rivals travel around 8000 miles to Melbourne, Australia to open the 2026 season when the Los Angeles Rams 'host' the San Francisco 49ers. The game is going to be played in the morning as far as the local time is concerned, but that will keep this is kick off at around the usual Thursday Night Football time slot as far as those in the United States are concerned.

This is going to be another challenge for experienced Head Coaches who know that Week 1 can be a difficult game regardless, but adding the travel time to Melbourne only makes it that much harder to plan. Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have headed over a few days before Sean McVay and the Rams and it is a game that is going to be as much about acclimatisation as it is about the quality on the field.

Both teams made the post-season in 2025 and that underlines the strong units that both have, although the Rams are the favourites to win the Super Bowl having added Myles Garrett in a trade from the Cleveland Browns and then seeing Aaron Donald come out of retirement to play alongside the top Defensive player in the NFL.

Aaron Donald will not be travelling for this game, but the Los Angeles Rams still look really strong having retained the core of the Offensive starters and added that strength on the Defensive Line. They may be arriving in Melbourne for a short business trip, but the Rams are arriving in pretty good shape and good health is very important for any team that wants to win the Super Bowl.

Injuries have become an ongoing issue for this San Francisco 49ers team that has experience and strong units on both sides of the ball, but also an ageing team that may struggle to shake off those problems. Nick Bosa and George Kittle are returning after serious injuries from the 2025 season, but both are still pretty limited, while the 49ers Defensive Line may not be as strong as hoped in this Week 1 contest.

This could mean the 49ers struggle to prevent the Rams from finding a good balance in the plays being called on the Offensive side of the ball, while veteran Quarter Back Matthew Stafford continues to operate at a really high level. He is certainly not ready to hand over to the surprising First Round Draft Pick made by the Rams when selecting Ty Simpson and the likelihood is that Stafford has a very strong opening game.

San Francisco will be expecting plenty from their own Offensive unit this season as Brock Purdy returns at Quarter Back with a shiny new weapon in Mike Evans at Wide Receiver. However, the news that Ricky Pearsall will miss the season and Christian Kirk is ruled out of Week 1 will have really stung and may just make things a bit more difficult for the 49ers in what could develop into another shootout between these rivals.

Fans will not be happy that the Rams have given up home field advantage for this Divisional clash, but Los Angeles have lost three of the last four when hosting San Francisco, including last season. Three straight road wins over the 49ers suggests it will not be a massive problem for Sean McVay's team and they do deserve the edge as long as the plan to arrive as late as they are does not completely backfire.

Melbourne should enjoy a really good show and one that the Los Angeles  Rams can win with a cover of this handicap number set.

MY PICKS: Seattle Seahawks - 3 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Rams - 3.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

US Open Day 11 Tennis Picks 2026 (Wednesday 9th September)

Day 10 at the US Open proved to be a tough day for the selections, but the tight margins all seemingly went against the Tennis Picks made and that can happen.

Aryna Sabalenka won considerably more points than Linda Noskova, but lost more games than her opponent thanks to some wasteful moments on the Break Points and Jessica Pegula was also guilty of missing big opportunities to control her Quarter Final before eventually pushing through to the last four.

The Frances Tiafoe comeback began a set too late, but the frustration added up when thinking there was just enough juice in the Carlos Alcaraz performance to put me off backing Ben Shelton in some capacity.

Never mind, these things happen and the key is to try and remain focused and look for better results as the Quarter Finals are completed on Day 11 at the tournament.

A huge opportunity has opened up in the Men's tournament with Alcaraz joining Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner out of this Grand Slam, while the last three days of WTA action should be very special considering the talent and quality that has made it to this stage of the US Open.

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 games v Botic Van De Zandschulp: The third set might have been more competitive than the previous two, but Alexander Zverev will simply be pleased to have gotten through the Fourth Round match in straight sets.

That makes it seven straight sets won at the US Open and back to back straight sets wins means Alexander Zverev should have plenty of energy to take into the final few days in New York City. He is a considerable favourite to come through the top half of the draw as the top Seed and Alexander Zverev will be confident he can go one better than previously at the US Open and win a second Grand Slam in 2026.

