Tennis Picks 2026 (Thursday 30th July)

It was not a very good start to the week, but the tournaments being played this week are continuing into the Second Round on Thursday and there are three selections that have been identified below.

Ben Shelton - 1.5 games v Ugo Humbert: Two players that are hugely reliant on the serve have come through the opening Round in Washington and the layers are finding it quite difficult to split them as far as this handicap mark is concerned.

It has not been the 2026 Ben Shelton may have hoped for and he has perhaps taken a bit of time to recover from the injury that forced him to withdraw in the Third Round at the US Open last year. The recovery may have been more about the mental disappointment of having to pull out of his home Grand Slam, rather than the physical recovery, but Shelton has to find his way with some big Ranking Points to defend before the last Slam of the 2026 season begins.

He dropped a set in coming through the First Round, but Ben Shelton continues to be one of the tougher outs on a hard court.

Disappointing defeats at Indian Wells and Miami in Masters events earlier this year will have stung, but Ben Shelton tends to have plenty in the tank to overcome those players he is expected to beat.

One of those will be Ugo Humbert who was a dominant winner in the First Round, but who fell in straight sets when he faced Ben Shelton at the Australian Open back in January.

The Frenchman has struggled when facing top 20 Ranked opponents on the hard courts this year- Ugo Humbert's service numbers dip a little, but it is the return where he has struggled to have any kind of consistent impact and that has kept him under scoreboard pressure.

Overall his return numbers show Ugo Humbert breaks in 16% of return games played on the hard courts, but that dips to around 5% when only focusing on top 20 opponents in 2026.

It is an edge that Ben Shelton can exploit having created ten Break Points in the match between these two at the Australian Open.

Those fashioned against him amounted to three Break Points and the American player can use his serve to make sure he comes through this Second Round match.

Diana Shanaider - 1.5 games v Anastasia Potapova: Both of these players can point to strong runs during the clay court season for the current World Ranking position, but Diana Schnaider and Anastasia Potapova are both comfortable enough on the hard courts to build on those successes.

Disappointing grass court campaigns are behind both Schnaider and Potapova, while the latter has already beaten Venus Williams here in Washington.

This is the first match for Diana Schnaider who is a top four Seed in the draw and that has allowed her to earn a Bye through the First Round. Sometimes players would rather have a match under their belt than having a Bye through a Round, but Diana Schnaider will have known about her opponent for a couple of days and should be pretty familiar with the Anastasia Potapova game.

They have met on the hard courts earlier this season in the lead into the Australian Open, but Diana Shnaider will be expecting a much tougher match.

Both have struggled in hard court matches against top 50 Ranked opponents this season, but Diana Schnaider has had the edge on the numbers being produced and that could be key in this Second Round match.

The return numbers are similar, but Diana Shnaider is capable of getting a bit more out of the first serve and that could make all the difference on the day.

Alex De Minaur - 5.5 games v Cruz Hewitt: It is quite ridiculous to think Lleyton's son is now a pro Tennis player not because he is, but because it is a reminder of how old some of us have become.

Cruz Hewitt upset the odds to beat Marcos Giron in the First Round, but this is a much stiffer test against the defending Champion who came through a very tough opener in Washington.

Alex De Minaur should be pretty aware of the qualities of Cruz Hewitt and it may feel like the latter is playing a version of his own father in this match. Like Lleyton, Alex De Minaur looks to use his movement to frustrate opponents and make sure he is getting plenty of balls back in play, but also has an ability to turn things around in his favour when the opportunity comes up.

He will have a lot of respect for Cruz Hewitt and the kind of tennis he has been playing in recent weeks, but De Minaur's edge in experience cannot be dismissed.

A two hour match on Wednesday may have done Alex De Minaur some good in building up his rhythm for the remainder of this tournament and he can wear down Cruz Hewitt, who has already achieved plenty from his time in Washington over the last few days.

MY PICKS: Ben Shelton - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Diana Shnaider - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Alex De Minaur - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

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

Tennis Picks 2026 (Wednesday 29th July)

The US Open is just about a month away from beginning as the final Grand Slam of the 2026 season takes the spotlight, but the build to that tournament has already begun.

This week we have two 500 level events being played in Washington as both the ATP and WTA Tours make a stop here, while the hard court events in Los Cabos and Memphis offer further preparation places for those looking to build up the momentum on this surface.

Just days remain before the first of back to back Masters events on the hard courts in Canada and Cincinnati and those will be the last big tournaments before the US Open begins, although the likes of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have already announced they will not be playing in Montreal this summer.

Karolina Muchova is the only member of the WTA top ten that has already withdrawn in Toronto and she has to be considered a potential doubt for the US Open, which would be a big blow for the Wimbledon Finalist who has had a career filled with injury-related absences.

The 1000 level tournaments in Montreal and Toronto are for another week and the focus on the here and now for the Tennis Picks is on the tournaments being played in North and Central America through to the end of the weekend.

Timings of the release of the Order of Play does have an impact on how soon the selections can be released, at least for this week, but they will be posted before the day's play begins.

As has been the case in the last couple of weeks, there will not be selections every day if matches do not fit the criteria and that is why there have been no Tennis Picks made on the opening two days of the tournament.

Stefanos Tsitsipas v Alex De Minaur: This is the last of the First Round matches to be played in Washington and the defending Champion Alex De Minaur may have hoped for a better draw.

Not only is he facing an opponent who has won fourteen of the sixteen pro Tour matches between them, but Alex De Minaur has not played since Wimbledon and Stefanos Tsitsipas has picked up a title since then on the clay courts of Gstaad.

Of course this is a match played on a surface that Alex De Minaur will feel favours him, but Stefanos Tsitsipas is no slouch on the hard courts and has reversed his worrying trend in falling down the World Rankings.

Not only has the title win in Gstaad likely given the Greek player a huge boost in confidence, but it should be stated that he has little to no World Ranking Points to defend between now and the end of the season. He is the World Number 51 right now, but Stefanos Tsitsipas will believe he can force his way back into the Grand Slam Seeding positions by the time the Australian Open comes around in January 2027 and he will be confident in building from the title win earlier this month.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has decent enough hard court numbers, although the return of serve can be a weakness on the faster surfaces.

That was not the case when Tsitsipas upset Alex De Minaur in Miami in March and you have to believe the narrow underdog can get the better of an opponent who recently got married and may not have the court time to be ready to get the better of someone that has dominated the head to head previously.

Camila Osorio - 4.5 games v Anastasia Zakharova: Over in Memphis, Camila Osorio can get the better of Anastasia Zakharova for a second time in 2026 and for the first time on a hard court overall.

The World Number 56 is at her best on the clay, which is where she beat Anastasia Zakharova earlier this season, but Camila Osorio is also a solid hard court performer.

That is particularly evident in matches against those Ranked outside the top 50, and Camila Osorio has also produced very good numbers on the surface when facing those Ranked below her.

In those matches, Camila Osorio has made hay behind the first serve, but has also won almost 50% of return points played in an eight match sample and she will certainly feel she can hurt an opponent that won just three games on the clay courts of Madrid when they faced each other in the build up to the French Open. That is a victory in a tournament that plays faster than most clay courts, which is another confidence booster ahead of this match on the hard courts of Memphis.

