Australian Open Tennis Day 14 Pick- Men's Final 2022 (January 30th)

It was a nervy performance from Ashleigh Barty, but she proved her resiliency in playing the big points as well as she did in winning the Australian Open on Saturday.

Not many will be lining up to oppose her at the next three Grand Slam tournaments either, although I think she will go into those events plenty short in the market. The restrictions in Australian could see Ashleigh Barty not compete on the Tour as frequently as would usually be the case, but I am hoping she takes to the court in the Middle East next month and is able to prepare for the big events coming through the first half of the season.

Now the last day at the Australian Open features the Men's Final and it could be a good one. I think Daniil Medvedev can get it done, but ruling out Rafael Nadal is never easy.

Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 sets v Rafael Nadal: If things were different, you may have expected a repeat of the Australian Open Final of 2021, but it was not to be for Novak Djokovic who didn't take part in the tournament. Instead, another former 20 time Grand Slam Champion will be looking to take the lead in the Men's game by moving onto 21 titles when Rafael Nadal takes to the court.

He has not won the Australian Open since 2009, but Rafael Nadal has managed to battle his way through the draw, although he may be the first to admit that the challenger in front of him is the toughest he would have played at Melbourne Park.

There is plenty on the line for Daniil Medvedev on Sunday as he bids to win back to back Grand Slam titles, beat another of the Big Three to win a Slam and also become the new World Number 1. All of that will put some pressure on the Russian player, but I do think his performances have generally been stronger than Rafael Nadal's and I also think Daniil Medvedev would have learned plenty from the defeat to the Spaniard in the Final of the US Open in 2019.

He is a much improved player now and I do think Daniil Medvedev is going to cause Rafael Nadal a lot more problems than Denis Shapovalov and Matteo Berrettini managed to do in the last two Rounds. Both of those players have obvious weaknesses that can be exploited, but they still managed to push Rafael Nadal at his worst Grand Slam and I think Daniil Medvedev doesn't have any obvious weaknesses on the court.

Daniil Medvedev is not returning as well as he would like, and that is a potential problem for him in the Final. He is breaking at less than 20% in the return games being played, and that is someway behind Rafael Nadal who is at 27% in this tournament, while both players have been serving well. However, I do think Daniil Medvedev has room for improvement and he has played Rafael Nadal better in each passing meeting with the Spaniard.

That culminated in Daniil Medvedev beating Rafael Nadal for the first time when they last met on a hard court in the ATP Finals in 2020 and ending a three match losing run to this opponent. The numbers do favour Rafael Nadal overall, but Daniil Medvedev has been getting better and better at competing with this opponent and I think that shows up at Melbourne Park on Sunday, even though it has not been the best tournament he has played overall.

In the last couple of Rounds Rafael Nadal has struggled for his form at times and I think those dips will be punished by someone as good as Daniil Medvedev can be.

This should be a fun Final and there should be some strong tennis that will be played, but I think Daniil Medvedev is going to prove himself rightfully taking over as the World Number 1 by winning a second Grand Slam in three or four sets against a multiple time Champion.

MY PICK: Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 41-32, + 7.64 Units (146 Units Staked, + 5.23% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 13 Pick 2022- Women's Final (January 29th)

The four Semi Final matches at the Australian Open have gone exactly the way the Picks were hoping and it has rallied after a slump in the selections in the middle of the tournament.

Just two matches remain at the first Grand Slam of the season and then I will be having a short break from the Tennis Picks too before looking to return when the first ATP 500 event of the season is scheduled to be played in Rotterdam. There are big events in the Middle East in February before the Tour moves onto the first Masters events on the hard courts of the United States, but before all that I am looking to round off this event with a couple more winners.

First up is the Women's Final and it is hard to look beyond the home hope.

Ashleigh Barty - 4.5 games v Danielle Collins: Neither one of these players have let me down at the Australian Open when I have backed them and I think it is a fitting Final between Ashleigh Barty and Danielle Collins who have been the two best players in the draw.

Once again the Women's game has underlined the feeling that it is a wide open draw at any Grand Slam being played with Danielle Collins the latest to reach a Final from left field. The number of new Winners and faces that not many would have tipped up to win a Grand Slam has been eye-opening to the void at the top of the Women's game and Danielle Collins will certainly believe she is capable of being the latest to join the likes of Bianca Andreescu, Sofia Kenin, Iga Swiatek, Barbora Krejcikova and Emma Raducanu as unfamiliar names to the casual viewer who have won Grand Slam titles.

Only two names have won multiple Slam titles in that time- Naomi Osaka had been dominant on the hard courts, but the other is Ashleigh Barty and the World Number 1 can underline her place at the top of the Women's game. A third Grand Slam on a third different surface would be a huge achievement and perhaps the void at the top is finally going to be filled by someone who may go into the next three Grand Slams as the favourite to win it all.

Ashleigh Barty is under pressure here as Australia looks for a first home Champion in Melbourne since 1978, but she has looked remarkably composed and showed little fear in demolishing Madison Keys in the Semi Final. You have to say that Ashleigh Barty has not really been tested at all in the tournament as she has backed up her pre-Australian Open form and I don't think she is going to be beaten now, unless suddenly realising what she is about to achieve.

Having won the French Open in 2019 and Wimbledon in 2021, I think Ashleigh Barty looks to have the right mentality to cope with the pressure. She is simply proving too strong for all she has faced and the straight sets win over Keys means Ashleigh Barty has won twenty sets in a row and players are barely winning games against her.

Danielle Collins is serving well at the tournament and I think that will stand her in good stead, but the pressure that is being built up by Ashleigh Barty may be too much to deal with. I have a lot of respect for the way the American has handled herself through adversity in this tournament and her last two wins have been very impressive as she has dismantled the games of Alize Cornet and Iga Swiatek.

The hard courts are well suited to Danielle Collins' game and she did beat Ashleigh Barty in Adelaide last year, a match that will be on her mind when coming into this one. She knows she can beat Barty, but I think the level of the Australian has gone up considerably since their last match in February 2021, and I would be surprised if Ashleigh Barty is not able to find a way to control the direction of this match once getting through a tight opening set.

As good as Danielle Collins has played at Melbourne Park, the numbers being produced by Ashleigh Barty are at an incredible level and she looks a player ready to make a bit of history. It would take a serious drop off of her intensity to see her fail to win the Australian Open now and I think it could be a seriously tough day in the office for Danielle Collins if she is not getting around 70% or better of her first serves in play.

Even then, Ashleigh Barty has been the considerably better return player on the numbers and I think she is going to find a way through a tight set before turning the screw and pulling away for a win and a cover.

MY PICK: Ashleigh Barty - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 41-31, + 9.64 Units (144 Units Staked, + 6.69% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2022 (January 28th)

Winners in the two Women's Semi Final matches on Day 11 has just turned the Australian Open back around, but a couple more are going to be needed to come away from the opening month of the 2022 season with a positive start.

The Men are going to take centre stage on Day 12 with the two Semi Finals scheduled to be played on the same day, although the Australian Open have followed the French Open path in putting one in a Day Session and one in a Night Session. It doubles up the fee that spectators will have to pay to watch both Semi Final matches, but I still believe it is exploitative of the fans and much prefer the Wimbledon approach of paying for the day when both are scheduled to be competed.

That is for another day and I guess these Grand Slams are making up for losing out on revenue over the last couple of years, but I simply don't like it.

What I do hope to like is the two selections from the Men's Semi Final matches which are to be played on Day 12 at the tournament.

Rafael Nadal - 1.5 sets v Matteo Berrettini: I am not entirely sure what happened to Rafael Nadal midway through the Quarter Final win over Denis Shapovalov, but you have to imagine the day of rest between matches is very important to the player chasing 21 Grand Slam titles. He looked to be cruising through another Round when leading 2-0, but Rafael Nadal didn't convert early opportunities in the third set and surprisingly went missing physically and mentally in the match.

He will be hoping the conditions are not as brutal as they were on Day 9 when Nadal wilted a little bit, but I also think it is a big bonus that Matteo Berrettini was forced into a fifth set decider on the same day. Like Rafael Nadal, the Italian looked to be well on the way to the Semi Final when leading 2-0 in sets against Gael Monfils, but instead had to expend unnecessary energy in winning a fifth set decider.