Conserving some energy in the last couple of Rounds after back to back five setters will really help and the big question around this Quarter Final has to be about the fitness of Botic Van De Zandschulp.

The World Number 70 has had a very different tournament compared with Alexander Zverev.

Botic Van De Zandschulp began with consecutive straight sets wins, but he was 2-1 behind in sets in the Third Round before rallying in over four and a half hours to earn a spot in the Fourth Round. The Dutchman reached the Quarter Final at the US Open in his debut at the tournament in 2021, but Botic Van De Zandschulp has made one Fourth Round since then and had not made that stage of any Grand Slam in sixteen previous attempts.

It made that win in the Third Round really important, but Botic Van De Zandschulp went one better in the Fourth Round by recovering from losing the opening two sets, saving Match Point and breaking serve at the end of the fourth set before eventually completing a huge comeback against Arthur Gea. That Fourth Round match was won in five hours and eighteen minutes and the 30 year old looked absolutely shattered by the end, which makes that question about recovery so important.

Even if he was fully healthy, Botic Van De Zandschulp would be a big underdog against the World Number 2.

His serve can be an important weapon, but Van De Zandschulp has been broken fourteen times in the last two matches and you do have to believe that is partly down to the fatigue building up. The record on the hard courts this summer has been decent without being spectacular, and Botic Van De Zandschulp will have to find something special to overcome the challenger across the other side of the net.

Alexander Zverev looks to be peaking towards the weekend and he is serving well enough to keep the unseeded player under pressure and eventually the French Open Champion should be able to exploit any mental and physical tiredness felt by Botic Van De Zandschulp to earn a solid Quarter Final win.

Elena Rybakina - 3.5 games v Qinwen Zheng: Fifteen months ago, Qinwen Zheng was the World Number 4 and the young player looked like being the next first time Grand Slam Winner on the WTA Tour.

Injuries have blighted her progress over that time period since entering the top five and that meant Qinwen Zheng entered the US Open as the World Number 121. She could not use a Protected Ranking after rushing back in 2025 to try and take part in Beijing, and that has meant entering the Qualifiers here at the US Open.

Three matches were won to reach the main draw, but Qinwen Zheng has used that momentum to move through the draw with some stunning wins already behind her. Beating Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek would have been considerable achievements anyway, but doing so having recovered from huge deficits within sets played has only added to the sporting drama.

Qinwen Zheng is a confident player and she cannot be dismissed as a threat to win it all from here.

The 23 year old has always been comfortable on the hard courts and she will take added confidence from the fact she has pushed Elena Rybakina twice this season, even if she ultimately did come up short both times.

There is a huge carrot at the end of this Quarter Final match for Elena Rybakina- a win here and she will be guaranteed to become the new World Number 1, although it still feels a matter of time before she reaches the summit of the WTA Rankings. The World Number 2 has clearly been able to focus on the matches as they have come up at the US Open and Elena Rybakina has shown how capable she is of backing up the Australian Open success by picking up another hard court Grand Slam here in New York City.

Winning the Grand Slam will feel more important than the World Ranking and Elena Rybakina showed against Naomi Osaka how effective she can be against some of the other big hitters on the Tour. The serve is a key weapon to create scoreboard pressure and Rybakina has heavy groundstrokes that can push any opponent back behind the baseline, including Qinwen Zheng.

The latter looked to be running close to empty in the gas tank before rallying for a good win over Iga Swiatek in the Fourth Round, but this is another big test for Qinwen Zheng.

She has shown she can stand up to Elena Rybakina, but the amount of tennis that has been played over the last several days cannot be ignored and the higher Ranked player may end up showing off a superior serve, which can pave the way for a place in the Semi Final.

Coco Gauff - 3.5 games v Mirra Andreeva: The former US Open Champion produced a clinical display to beat a young compatriot in the Fourth Round and Coco Gauff will have eyes on winning the title in New York City for a second time, which may also be enough to secure the World Number 1 Ranking for the first time.

By the time she steps onto the court, the Number 1 Ranking may be beyond her for another week and that may actually help Coco Gauff focus all the more in trying to win this Grand Slam.