Anastasia Zakharova did reach the Semi Final of a lower level hard court tournament in Istanbul a few days ago, but she has not been as effective on the return when facing opponents Ranked inside the top 100.

That could be key in this Second Round match and Camila Osorio may have just enough to move past the handicap line set in a winning effort.

MY PICKS: Stefanos Tsitsipas @ 2.20 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Camila Osorio - 3.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Boxing Picks 2026- Edgar Berlanga vs Steven Butler (Sunday 26th July)

It has not had the kind of impact that Dana White promised when moving into the Boxing world, but Zuffa Boxing has made some big signings and this looks an interesting card as they go out for the ninth time in 2026.

The question remains as to how Zuffa Boxing intends to keep their top names happy if they are one, refusing to do business with other Promoters, and two, wishing to ignore the Boxing Organisations?

Of course hearing Jai Opetaia is planning to sure the IBF and a number of other names in the Boxing world after signing with Zuffa and then being forced to give up his World Title is an interesting move considering some of the statements made by those that the Australian has signed with... It is a power play? Potentially, but it has raised eyebrows considering all we have heard from Zuffa as to why Opetaia is so concerned about wanting that World Title back.

We will see that play out over the coming weeks and months, but Zuffa Boxing will continue to put their cards out and this is one that will be featured at Madison Square Garden, albeit in the Theatre rather than in the main room.

The main event is one that feels very important to the 'A side', but there are some potentially decent scraps on the undercard as well on what should be a decent night of action.

Edgar Berlanga vs Steven Butler

A little over twelve months have passed since Edgar Berlanga was being Stopped by Hamzah Sheeraz in Queens, but he is back in the Five Boroughs on Sunday night and with a new promotional team.

While most fighters would have been humbled by the manner in which Berlanga was beaten, the excuses were lined up and you do have to wonder if he has learned anything.

Of course Zuffa Boxing are going to want to see Edgar Berlanga win and win well and they have offered up an opponent that may allow him to showcase his talent.

Steven Butler has won thirty-eight fights and thirty-two of them have been in Stoppages, but the Canadian has lost five times and all before the final bell. He is unbeaten in four since his last defeat to Patrice Volny, but it has felt like Steven Butler has found this kind of ceiling too high to reach and that should suit Edgar Berlanga.

The Puerto Rican has lost two of his last four fights, but those have been defeats to Canelo Alvarez and Hamzah Sheeraz and both would be considered much stronger opponents than the one he is facing on Sunday.

Add in the fact that the other two fights in that run have both been won by Edgar Berlanga in Stoppages and it does feel like Zuffa have lined up a bout where one of the new signings can impress.

He should also be the naturally bigger man and Edgar Berlanga can find a way to secure the Stoppage as he moves through the gears after a couple of feel out Rounds.

Another fighter who has signed with Zuffa Boxing and is returning after a long layoff is Richardson Hitchins and the former Light Welterweight World Champion is making his debut in the Welterweight Division.

He has spoken about making up for lost time and Hitchins also feels he should have made the move to Welterweight sooner, and now the challenge is making a big statement and then chasing the big names.

The Knock Out record is not that eye-catching, but Richardson Hitchins will feel his power will be more telling in this weight Division.

Ricardo Adan Salas Rodriguez will know he has a big opportunity to push his own career forward, but the unbeaten home fighter should have too much for him and the feeling is that Richardson Hitchins will be in a position to turn the screw and eventually overwhelm this opponent in a chief support spot on this card.

Jalil Hackett is expected to do enough to earn a narrow Decision against veteran Sergiy Derevyanchenko, although the layers are giving the latter plenty of respect in what should be a competitive bout.

There is also a crossroads fight in the Heavyweight Division when Otto Wallin takes on Vladyslav Sirenko and the expectation is that the former will do enough to edge to the victory.

Otto Wallin has a win over Murat Gassiev on his resume, which looks all the stronger now that Gassiev has become a World Champion in the Division. That could be a rematch that would have been chased if Wallin has not signed with Zuffa Boxing, but the Swedish fighter should still be very motivated to remind everyone of what he can do after suffering defeats to Anthony Joshua and Derek Chisora since December 2023.

The Sirenko defeat to Soloman Dacres is a really disappointing one and Otto Wallin may have enough about himself to win this one on the cards.

There is another Heavyweight Fight during the preliminary part of the broadcast that could offer up a selection- both Kashaun Davis and Mihai Nistor are unbeaten with eleven and eight wins respectively and all have been inside the distance.

Both are making a step up compared with previous opponents beaten and this Eight Rounder could see one of the fighters move through the gears to not only remain unbeaten, but to maintain the run of a perfect Knock Out record too.

However, the lack of recent activity goes against Nistor as he returns for the first time in over two years and that may just give Kashaun Davis the edge in what could develop into a firefight.

MY PICKS: Edgar Berlanga to Win by KO/TKO/DQ @ 1.83 William Hill (2 Units)

Richardson Hitchins to Win by KO/TKO/DQ @ 4.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Otto Wallin to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Kashaun Davis to Win by KO/TKO/DQ @ 2.40 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2026: 20-34, - 9.46 Units (84 Units Staked, - 11.26% Yield)

World Matchplay Darts Day 9 Pick 2026- Final (Sunday 26th July)

The two stronger players both came through Semi Final matches without facing too much resistance against Dutch opponents and now Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price have one more match to win if they want to lift the World Matchplay trophy.

My thoughts on the World Matchplay Final can be read below.

Luke Littler over 15.5 180s v Gerwyn Price: The level produced by Luke Littler over the past week makes it almost impossible to imagine anything other than him lifting the trophy at the end of this match on Sunday.

So many players have looked beaten before the match against Littler has even begun, but credit has to be given to the World Number 1 for the numbers that have been put together.

He is hitting treble 20 for fun and Luke Littler has racked up the maximums with another sixteen produced in just twenty-two Legs against Dirk van Duijvenbode in the Semi Final.

The rate of the maximum hitting is simply outrageous, but Luke Littler has proven time and time again that he is playing with an ability to maintain the current levels we are watching.

Gerwyn Price will always head to the oche full of belief and he can offer some resistance having looked like he is getting stronger and stronger the longer he has been in this tournament.

The Semi Final in the Premier League saw Luke Littler edge Gerwyn Price 10-9 and the Welshman has certainly been able to push the top Seed.

However, Price will do well to ignore the fact he has lost nine in a row against Luke Littler and that looks like it will become ten by the end of this Final.

The chances are that Gerwyn Price will be able to score well enough to at least give himself an opportunity to win Legs, but that may also give Luke Littler the room from which he can surpass this total set for his personal maximums.

After adding those from the Semi Final, Luke Littler has now hit fifty-four maximums in eighty Legs played in this tournament.

It would be a surprise if we have fewer than twenty-five Legs in this Final and, on current rate, that would be enough for Luke Littler to surpass this number and the confidence of the World Number 1 means it is the easy market to back.