It has been a tough tournament for Matteo Berrettini, but he has underlined his position as a threat on all surfaces and now is looking for a really big win at a Grand Slam. The Italian has been a little fortunate in three of the five matches he has won at Melbourne Park and he has spent a considerable amount of time on the court already.

Rafael Nadal did need over four hours in tough conditions to win his last match, but he has not really been pushed too hard prior to that and I do expect that to make a difference in this Semi Final. He is a player that has struggled at the business end of the Australian Open too many times since winning the title here in 2009, but I think the match up is one that Rafael Nadal should be comfortable with.

He will know he is going to be bludgeoned by some huge serving and big forehands, but Rafael Nadal's natural position is to go into the Matteo Berrettini backhand and we all saw the damage that was done by a loopier shot Gael Monfils was playing into that wing. Rafael Nadal won't just use that loopy approach, but his ball will be spinning plenty and it may make it tough for Berrettini to control.

Despite the tough nature of the Quarter Final, Rafael Nadal is producing much better numbers than Matteo Berrettini in this tournament. His serve has largely been effective and Nadal is the superior return player.

You can't rule out Matteo Berrettini as we have seen players capable of overpowering Rafael Nadal on the hard courts and there is no doubting the power that Berrettini possesses. He may not be breaking at the same rate as the Spaniard, but Matteo Berrettini is building pressure with a serve that he has held 91% of the time in the Australian Open.

Even then, that is a number below Rafael Nadal's mark at Melbourne Park and the biggest unknown is how the former World Number 1 is feeling physically. With the day of rest I am expecting Rafael Nadal to be as close to his best as he can be at 35 years old and although he is playing an opponent who is much younger, I think Nadal's experience can see him close the door on Matteo Berrettini in a three or four set win.

I do expect a closer match than when these two met in the US Open Final in 2019, but I also think Matteo Berrettini has to be much better than we have seen in this tournament to win two or more sets.

Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 sets v Stefanos Tsitsipas: It was a tough, gruelling Quarter Final and Daniil Medvedev had to fight back from 2-0 down to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in almost close to five hours on the court.

The World Number 2 has an opportunity to move past Novak Djokovic with a win at the Australian Open, but admitted he tried to get into the same mindset as the great Champion in a bid to turn around a match that had gone completely against him through the first two sets. The numbers back up the fact that it feels like Felix Auger-Aliassime missed a big opportunity to move past Daniil Medvedev and the big question for the Russian is how much time he has had to recover for this Semi Final.

Is one day going to be enough for a player that has not really reached the heights we know he is capable of at Melbourne Park? At least the schedulers have helped by placing Daniil Medvedev in the second Semi Final on Day 12 at the tournament, but he is going to have to be a lot better if he is going to get the better of Stefanos Tsitsipas, who enjoyed a much more comfortable passage through to the Semi Final.

It has been a tough tournament for Stefanos Tsitsipas at times, but he will be receiving an overwhelming support and may not have a better chance to get one over on his rival on the hard courts. In their previous matches, it is Daniil Medvedev who has been the much superior player and that includes a very easy win here at the Australian Open in the Semi Final in 2021.

Both have served really well in the Australian Open and that is going to be a major factor in this match- the player who can get behind their rhythm the best on serve is going to be the player dominating rallies and ultimately winning this match.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has the better returning numbers of the two players in the Australian Open this year, but he seems to have played the big points better than Daniil Medvedev. While both have won around 36% of return points played, it is the Greek star who has broken in 22% of return games compared with Daniil Medvedev's 18% mark.

However, you can't help feel there is more room for improvement for Daniil Medvedev and he has broken in 23% of return games played against Stefanos Tsitsipas on the hard courts. That is much better than the 11% mark produced by Tsitsipas and I do think the match up is one that the World Number 2 enjoys.

Much is going to depend on how fit Daniil Medvedev feels, but I think he is capable of winning this match and will likely have to get the job done relatively quickly after the effort needed in the Quarter Final. He is capable of doing that as long as he serves better than he did against Felix Auger-Aliassime, and I think Daniil Medvedev can be backed in this second Semi Final to continue his dominance over Stefanos Tsitsipas on a hard court.

MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal - 1.5 Sets @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 Sets @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 39-31, + 6.38 Units (140 Units Staked, + 4.56% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 11 Picks 2022 (January 27th)

The Grand Slams all try and have unique approaches to the way they organise their tournaments.

Wimbledon has long had 'Middle Sunday' free from play and that has meant they have had the best single day of tennis you will see when the entire Fourth Round is played on Manic Monday. This tradition will end in 2022 as they look to become a Slam much more in line with the others.

The French Open will still be the only Grand Slam that will begin play on Sunday, but they have added a Night Session alongside the Australian Open and US Open to maximise profits. A not so impressive move is having two separate sessions for the Men's Semi Final.

For a long time the US Open put together 'Super Saturday'- it was a day when the Women's Final and two Men's Semi Final matches were played, but the second of the Men's Semi Final winners were long seen as being unfortunate to not have any time to prepare for the Sunday Final and it meant a change in the format.

This year the Australian Open will be changing- the Women's Semi Finals are both played on Thursday in the Night Session and both Men's Semi Final matches have been scheduled to be played on Friday. In previous years one of the Semi Finals were played on Thursday along with the Women's Semi Finals and that gave the winner a slight edge when it came to preparation for the Final.

The hope is that this will make the field a little more level and it is also gives the Ladies a chance to take the full limelight at the business end of the Australian Open.

Ashleigh Barty - 4.5 games v Madison Keys: If she is feeling the pressure, the tennis being produced by Ashleigh Barty is covering up any tension as she moves a step closer to becoming the first Australian to win the home Grand Slam since Christine O'Neil in 1978.

You couldn't even say that Ashleigh Barty started slowly in her Quarter Final win over Jessica Pegula, but the first five games were about as competitive as the match got as she rolled past her opponent in straight sets. Once again a player failed to win games against the World Number 1 and I do think Ashleigh Barty is looking the clear favourite to win the title here.

In saying that, Madison Keys may be the biggest threat left to Ashleigh Barty in the draw and that is the Semi Final opponent she is going to be facing on Thursday. The American has admitted that 2021 was a very difficult year for her, but Madison Keys was ready to give her team all the credit for helping her overcome some of the burden and allow her to play some of her best tennis this month.

Her numbers were really poor on the hard courts in 2021, but Madison Keys has opened the 2022 season with an 11-1 record and won a title in preparing for the Australian Open. She has dropped a single set at Melbourne Park and the crushing wins over Paula Badosa and Barbora Krejcikova are very impressive, although Madison Keys may feel she is going to have to be even better when facing the home favourite.

It can be argued that Ashleigh Barty has taken over from Naomi Osaka as the best player in the world on this surface and winning the Grand Slam will mean she holds two of the four. That will underline her position as the Number 1 Ranked player and I do think Ashleigh Barty is performing at a level that will be very difficult to contain.

Madison Keys has really been returning very well at the Australian Open, and her service numbers have been very strong, but both are not quite to where Ashleigh Barty has been at. And as well as Madison Keys has been playing, I expect Barty to put her under a lot more pressure than anyone else she has faced at the Australian Open.

You can't ignore the fact that Ashleigh Barty has enjoyed a pretty kind draw to the Semi Final, but her results have backed up how 'easy' she has found things. I can't rule out the fact that the Madison Keys serve could take the racquet out of the hands of the favourite, but Ashleigh Barty is a confident player and her variety may also give her an edge in this Semi Final.

It is the American who won the first meeting between the players back in 2017, but Ashleigh Barty won the last two, although both of those came in 2019. In those wins, Ashleigh Barty had a real edge on the return and I think she is going to have too much for Madison Keys in this match, even if the underdog will try and ease some pressure on herself by feeling she has already overachieved by reaching the Semi Final.

I am expecting a big-hitting match, but the steadiness and quality of Ashleigh Barty should be enough to see her book her place in the Australian Open Final on Saturday.

Danielle Collins v Iga Swiatek: The two contrasting manners of the Quarter Final wins may not mean a lot if these players were to have a day off between matches as they do through much of the Grand Slam.

However, the second Women's Semi Final is between two players who have played on Day 10 and are asked to be back out on court on Day 11 of the tournament. Danielle Collins made short work of Alize Cornet, but Iga Swiatek needed more than three hours to beat Kaia Kanepi and you have to believe that is a factor.