It has been a strong year in the Majors with Coco Gauff reaching a third Quarter Final at this level and becoming the youngest American player to do that in over twenty years. Ultimately the ambition is to turn one of these runs into a first Grand Slam title since the French Open in June 2025 and Coco Gauff is playing with a huge amount of confidence right now.

Beating Iva Jovic in straight sets means Coco Gauff has won twenty sets in succession on the hard courts as she looks to back up the Cincinnati title by taking home the big prize in New York City on Saturday afternoon. The numbers have been really impressive throughout her time at the US Open and Coco Gauff is also going to take a huge amount of confidence from the fact she has beaten Mirra Andreeva in all five professional matches.

While Coco Gauff is searching for a first Grand Slam title in 2026, Mirra Andreeva is the French Open Champion taking over that title from the player she is facing in the Quarter Final here.

Mirra Andreeva will be the first to admit that she was not at her best in the Fourth Round and the World Number 5 has yet to find the consistency she would like on the hard courts.

Winning four matches here will have given Mirra Andreeva a boost, but her numbers have been declining in each Round compared with the one before and that is not going to cut it against the beloved American standing across the other side of the net.

Serving well is going to be all important for Mirra Andreeva, but she has lost her last five hard court matches against top 20 Ranked opponents and she has not been able to get into return games as much as she would have wanted in those matches either.

These two have not met on the hard courts since the 2023 US Open when Coco Gauff showed she still had too much experience for Mirra Andreeva.

It is a gap that has certainly shrunk now, but Coco Gauff may have a bit more consistency out of the serve and that can ultimately pave the way for another Semi Final spot for the World Number 4.

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev - 6.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Elena Rybakina - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Coco Gauff - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

US Open Update: 27-20, + 3.48 Units (94 Units Staked, + 3.70% Yield)

US Open Day 10 Tennis Picks 2026 (Tuesday 8th September)

Once you get into the Quarter Final Round at any Grand Slam, the excitement levels will pick up naturally, but this feels like a very special day for the host nation.

One American Semi Finalist is guaranteed in both the Men's and Women's tournament by the end of the day's schedule and that is going to bring about an intense, exciting atmosphere when both of those Quarter Final matches are played between compatriots.

Those who have tickets for either Session on Arthur Ashe on Day 10 will also have the fortune of seeing either the World Number 1 and two time defending US Open Champion in Aryna Sabalenka taking on the Ladies Champion from Wimbledon or they will have another American player hoping to book a spot at in the final four at the expense of the defending Men's Champion.

This is going to be a truly brilliant day for Tennis fans both in attendance in New York City or tuning in from home.

Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 games v Linda Noskova: Keeping hold of the World Number 1 position is out of Aryna Sabalenka's hands right now, but the only focus within the team will be winning a first Grand Slam of 2026. That has to be ambition of the Belarusian in every season, but 2026 has proved to be a difficult year in the Majors and that has meant Sabalenka has had to face plenty of questions from the media.

Her frustration has shown at the US Open, but the tennis doing most of the talking and Aryna Sabalenka has made her way through the draw with some confidence.

There is room for improvement considering Aryna Sabalenka has yet to be tested at the tournament, despite moving through to the Quarter Final. Two of the four wins have been against players Ranked outside of the top 100, while the other two wins have been against the World Number 59 and World Number 92.

The losses in Toronto and Cincinnati to players that Aryna Sabalenka would have expected to beat would have really hurt, and the current World Number 1 will be well aware that she has to serve better than she did in the Fourth Round if she is going to win a third straight US Open title.

It is also a fact that the level of opponent is lifted greatly in this Quarter Final when Aryna Sabalenka prepares to face the Wimbledon Champion Linda Noskova.

Not many would be surprised to note that Linda Noskova only had a 2-2 record on the hard courts in the build up to the US Open after skipping much of the summer after the success in London. She opened her bid to win a second Grand Slam by winning consecutive matches in straight sets, but Linda Noskova has needed to go the distance in each of the last two Rounds and the Czech youngster has spent a considerable amount of court in those matches.

Linda Noskova edged past Marta Kostyuk after a battle in the Fourth Round, and she will also feel there is room for improvement in terms of consistency of the serve.

