Boxing Picks 2024- Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia (Saturday 20th April)

For most fight fans, the 5 vs 5 undercard to the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol main event featuring fighters from Queensberry promotions facing off against Matchroom would not have been a surprise.

All five fights had long been reported to be taking place, despite Eddie Hearn's insistence he had only made one of his selections on the morning of the press conference, but even then it was something special to see the ten boxers on the stage together.

A very good main event is now being complemented by a very strong undercard, arguably the best fight card that Saudi Arabia have been able to put together as they continue to push their investment into the world of boxing.

I am still convinced that the overall game plan is to make their new 'Undisputed Champion' belt the main attraction in the sport, meaning having control of the sport.

Unlike golf or tennis, sports that have to be played in different venues throughout the course of the year, controlling a sport like boxing looks to be much more manageable, especially if they can push their own belt to being the ultimate one to hold. That would mean picking the fights to be staged in their own country and promoting Riyadh Season all year around, pretty much as they are already beginning to do.

There are obvious concerns, but for fight fans, this is an exciting time knowing that the very biggest fights are going to be able to be put together.

By the end of June 1st, we will have Undisputed Champions in the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Divisions and it would not be a surprise if further Divisions are added to that over the course of the year. And much should concern the four governing bodies if those Undisputed Champions are willing to drop the other belts and focus on defending the one they will be given by the Saudi Arabians instead.

It is something to ponder, but for now the excitement has to be building towards a really strong run of fights right through to the end of June.

That run begins this weekend in New York City when two of the 'new four kings' face off, although the build has been strange to say the least.

Last weekend we added another positive unit to the Boxing totals for the 2024 season, but more is still expected after going 1-2 overall with the selections after an underwhelming main event showing in Corpus Christi.

Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia (Saturday 20th April 2024)

Add in Teofimo Lopez and Tank Davis to the mix and there was a real hope that Boxing would have another 'Four Kings' era with Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia completing the numbers.

We have yet to really have those cross-bouts that would spark that kind of interest, although this is Ryan Garcia's second shot at taking down one of his peers having come up very short against Davis already.

It is hard to know what to expect from Garcia after a roller-coaster of a build up to this fight- at times he has looked mentally checked out and some of the behaviours, both in public and on social media, have fans wondering if Ryan Garcia SHOULD be fighting.

There is a real feeling that Garcia may have something of a mental breakdown in this one, while his training has been erratic and recent reports suggest he may struggle to make weight. After losing to Tank Davis, this feels like a significant moment for Garcia and he is not likely to be forgiven by the Boxing fans if he underperforms in this one.

However, this is of little concern to Devin Haney who has moved up from the Lightweight Division and dominated Regis Prograis in the Light-Welterweight ranks to pick up a World Title. The Division is a strong one, without many stand out names outside of Teofimo Lopez, and that remains the Unification that Haney wants most.

We still don't really know what kind of level Devin Haney possesses and those bouts against the likes of Lopez and Davis are the ones that many hope he pursues. Two consecutive wins over George Kambosos Jr before a controversial win over Vasyl Lomachenko in the Lightweight Division is a decent enough run, but Haney was at his absolute best when beating Prograis and this weight class may suit him much more than 135.

No one will dispute the clear talent that Devin Haney possesses- the fundamentals are very strong, although there are bigger tests ahead if he is going to try and become Undisputed in the Light-Welterweight Division and then potentially move into the Welterweight ranks.

Beating Ryan Garcia is one thing, but Devin Haney will be looking to make a real statement of his intent in this one.

A long standing rivalry is motivation enough, but Haney has been looking irritated by the Garcia behaviours in this build up and The Dream may look to settle down on his punches once he feels he has broken the spirit of his opponent.

Devin Haney is not the biggest of punchers, but Ryan Garcia has struggled to put together the kind of improvements his fans would have hoped. There is also this feeling that Garcia is not nearly as focused as he should be, and that remains true even if he has been playing up a bit more to put Devin Haney into a comfort zone.

Replicating the kind of performance he produced against Luke Campbell will give Ryan Garcia more of a chance, but something seems off about him. Missing weight underlines the point, especially as badly as he has missed it, and I remain unsure as to whether he should be in the ring at all this weekend.