It is the second match in a row that the Polish player has needed to come from a set down and you have to wonder if the accumulated fatigue will wear her down. Iga Swiatek has also been trending in the wrong direction when it comes to her performances at the Australian Open with the numbers being a touch worse in each passing Round of the tournament.

She did play the big points pretty well in her win over Kaia Kanepi, but it was a tense match and I do wonder if Iga Swiatek is going to be able to cope with the pressure that will be exerted from the other side of the net. While Danielle Collins is known for being an emotional player, I think she is someone who has utter belief in her own game and the serve has proven to be a big weapon for her.

Moving through the Quarter Final without using too much physical or mental energy is really important at this stage of any Grand Slam tournament and I do think her numbers on return have been impressive enough to believe the American can reach her first Grand Slam Final. Surprise winners have been part of the Women's game in recent Slams and Danielle Collins may feel she can add her name to the list, although it will be a test for Collins having to deal with a new experience.

Danielle Collins looks to be in a more consistent place with her tennis and I think that is going to be the key in this second Semi Final. She looks a good shot as the outsider in this match and especially if Iga Swiatek has been worn down mentally and physically from the matches played on Day 10.

MY PICKS: Ashleigh Barty - 4.5 Games @ 1.85 Coral (2 Units)

Danielle Collins @ 2.40 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Australian Open Tennis Day 10 Picks 2022 (January 26th)

If you had told me that Rafael Nadal and Matteo Berrettini had both moved into 2-0 leads in their Quarter Final matches on Day 9 at the Australian Open, I would have been expecting at least one winning Pick.

Quite unbelievably, both players saw their opponents scramble back to 2-2, but then managed to battle against the momentum that built against them in a 3-2 win.

It is annoying to say the least, especially as it would have resulted in the tournament totals moving back in a very positive direction. Thankfully both Madison Keys and Ashleigh Barty came through to avoid a loss on the day, but it does feel like a missed opportunity.

Hopefully the remaining Quarter Final matches are much more positive in terms of the returns, although as a fan it is good to see the Australian Open have some drama in the matches that are being played.

Danielle Collins - 4.5 games v Alize Cornet: The top half of the draw has a favourite who has steamrolled her way past every opponent that she has faced, but the bottom half of the Women's event at the Australian Open has arguably four surprise names involved.

The most surprising Quarter Final clash may be the one involving Danielle Collins and Alize Cornet and both players have to be aware of the size of the opportunity in front of them. In a long career, the veteran Alize Cornet has already broken new ground by reaching the Quarter Final of a Grand Slam for the first time, while Danielle Collins is a former Australian Open Semi Finalist and has also reached the Quarter Final at the French Open previously.

You do have to think that plays some part in the match, but Danielle Collins is not going to be the most intimidating opponent that Alize Cornet has played in the tournament having beaten two previous Slam Champions in her four matches here. The win over Garbine Muguruza was very comfortable, but Alize Cornet had to dig deep to beat Simona Halep in the Fourth Round and that after a very intense Third Round win.

Fatigue has to be accumulating for Alize Cornet and she is being asked to play at a difficult time, but the battle and fight the Frenchwoman has shown has to be commended. Her numbers in the Australian Open are considerably better than her usual hard court level and I think the chance of reaching a Slam Semi Final has to keep her highly motivated with those opportunities likely to be limited for the 32 year old Cornet.

However, she did look really tired at times in the last Round and, although known as someone who can be a little 'dramatic' on the court, I do think there has to be some accumulation building up. That is both from an emotional and physical point of view and I think Danielle Collins is playing the steadier tennis all around, even though she has had to come from a set down in back to back wins.

Those have been in matches that the American has looked really good and she has created a lot more break points than she has been giving up. Danielle Collins has been serving really well throughout the tournament and that can make the difference for her in this match, although she will have to contain emotions that can sometimes rear up.

This is a very big mark and Alize Cornet is not someone who will go away easily, but I think if Danielle Collins can get in front there will be some pressure on the underdog that can wear her down a bit quicker. Alize Cornet has yet to be behind in the tournament and it will be a tough situation to deal with in her current condition.

Danielle Collins looks to have the edge in the serving department and I think that will see her do enough to not only move through to the Semi Final, but to do so in some style.

Iga Swiatek - 4.5 games v Kaia Kanepi: Earlier in her career, Kaia Kanepi reached a number of Grand Slam Quarter Finals, but injuries racked up and she missed two years on the Tour. The Estonian returned with a Quarter Final run at the US Open in 2017, but she has made just two Fourth Rounds since then.

Everything has changed at the Australian Open as Kaia Kanepi has made her maiden Australian Open Quarter Final after a gruelling win over Aryna Sabalenka in the Fourth Round. Kaia Kanepi even begun to celebrate too early in the Super Tie Break win over the Number 2 Seed, but she has shown the battling qualities which have allowed her to come back from a set down in each of her last two matches.

The run has perhaps been more surprising at this stage of the Kanepi career when you look at the hard court numbers over the last two seasons and I think that is going to make this a really tough Quarter Final for her to deal with. However, Kaia Kanepi is going to feel like she is a dangerous player in this match as long as she continues to serve as she has done at Melbourne Park in her run to this Quarter Final.

Once again Kaia Kanepi is going to be an underdog when she faces Iga Swiatek who is one of just two former Grand Slam Champions that are still looking to add to the titles they have won. While we have seen a decline in some of the hard court numbers that Kanepi has produced, Iga Swiatek is a progressing player on the hard courts and that is underlined by the fact she has made her first Grand Slam Quarter Final on this surface.

Iga Swiatek has been pushed in the last two Rounds and she was quite emotional after coming from a set down to beat Sorana Cirstea in the Fourth Round, but the former French Open Champion should be able to handle the occasion. Only Ashleigh Barty has proven to be too good for Iga Swiatek in the Australian summer in January and she has also been a player that has found plenty out of the serve to stay on top of opponents.

First serves are going to be absolutely massive for both of these players, but it is Iga Swiatek who has been the slightly better return player. It is where the difference can be made between them on the day and I think the hard court numbers over the last couple of years suggests the Pole can find a level that Kaia Kanepi may struggle to match.

The Women's tournament has been fun at the Australian Open because matches have been competitive, but I do think this Quarter Final can move towards the favourite who can then eventually begin to roll past her opponent. Kaia Kanepi will be confident and feel like she has nothing to lose, but Iga Swiatek is in fine form and I think she will do enough to win and eventually enough to cover.

Jannik Sinner - 1.5 sets v Stefanos Tsitsipas: Three years ago, a surprising run to the Australian Open Semi Final announced Stefanos Tsitsipas to the wider tennis audience and he reached the same Round last year before losing to Daniil Medvedev. The first half of the season has tended to be a more productive time for the Greek player who has played in three Semi Finals and one Final at the Australian Open and French Open combined.

Those two Slams have been his stronger ones and Stefanos Tsitsipas has not been beyond the Fourth Round at either Wimbledon or the US Open and his run to the Quarter Final here makes him dangerous. However, Stefanos Tsitsipas has struggled through this tournament and he has yet to really reached the kind of level that would be expected of him.

He has been an improving player on the hard courts thanks to a better ability to get into return games, but Stefanos Tsitsipas has had some doubts about his fitness prior to the tournament beginning. It certainly may be playing a part in the long matches that Stefanos Tsitsipas has had to deal with at Melbourne Park already, and the big question has to be how much is left in the tank for one of the contenders.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is also going to have to deal with an up and coming threat on the ATP Tour and Jannik Sinner has already moved into the top ten of the World Rankings. In just his third ever Grand Slam event, the Italian reached the Quarter Final at the French Open, but a much improved player will be taking the court this time.

One poor set aside, Jannik Sinner has been in control of his tennis and he has been serving really well at Melbourne Park, while that has only opened things up for his aggressive return to takeover matches. It was a bit more of a challenge against home opponent Alex De Minaur in the Fourth Round, but Jannik Sinner played the big points well and his hard court numbers this month have been very impressive.