MY PICKS: Luke Littler Over 15.5 180s @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Matchplay: 14-13, + 2.35 Units (27 Units Staked, + 8.70% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2026- Errol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu (Saturday 25th July)

It has been a relatively quiet time for Boxing fans since Jaron Ennis beat Xander Zayas at the end of June, although that is partly down to the fact that promoters would have been keen to avoid clashes with the Football World Cup being hosted in North America.

With that in mind, it is no surprise that some big names are making comebacks on the first weekend since Spain won the World Cup for a second time, while Zuffa Boxing have their latest card taking place on Sunday.

All attention in this thread is on the fights taking place across a number of hours featuring Anthony Joshua and a returning Errol Spence Jr as he goes straight back into the deep end. The former is fighting in Saudi Arabia yet again, while The Truth travels Down Under to take on Tim Tszyu in what feels like a crossroads fight for both in the Middleweight Division.

Three selections returned winners in the last Boxing thread at the end of June, but there are some big nights ahead before the end of the 2026 calendar year and there is still some making up to do in what has been a slow first half of the year for the Picks being made.

Saturday is the start of the second half of the year for the Boxing Picks and building on the momentum from the last night is the ambition.

Errol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu

It may have something to do with the fact that I've always been a big Errol Spence Jr fan that this fight is the headline one for the Boxing Picks on Saturday 25th July.

The Truth was last in action three years ago when losing to Terence Crawford and that was a night in which his unbeaten run was ended and the Undisputed Welterweight crown was convincingly taken by Bud. A rematch clause was activated, but allowed to expire, and Crawford went on to dethrone Canelo Alvarez at Super Middleweight before retiring, which underlines the length of time Errol Spence Jr has been out of a ring.

This will be just the fourth fight since 2020 for Errol Spence Jr who had also suffered a significant car accident and retina issues before the defeat to Terence Crawford.

So the big question has to be what has Errol Spence Jr got left in the tank? That can soon be followed by why has the layoff been as long as it has for the Texan who is now 36 years old?

These will be answered on Saturday night with Errol Spence Jr returning to action with a new trainer having criticised previous trainer Derrick James and becoming embroiled in a legal dispute with him. In recent weeks, Derrick James has spoken about the issues Errol Spence Jr had in camp prior to the defeat to Crawford and you do have to wonder if this three year layoff has given Spence Jr time to heal both mentally and physically and whether it has been too long a time spent away from competitive action.

Ring rust is a real issue and it has to be a worry that Errol Spence Jr's team requested this bout to be changed to a Middleweight limit having previously agreed to a 158 pound catchweight.

Suffice to say there are plenty of red flags around the return!

However, at his best, Errol Spence Jr would really fancy doing the job against Tim Tszyu, even as the road fighter, and the style of the Australian is one that would have gelled perfectly for The Truth to expose and exploit.

The problem is we can't really be sure that the best of Spence Jr, or anything close to his former best, is going to be entering the ring and that is where Tim Tszyu could make things very tough.

There is nothing special about what Tszyu is trying to do- he will walk forward, throwing plenty of leather, and he will be looking to out-will his opponent. That has worked against a certain level of opponent, but also saw Tim Tszyu walk into huge shots from Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev who were both able to close the show before the final bell.

A couple of wins over lesser opponents back home has given Tim Tszyu this opportunity and he has continued to remind anyone that listens that he has yet to lose in Australia.

Much like Errol Spence Jr, Tim Tszyu will know a win offers one more shot at the big time, but a defeat likely ends his time at this kind of level. That puts both men under pressure, but styles make fights and this is a fight that looks like it could catch fire pretty quickly.

Errol Spence Jr is the superior boxer with the better jab and the footwork would have also been to his advantage, at least before this long layoff.

There has been nothing wrong with the Tim Tszyu heart, even taking his defeats into consideration, and he is not going to want to lose in Australia. This could push him to keep getting forward and may eventually lead to a mistake that can be capitalised on by Errol Spence Jr.

At the same time, Tim Tszyu has to be thinking about taking Errol Spence Jr into the second half of the fight and see if there is much left of the former Unified World Champion, especially at a higher weight class and with that time spent away to think about.

It shouldn't take too long for the fight to catch fire, but the first couple of Rounds could be a feeling out process before either is willing to let more go.

Both have shown they can wear down opponents and the Twelve Rounds gives that bit more opportunity to do that and it would not be a big surprise if this contest ends in the second half of the contest, although picking a winner is as tough as the layers think with so much to think about for both fighters.

The chief support is Stephen Fulton versus Luke Wilson after Jermall Charlo was not given a visa to travel to Australia.

This feels like another crossroads bout, but Stephen Fulton is rightly favoured and the layers expect him to win this one on the cards.

However, Luke Wilson will take some confidence from the fact that he has never been beaten at the final bell of any contest with all three defeats ending in Stoppage when he has stepped up his level. Luke Wilson did give Emmanuel Navarrete a scare before losing in the Ninth Round and was then Stopped by Oscar Valdez in the Seventh.

Stephen Fulton has not really shown that kind of power at the world level, but should have enough skills to bounce back from his loss to O'Shaquie Foster.

The American is moving up in weight class again, but the expectation is that he could nick this one narrowly on the Judges' cards... (Since writing this, Fulton has missed weight significantly and the fight has been scrapped- anyone missing weight by a pound can be excused, but this was a bout set for a 130 limit and, even after allowing for 133, Fulton failed to weigh below 139 and that is an utter disgrace).

If things had been different, Callum Peters would have been travelling to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games, but he has not allowed his disappointment to slow down what is beginning to be an eye-catching start to his professional career.

Fighting an unbeaten southpaw from South America can be dangerous, but Callum Peters can steal some of the limelight on this big show by producing a big performance.

So Tyson Fury was able to win a fight on Friday that did not have a broadcast deal and now the attention turns to Anthony Joshua to try and do his part and make sure the all-British Heavyweight Fight can be set later this year.

Most expect that contest to be announced if AJ can win, although there is also a real feeling that both are well passed their best and this is a bout that should have taken place several years ago.

Anthony Joshua was last seen crushing Jake Paul when finally cornering an opponent that refused to engage and simply run around the ring, but he suffered a devastating personal blow when two of his best friends passed away in a car accident in Nigeria. The former Champion is fortunate he was able to leave the incident with a few bumps and bruises, but the mental impact cannot be assessed and there were suggestions that he may not fight again.

Now the motivation is there to honour his friends and Anthony Joshua is expected to have little issue dismissing Kristian Prenga.

The underdog has a record that looks great on paper, but scratching the surface shows there is little depth to the resume and Prenga is stepping up multiple levels.

At 35 years old and with a perfect record in terms of Stoppages in wins, you have to question why Kristian Prenga has not stepped up to see if he can mix it with better company.

That alone is telling and he should be ripe for Anthony Joshua to produce an impressive Stoppage to give him momentum to take into the bout against Tyson Fury and the expectation is that his opponent may offer the opportunity to close the show pretty early on.

A couple of big names from British Boxing are defending World Titles on the undercard.

Josh Kelly fulfilled his potential by upsetting Bakhram Murtazaliev and picking up the IBF World Title in the Light Middleweight Division. That came back in January, but Kelly has not been able to entice one of the other Champions into the ring with him and instead he will be defending that World Title against unbeaten Caoimhin Agyarko.