It has been almost five years since Devin Haney last finished a fight inside the distance, but he could turn the screw late on in this one and force his old rival to just have to take that backward step. A late referee intervention or a corner pullout cannot be dismissed and Devin Haney following Gervonta Davis' path in stopping Ryan Garcia in the second half of the contest is the pick.

Making weight has been a problem, as suggested, and Ryan Garcia has perhaps been doing things he should not have been doing during a training camp, as has also been suggested, so there is every chance Devin Haney can put a combination or two together late on to secure a decisive finish. He has not really shown that ability in recent big bouts, but Ryan Garcia may just lose that focus which allows Haney to produce the kind of statement he will be targeting before once again calling out Teofimo Lopez for a blockbuster bout.

This is a PPV offering this weekend, but the undercard is perhaps a little underwhelming.

Arnold Barboza Jr was placed in the chief support as a backup in case either of the main event fighters were forced to pull out late on and he is a strong favourite to maintain his unbeaten run.

He is likely going to earn a Stoppage against Sean McComb, even though the latter is on a seven bout winning run.

Those have largely been at a lower level than the one he faces on Saturday and Gavin Gwynne was able to Stop McComb, but Barboza Jr has not exactly been working limited hours in recent outings. Five straight Decisions had to be earned before a late Stoppage last time out, but he is expected to close the show somewhere in the mid-Rounds before calling out some of the Champions in the Light-Welterweight Division.

Bektemir Melikuziev should also earn a Stoppage, even against an unbeaten opponent as he pushes for bigger fights.

Not many have been able to stand up to the power of Bully, and Pierre Hubert Dibombe has been operating at levels below.

Canelo Alvarez is unlikely to be looking at the Bully as a potential opponent, but Bektemir Melikuziev is rapidly moving up the WBA Rankings and a potential bout with David Morrell may eventually be the target.

He should overpower Dibombe very early in this one.

In the United Kingdom, potential new superstar Sam Noakes will be looking to take the next step in his career by getting the better of veteran Yvan Mendy.

Winning is not really being questioned, but Noakes will have to show a bit more against an experienced opponent and he is unlikely to continue his run of early Stoppages.

The Frenchman is 38 years old now, but he has yet to be Stopped and has caused some problems for those looking to breakthrough into the top tier of the Division.

Holding the European Lightweight Title would be another step for Sam Noakes and the WBO and IBF World Titles remain vacant in the Division. The top contender for the WBO World Title is Denys Berinchyk, who beat Mendy a couple of fights ago, but who was unsuccessful in becoming the first boxer to stop the veteran.

Sam Noakes will certainly be calling for huge opportunities if he can become the first person to Stop Yvan Mendy, but this is expected to be a tough test for someone who has overpowered previous opponents. Getting the Rounds under the belt cannot be seen as a bad thing and Noakes may need to head to the cards for the first time as a professional.

MY PICKS: Devin Haney to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.80 Coral (1 Unit)

Bektemir Melikuziev to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.25 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2024: 17-25, + 13.92 Units (59 Units Staked, + 23.59% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2022 (April 20th)

That was a poor day all around punctuated by the horrible Manchester United performance at Anfield.

I might have had a tough day in the office as far as the Tennis Picks are concerned, but I was largely happy with the selections and felt I deserved slightly better.

One player has moved onto my 'blacklist' and will not be selected over the next couple of weeks as I take a watching brief on their matches, but it was a frustrating day in the main with only Marton Fucsovics returning as a winner.

Wednesday is another extremely busy day of Tennis with the four tournaments getting into the meat of the events being played and it is hopefully a day in which the Picks can be much more productive.

Pablo Carreno Busta - 4.5 games v Barnabe Zapata Miralles: These two players met here in Barcelona last year and it will be interesting to see how much Barnabe Zapata Miralles learned from the experience.

He was pretty well beaten by the experienced Pablo Carreno Busta and the higher Ranked player did reach the Quarter Final in Monte Carlo last week. I do have to admit that the numbers have largely been a little disappointing compared to what you may expect from Pablo Carreno Busta, but he is a battle hardened player and that means he has found a way to win close matches.