I also have to give Jannik Sinner the edge when it comes to the fitness in this Quarter Final and I think that will help him against an opponent who has the winning record in their three previous matches. All of those came on the clay courts, which is a surface on which Stefanos Tsitsipas plays his best tennis, but I do think the Italian is going to prove to be a real threat on the hard courts if he is not already.

If Stefanos Tsitsipas had not been struggling with some physical issues and not been pushed as hard as he has in this tournament, I think this would be a really close match. However, it feels like a huge opportunity for Jannik Sinner to make his way into a maiden Grand Slam and I think he can produce a very good win as long as the Italian can stay on top of his emotions.

Daniil Medvedev - 6.5 games v Felix Auger-Aliassime: Frustrations were high on the Daniil Medvedev side of the court in his four set Fourth Round win over Maxime Cressy and plenty of that was down to the opponent. The American is an 'old school' player who looks to play serve-volley all day long and it was clear that Daniil Medvedev was having issues trying to work out the best way to deal with a player that is not being replicated by too many others around the Tour.

While he was irritated by the tennis he was facing, Daniil Medvedev may also have been externalising the frustration of not being scheduled to be played on Rod Laver Arena. As the top Seed in the Men's draw and the last Grand Slam Champion, you can understand that Daniil Medvedev will feel he is one of the big draws at all events and particularly on a day when none of the 'Big Three' are involved.

He will get his wish the rest of the way at the Australian Open and Daniil Medvedev has been placed in the evening session, which is the primetime spot for many players at Melbourne Park. That should at least make the World Number 2 happier as he takes a step closer to winning a second Grand Slam title and also move into position as the World Number 1.

A huge serve is backed up by a very efficient return and that makes Daniil Medvedev very dangerous on the hard courts as he looks to reach a third straight Final on this surface in the Grand Slams. Daniil Medvedev has broken at least three times in every match he has played so far at the Australian Open and he has created at least eleven break points in each of the last three matches here, numbers that are going to give the Russian plenty of confidence.

He will also earn confidence when playing Felix Auger-Aliassime and it has been a good match up for Daniil Medvedev. This is the third time they have met on a hard court since September and Daniil Medvedev has won the last two in dominant fashion, which underlines why he is such a big favourite here.

Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov are leading Canadian tennis into a new era and the two combined to help their nation win the ATP Cup before the Australian Open began. He has reached the top ten of the World Rankings for the first time in his career thanks to the performances at the ATP Cup, but Felix Auger-Aliassime knows the challenge in front of him.

After reaching the Quarter Final at Wimbledon and then the Semi Final at the US Open, Felix Auger-Aliassime is hoping that he continues to progressing to reach a maiden Grand Slam Final. However, the young Canadian was beaten pretty comfortably in those two previous Grand Slam matches when reaching the latter stages and there is still a real question mark about the return and whether that is good enough to beat the best.

Even in the run here at the Australian Open, Felix Auger-Aliassime has only managed to break in 18% of return games and it is a mark that is not going to get things done against the top players he will have to beat to reach the Final.

Felix Auger-Aliassime has a 3-15 record against top ten Ranked opponents on the hard courts and his marks of 72% of games being held and 14% of return games leading to a break of serve is not up the level he needs. In the two matches against Daniil Medvedev over the last five months, Felix Auger-Aliassime has only held serve in 60% of service games played compared with his opponent's mark of 95% and that is a gap that looks very difficult to bridge.

Daniil Medvedev has broken Felix Auger-Aliassime nine times in five sets played against him and his current form suggests the Russian is going to be able to pull away and cover a big number in this Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Danielle Collins - 4.5 Games @ 2.05 Coral (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jannik Sinner - 1.5 Sets @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Daniil Medvedev - 6.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 36-28, + 5.78 Units (128 Units Staked, + 4.52% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 9 Picks 2022 (January 25th)

The last couple of days at the Australian Open have begun to produce the upsets and Day 8 was a day when another couple of big names departed, while others barely scraped over the line.

The Women's draw continues to be wide open and that was underlined by the likes of Alize Cornet and Sorana Cirstea being able to turn back the clock- Cornet managed to beat Simona Halep, but Cirstea came up short.

However, the performances underlined the fact that anyone can beat anyone and it is the main reason we have had so many new Grand Slam Champions and surprise winners.

The top of the game needs a big time rivalry though and I am hoping Ashleigh Barty is going to be at least one of the players that looks to become the dominant force on the Tour. She will need a rival to go with her and bring in new eyes on the sport, especially at a time when the likes of Serena Williams look on the brink of retiring.

The Quarter Final line up has been set and the top half of the Men's and Women's draws will get to play on Rod Laver Arena through Day 9 at the tournament.

After a poor Day 8 for the Tennis Picks, I am hoping the following selections can help me bounce back and move the totals back in a positive direction.

Rafael Nadal - 1.5 sets v Denis Shapovalov: Being a higher Seeded player has meant Rafael Nadal has had an 'easier' path through to this Quarter Final and it is underlined by the fact he has yet to face someone Ranked higher than Number 30. That all changes for Rafael Nadal on Tuesday as he gets set to try and return to another Semi Final at the Australian Open when he takes on a fellow lefty, Denis Shapovalov.

The young Canadian looked really impressive in the Fourth Round when dismissing Alexander Zverev in straight sets and all of his wins at the Australian Open have come against players Ranked inside the top 60. You have to keep that in mind when looking at the numbers that both Denis Shapovalov and Rafael Nadal have produced in this tournament, although there is some pressure on Shapovalov.

As well as he has played, his return is still a big weakness and you can just imagine that the 20 time Grand Slam Champion looking to make history by putting 21 on the board will know all about that. I expect Rafael Nadal to look to contain the threat of Denis Shapovalov with his own serve working very well in the Australian Open so far, although the Spaniard has been beaten by this opponent on a hard court before.

It is a result that will focus Rafael Nadal and came in the first ever match against Denis Shapovalov- the latter was a little fortunate that day and he has lost the next three matches against Nadal, including in their last meeting on the hard courts.

The match between these two was highly competitive on a clay court last year and I do think Denis Shapovalov will be able to play some tennis which will be tough for Rafael Nadal to deal with. However, it should be pointed out that Rafael Nadal has been the more productive return player in their head to head and the Spaniard has been very strong on this side of his game at the Australian Open as Nadal looks to extend his unbeaten start to the season.

If Denis Shapovalov serves as he can, I do think he will win a set, but Rafael Nadal looks like he matches up pretty well with the youngster. At some point Denis Shapovalov will break through past one of the Big Three, but I think the return has to be significantly improved and I am going to look for the Spaniard to reach the Semi Final in three or four sets.

Matteo Berrettini - 1.5 sets v Gael Monfils: It has been a very good career, but this looks like being one of the last chances for Gael Monfils to fulfil the potential most believed he had before he turned pro.

At 35 years old, the Frenchman looked to have seen his best days on the court, but Gael Monfils has had a very strong Indian Summer in Australia and he has managed to win a title already. He has backed that up very well with Gael Monfils winning all four matches at Melbourne Park without dropping a set and his numbers have been very strong.

Gael Monfils has held almost 93% of the service games played at the Australian Open and that has allowed him to put a lot of pressure on his opponents. That has helped Gael Monfils in breaking in 44% of return games too, although the level of performance suggests the Frenchman may already have peaked in the tournament.

That will be a major problem for Gael Monfils if it proves to be true as he is next up against Matteo Berrettini who has become a very familiar face at the business end of Grand Slam tournaments. He reached the Final at Wimbledon last year and the Italian is the favourite to make his way to the Semi Final at the Australian Open after crushing Pablo Carreno Busta in the Fourth Round.

Matteo Berrettini has not impressed as much as Gael Monfils in terms of pure numbers, but the Italian has had a much more difficult run. His serve continues to be a potent weapon with 92% of games being held in this tournament, but Matteo Berrettini has done enough with his return to find the breaks he has needed to win matches.

It should be noted that he has dropped four sets already in the tournament and I do think Gael Monfils will push Matteo Berrettini, much like he did when these two met in the Quarter Final at the US Open in 2019. On that occasion it took five sets to decide a winner, although Berrettini was a much more comfortable winner when these two met at the ATP Cup in 2021.

The numbers in the two matches between these players on the hard courts do not make good reading for Gael Monfils and I do think this is a big step up for him. Winning the title in Adelaide is a confidence booster for the Frenchman, but he has yet to face anyone Ranked inside the top 20 of the World Rankings in 2022 and I think a battle hardened and progressing Matteo Berrettini will have too much for him.