The opportunity is one that the Irishman is desperate to take, but Agyarko has had issues with eye swellings in his last couple of fights and only just got the better of Ishmael Davis in September last year.

Caoimhin Agyarko has been out of the ring recovering, but he is unbeaten and steps up to face Josh Kelly filled with confidence.

However, the British fighter has the higher experience and should be the sharper puncher, which could end up reaggravating that previous eye issue.

Stopping fights is not something either is used to, but Josh Kelly could be a big price to get this one done inside the distance and then target the other Champions again.

The expectation is that this will be a competitive World Title fight, but the same cannot be said for Hamzah Sheeraz who is still hoping to be the next ticket drawn in the lottery to fight Canelo Alvarez, assuming the latter wins his next fight.

With that said, the promoters around Sheeraz have been very careful with his match-making and that has allowed the British fighter to produce some highlight reel performances.

It feels like the fortunate draw with Carlos Adames has perhaps spooked the advisors and Hamzah Sheeraz has not exactly been fighting opponents expected to offer a lot of resistance since then. In May he crushed Alem Begic and you do have to wonder what Simon Zachenhuber has done to earn the chance to fight for the WBO World Title in the Super Middleweight Division.

A 29-1 record may suggest something else, but Simon Zachenhuber was beaten in April by Pawel August, who happens to be an unbeaten fighter in a different bout on the undercard, and so little resistance is expected here.

That was a defeat in a Six Rounder and it is simply not possible to believe Zachenhuber is ready for a test like this one- those advising Hamzah Sheeraz may not be ready to see him in with the biggest names in the sport (unless for the kind of money Canelo Alvarez will provide), but he has shown this level of opponent is one that he can blitz through and that is the likely outcome of this World Title defence.

MY PICKS: Errol Spence Jr-Tim Tszyu Fight to Go the Distance- NO @ 1.66 William Hill (2 Units)

Callum Peters to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

Anthony Joshua to Win Between 1-4 @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Josh Kelly to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 6.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Hamzah Sheeraz to Win Between 1-4 @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Boxing 2026: 18-31, - 7.56 Units (75 Units Staked, - 10.08% Yield)

World Matchplay Darts Day 8 Picks 2026 (Saturday 25th July)

The absence of Luke Humphries has made the World Matchplay feel like a tournament that Luke Littler is going to win, but credit has to be given to him for the level being produced.

It may have been easy to drop the standard, but Littler is not built like that and his averages have been exceptional throughout the week.

Next up is Dirk van Duijvenbode, but this is a big test for the Dutchman even if he has been playing really well himself.

The second Semi Final was set on Friday when Gian van Veen and Gerwyn Price held off opponents that had fought back towards the end of the last eight matches. These two are familiar with one another through the Premier League meetings, but the winner will know that another mountain stands between them and the title here IF Luke Littler does come through the top half of the draw.

Luke Littler over 11.5 180s & Dirk van Duijvenbode 1+ 100+ checkout: The World Matchplay has felt like a procession for Luke Littler as he continues to produce truly impressive numbers in dismissing all those in front of him.

It says something that the handicap for this Semi Final has been set at 8.5 Legs, but Dirk van Duijvenbode has shown enough this week to offer some resistance.

Wins over Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson will have been in matches where the fans were firmly behind the opponent and so Dirk van Duijvenbode is unlikely to be upset by the atmosphere. Instead the Dutchman has to focus on what he has been doing well this week and that is hitting plenty of big scores and then showing composure when the doubles have needed to be popped off.

Combination finishing has really helped his cause and Dirk van Duijvenbode is likely going to need at least a couple of 100+ checkouts if he is to at least give Luke Littler something to think about.

Four of those big checkouts were needed to see off Gary Anderson and Dirk van Duijvenbode had another against Michael van Gerwen so can secure his part of this selection.

Luke Littler has been crushing the maximums for fun throughout this tournament and he has had thirty-eight in three matches here and can contribute at least thirteen in this Semi Final. The layers are taking no chances compared with the Quarter Final prices for his maximums, but the World Number 1 can put plenty more on the board in this match and it is going to surprise no one to state that this is a Semi Final that Littler should win.

Gerwyn Price to win & both players 1+ 100+ checkout v Gian van Veen: This is going to be the eighth meeting between these players in 2026 and it is Gerwyn Price who leads with five wins from the previous seven matches.

All of those have been in the Premier League under the best of eleven format, but this is a race to seventeen Legs and that should mean a few more twists and turns.

However, the head to head cannot be dismissed and especially not when you consider how the two players have been performing at the World Matchplay.

Gerwyn Price started slowly, but is continuing to improve in each match played and that can only be a positive for him. A similar level to the one that beat Ross Smith would make The Ice Man a solid favourite to win this Semi Final and Price is rightly expected to do that.

He will be looking to come out and play at a similar level, but Gian van Veen is well aware that he needs to be more consistent if he is going to upset the odds again in this tournament.

Credit has to be given to Gian van Veen for the finishing qualities shown, and he will need all of his combination finishing in this one. The big checkouts have been a feature of the wins Gian van Veen has produced in Blackpool and both of these players are more than capable of finding at least one big finish during the course of this Semi Final.

As has been mentioned, Gerwyn Price deserves the edge and he can reach the World Matchplay Final again.

MY PICKS: Luke Littler Over 12.5 180s & Dirk van Duijvenbode 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gerwyn Price to Win & Both Players 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 1.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Matchplay: 12-13, + 0.55 Units (25 Units Staked, + 2.20% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2026 (Saturday 25th July)

The tournaments that are being played this week are being concluded over the weekend before both Tours move onto bigger hard courts events.

That begins the real lead into the US Open, but first we have to complete the events being played this week, although there may not be too many selections from the Semi Final and Finals that will be scheduled.

Barbora Krejcikova - 5.5 games v Lilli Tagger: Eight straight wins have been put on the board by Barbora Krejcikova and she is the favourite to win the title in Prague after picking up the trophy in Athens.

Once again the former French Open and Wimbledon Champion is pushing back towards the top 20 in the World Rankings and Barbora Krejcikova will be looking for one or two more big runs at the Grand Slam events.

She does have a Quarter Final run to defend at the US Open, but Krejcikova has been in dominant form this month on the hard courts and will be heading into August with a lot of confidence.

The expectation is that Barbora Krejcikova will have too much for Lilli Tagger- the World Number 26 has not only been winning matches, but winning convincingly and it may be difficult for the teenager to slow her down.

Lilli Tagger has played well this week, but this is a big step up and she had lost all three matches against top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts before the win in the Quarter Final on Friday. That was against another home player, but playing the Number 2 Seed is another challenge and Barbora Krejcikova may be able to maintain her current momentum in what could be another relatively comfortable win.

MY PICKS: Barbora Krejcikova - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 5-5, - 0.88 Units (10 Units Staked, - 8.80% Yield)

World Matchplay Darts Day 7 Picks 2026 (Friday 24th July)

It is going to take a monumental effort for anyone to beat Luke Littler in the form the defending Champion has produced this week and you have to imagine he is going to be entering the remaining World Ranking events as a short price favourite.