Much will depend on how effective the Pablo Carreno Busta serve will be and over the last twelve months it has been an inconsistent weapon on the clay courts. He will definitely feel there is an improvement to be made from his Monte Carlo performance, but this is a good chance to get into the tournament in Barcelona.

Being a higher Ranked and older player than his compatriot is something that has made an impact in matches throughout the history of the Tennis Tour and I think that may have been part of the reason that Barnabe Zapata Miralles was beaten pretty handily last season. The one previous match should mean Zapata Miralles is a bit more comfortable facing up to Pablo Carreno Busta, but he has had a mixed time on the clay courts in 2022.

Barnabe Zapata Miralles has come through the Qualifiers and his three wins in Barcelona have been very impressive, but he has struggled with his serve on the clay courts this season. That makes him vulnerable to Pablo Carreno Busta, although I do think the younger Spaniard will be able to have success with his own return.

That has been the strongest part of his game, but it may be under pressure if Barnabe Zapata Miralles is not able to produce strong serving on the day. It was the difference last season with Zapata Miralles struggling to hold onto his serve when they met here in Barcelona and I do think Pablo Carreno Busta can produce a similar kind of victory on Wednesday in this Second Round meeting.

I would like to see Pablo Carreno Busta just knuckle down quicker than he did in his matches in Monte Carlo last week, but he has enjoyed playing in Barcelona and I think he can win through to the next Round.

Alex De Minaur - 3.5 games v Ugo Humbert: You cannot ignore the fact that Alex De Minaur has not been at his most comfortable on the clay courts and so it is very difficult to back him as a favourite in any match on this surface.

That is the case even when facing someone like Ugo Humbert who has been struggling with his confidence in 2022- however, the Frenchman has won a match in Barcelona and should be plenty ready to deal with the conditions he is facing.

Ugo Humbert is another player who has been at odds with playing on the clay courts and I think that, coupled with his lack of confidence, will make him vulnerable to someone as solid as Alex De Minaur can be. This might not be his best surface, but De Minaur has been able to get a little bit more out of his serve compared with Ugo Humbert and the Australian also looks to have a real edge when it comes to the returning numbers on the surface.

Their two previous matches have both been played on the hard courts and have seen the two players split those one apiece, but the clay courts may just strengthen the edge in favour of Alex De Minaur.

Any player who has struggled on a surface as much as Alex De Minaur has done can be difficult to trust to cover such a spread as the one he is being asked to cover on Wednesday, but I do think he played well enough in Monte Carlo. Playing a first match in this ATP Barcelona event also means Alex De Minaur may need a bit of time to just get himself ready to compete, but I do think his numbers over the last twelve months suggest he is the stronger player on the clay courts and able to work his way to an edge.

In their two hard court matches, the Australian has had a slight edge too and I think he can earn enough break points to be in a position to cover this mark.

MY PICKS: Pablo Carreno Busta - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Alex De Minaur - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Petra Kvitova - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Emma Raducanu - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Anett Kontaveit - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Tamara Zidansek - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-4, - 4 Units (12 Units Staked, - 33.33% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2021 (April 20th)

I did say I would have a fuller post for the Tennis Picks on Tuesday, but I had a busier day than expected on Monday and once again I will just have to place my selections here on what is a day filled with Tennis matches from the four tournaments being played.

Monday was a little frustrating, but I will have a longer post on Wednesday and will update the totals for the season and the week in that thread.

MY PICKS: Holger Rune + 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Carlos Alcarez Garfia - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

David Goffin - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Roberto Bautista Agut - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Karen Khachanov - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Federico Delbonis - 4.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Laslo Djere - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Petra Kvitova - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Laura Siegemund - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2019- Terence Crawford vs Amir Khan (April 20th)

There are a couple of cards taking place on Saturday evening which have live coverage attached to them in the United Kingdom.

The main one of interest in the one from New York whose main event in Terence Crawford vs Amir Khan, while we also have the return of Danny Garcia on a separate card.

In the United Kingdom it is something of a tick along show for Eddie Hearn's Matchroom promotion as Dereck Chisora is back following his Knock Out defeat to Dillian Whyte at the back end of 2018. The main event features David Allen and Lucas Browne and while the former is a very popular fighter, neither is really expected to be involved in the title picture any time soon.