It also feels more important for Linda Noskova to pick up the serving numbers compared with Aryna Sabalenka and that is mainly down to the fact that the former has not been as effective on the return. She has had the stronger wins to make it through to the Quarter Final, especially the win over Marta Kostyuk in the last Round, but Linda Noskova has won 41% of return points played on the hard courts this season and this remains a part of her tennis that does need to be improved.

Earlier this season, Aryna Sabalenka's serve proved to be a key difference in helping her beat Linda Noskova in the Indian Wells Semi Final.

This Quarter Final may also be determined by that aspect of the each other's game and the current World Number 1 may be able to produce her most impressive win of the 2026 US Open by taking out the Wimbledon Champion.

Jessica Pegula - 4.5 games v Emma Navarro: One American is guaranteed to be playing in the US Open Semi Final and it may take something special for that to be Emma Navarro rather than Jessica Pegula.

She may be the oldest player in the top six of the World Rankings, but Jessica Pegula continues to operate at a very good level and she is very, very comfortable on the hard courts. Earlier this season, Jessica Pegula reached the Semi Final at the Australian Open, but she has thrived in the hectic environment of New York City and has been a Finalist here in 2024 and Semi Finalist in 2025.

Jessica Pegula has won the most Grand Slam matches at the US Open and she has dropped a single set to reach the Quarter Final.

Her opening two victories in the tournament came in dominant fashion, but Jessica Pegula has been struggling to get on top of her serve in the last couple of Rounds. Despite that, the return has continued to be a big part of her tennis and Pegula has broken serve four times in each of her four wins.

Emma Navarro had reached the Quarter Final or Semi Final at three consecutive Grand Slam tournaments between July 2024 and January 2025 and it is no surprise that she hit her peak career World Ranking during that period. It has been much tougher for her since then having reached the Fourth Round at one of the last six Grand Slams played before Emma Navarro put this unexpected run together at the US Open.

Her best Grand Slam result was right here in New York City two years ago and Emma Navarro had given Aryna Sabalenka a tough time, but there had been little sign of this kind of success being put together at a Major. Results in the build up to the US Open had been largely disappointing, but Emma Navarro should be credited for showing improvement in each passing Round of this tournament.

Those improved performances have been needed as the competition has ramped up and will give Navarro fans a lot of confidence.

However, Jessica Pegula has not minded this match up and earned a pretty straightforward win over Emma Navarro in Cincinnati last month.

It is the second solid win over her compatriot on the hard courts within the last twelve months and Jessica Pegula has proven to be the superior return player in those head to head contests.

Emma Navarro will point out that she has created plenty of Break Points of her own against the Pegula serve, but it is the World Number 3 who has been able to create a few more opportunities. Ultimately that has proven to be the difference between them, which can be credited to Jessica Pegula being able to protect the second serve with a little more success compared with the World Number 27.

The lower Ranked player has slowed the slide down the World Rankings with her run here, but Jessica Pegula has all of the qualities needed to find a way to control this match and earn her spot in the final four at the 2026 US Open.

Frances Tiafoe - 1.5 sets v Alex Michelsen: The Women's tournament is guaranteed to have one American Semi Finalist and the same can be said for the Men's draw with the winner of this one heading into the final four.

Out of the American players on the Tour, you'd have to say that Alex Michelsen being in this position is the surprise.

Like many of his compatriots, Alex Michelsen is more than comfortable on the hard courts, but this is a player who reached the Quarter Final in Washington before relatively early defeats in Montreal and Cincinnati. A Challenger success will have given Alex Michelsen confidence, but he would have been pretty far down the shortlist of American players that could make it through to the final four of the home Grand Slam.

After reaching the Final in Cincinnati, more of a case could be made for Frances Tiafoe who has also enjoyed his time in New York City in the past. The World Number 12 is a two time US Open Semi Finalist and has also reached the Quarter Final here so any run that Frances Tiafoe has been able to put together is far less surprising than the one Alex Michelsen has produced.

There will be the added factor of knowing a win here would take Frances Tiafoe into his career best World Ranking well inside the top ten.