We are not quite at the Phil Taylor level of dominating and that is largely down to what Luke Humphries can produce, but we are getting closer and closer to those kind of outright prices. The more Luke Littler continues to win the big TV tournaments, the more people are going to have him down as a strong favourite to win any event he enters.

This week there is no Humphries in the draw to try and slow down the momentum that Luke Littler has picked up at major events- his record in longer format matches is quite simply ridiculous and Littler is going to be a big favourite to win a third straight World Championship later in the year and into the early part of 2027.

On Friday we will be a step closer to seeing who may eventually be standing opposed to Luke Littler in any Final as the bottom half as the two Quarter Final matches scheduled.

Both have a huge amount of potential on paper, but darts are still played up on a stage and it is all about which of the players can hold themselves together the best on the night.

The one disadvantage for those in the bottom half is that there are no more rest days between matches and that does mean a bit more pressure to avoid being dragged into a slog of a contest to drain energy ahead of the weekend.

Ross Smith-Gerwyn Price both over 7.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout: It was Ross Smith standing behind Cameron Menzies and helping his fellow professional out when the Scot fainted and felt very ill in the Second Round.

Ultimately that led to a withdrawal and Smith made it through to the Quarter Final after playing just three Legs.

He had shown he was feeling pretty good having thrown three maximums in that time on the stage, but this is going to be a different test for Ross Smith in the last eight. This time Ross Smith may feel like the underdog and under some pressure to deliver the big scoring to try and stay with Gerwyn Price in what is only the second meeting in two years.

Of course Ross Smith should take a lot of confidence from the fact that he beat Gerwyn Price 11-9 here two years ago, but he is going to have to be better for longer in this Quarter Final format.

Ross Smith can do that and he is very capable of delivering at least eight maximums and one big checkout during the course of this match.

At the same time, Ross Smith will be well aware that the Gerwyn Price that crushed Rob Cross in the Second Round looked to be in much better form than the one that scraped through the First Round against Martin Schindler.

The scoring was much better in the Second Round and Gerwyn Price also showed composure with his doubles and that is why he is set as the favourite in this match.

However, it is expected to be a close one with the sole meeting this year ending in a Price 8-6 win on the European Tour as he picked up another title. He can match those numbers that are expected of Ross Smith in what is expected to be a competitive match right to the end and one in which we are focusing on the stats rather than trying to pick a winner.

Gian van Veen 2+ 100+ checkouts & over 26.5 total legs v James Wade: These two players produced a very good Quarter Final at the World Matchplay twelve months ago, which was eventually won 16-13 by James Wade, but Gian van Veen will feel he was the better player on the day.

After rallying to beat Wessel Nijman, Gian van Veen will be a slight favourite to get the better of James Wade in the 2026 Quarter Final, although the Dutchman will be aware that he needs to lift his level.

Recent weeks has seen the form fluctuate and that will not get the job done against someone like James Wade who is playing some top class darts.

Despite what he may have said himself, James Wade put together a really good performance to see off Ryan Searle in the Second Round and averaged just shy of triple digits. That is a level that will make things very difficult for any player, barring perhaps Luke Littler, and James Wade has always enjoyed playing at this venue and at this tournament.

Nothing will come easy for either player, but the expectation is that Gian van Veen is going to have to continue to find some big finishes to keep himself pushing forward in this Quarter Final.

He has five 100+ checkouts already in the tournament and the combination finishing remains a real strength for Gian van Veen.

James Wade is never going to go away easily and especially not at this tournament so we should see both players reach at least eleven Legs each and putting this selection together does offer up a decent price without having to back either player to win in what should be another close, competitive Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Ross Smith-Gerwyn Price Both Over 7.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.25 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gian van Veen 2+ 100+ Checkouts & Over 26.5 Total Legs @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Matchplay: 10-13, - 1.80 Units (23 Units Staked, - 7.82% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2026 (Friday 24th July)

We are into the Semi Finals in Kitzbuhel, but in the main, Friday is Quarter Final day at the tournaments being played across the ATP and WTA.

It has been a relatively quiet week for the Tennis Picks, but this looks to be the busiest day with a number of selections being made from the tournaments in Prague and Estoril.

The thoughts behind those selections can be read below with matches taking place throughout the day.

Hugo Gaston - 3.5 games v Tiago Torres: The Quarter Final lineup at the ATP tournament in Estoril will underline the status of some of the events taking place this week, but don't say that to Hugo Gaston and Tiago Torres.

This is a big opportunity for those Ranked lower down than the elite players on the Tour and a Semi Final run at any ATP 250 event will offer a big leap for the winner of this one.

No matter how this tournament ends from here, Tiago Torres will be playing at a new career high World Ranking mark and that is a boost for this young player who has been playing his College Tennis in the United States. A Wild Card was given to him by the Estoril organisers and Tiago Torres should be given a lot of respect for the way he has handled himself with wins over Nikoloz Basilashvili and Alejandro Tabilo already on the board.

Those are victories that will give Torres a lot of confidence, but those have both been surprising wins when you consider he has limited experience at this level and has suffered pretty one-sided losses to Roman Safiullon and Jaime Faria on this surface in 2026.

However, Tiago Torres will be confident after the wins produced this week and now takes on Hugo Gaston, who can be erratic to say the least.

The 25 year old has had a difficult time trying to regain his place amongst the top 100 in the World Rankings, but Hugo Gaston has shown he is comfortable facing this level of opponent.

In 2026, Hugo Gaston has a 10-3 record when facing a player Ranked lower than himself on the clay courts and the lefty is a pretty effective returner on this surface. He will be looking to put the pressure on Tiago Torres and Hugo Gaston had a really strong performance in the Second Round which, if replicated, would make him very hard to beat.

Both players will be expecting the return to be a big part of the outcome of this Quarter Final, but Hugo Gaston may be able to get a little more out of the serve and that could end up being a decisive part of the match.

The spread is a wide one if this is a match that features plenty of breaks of serve, but the two losses to the higher level opponents faced by Tiago Torres have both ended without covering this line set. Hugo Gaston may not be as strong as Roman Safiullon or Jaime Faria, but he is very capable of beating those he should and he has usually been able to do that with some degree of comfort on the final scoreboard.

Roman Andres Burruchaga v Alexander Blockx: After withdrawing at the French Open, Alexander Blockx won for the first time since Paris when getting through his Second Round match in three sets.

He was perhaps fortunate on the day and the Belgian looks to be a vulnerable favourite in this Quarter Final.

Alexander Blockx has had some very strong runs on the clay courts this season and at a significantly higher level than this ATP 250 tournament brings, but he still needs to show a bit more improvement on the return of serve. His own serve has been a big weapon, but Blockx faced seventeen Break Points in the Second Round and is coming up against a pretty comfortable red dirt player.

This is a Quarter Final in which Roman Andres Burruchaga is the lower Ranked player and he is the underdog, but the World Number 60 should be battle-hardened having come through in three sets to beat both Stan Wawrinka and Nuno Borges. Both players would have had the large majority of the support, if not all of the support, while the real credit that Roman Andres Burruchaga deserves is the fact he dropped the second set each time and STILL rallied to win.