You can see my selections from all three of those fights below.

Dereck Chisora vs Senad Gashi

The brutal ending to the fight with Dillian Whyte may have masked the fact that Dereck Chisora looked to be winning the rematch with his rival last December. Some may have though it was time for Chisora to call time on his career, but he had only recently hooked up with David Haye promoting him and Chisora is willing to have one more crack at trying to become a World Champion.

It is a long path back to the top, but more changes have been made as Chisora now employs Dave Caldwell as his trainer and he will be looking to show what he has learned under the new team.

Senad Gashi has been given another chance by Eddie Hearn after lasting Seven Rounds with Carlos Takam on the same card as the Whyte-Chisora rematch last December. To be honest it wasn't a great fight and I do wonder if Takam had put his foot on the pedal earlier whether he would have got the German out of there a bit quicker than he did.

A fast start is what I will be expecting from Chisora to put a statement win on the board and stopping Gashi quicker than Takam has to be the target. While Gashi showed enough heart to have another chance, he is a Boxer someway below Chisora's level even at this stage of the latter's career.

Some will point out Gashi is having a proper camp for this one unlike what he had for the Takam bout, but I think it is going to take a poor performance from Chisora to keep him in this one. Having a small interest in Chisora winning this fight in the first half of the contest is the selection as I look for him to put some pressure on Gashi and begin to break him down much earlier than Takam did.

David Allen vs Lucas Browne

I don't want to be a 'hater' but these two have no real right to be headlining the O2 Arena as both David Allen and Lucas Browne look to be at least one and possibly two levels below the contenders of the Heavyweight Division, never mind the elite fighters.

It is a crossroads fight for both as I really don't think the losing fighter will have anywhere to go.

A little over twelve months ago Lucas Browne was being Knocked Out cold by Dillian Whyte in this Arena and I would have thought the former Heavyweight Champion was at the end of his time back then. He has since won three fights, but he was Knocked Down by a journeyman in a warm up for this bout and Browne is very much a faded force.

David Allen is far from an elite Heavyweight, but he has a decent chin and I think the long camp preparing for this fight has seen him get in decent shape. I am not sure he is has the power to finish Browne off early in this one, but the faded Australian is probably a Four Round fighter these days and he is likely going to be running out of gas at that point of the bout.

A small interest in Allen getting the job done between the Fourth and Eighth Round looks to be worth an interest in this one. I think by then Allen will be showing the superior fitness and he has managed to stop his last two opponents between those Rounds.

I can see a fatigued Browne beginning to take too much punishment once he has tried his best to finish the fight very early and Allen can wear him down and get the referee to jump in when Browne takes one too many punches without reply.

Terence Crawford vs Amir Khan

I really think there may have been some intrigue about this Welterweight fight if the Amir Khan of even two years ago was going to be turning up, but it is going to be an upset of huge magnitude for him to beat Terence Crawford now.

Terence Crawford is a pound for pound king and the last time we saw Amir Khan he looked like a shot fighter who was taking too many shots from an average Samuel Vargas.

At the beginning of this one I can see Khan's speed being an issue as Crawford just takes a look at his opponent, but by the Third Round I would expect the American begins to find a bit more success. Some will point out Crawford is coming up to a Division where Khan is unbeaten, but Crawford has stopped his two opponents he has faced at 147 and this Khan is not the same fighter he was.

Crawford broke down Jeff Horn and David Benavidez and I would suggest both are stronger than Khan these days. It took until the Ninth Round to get Horn out of there, but I have a feeling Crawford is going to time Khan onto something a bit earlier than that and can get the former World Champion out of there.

Danny Garcia stopped Khan in the Fourth Round, Canelo Alvarez worked him out in the Sixth Round and I would not be surprised if Crawford find something similar. It might be slightly longer than Garcia, but I will recommend a small interest in Crawford finding the finishing touches at somewhere between the Fifth and Eighth Round.