However, the opportunity to win a Grand Slam has to be the main motivator and Frances Tiafoe has beaten the highest Ranked opponent in the run to the Quarter Final when he saw off Daniil Medvedev in the Fourth Round.

Alex Michelsen will not be lacking of confidence with an important win over Brandon Nakashima under his belt and he will certainly feel he is serving well enough to give himself a chance.

The key may be to reverse the negative trajectory of his success on the return, but that will be challenging against someone like Frances Tiafoe who continues to perform above the level that the numbers may state. The higher Ranked of the two American players has been returning with more consistency than Alex Michelsen and that has proven to be the difference when these two have met two previous times on the Tour.

It does feel the return will be key again and Frances Tiafoe will be grateful he got off the court in straight sets in the Fourth Round after a grind. That should give him the time he needs to be refreshed and the expectation is that he can win a few more big points that can be the margin needed for success or failure in what is expected to be a very competitive match.

Win enough of those big points and it can lead to the sets needed and Frances Tiafoe can earn his victory through superior experience and perhaps a tie-breaker or two to avoid having to go really long in this Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Jessica Pegula - 4.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

Frances Tiafoe - 1.5 Sets @ 2.20 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 27-17, + 9.48 Units (88 Units Staked, + 10.77% Yield)

US Open Day 9 Tennis Picks 2026 (Monday 7th September)

There has been a lot of talk surrounding the tumbling of the Men's Seeds at the US Open, but it has felt like the top of the ATP Tour is dominated by three names right now and with everyone else playing catch up.

Even including Alexander Zverev alongside Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner may not be for everyone, but the German is a Grand Slam Champion in 2026 and that deserves respect.

However, below those three players, you could make an argument that very little separates Felix Auger Aliassime in the World Number 4 spot and Jiri Lehecka down in World Number 24.

That leaves those players vulnerable to upsets.

And while you do not want to single players out, Alex De Minaur is someone who has been a feature of the top ten for a while and who is looking to reach the ATP Finals for a third straight year, but who has never played in the Semi Final of any Grand Slam.

That kind of highlights the lack of high quality depth on the Men's Tour, although it does mean the tournaments will feel wide open to a surprise run or two even as the likes of Zverev, Sinner and Alcaraz continue to make their passage through the tournament.

Some may say that is being overcritical, but it has been a criticism aimed at the top of the WTA Tour for a long time.

This year the top names have been more consistent in Grand Slams, although a surprising winner continues to pop up as Linda Noskova showed at Wimbledon.

However, the young Czech player looks like someone who will be aiming to join the elite of the WTA Tour and she remains involved at the US Open having already earned her spot in the Quarter Final.

That means that while five of the top 20 of the Men's Rankings remain in the draw at the final Grand Slam of the season, the Women's tournament has seven of the top nine and nine of the top 20 still fighting it out for the title.

All of the top six in the current World Rankings are still in the tournament and the WTA looks in a good place when noting that five of those players are under 29 years old and it is a list that does not include Iga Swiatek who is 25 years old and the current World Number 9!

The middle of the US Open saw a dip in the early tournament form for the Tennis Picks, but the weekend has produced a recovery to get the number back into a very healthy position.

Nothing has been achieved yet with seven days remaining in New York City, but the momentum is back behind the selections and that is hopefully something that can be built upon as the Quarter Final lineup is confirmed at the end of Monday's play.

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 games v Luciano Darderi: If you were to look at the Luciano Darderi record on the hard courts over the last couple of years, you would expect this player to one of the more vulnerable Seeds in the early Rounds at the Australian Open and US Open. He is playing in New York City as the Number 21 Seed, but Luciano Darderi has perhaps surprisingly made the second week at the US Open, which surpasses the run to the Third Round from 2025.

It also comes in the same year in which Luciano Darderi reached the Fourth Round at the Australian Open, although there is a real difference in the level of opponent that the Italian has had to beat in Melbourne compared with this tournament.

As the draw has opened up around Luciano Darderi, it has also meant he has not had to beat anyone Ranked inside the top 100 in the opening three Rounds at the US Open. Unsurprisingly he has made pretty comfortable passage through those matches, but it also has to be questioned whether he has had the toughness of challenge to be ready to compete with some of the very best players on the Tour.