Last week Burruchaga reached the Semi Final in Umag, but the majority of his successes have been at Challenger level and so there is a gap to bridge.

Roman Andres Burruchaga should take a lot of confidence from the fact he has beaten Alexander Blockx in both previous meetings, albeit in 2024 and when it was Burruchaga who was Ranked higher than Alexander Blockx.

This is a much tougher looking challenge, but Blockx struggled in the Second Round and Roman Andres Burruchaga may have enough clay court nous to edge through.

Daria Snigur - 3.5 games v Lanlana Tararudee: Credit has to be given to Lanlana Tararudee who won a lower level event on the hard courts last week and has used the momentum to maintain her winning run in Prague.

She recovered from a really difficult position earn her spot in the Quarter Final and that means Lanlana Tararudee is set to reach a new career high World Ranking, although she will also be very keen to continue the run.

Next up is a very tough match against Daria Snigur who is also improving her career high World Ranking mark from week to week.

The 24 year old has been crushing the competition at a lower level than the main WTA Tour, but that is the kind of level in which Daria Snigur may have run into Lanlana Tararudee.

Her numbers have been really impressive on the hard court, albeit at that lower level, and Daria Snigur should be the much fresher player, while she has also been in really solid form in winning both matches here in Prague.

Both players are strong returners, but Daria Snigur may be able to get through a couple more service games with holds thanks to her freshness compared with Lanlana Tararudee who needed over three hours to win on Thursday. That comes after winning the title last weekend and then travelling over to Prague and all of that could add up to a difficult obstacle to overcome in this Quarter Final.

Marie Bouzkova - 2.5 games v Tereza Valentova: Earlier this month, the Ladies Final at Wimbledon was a reminder of the kind of talent that is being produced by Czechia on both the ATP and WTA Tour.

This tournament in Prague is a big opportunity for a home player to pick up the title and we are guaranteed to see one Czech player in the Semi Final at the end of this Quarter Final match.

It is a repeat of the Semi Final of 2025 when Marie Bouzkova and Tereza Valentova meet on Friday and credit has to be given to both of these players that they are much higher in the World Rankings in 2026 compared with twelve months ago. Out of the two, 19 year old Tereza Valentova needs the win more to avoid dropping in the World Rankings, but Marie Bouzkova has looked pretty comfortable here this week.

There is very little between them in the numbers, but Marie Bouzkova will have the mental advantage after winning the Semi Final last year and also beating Tereza Valentova in straight sets on the grass of Nottingham last month.

Matches between compatriots can have that 'pecking order' feel to them and that may be the case for Marie Bouzkova and Tereza Valentova when they step onto the court.

Marie Bouzkova has been the stronger return player in the head to head and that may end up being the factor that separates the two when they face off in this Quarter Final.

Sara Bejlek - 2.5 games v Lilli Tagger: Two very young players are meeting for the second week in a row on the WTA Tour and Sara Bejlek may feel home advantage can help her make she gets the better of Lilli Tagger once again.

Last week in Athens, Sara Bejlek beat this opponent for the loss of four games, although matching that kind of dominant win will be difficult now that Lilli Tagger has some experience of what to expect.

Sara Bejlek was beaten in the Prague Quarter Final last year, and she was beaten in the Quarter Final in Athens last week, but the performances through the opening couple of Rounds will give her a lot of belief.

Both of these players have strong hard court numbers, but Sara Bejlek has a slight edge in those, while Lilli Tagger is trying to turn things around against players Ranked higher than herself. While she has a 4-5 record on the hard courts in 2026 in that situation, Lilli Tagger's numbers have taken a significant dip.

At the same time, Sara Bejlek has a 10-2 record on the hard courts when facing opponents Ranked outside of the top 50 in the World Rankings, while she is 7-1 when facing a lower Ranked opponent. The numbers have been really impressive in those spots and the home crowd can keep the 20 year old focused enough to earn a spot in the Semi Final behind a strong win over Lilli Tagger for a second week in a row.

MY PICKS: Hugo Gaston - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Roman Andres Burruchaga @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Daria Snigur - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Marie Bouzkova - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Sara Bejlek - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 3-2, + 0.41 Units (5 Units Staked, + 8.20% Yield)

World Matchplay Darts Day 6 Picks 2026 (Thursday 23rd July)

You can only hope that Cameron Menzies has not suffered a serious illness after he was forced to withdraw from his Second Round match after just three Legs had been completed.

He looked fine after taking the lead with a winning double in the third Leg, but suddenly had a bout of dizziness on the stage and it was soon announced that Menzies was not going to be able to continue.

Ross Smith moves through, but the thoughts of all of the peers would have been with Cameron Menzies who had produced a big win in the First Round and who has been in decent form over the last few weeks as he finally looked to be fulfilling some of the potential.

The show had to go on at the World Matchplay and the Quarter Final line up has been set.

The top half of the draw will be in action on Thursday with the format now expanded to a best of thirty-one contest and that also means a slightly later start to the session. It will then be the turn of the bottom half on Friday before the Semi Final and Final is completed over the course of the weekend.

After this weekend is completed, the PDC Tour moves into a slight hiatus- there are two Players Championship events to be played next week, but then the World Series takes over with back to back Masters events Down Under in Australia and New Zealand in consecutive weeks.

Once again a couple of Players Championship tournaments will be played before the next European Tour event at the Hungarian Darts Trophy at the end of August.

It should mean all eight players left in the World Matchplay can be completely focused on the task in front of them and that is winning one of the big Majors on the Tour and we should have a decent four days of Darts left in Blackpool.

Gary Anderson - 2.5 legs v Dirk van Duijvenbode: All credit has to be given to Dirk van Duijvenbode for the way he handled the pressure as Michael van Gerwen pushed him into extra Legs for a second match in a row.

Once again Dirk van Duijvenbode found a way, much as he did in the First Round against Chris Dobey, and this is a player who has found plenty of heavy scoring.

This makes him dangerous, while van Duijvenbode is also hitting his doubles at a decent rate.

However, Dirk van Duijvenbode will be aware that he may need to be even better if he is going to upset Gary Anderson who has been far too good for Ryan Joyce and Jonny Clayton.

Gary Anderson has not been at his absolute best, but he has been piling up big scores and has looked very comfortable when it comes to finishing off Legs and The Flying Scotsman remains a very strong player. The question is how will his darts hold up the longer he has to stay on the stage and this is a best of thirty-one Quarter Final, but Anderson has not had as many dips as Dirk van Duijvenbode and that can ultimately make the difference in the match.

When they met at the UK Open, Gary Anderson was a little too strong for Dirk van Duijvenbode and that may be the case when they meet in Blackpool in a big Quarter Final.

Luke Littler over 11.5 180s v Josh Rock: The layers are not anticipating a lot of resistance from Josh Rock in this World Matchplay Quarter Final, but that does feel like it is a little harsh on the Northern Irishman.

He has not hit the heights of 2025, but Josh Rock has given Luke Littler something to think about in meetings in 2026 and that has to give him some encouragment.