MY PICKS: Dereck Chisora to Win Between 1-5 @ 3.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

David Allen to Win Between 5-8 @ 4.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Terence Crawford to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.30 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Weekend Football Picks 2019 (April 20-22)

So put your hand up if you were one of the Fantasy players that put their faith in Brighton last week knowing they had two home games with Bournemouth and Cardiff City to come... Mine is high in the air and it was a shocking decision.

The Wild Card I had been saving to make sure I have a full selection for GW35 with a team loaded with players who have two games did not work out anywhere near to how I had hoped.

I am looking for a bounce back week after what was arguably my worst GW since September and my positive progression up the standings has been well and truly halted with that terrible GW34.

Below you can read my Fantasy advice for the week as well as my thoughts on the Premier League games to be played from Saturday through to Monday as the race for the title, the top four and the final relegation place hits the final run in.


Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: Both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur put a huge emotional effort into the Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg that was played between these teams on Wednesday night. It was a remarkable game with five goals inside the first twenty-two minutes and the drama of a late winning goal from Manchester City being ruled out by VAR saw the atmosphere burst like a bubble in injury time.

The fans are going to be feeling the emotional exertions of Wednesday too and Pep Guardiola has a big challenge to pick his players up for a third meeting with Tottenham Hotspur in ten days.

I have no doubt that Tottenham Hotspur will be feeling a slight lack of energy themselves, but they have the positive of getting through to the Champions League Semi Final to give them a boost of adrenaline. However I can't ignore what has been a miserable away form for Spurs in recent weeks that has seen them lose 7 of their last 8 on their travels including a defeat here in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Some poor mistakes from Manchester City in defensive positions cost them the away goals that ended their participation in that competition, but I think they can respond with another win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. This time I believe the margin may be a little more comfortable for Manchester City who have not let negative emotions take over their performances in the last twenty months.

Last season they recovered from their Champions League exit by securing an impressive 1-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium and I do think Manchester City will be looking for a strong end to retain the Premier League title. Ultimately they did win the game on Wednesday and will feel they were more unlucky than deserving to go out of the Champions League and a stronger depth of squad can give Manchester City the edge in this big Premier League fixture.

Last season Manchester City beat Tottenham Hotspur comfortably in both League games. This season their two wins have been tighter, but Manchester City have been the better team in arguably all three games played between these teams and I will back Manchester City to make a statement of their intent for the rest of the season by earning a measure of revenge over Spurs.

I will back the home team to win by two or more goals on the day.

Fantasy Star: Raheem Sterling- has two games this week, but the Champions League exit to Tottenham Hotspur should mean Manchester City play their strongest XI both times.

Alternative: Kevin De Bruyne- could be the key cog in the title race and earned three assists in the Second Leg against Spurs during the week.


Bournemouth v Fulham Pick: There may not be a lot for Bournemouth and Fulham to play for at this stage of the season, but I think there is enough ambition in both camps to make this a decent game of football.

Last weekend Bournemouth responded to Eddie Howe's demands for a strong finish to the season by dismissing Brighton by a remarkable 0-5 scoreline at the Amex Stadium. While that has ended suggestions the players are already looking ahead to their holidays, there should also be motivation to apologise to the fans who were unhappy watching Bournemouth go down to a 1-3 defeat to Burnley in their last game here.

Eddie Howe made it clear he was not unhappy with the response of the fans as they had been behind the team throughout the ninety minutes and only voiced discontent at the final whistle. He will be urging his players to produce a big performance in front of those fans this weekend and they are facing a poor travelling Fulham team.

The motivation for Fulham is clearly making sure they finish at least 19th in the Premier League table, but the players won't want to go through the entire League campaign without an away win. They are trying to snap a run of 7 successive away defeats this weekend, but Fulham's defensive issues have let them down and I think that is going to play a part in another defeat away from Craven Cottage.

Bournemouth won by a wide margin at Craven Cottage when in much better form earlier this season, but I imagine this one is a little more competitive. However I think the home team will use the momentum of their victory last weekend to propel them forward down the stretch in the 2018/19 season and I will look for them to win this game.

Backing them to do so in a fixture containing at least two goals is the call as they will likely need to hit that mark themselves considering Fulham have scored in 5 of their last 7 away League games. There will be confidence in the away side having won last weekend too, but the away day blues may continue for one more game at least and I will back Bournemouth to win a game featuring two or more goals.