Both players have been serving well, but the feeling is that Matteo Berrettini is more likely to sustain the current levels and Gael Monfils may not be able to get into the return games as he has in this tournament. I expect him to be closer than he was when losing in straight sets at the ATP Cup, but at the same time I think Matteo Berrettini is much improved from September 2019 and he can find a way to win this one in much cleaner fashion than their last hard court Quarter Final meeting at a Grand Slam.

Madison Keys v Barbora Krejcikova: There is still going to be a real feeling within every player left in the Women's draw that they can win this Grand Slam and the wide open nature of the draw means there have been plenty of close matches, upsets and good tennis to watch.

Both Madison Keys and Barbora Krejcikova won their Fourth Round matches as the underdog and I think there is going to be a confidence in their tennis in this Quarter Final. Barbora Krejcikova is a Grand Slam Champion, but Madison Keys is playing as close to her best as is possible and has reached the business end of three of the four Grand Slams.

The American is a former Semi Finalist here in Melbourne and will be looking to match that run at the very least, while Madison Keys has reached the Final at the US Open before coming up a little short on the day. Recent seasons have been much tougher for Madison Keys who has not reached a Quarter Final at a Grand Slam since 2019, but she has played at a very high level this month.

It is a level that has already produced a title for Madison Keys, but she will be challenged all the way by Barbora Krejcikova who reached the Final of a warm up tournament before the Australian Open began. The Czech player dominated Victoria Azarenka in the last Round, but I think Krejcikova will know full well that this is a different kind of test and one that should be much tougher.

Both players have been serving really well, but it is Barbora Krejcikova who has performed a little better on the return- it is the main area of concern for Madison Keys and has perhaps been the reason she has fallen down the World Rankings, but I do think the American has her eye in so far this month.

The key for both players is trying to get enough first serves in so they can play first strike tennis, and I am giving Madison Keys enough of an edge in this one to make her worthy of backing. The American has been more consistent of the two players in the tournament so far and I think at key moments in this match that should stand her in good stead as Madison Keys becomes the first Semi Finalist at the Australian Open in 2022.

Ashleigh Barty - 5.5 games v Jessica Pegula: When you look at the final eight names left in the Women's draw at the Australian Open in 2022, most would likely tip up Ashleigh Barty as the favourite to win this Grand Slam tournament. There is pressure on her shoulders with the expectant home crowd long believing Ashleigh Barty can end the long wait for a home winner Down Under, but so far the Australian is more than holding her nerve.

Instead Ashleigh Barty has been coasting her way through the opening four Rounds of the Australian Open and she has backed up her performances in winning a title earlier this month. In fact she lost her set played in 2022 and all Ashleigh Barty has done since then is win sixteen sets in a row to produce an 8-0 record.

To underline the dominance, only four of those sets have seen Ashleigh Barty lose four or more games and you won't be surprised that the numbers have been very strong. That suggests she has been very good rather than lucky, although Barty may be the first to admit she expects more from the return of serve.

In the four wins at Melbourne Park the returning numbers have been impressive and the biggest challenge may be between the ears for Ashleigh Barty who has reached the Quarter Final for a fourth year in a row. Only one of those have been converted into a Semi Final place and Barty will know this is going to be anything but a walkover when facing Jessica Pegula.

The American lost both matches before the Australian Open begun, but she made her breakthrough at the Australian Open last year and has backed that up by reaching the Quarter Final again.

A flat Maria Sakkari was beaten in the Fourth Round, but Jessica Pegula has not been that impressive on her run to the Quarter Final this time around and I do think she is going to have raise her game two or three notches to be competitive in this Quarter Final. The serve is a pretty good weapon for Jessica Pegula, but she is only winning 42% of return points in this tournament and Pegula won three tight matches earlier in the tournament.

Those were against players Ranked way below Ashleigh Barty and their sole previous meeting came at the French Open which was won by the Australian in straight sets. That was in the First Round in 2019 and Ashleigh Barty went on to win her first Grand Slam title so she will be hoping a win over Jessica Pegula could be part of another Slam success.

I do think Jessica Pegula will be competitive, but I think Ashleigh Barty will have the lion share of the break points and her current form could see her pull away for a win and a cover of this spread.

MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Matteo Berrettini - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Madison Keys @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Ashleigh Barty - 5.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 34-26, + 5.78 Units (120 Units Staked, + 4.82% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 8 Picks 2022 (January 24th)

Most of the big names have managed to work their way through to the second week of the Australian Open tournament, but this is a time when the matches become much tougher for the top players on the Tour.

Alexander Zverev suffered a straight sets loss to Denis Shapovalov in the Fourth Round, but the top half of the Men's and Women's events have had the Quarter Final line up put together. I still believe Ashleigh Barty and Daniil Medvedev are the correct favourites to win the tournament over the coming days, but both events do still look to be wide open and I think every player remaining in the draw will believe they can go and win the event.

It should make for some very tough tennis matches to come and will perhaps elevate the Australian Open that has suffered without Novak Djokovic and not really produced the epic matches that people will be tuning into Grand Slams to see.

Jannik Sinner - 1.5 sets v Alex De Minaur: It was a tougher than expected Third Round win for Jannik Sinner, but he did manage to weather the storm and roll through the last two sets against Taro Daniel. The young Italian is continuing to make waves on the Tour, but I think he will be the first to admit that he is going to have to be much better in this Fourth Round tie as he deals with an opponent and what is likely going to be a very loud crowd.

The Australian hopes will largely be pinned on Ashleigh Barty in the Women's event, but Alex De Minaur is still standing in the Men's draw as he has reached the second week at his home Grand Slam for the first time. Expectations are still not going to be weighing heavy on the shoulders of Alex De Minaur, but he has to enjoy being in this position and has to use the crowd to help him battle against a tough opponent.

Alex De Minaur has had a strong week at Melbourne Park and backed up some solid performances at the ATP Cup, but he has to be aware of the challenge in front of him. The wins secured so far have not been against anyone Ranked inside the top 59 of the World Rankings, so you could argue that the Australian has done what most would have expected from him.

However, in saying that, you have to be impressed with anyone who has won nine sets in a row in a Grand Slam and the numbers have been very strong. The serve is working really well for Alex De Minaur and it has allowed him free reign to put a lot of pressure on his opponents when it comes to the return part of his game.

I do think Alex De Minaur will be tested in a different way against someone like Jannik Sinner who has been really good in 2022 and will be looking for a seventh straight win. Take away one poor set against Taro Daniel, and Jannik Sinner has really dominated at the Australian Open and backed up some strong numbers produced at the ATP Cup too.

An aggressive return game has seen Jannik Sinner surge into the top ten of the World Rankings and he has broken in 41% of return games played at the Australian Open. I do think he will put Alex De Minaur under more pressure than the first three opponents have been able to manage and Sinner also holds a mental edge with pro wins over this opponent.

When they met in Sofia on the hard courts around fifteen months ago, Jannik Sinner broke in 33% of return games played compared with Alex De Minaur's 7% mark. While I don't think those wide margins will be replicated in this match, I do think Jannik Sinner is the superior tennis player at this stage of their careers and I think the Italian will find a way to cool down the crowd and move through in three or four sets.

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 1.5 sets v Taylor Fritz: If you look at the two halves of the Men's draw, there is no doubt that the bottom half looks a more loaded with players capable of going on and winning this Grand Slam. Losing Novak Djokovic was a big blow to the tournament, but it gives others a chance to shine and Stefanos Tsitsipas has to believe he is going to have the tennis to go very far in a tournament he has enjoyed in his career.

I still make Daniil Medvedev the favourite in the bottom half to reach the Final, but Stefanos Tsitsipas has thrived at Melbourne Park thanks to the huge amount of support he receives at this tournament. We have yet to see Stefanos Tsitsipas at his easy best, but he has played well in Melbourne and he looks to be peaking as he gets set to begin his second week at the Australian Open.

He is also much more experienced than his opponent in the Fourth Round as Taylor Fritz reaches the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time. There has been plenty of promise around Taylor Fritz and he has long been thought of as the next star of American tennis, but he has yet to make an impact at this level and this tournament may be his event to really announce himself.