Of course it should be stated that not many are going to be able to live with the standards Luke Littler has produced in the first two Rounds as he looks to defend the title won last year. Nathan Aspinall averaged over 100 and yet it never felt like he was going to beat Luke Littler, who averaged over 113 to follow up his First Round 109+ average.

The World Number 1 can blitz past any opponent that stands in front of him and there is the feeling that there will be at least one session that ends in a whitewash and Luke Littler should be good enough to move into the Semi Final again.

That means getting to at least sixteen Legs and Luke Littler has been absolutely spot on his rhythm when it comes to attacking the treble 20- backing that up is the fact he hit one nine darter and missed a double for a second in his Second Round win.

Luke Littler has won twenty-one Legs in this tournament and he has thrown twenty-one maximums, while he had nine in twenty Legs when these two met at the UK Open earlier this year.

The top Seed has looked so much more comfortable here though and Littler can produce at least twelve maximums in this Quarter Final contest.

MY PICKS: Gary Anderson - 2.5 Legs @ 1.72 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Luke Littler Over 11.5 180s @ 2.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

World Matchplay: 9-12, - 1.90 Units (21 Units Staked, - 9.05% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2026 (Thursday 23rd July)

Just when it looked like it was going to be the fourth time in a little over seven days when a player has failed to earn one more game than the spread, Alex Molcan did pick up a late break of serve to secure his victory in the Second Round.

That made it a positive start to the week, but a busy Thursday has not offered up many matches that have fallen within the parameters set in the pages that have resulted in a bounce back year.

The focus on the day is on a single selection from the two ATP tournaments being played in Estoril and Kitzbuhel and those can be read below.

Jaime Faria - 4.5 games v Gonzalo Bueno: One of the big home hopes has been eliminated, but Jaime Faria is going to be hitting a new career high World Ranking mark at the end of the tournament.

Another win would see Jaime Faria crack the top 80 for the first time and the Portuguese player will be given plenty of support in Estoril.

He is facing a Qualifier, but Gonzalo Bueno should be given enough respect for having come through a couple of those Rounds and then earning a win in the main draw. That was a win over a Portuguese Wild Card in the main draw and Gonzalo Bueno has to be given a lot of credit for fighting back from losing the second set 6-1 and hold himself together to win a final set tie-breaker.

This is a step up in terms of level of opponent, but a comfortable clay courter can always become a dangerous opponent once momentum is behind them.

Over the course of the season, Gonzalo Bueno has played at a lower level than the main ATP Tour and his numbers on the clay have been pretty average. This should encourage Jaime Faria who had won three Qualifying matches at the French Open and was still able to force his way through to the Third Round at that Grand Slam, and Faria has had a lot more success at this level compared with his opponent.

Before his win in the Second Qualifying Round in Estoril, Gonzalo Bueno had lost all six matches played against higher Ranked opponents on the clay courts in 2026. His serve has been put under pressure consistently in those matches and so Bueno is going to have to really step up to make this a competitive contest.

Jaime Faria has a 19-7 record on the clay when facing opponents that were Ranked lower than himself when they stepped onto the court and the numbers are much more solid than those produced by Gonzalo Bueno.

This is a big spread for any young player to deal with, but Jaime Faria should have the qualities needed on the court to eventually wear down Gonzalo Bueno.

Mariano Navone - 2.5 games v Quentin Halys: You cannot take anything away from Quentin Halys and the performances he has put together this week in Kitzbuhel, but he has been struggling for consistency over the last several months.

That has seen the World Ranking drop back outside of the top 80, while the Frenchman has a 10-7 record on the clay courts in 2026.

The serve remains a big weapon for him, even on the red dirt, but Quentin Halys has struggled to have a big impact on the return and that has ultimately proved to be a decisive factor in the results that have been placed on the board.

Next up is this Quarter Final against Mariano Navone who has looked very sharp through the opening couple of Rounds.

The higher Ranked player is the superior returner on the clay courts and that could be the key to this match, while Mariano Navone has beaten Quentin Halys on the clay courts around fifteen months ago.

On that day the World Number 47 was the much superior server and Mariano Navone can find his way through to the Semi Final with another decent win on the board.

MY PICKS: Jaime Faria - 4.5 Games @ 1.70 William Hill (1 Unit)

Mariano Navone - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 2-1, + 0.71 Units (3 Units Staked, + 23.67% Yield)

World Matchplay Darts Day 5 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 22nd July)

As soon as the draw was made for the World Matchplay, the expectation of the fans would have been that there were going to be high quality matches right from the opening day in Blackpool.

No one has been let down by what we have been watching over the first four days and Day 5 is set to complete the Quarter Final lineup after what looks to be another good looking session.

Luke Humphries losing in the First Round has opened up this half of the draw, but that may also mean players have to deal with the extra pressure that comes when an opportunity has opened up.

It really could come down to which of the players handles that best to take their place in the Sunday Final, but there are going to be challenges that have to be overcome over the next few days beginning with the Second Round opponent that will have to be beaten.

Ross Smith to win & over 5.5 180s v Cameron Menzies: You cannot blame Cameron Menzies for the emotional reaction after beating Luke Humphries in the First Round and especially not when you consider he reeled in the 'big fish' to secure the 10-7 win.

It was a really strong performance from Cameron Menzies and credit has to be given to him for holding off a strong rally that Luke Humphries had put together. The mental side of the sport has always been one that Menzies has struggled to deal with and so it will be a huge boost in confidence for him and his supporters that he was able to handle all that was thrown at him by the World Number 2.

Backing up the victory is going to be challenging regardless of who the opponent would be, but but backing it up against Ross Smith may be extra challenging.

Not only has Ross Smith beaten Cameron Menzies three times on the European Tour this season, but each of those wins have become easier and easier for the higher Ranked player.

The last of those ended in a 7-0 whitewash, but Ross Smith will be expecting more from the opponent in this one.

While that is a fair point, it also should be said that Ross Smith was in really good form in the First Round even if he was not very happy with his own performance. Big scoring was backed up by big finishing and Smudger may have a little too much of both for Cameron Menzies to handle.

Ross Smith was finding the big trebles regularly in the First Round and he can reach at least six maximums in winning this Second Round match.

Gian van Veen 2+ 100+ checkouts v Wessel Nijman: Gian van Veen is the higher Ranked of these compatriots, but Wessel Nijman comes into this match as the favourite and that is largely down to the kind of darts he has been playing all year.

He is now up to World Number 14 and Wessel Nijman has moved past Danny Noppert as the next Dutchman that is likely going to be invited into the Premier League.

Winning a big tournament may push his credentials forward and Wessel Nijman has to handle the pressure of expectation with many likely tipping him to come out of the bottom half of the draw that is missing Luke Humphries.

He will not want to take anything for granted against Gian van Veen, although the latter will be aware that his level needs to be raised.

Where Gian van Veen can make the difference is with his finishing and putting the late Leg combinations together has been a strength of the World Number 3. He had three 100+ Checkouts in the First Round and needed a couple more to beat Wessel Nijman on the European Tour back in February.

Since then, Wessel Nijman has beaten Gian van Veen and he is the right player being favoured, but the latter is someone who can produce a couple of big finishes to turn the momentum back in his own favour.