Fantasy Star: David Brooks- a source of goals and assists for the home team who should be making most of the play.

Alternative: Callum Wilson- scored and grabbed two assists last week, Callum Wilson could be in line for a strong end to this season.


Huddersfield Town v Watford Pick: A huge effort was put into their last Premier League fixture by Watford who had a lot of things conspire against them in the defeat to Arsenal. The overall performance was strong despite playing with ten men for the large majority of the fixture and Watford may feel a little unlucky not to have picked up a positive result on the day.

They will be looking to bounce back on Saturday with a visit to the bottom club Huddersfield Town and even the absence of Troy Deeney should not bother the visitors. For the most part this season Watford have been a dangerous team on their travels with some talented players in the final third capable of exposing spaces.

Both Roberto Pereyra and Gerard Deulofeu are expected to be back in the squad for this fixture and they can supply the bullets for Andre Gray to hit the target. Gray has not been in great form, but he has been in the right positions and can take advantage of a Huddersfield Town team who have conceded at least four goals in 3 of their last 4 games.

Huddersfield Town have been struggling at this level and the players seem unconvinced about Jan Siewert's tactics. It could mean another big decision is needed by the Huddersfield Town board before the Championship season starts and I think the recent effort in games has not been to the standard they would have expected.

Playing at home should get the players pumped, but Huddersfield Town were crushed 1-4 by Leicester City in their last game here. They are conceding too many goals and Watford can take advantage by winning a game featuring two or more goals which was the same recommendation I made when Leicester City won here earlier this month.

Fantasy Star: Andre Gray- has two games this week and sure to be leading the line now Troy Deeney is suspended. A chance to cement a place for the FA Cup Final.

Alternative: Gerard Deulofeu- is back in training and can follow up his starring appearance in the FA Cup Semi Final as Watford chase 7th place.


West Ham United v Leicester City Pick: Injuries and uncertainty about the future of many of the West Ham United players has perhaps been a factor in some of the performances in recent weeks, but they were very unfortunate to not earn a positive result at Old Trafford last weekend.

Manuel Pellegrini will be looking for more of the same from his players, but the injury to Manuel Lanzini is a blow to their chances of bouncing back and ending a run of 3 consecutive losses. A loss of that kind of creativity makes it very difficult for West Ham United whose players don't look particularly keen on putting in the kind of shift they need to if they want to win football games at this level.

West Ham United have conceded at least twice in 5 straight games and that makes it very difficult to win games, while they were beaten 0-2 by Everton in the last game at the London Stadium. The Hammers are also facing a Leicester City team who are very keen on returning to European competition and who had been in fine form under new manager Brendan Rodgers before their 0-1 defeat to Newcastle United in their last game.

That may have ended a 4 game winning run, but Leicester City are looking for a third straight win away from home. They have scored two or more goals in wins at Burnley and Huddersfield Town and Leicester City have a decent recent run at West Ham United where they have won twice and drawn in their last 3 visits to East London.

Winning here won't be easy if West Ham United play as well as they did at Old Trafford, but Leicester City have also been in good form and I will back the visitors on the Asian Handicap. At least that will return half the stake in the event of a draw, but I think Leicester City can take advantage of an injury-hit host to earn a victory on Saturday.

Fantasy Star: Jamie Vardy- limited chances last week, but a player in form and facing a team struggling with injuries.

Alternative: Felipe Anderson- scored last week at Old Trafford and the main creativity force for a team missing Manuel Lanzini.


Wolves v Brighton Pick: Losing games is a concern for any team in a relegation battle at this stage of the season, but losing in the manner Brighton did against Bournemouth and Cardiff City over the last seven days is a major worry for Chris Hughton, the players and the fans.

Back to back home losses while failing to score and conceding seven goals against a team out of form and one that is directly below them in the Premier League table is not what Brighton fans, or Fantasy players, would have been hoping for. They are now under intense pressure to bounce back, but the fixture list looks kinder to Cardiff City than it does to Brighton and there is every chance that The Seagulls are going to be relegated.