The top Seed and French Open Champion Alexander Zverev is next up and the World Number 2 will be very happy to have come through the Third Round match in straight sets. He has already played consecutive five set matches in the first couple of Rounds at the US Open and that accumulation of tennis is always a concern, but Alexander Zverev can make decent recovery if he can back up his Third Round win by putting another comfortable victory on the board.

He is certainly the superior hard court player of the two competing, although Luciano Darderi will take confidence from having beaten Alexander Zverev on the Rome clay courts in the lead up to the French Open.

Scheduling this Fourth Round match for the second of the Night Session matches on Arthur Ashe may actually suit Luciano Darderi with the court likely to play a little slower than it would do in the heat of the day.

That has to be a concern for those backing Alexander Zverev, but he should be the more comfortable in the match and the performance in the Third Round is encouraging. The serving numbers on the hard courts can be a big difference in favour of the top Seed in the Men's draw and there is an expectation that the German may end up finding the breaks of serve needed to cover this handicap.

Mirra Andreeva - 5.5 games v Anastasia Potapova: When these two compatriots met on the clay courts of Linz earlier this year, Anastasia Potapova made a very fast start and too the first set, but Mirra Andreeva recovered to win that match in three sets.

That was a tournament played in the build up to the French Open, which was eventually won by Mirra Andreeva, and the World Number 5 has yet to drop a set on her way to the Fourth Round of the US Open for the first time. The first five sets have all been won in dominant fashion, but Mirra Andreeva had to hold herself together to win a tie-breaker to avoid a third deciding set in the Third Round win.

No one can really complain about the numbers being produced by Mirra Andreeva on the hard courts, although she has struggled against the elite players. To win another Grand Slam, that will have to change, but Mirra Andreeva will take a lot of confidence into this Fourth Round match knowing she has an 18-3 record on the hard courts against opponents Ranked outside of the top 20.

The first serve has been really effective in those matches and Mirra Andreeva wins 50% of return points played, which will always give her a chance if producing that kind of form again.

Further confidence will be taken from the fact that Andreeva has beaten Anastasia Potapova twice in Grand Slam events at Wimbledon in 2023 and, more notably, here at the US Open last year. That was a match that ended 6-1, 6-3 in favour of Mirra Andreeva, although Anastasia Potapova has been able to move from World Number 53 twelve months ago into World Number 25 at the 2026 US Open.

Anastasia Potapova has not been at her consistent best on the hard courts this year and had a losing record on the surface before the US Open began, but three wins have turned that around. The opening two wins were against opponents Ranked outside of the top 100, but it is the Potapova win over Amanda Anisimova in the Third Round that will have provided a huge shot of confidence.

Before the win over Anisimova, Anastasia Potapova had lost all four matches against top 20 Ranked opponents and the last three defeats had seen her crumble away on the scoreboard.

Diana Shnaider beat Anastasia Potapova for the loss of three games in Washington, but Elina Svitolina was even more dominant having dropped two games in Toronto.

Serving well is going to be absolutely key for Anastasia Potapova, but she will do well to keep Mirra Andreeva at bay and that will mean pressure on the former to pick up her levels on the return.

It all looks unlikely though and Mirra Andreeva can win and cover this handicap mark.

Coco Gauff - 3.5 games v Iva Jovic: After coming through an intense Third Round match, Iva Jovic will be hoping the experience will be something that can aid the development of her career.

At 18 years old, Iva Jovic is already playing at a peak career World Ranking mark just outside of the top 10 and it has been a strong year for the teenager. Results at Grand Slams will stick out the most and Iva Jovic has reached the Quarter Final at the Australian Open, Third Round at the French Open and Fourth Round at Wimbledon before moving into the second week here at the US Open.

There is so much to like about the Iva Jovic game, but the exciting part of her future is that there are also clear areas to improve.

The serve will naturally develop as she continues to grow, while Jovic will be looking to show she can compete consistently with top 20 Ranked opponents on the hard courts. Iva Jovic does have a 2-3 record in those matches after beating Alexandra Eala in the Third Round, but those matches have been challenging for the youngster and there is also a question about whether she will have the time to recover from an exhausting win in the last Round.