Taylor Fritz had a very tough win in the Third Round as he came back from 2-1 down in sets to beat veteran Roberto Bautista Agut, while he was cramping at the end of his win over compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the Second Round. With that in mind, you have to believe Stefanos Tsitsipas may be thinking of making this a physical match to see if he can break down Taylor Fritz in that manner as much as anything else.

The American has played well this month, but he will find it difficult to sustain the return numbers which have really propelled his run. This time Taylor Fritz has to deal with an opponent who has a very big serve and Stefanos Tsitsipas has won 71% of service points played at Melbourne Park, leading to 93% of games being held behind that shot.

It will put pressure on Taylor Fritz who has held 81% of his own service games at the tournament so far and I do think it will prove to be the difference in serving numbers that end up making the difference between the players. That was the case when Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Taylor Fritz in their sole previous meeting on the Tour and I think the Greek player can find a way to move through to the Quarter Final in three or four sets.

Marin Cilic v Felix Auger-Aliassime: Backing up an upset in a Grand Slam tournament can be very difficult, but you have to believe the veteran Marin Cilic is used to winning in those conditions and is well equipped to deal with the emotions. He was deserving of his win over Andrey Rublev in the Third Round and beating one of the contenders will have Marin Cilic believing he can go one better than previously at the Australian Open as a former Runner Up.

it may also be easier dealing with the win in the Third Round as an underdog and that is what Marin Cilic will be in the Fourth Round when he takes on youngster Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The Canadian was very fortunate to even reach the Third Round before completely overwhelming Daniel Evans, but Felix Auger-Aliassime has to know that he is going to be tested in this one. The 0-3 head to head against Marin Cilic will only focus Auger-Aliassime a bit more and those defeats will feel pretty fresh in the mind of the younger player.

Two Semi Final runs before the Australian Open will have Marin Cilic in a good frame of mind though and he has been performing well this month and at the Australian Open. The Croatian has served well, but a declining returning game looks to have been rejuvenated in the Australian summer and Marin Cilic has to believe that gives him every chance of earning the upset for a second match in succession.

Felix Auger-Aliassime has won six of his eight matches in January, but his numbers have not nearly been as impressive as Marin Cilic and that makes him a vulnerable favourite. The serve can be a big weapon for the Canadian, but he remains a player with a fairly average return and that is where the difference can be made in this match.

It has certainly been the difference in their previous matches against one another with Felix Auger-Aliassime breaking in 13% of return games played and Marin Cilic doing the same in 34% of return games played.

My feeling is that if Marin Cilic can maintain his form on the serve, he is the better return player of the two players and that can be enough for the veteran to win this match. It might be tight, I wouldn't be surprised if it goes the distance, but I think Marin Cilic is the play as the odds against underdog.

Simona Halep - 5.5 games v Alize Cornet: You could see the almost surprise in the eyes of Alize Cornet as she turned her Third Round match around, but she is going to have to be a lot better if trying to take out one of the favourites to win the Australian Open. All credit has to be given to any player that shows the fight that Alize Cornet produced to turn her last match around, but spending 17 minutes shy of almost three hours on court to do so is not ideal for any player.

A day of rest will help, but Alize Cornet is going to be having to work very hard to win this match and I do think accumulated fatigue is going to play a part. A winning record over Simona Halep will be good for the mind too, but those matches were some time ago and they should not be an overriding factor in the match.

It certainly won't be something that will be bothering Simona Halep too much considering the kind of level she has been producing in January and in the Australian Open. The eight wins already secured in 2022 have largely come in one-sided fashion too and the former World Number 1 is backing up her serve very effectively at Melbourne Park, which has put her opponents under pressure.

Serving well is one thing, but Simona Halep has been very good on the returning side of her game in the tournament so far with almost 59% of return points won through her first three matches at the Australian Open. The Romanian will find it tough to maintain that kind of level throughout the second week, but they are eye-catching numbers and I do think Simona Halep is going to be able to pressurise Alize Cornet.

You should not take anything away from the Frenchwoman considering she has beaten Garbine Muguruza in the Second Round here, but I can't help feel she is going up against someone who is playing at a very high level. Alize Cornet didn't have the best preparation for the Australian Open and she has a second serve that will be attacked by Simona Halep in this Fourth Round match, which is where I believe Cornet will eventually be broken down.

I do think Alize Cornet is good enough to at least push Simona Halep at times, but if she drops the first set, the feeling of fatigue will weight heavily on her and potentially allow the favourite to pull away with a cover of this mark.

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 games v Sorana Cirstea: There were three upsets in the top half of the Women's draw at the Australian Open on Day 7, but I do think the favourites can bounce back on Day 8. The Fourth Round is completed at Melbourne Park and I do think a former Grand Slam Champion can move through to the last eight when Iga Swiatek takes to the court.

While the Grand Slam won by Iga Swiatek was played on the clay courts of Paris, this is a player that has shown improvement on the hard courts in recent years. The progression has been clear from the numbers and I think it is entirely plausible to believe that Iga Swiatek is ready to push further forward on the surface.

Winning the Australian Open will underline the progress being made by Iga Swiatek and I do think she has proven she enjoys the conditions in Australian during their summer. She won a title on the hard courts here back in February 2021 and it took Ashleigh Barty's quality to beat Iga Swiatek in a warm up event for the Australian Open this season.

Iga Swiatek may not look a player with the biggest serve, but she is a player that has backed up that shot very effectively on the hard courts and it has been a big weapon for her in Melbourne. It seems to have freed her up when it comes to the return and in the three wins at the Australian Open, Iga Swiatek has won 52% of return points played.

That will put some pressure on Sorana Cirstea, but you cannot underestimate a player that has reached the Fourth Round with wins over two top 20 Ranked opponents already. Inconsistencies have prevented Sorana Cirstea from breaking into the top 20 of the World Rankings in her career, but she is a competitor capable of producing high level tennis on her day and that was proven to both Petra Kvitova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

A couple of one-sided losses in warm up events prior to the Australian Open are a little worrying for Sorana Cirstea, while in recent seasons she has pretty average numbers on the hard courts. The service numbers at this tournament have been considerably better than what is usually expected from Cirstea and the question is whether she can maintain that level for as long as she will need to win a tournament like this.

I think that is unlikely to be honest and I do think Iga Swiatek will make Sorana Cirstea work very hard on this side of her game. The Romanian should be able to challenge the Swiatek serve too, but I think the higher Ranked player is in very good form at the moment and can eventually wear down her opponent and pull clear.

Kaia Kanepi + 4.5 games v Aryna Sabalenka: The Double Fault issues that have been blighting Aryna Sabalenka prior to the start of the Australian Open had been the main reason the World Number 2 was considered such an outsider to the win the tournament. She has yet to win a Grand Slam, but came very close at the US Open, and there have been signs that the serve is still vulnerable.

However, Aryna Sabalenka is nothing if not a fighter and she has managed to earn her place in the second week of the Australian Open and from here all is possible. She was an underdog in the Third Round against Marketa Vondrousova, but the Belarusian refuses to count herself out and recovered from a set down to beat the left hander.

It is the third match at the Australian Open where Aryna Sabalenka has lost the first set and fought back in 2022, but in the first two matches she was the favourite and doing so as an underdog has to be respected. The layers are back behind her in the Fourth Round, but the Double Faults continue to be an issue and I do think that makes it hard to believe in Aryna Sabalenka as such a big favourite.

Aryna Sabalenka will be facing an opponent who also needed to rally from a difficult start to make her way through to the Fourth Round- Kaia Kanepi was behind home hope Maddison Inglis, but rolled through the last two sets to earn her place in the second week. The Estonian has not been the most impressive on the hard courts in recent seasons with some inconsistent performances, but the wins at Melbourne Park should strengthen her belief in making a strong run the rest of the way.

There is a clear difference between the players in terms of numbers over the few seasons on the hard courts, but Kaia Kanepi did beat Aryna Sabalenka in Australia last year. That will her with her belief in upsetting the World Number 2, while Kaia Kanepi may feel her second serve is a bit more reliable under pressure than Aryna Sabalenka's.

Dealing with the Aryna Sabalenka serve will still be a challenge, but I also think Kaia Kanepi has been returning with some quality to believe she can make the favourite feel some pressure. When they met last season, it was the Kanepi second serve that proved to be the difference in a three set match and I am looking for that to at least keep the underdog competitive in this Fourth Round match.