Gian van Veen may need those finishers in his bid for an upset and he looks capable of hitting at least two 100+ Checkouts in this Second Round match.

Rob Cross v Gerwyn Price: Two former World Champions meet for a place in the World Matchplay Quarter Final and you have to believe the underdog can give you a real run for your money.

Rob Cross has lifted his level over the last two months and that has enabled him to force his way into this tournament when it looked like the former Champion in Blackpool was going to miss out completely.

In the time since Cross won here, Gerwyn Price has reached the Final and he remains a Premier League player where the Englishman is not.

However, Price has not been playing much in recent weeks and that looked clear as he struggled against Martin Schindler in the First Round before the latter lost his way. Unlike Schindler, Rob Cross is playing with a lot more confidence and unlikely to let The Ice Man off the hook, although the expectation is that Gerwyn Price has to be much better than he was on Monday.

Matches between these players have been pretty competitive, but it has been over a year since they last faced each other.

On current form the edge has to be with Rob Cross and he can find a way to win this one, although nothing ever comes easy against someone like Gerwyn Price, who should be better with a win under the belt.

James Wade-Ryan Searle over 17.5 legs & over 8.5 180s: The final Second Round match features two players who are very capable performers on the stage and it should be a close contest between James Wade and Ryan Searle.

James Wade is a former World Matchplay Champion and reached the Final here twelve months ago so clearly enjoys the format. He was a very good winner in the First Round and showcased strong scoring with his usual composed finishing and Wade will certainly feel he can match the run from 2025 out of this bottom half of the draw.

The Quarter Final is as far as Ryan Searle has reached at the World Matchplay, but he was a World Championship Semi Finalist in the last edition of that tournament and that has to be respected.

Throughout this season, Ryan Searle has played at a steady level and his own win in the First Round deserves respect having held off all that William O'Connor was throwing at him.

Ryan Searle is every bit as capable of James Wade in throwing decent scores, but also finishing well, and this best of twenty-one leg Second Round match should see both players win at least seven Legs.

Both are perhaps underrated maximum hitters, which is reflected by the total for the match, and the longer this one is able to go, the more likely James Wade and Ryan Searle will combine for at least nine 180s as well.

In the First Round, Ryan Searle only had three maximums, but had racked up plenty of other big scores, while James Wade produced seven. Those came in sixteen and seventeen Legs respectively and this is a Second Round match that may need at least a couple more Legs to decide a winner, which should aid the two players in combining to surpass this maximum line.

MY PICKS: Ross Smith to Win & Over 5.5 180s @ 2.30 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gian van Veen 2+ 100+ Checkouts @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Rob Cross @ 2.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

James Wade-Ryan Searle Over 17.5 Legs & Over 8.5 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Matchplay: 8-10, - 1.40 Units (18 Units Staked, - 7.78% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2026 (Wednesday 22nd July)

This is still that time of the Tennis Tour when most of the top names are resting and getting ready for tournaments to be played on the hard courts in preparation for the US Open, but one last swing through the European clay courts will be an important time for many others.

There is a hard court event being played in Prague this week on the WTA Tour, which follows the one in Athens last week, but in the main it is clay court tennis being played and that is an opportunity for players to pick up some important World Ranking Points.

Scattered tournaments means there are also scattered Tennis Picks with the backend of the tournaments last week not leaving too many matches to attack from the selection point of view.

It could end up being the case this week as well, but when there is the potential to make a selection, they will be made as the pages look for some momentum to take into the big hard court tournaments that are fast coming up.

Mayar Sheriff - 1.5 games v Simona Waltert: There has been a lot of tennis played by Mayar Sheriff to move back into the top 60 of the World Rankings and back to back titles could have accumulated the fatigue.

This past weekend the Final in Iasi had to be postponed until Monday due to heavy rain, but Sheriff was able to get the better of Paula Badosa and confidence will be high.

Mayar Sheriff had won a couple of lower level titles on the clay around the one Qualifying match defeat at Wimbledon, but the title won in Iasi will be a real confidence booster.

A 5-1 head to head advantage over Simona Waltert will give the higher Ranked player more belief, even if it is the Swiss player who is Seeded here in Hamburg.

Simona Waltert has not been playing badly having reached the Final of a Challenger event in Bastad, but she was beaten early last week in Iasi. The World Number 91 has a 2-4 record against top 100 Ranked opponents on the clay courts this season, although Waltert's numbers have been pretty steady in those matches and she has been able to offer some resistance.

Both of these players are going to be very confident on the return of serve, but Mayar Sheriff is playing with momentum and confidence and looks capable of edging past Simona Waltert once again, much as she did in their two clay meetings in 2025.

Mariano Navone - 2.5 games v Jan-Lennard Struff: Not only has Wimbledon Quarter Finalist Jan-Lennard Struff had to battle through a very tough opening match in Kitzbuhel, but he has had a tough season on the clay courts.

Expectations have been raised for a strong end to the season after the run in SW19, but the serve has not been quite as effective on the red dirt.

That will give Mariano Navone an opportunity in this Second Round meeting on Wednesday.

The clay court specialist has struggled with his own serve on this surface, but Mariano Navone has been the much superior return player of the two this season and that can be a telling factor. It was also the case when the two players met on the hard courts of Cincinnati last year, which should have been a match in conditions that would favour Jan-Lennard Struff, but which was won by a good margin by Navone.

Things will never be easy for Mariano Navone on the red dirt with a vulnerable serve, but he may have enough to contain some of the Jan-Lennard Struff threat and the World Number 47 can get the better of the Seed.

Alex Molcan - 1.5 games v Daniel Altmaier: The run to the Semi Final in Umag has given Alex Molcan another boost in his bid to move back up the World Rankings and he is playing well enough to continue his run here in Austria.

A 22-7 record on the clay courts in 2026 has certainly helped the left hander and another solid win over Sebastian Ofner in the First Round in Kitzbuhel will have given Alex Molcan a boost in confidence against a home player.

The serve has been a big part of the successes that Alex Molcan has had, but he has backed that up with confident returning.

Next up is a Second Round match against Daniel Altmaier who is a very comfortable clay court player in his own right and who produced an upset in the First Round.

Daniel Altmaier has produced some decent numbers behind serve and return on the clay courts himself, but he has been beaten twice by this opponent already this season and that is going to be difficult to shake off.

One of those defeats came at Wimbledon at the end of June in the First Round, while the other was a Second Round defeat in Munich in front of Daniel Altmaier's home fans.

Across those matches, Alex Molcan has been the superior server, although he has had to fight off more Break Points than Daniel Altmaier.

The meeting on the clay was very closely fought out, but Alex Molcan deserves the edge in this Second Round match if only because of his overall form on the clay courts and the kind of momentum that has been built up. He is the lower Ranked player, but the layers believe Alex Molcan should be the favourite and the lean is to agree with them as the Slovakian player continues rebuilding his position on the Tour. 

MY PICKS: Mayar Sheriff - 1.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Mariano Navone - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Alex Molcan - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Season 2026: 176-147, + 10.75 Units (508 Units Staked, + 2.12% Yield)