Experience is something that Coco Gauff is not lacking and the World Number 4 cannot really ask to come into this Fourth Round match in much better form.

Not only has she won nine matches in a row, which includes winning the Cincinnati Masters, but Coco Gauff has won eighteen sets in succession. The three wins produced at the US Open have been comfortable enough, but Coco Gauff is also yet to have peaked and that makes her dangerous at a Grand Slam where she has had so much success previously.

Coco Gauff is a former Champion in New York City, although back to back Fourth Round defeats is something of a concern.

Playing to open up the Night Session on Arthur Ashe should suit Coco Gauff and there is a feeling she should be the fresher of the two players.

They have faced one another in Rome on the clay courts and Iva Jovic did give Coco Gauff as good as she got before fading in the final set decider.

As long as Coco Gauff is not overthinking her record at the US Open over the last two years, the higher Ranked of these two young compatriots can edge over Iva Jovic and do just enough to cover this handicap mark laid out. 

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev - 6.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Mirra Andreeva - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Coco Gauff - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka-Elena Rybakina Over 22.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

US Open Update: 25-14, + 12.60 Units (78 Units Staked, + 16.15% Yield)

US Open Day 8 Tennis Picks 2026 (Sunday 6th September)

It has been one of those weekends when time has been a major factor and so only the selections from Day 8 at the US Open will be placed here and those can be read below.

MY PICKS: Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Alex Michelsen - 1.5 Sets @ 1.70 William Hill (2 Units)

Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 William Hill (2 Units)

Ben Shelton - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jessica Pegula - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

US Open Update: 20-13, + 7.28 Units (66 Units Staked, + 11.03% Yield)

European Tour 12- Czech Darts Open Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 6th September)

The European Tour 12 event being played in Czechia will be concluded across two Sessions on Sunday with the Third Round all set to be completed during the day.

Big names have moved into the last day and the likes of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries will always be the players to beat.

However, the shorter formats of the European Tour means they can be vulnerable and that is what the other players will be hoping to exploit, at least before the Semi Final and Final. Even the best of thirteen and best of fifteen formats are short enough for an upset to occur, but it is all about peaking at the right time on a long day.

Luke Humphries to win & most 180s v Andrew Gilding: All credit has to be given to Andrew Gilding for the performance he put together to beat Nathan Aspinall, but another level may be needed if he is going to get through the Third Round.

Not only is he is facing one of the top players on the Tour, but Luke Humphries put in a strong performance to beat Beau Greaves in the last Round.

Five maximums were thrown in that win and Humphries may do enough to edge the Match Double.

Respect has to be given to Andrew Gilding having thrown four maximums of his own to get the better of Nathan Aspinall, but Luke Humphries won a Players Championship title recently and is producing the kind of form that should see him move through to the Quarter Final behind more maximum hitting.

Jonny Clayton to win & most 180s v Keane Barry: Some of the recent meetings between Jonny Clayton and Keane Barry have been competitive, although it is the Welshman who has held himself together at key moments.

It has been two years since the last of those matches, but Jonny Clayton is playing at a very good level throughout 2026 and will be looking to make a big impact at upcoming Ranking events.

Keane Barry overcame the five maximums Chris Dobey hit against him in the Second Round, but Jonny Clayton is playing with more consistency than the man from the North East of England.

He is likely going to be outscored in that category, but Jonny Clayton's finishing should also be key in getting him through in a competitive outing.

MY PICKS: Luke Humphries to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton to Win & Most 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Czech Darts Open: 3-3, - 0.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 1.50% Yield)

US Open Day 7 Tennis Picks 2026 (Saturday 5th September)

The US Open continues into the Fourth Round from Sunday, but the Third Round has to be completed before the second week begins.

There will be longer threads in the days ahead, but for now, only the selections will be placed for Day 7, which can be seen below.

MY PICKS; Karen Khachanov - 1.5 Sets @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Mirra Andreeva - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Iva Jovic @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka - 4.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

US Open Update: 17-11, + 6.26 Units (56 Units Staked, + 11.18% Yield)