I am a big fan of Aryna Sabalenka and know only too well she can wipe out any player she faces in the blink of an eye, but the service troubles have just seen her lacking some confidence. She has dropped at least a set in all three matches at the Australian Open and you have to imagine Kaia Kanepi is playing well enough to do the same here, which will make the number of games being given to her look really appealing and potentially decisive.

MY PICKS: Jannik Sinner - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Marin Cilic @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)

Simona Halep - 5.5 Games @ 1.61 Coral (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Kaia Kanepi + 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 32-22, + 10.74 Units (108 Units Staked, + 9.94% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 7 Picks 2022 (January 23rd)

A full day away from the computer means I have not been able to write out my full thoughts from the Australian Open Day 7 Picks as the Fourth Round begins.

I should be back to fuller posts for the Day 8 Picks, but for today you will have to read my Tennis Picks below.

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev-Denis Shapovalov Over 36.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet365 (2 Units)

Gael Monfils - 5.5 Games @ 1.95 Coral (2 Units)

Ashleigh Barty - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Tennis Day 6 Picks 2022 (January 22nd)

The second week is fast approaching and the players who manage to work their way into the business end of the Australian Open will all feel they have a big chance to win a Grand Slam title.

It feels like the Men's tournament is a bit more of a closed shop in terms of genuine winners, but the Women's event remains wide open. Of course some will point to Ashleigh Barty has being the clear favourite, but the pressure will ramp up to win a home tournament and I do think many of the players will believe they are capable of winning a Slam considering the number of new faces that have picked up a major on this side of the Tour in recent years.

Naomi Osaka will not be one of those to add to the four Slams she has already won, but the tournaments are warming up nicely as the Third Round is completed on Saturday.

It has been a disappointing couple of days for the Tennis Picks, which is a blow after a very strong start to the Australian Open, but I am not going to get too downhearted by that. Ultimately things are still in a good position on the approach to the second week and that is the most important factor to consider.

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 7.5 games v Benoit Paire: An emotional Benoit Paire was interviewed after spending over three hours on court and needing four sets to earn his spot in the Third Round at the Australian Open. He was one of the players that faced a lot of criticism in the pandemic hit 2021 season when openly admitting he could not really raise himself for performing in front of empty stands.

You can't really blame Benoit Paire for feeling that way, but I think it was the way he would seemingly give up in matches when things were going wrong that rubbed people up the wrong way. The Frenchman has always been a player with a limited game on the hard courts, but his numbers dipped significantly in 2021 and he has dropped down to Number 56 in the World Rankings.

Getting up for this match should not be an issue for Benoit Paire with the Greek community always ready to come out and support Stefanos Tsitsipas when he is playing in Melbourne. This is a big match on a big court so I expect to see a full effort from Benoit Paire, although that should not make you lose focus on the hard court numbers which show a player that has a limited serve and who has been struggling on the return.

Stefanos Tsitsipas had a much tougher Second Round match than many may have expected, but that was largely down to playing some of the big points poorly. He created three times more break points than Sebastian Baez and I think this is a match up that Tsitsipas is going to enjoy as he looks to ease his way further into the draw.

Injury issues and some concerns about the form means Stefanos Tsitsipas has been able fly under the radar somewhat, but I think he will be happy with the results and will also feel there is more to come.

This is a very big spread for any player to cover once you start hitting this stage of the tournament, but Stefanos Tsitsipas has enjoyed playing Benoit Paire and has beaten him in three straight matches. That includes two wins over him in 2021, once on the hard courts and once on the clay, when Stefanos Tsitsipas only allowed Benoit Paire to win a total of seven games.

Benoit Paire won the first meeting between the players on the hard courts, but he has lost the last two against Stefanos Tsitsipas on this surface. The Frenchman has struggled on the serve with just 55% of points won and held in 62% of the service games played, while Stefanos Tsitsipas has marks of 66% and 80% respectively.

The two wins secured by Stefanos Tsitsipas have been very comfortable and I think he is likely to enjoy the tennis he is facing, which can go a long way in making him feel easy on the court. For a top player that comfort level could see them just move through the gears and I think Stefanos Tsitsipas will be able to do that against an opponent he has been very good at dispatching in their most recent meetings.

Alex De Minaur - 7.5 games v Pablo Andujar: In recent years there has been a steady progress being made by Alex De Minaur on the ATP Tour and he reached a career best World Ranking of Number 15 back in June 2021, but the last six months have been difficult for all Australian professional tennis players. With the restrictions around the borders, many decided they would not leave home, while others perhaps were not able to perform to their best with other things on the mind.

I have to believe the whole pandemic had a big impact on Alex De Minaur who has had a tough time since June and who is coming off an average year on the hard courts, especially for the standards he has set. The Australian summer has at least offered him the chance to get his career turned back around and Alex De Minaur will be looking to reach the second week in Melbourne for the first time.

It will also be important to help him reverse the current slip down the World Rankings which would mean he will be Unseeded in the Grand Slams coming up. That can see the problems mount up for players who begin to slip, but the two wins here will have given Alex De Minaur confidence and belief in his own game.

Alex De Minaur has won six sets in a row since dropping the opener of the tournament and his serve has been very effective in the small sample size of matches played so far in 2022. Maintaining that over the course of the season will be difficult, but it will certainly make the Australian believe he can do enough to overcome Pablo Andujar in the Third Round.

It has to be seen as a surprise to see Pablo Andujar in this Round of a Grand Slam played on the hard courts, but he did manage to do the same at the US Open last year. His two wins at Melbourne Park have been impressive enough, but this is the first player Pablo Andujar is going to face that is Ranked inside the top 74 of the World and that step up could be too much to bridge.

The clay courts are unsurprisingly the favourite surface for this Spaniard, while Pablo Andujar has a very vulnerable serve on the hard courts in recent years. Holding more than 71% of service games on this surface over the course of a season has been beyond him and the early numbers in 2022 are largely down to the quality of opponent he has faced.

That is not the case in the Third Round and I think there will be a lot of pressure on the Pablo Andujar serve, which in turn puts pressure on him to find the right returns. I think he will have some success against Alex De Minaur, but I am not sure it will be enough to stay with the home player who will have the crowd right behind him and eventually I expect Alex De Minaur to move clear for a good win.

The spread has to be respected, but I think Alex De Minaur has the quality of tennis to cover on these courts.

Andrey Rublev - 4.5 games v Marin Cilic: There have been one or two players that have impressed on the Men's side of the tournament at the Australian Open and one of those has to be Andrey Rublev. He did not play in a warm up event before the first Grand Slam of the season began, but Andrey Rublev has really enjoyed his time at Melbourne Park and his two wins have come in dominant fashion.

However, Andrey Rublev will be the first to expect the challenge to be much greater in the Third Round than he has faced in the first two Rounds with a match against a former Grand Slam Champion in front of him. The veteran Marin Cilic is not playing at the kind of level he once did, but January has been a positive month for the Croatian and confidence will not be an issue.

There has been a clear decline in his performances on the hard courts in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and even the performances this month may be something of a mirage as to how the rest of the season will go for Marin Cilic. In his eight matches so far in 2022, the highest Ranked player that Marin Cilic has played is World Number 29 and it is a big step up to face someone like Andrey Rublev who will feel he can consolidate his place in the top ten.

The Marin Cilic serve will always be a big weapon for him, although the Croatian held just 79% of games played on the hard courts in 2021. He has looked much better this season, but, again, you have to point out the level of competition and Andrey Rublev is a pretty good return player on the surface with an aggressive approach to this side of his game.

It is an approach that has worked well against this opponent in the past and Andrey Rublev has won four matches in a row against Marin Cilic. All of those wins have come on the hard courts too and Rublev has held 88% of service games played across those compared with Marin Cilic's 69% mark.

That is a huge edge for Andrey Rublev who has won eight of the nine sets played between these opponents on the hard courts and the two wins in 2021 over Marin Cilic came in strong fashion. I think he should have too much for the veteran in this one too and I think Andrey Rublev will be able to cover this spread on the way through to the second week.

MY PICKS: Stefanos Tsitsipas - 7.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alex De Minaur - 7.5 Games @ 1.72 Coral (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Roberto Bautista Agut @ 1.80 Coral (2 Units)

Jannik Sinner - 7.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Danielle Collins - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Elise Mertens - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Simona Halep - 6.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 26-17, + 10.70 Units (86 Units Staked, + 12.44% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 5 Picks 2022 (January 21st)

It has been one of those days when I have not really had the time to write out a fuller post for the Australian Open Day 5 Picks as I would have liked.

Instead you can see my selections from the Third Round matches to be played on Friday below.

I have also updated the tournament totals after the most inconsistent day of the Australian Open as far as the Tennis Picks go anyway.

MY PICKS: Lorenzo Sonego - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Gael Monfils - 7.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Pablo Carreno Busta - 1.5 Sets @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Karen Khachanov + 6.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Barbora Krejcikova - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Victoria Azarenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.95 Coral (2 Units)

Madison Keys - 4.5 Games @ 1.70 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 23-13, + 12.30 Units (72 Units Staked, + 17.08% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 4 Picks 2022 (January 19th)

There continue to be some very good matches at the Australian Open, although those have featured players lower down the Seeding, and the top names have largely made comfortable progress so far at the tournament.

The Second Round is going to be completed on Day 4 at Melbourne Park and that means a number of British players are in action. It feels like the majority of players who have travelled Down Under from the United Kingdom have been placed in the bottom half of the Men and Women's draw at the Australian Open and the expectation is that there will still be a number involved later this week.

It has also been a good few days for the Tennis Picks after a strong Day 3, although I am not going to have as many selections from the Thursday offering as I did on Wednesday. There are a number of big favourites I do like to cover, but also plenty of close matches that I am looking to avoid in a bid to keep the positive run going.

Andy Murray - 5.5 games v Taro Daniel: On the same court on which he was beaten in five sets and where many felt they may not see Andy Murray in a Grand Slam tournament again, some redemption was had by the former World Number One in the First Round of the Australian Open in 2022. This time Andy Murray came out on the right side of a tough five set win over a Seeded opponent and it does feel like the door could soon open for a really strong run at Melbourne Park where he is a multiple time Runner Up.

Winning the tournament would still be a huge underdog story for Andy Murray and he has admitted himself that he is going to try and take things as they come each day. Having a day of rest will be important for the veteran having reached the Sydney Final last weekend and after spending just eight minutes shy of four hours on court to see off the huge hitting Nikoloz Basilashvili a couple of days ago.

The match up looks much more favourable for Andy Murray in the Second Round as he takes on Qualifier Taro Daniel.

Any Qualifier who has won three matches and then managed to work his way through the First Round of a Grand Slam has to be respected and Taro Daniel is clearly enjoying his summer in Australia having put together a 7-1 record so far. It would be foolish to ignore the fact that only two of those matches have been against players Ranked inside the top 100 and Taro Daniel is 1-1 in those matches.

His service numbers have been strong, but I do think Taro Daniel is going to be tested in a much tougher manner than he has at any stage over the last month. There is no doubt that Andy Murray has a long way to go to reach his peak return numbers from a few years ago, but he is a player that will get plenty of balls back in play and this is a match in which the British player will not be overpowered as he was at times by the strong ball striking of his last opponent.

The Andy Murray serve is actually looking in pretty good shape so far in January and I think it will be difficult for Taro Daniel to have the same success as Nikoloz Basilashvili had in the two matches played against Murray. Over the last two years, Taro Daniel is just 1-10 against top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts and his return numbers are incredibly poor with just 31% of return points won and breaks in 11% of return games played.

That puts a huge amount of pressure on the Taro Daniel serve and I think Andy Murray can build on the win in the First Round by securing passage to the next Round in much more routine fashion on Day 4 at the Australian Open.

Jannik Sinner - 6.5 games v Steve Johnson: At 20 years old it feels like Jannik Sinner is ready to make a move to the upper echelons of the ATP Tour and his experiences at the ATP Finals in Turin underline the point. He is already inside the top 10 of the World Rankings, but this is the year in which he will be looking for a little more consistency from his game overall and also in terms of results at the Grand Slam level.

To highlight the point, Jannik Sinner reached the Fourth Round at the French Open and US Open in 2021, but he lost in the First Round both here and at Wimbledon. In fact half of the eight Grand Slam tournaments the Italian has entered have ended in the First Round and so the win over Joao Sousa on Tuesday will likely have given him a boost in confidence for the challenges ahead.

There are going to be some tough matches to negotiate if he is going to reach the second week at the Australian Open for the first time and Jannik Sinner would be wrong to look past the veteran Steve Johnson, even if he is no longer the player he was.

Even at his best, Steve Johnson had a real problem in finding the right way to approach return games to really push on and enter the top 20 of the World Rankings. These days the American has slipped outside the top 100 and Steve Johnson needs to put some wins together over the coming weeks to get back into a position where he will be given spots in the main draws of the Grand Slams without needing to play the Qualifiers.

A 5-2 month so far will be a boost for the Ranking points and Steve Johnson did well to rally and beat a home hope in the First Round, although Johnson is likely to be the first to admit he has to pick up his level if he is going to beat an opponent like Jannik Sinner. The serve has long been a big weapon for Steve Johnson, but there were some signs of decline behind that shot in 2021 on the hard courts and it will be an area where the aggressive youngster across the net will be looking to attack where he can.

Jannik Sinner is not the best returner just yet, but he has opened 2022 with his numbers looking impressive even if I am not sure he is going to sustain the level over the course of the next several months. When these two met in Washington on the hard courts last August, Jannik Sinner was able to exert the pressure needed to crack through the Steve Johnson serve and I think he will wear down the American in this Second Round.

I doubt Sinner will be able to coast part Steve Johnson and will be pushed in at least one and perhaps two sets, but I think the Italian has the serve to contain the threat coming from the other side of the net. The longer they are out on court, I expect to see Jannik Sinner put more and more pressure on the Johnson serve and eventually he may break the back of the match and pull clear for a cover of a pretty wide mark.

Andrey Rublev - 7.5 games v Ricardas Berankis: You would be overlooking a player like Ricardas Berankis if you were to judge him solely on his career best World Ranking as I think the talented player should be earned a much higher spot than the Number 50 he achieved. That was a few years ago and Ricardas Berankis is barely holding onto a top 100 Ranking these days, but he will feel he has nothing to lose and has the kind of tennis that is capable of pushing the very best players on the Tour.

You could see that talent in the competitive loss to Rafael Nadal in the lead up the Australian Open, but Ricardas Berankis did have a very tough match in the First Round that lasted close to four hours and five sets and it may play a part in this one too.

One of the main reasons that Ricardas Berankis has not been much higher up the World Rankings is a relatively vulnerable serve compared with the very best players. It was the main reason he was beaten by Nadal in the warm up event, and Berankis has won just under 59% of service points played against top 20 Ranked opponents on the hard courts throughout his career.

While the return has been effective for him at the lower level, Ricardas Berankis has broken in just 14% of return games played against those opponents across twenty-seven matches and I do think he will have issues trying to get into the Andrey Rublev service games.

The top ten Ranked player has played his first match of 2022 in the First Round at the Australian Open and Andrey Rublev looked like he was refreshed and ready for another big year on the Tour. He dominated that match and Andrey Rublev has held 86% of service games played on the hard courts over the last twelve months

Andrey Rublev was broken just once in his first match and he has a very effective return of serve, which should put him in a position to win and cover in this Second Round match. It is a big spread, but Rublev will have the break point chances to win at least one set with two more breaks of serve than Ricardas Berankis and that can make all the difference in the handicap selection.

These players have met twice before and those matches have ended 1-1, but the last of those was in September 2019. Andrey Rublev won that day, but he is much improved, while we have seen the best of Ricardas Berankis and I think the difference will be wide enough for the Russian player to earn another good, straight sets win as he had in the First Round.

MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jannik Sinner - 6.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 7.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Alex De Minaur - 6.5 Games @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 7.5 Games @ 1.95 Coral (2 Units)

Diego Sebastian Schwartzman - 6.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Anett Kontaveit - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Emma Raducanu - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Danielle Collins - 3.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Elise Mertens - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 18-8, + 13.20 Units (52 Units Staked, + 25.38% Yield)