They will be hoping that Wolves are still suffering from the FA Cup Semi Final hangover which seemed to afflict them in their 3-1 defeat to Southampton last weekend. It was one of the poorer performances Wolves have produced all season, but Nuno Espirito Santo is not going to allow negative thoughts to linger and having another week to prepare for this fixture should help.

Wolves have also been significantly better at home than they have on their travels in recent weeks and that makes them a very dangerous opponent for Brighton to deal with. The home team have won 7 of their last 8 games at Molineux and they have scored at least twice in each of those wins while creating plenty of chances and really putting teams under pressure.

The ambition to finish 7th in the Premier League table should be motivating the Wolves players to bounce back from the defeat last week and I think they are going to have too much for Brighton who have conceded at least twice in 6 of their last 7 away Premie League games.

Brighton do have a decent record here in recent visits, but this Wolves team is much improved from the one that Brighton last played at Molineux in April 2017. I expect a much better performance from Wolves than what they produced at St Mary's and I think the lack of confidence in the Brighton squad may see them fall to a defeat in a fixture that produces two or more goals.

Fantasy Star: Raul Jimenez- has two home games this week and Wolves have been so strong here in recent weeks. Raul Jimenez has been scoring points for fun at home with goals and assists.

Alternative: Diogo Jota- the main strike partner to Jimenez and also a source of goals and assists when playing at home.


Newcastle United v Southampton Pick: The second of the five live televised Premier League games to be played this weekend comes from St James' Park and both Newcastle United and Southampton can play with an element of freedom as they search for a vital three points that will all but secure their spot in the top flight for another season.

It already feels like the two teams have enough to avoid relegation, but Cardiff City's win at Brighton on Tuesday night has tightened things up again. Both managers will recognise that and urge their players to focus on their own performances with decent form suggesting they have the quality to avoid the drop.

Newcastle United have been very impressive at home in the Premier League where they had won 5 in a row before the 0-1 defeat to Crystal Palace. They scored at least twice in each of those wins at St James' Park and they are facing a Southampton team who can be vulnerable defensively despite the clean sheet in the 0-1 win at Brighton in their last away game.

Ralph Hasenhuttl has his players performing with some belief and Southampton have been much improved under the Austrian. The attacking threat has become clear with Southampton scoring in 13 of their last 14 games in all competitions, but the worry is always the fact that they have kept only 2 clean sheets in the same run of games.

Both teams will feel they have the attacking threat to produce goals in this one and I think there is an element of freedom for the two teams who have been in decent form of late. The 5 points between Southampton and Cardiff City look huge with four games remaining for the latter and the biggest threat to my selection for this game has to be the 1-1 draw.

I think they can go a little further and am going to challenge the big quotes for three or more goals to be shared out despite the goalless draw between these teams earlier in the season. Prior to that result, Newcastle United versus Southampton fixtures had produced three or more goals in 7 straight between these clubs and I will look for that trend to get going again this weekend.

Fantasy Star: Solomon Rondon- three of his last four goals for Newcastle United have come at St James' Park and Southampton can be vulnerable defensively.

Alternative: James Ward-Prowse- didn't have an impact in the 3-1 win over Wolves from a Fantasy perspective, but has been important for Southampton.


Everton v Manchester United Pick: This is a vital fixture for Manchester United in their bid to get into the top four and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made it clear his team need to win at least 4 of their remaining 5 games if they are going to get into the Champions League spots. One of those wins has to come against Chelsea at Old Trafford in seven days time, but Manchester United will also be looking for some momentum to take into the remaining games having struggled for consistency over the last month.

Ever since beating Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United have lost 5 of 7 games in all competitions and that includes defeats in their last 4 away games during which time they have conceded at least twice each time.

It is an issue when going to Goodison Park where Everton have been in fine form of late- in their last 3 games here, Everton have drawn with Liverpool (0-0) and beaten both Chelsea (2-0) and Arsenal (1-0) and all three of those clubs are above Manchester United in the League table. Marco Silva should be confident his team can add another scalp to their collection at home, but Everton need to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat to Fulham last Saturday.

They have been better at home in general and Everton will be challenging a Manchester United team who may be lacking in confidence and have been having issues keeping clean sheets. In the final third Everton have some real quality and this is a huge test for Manchester United just days after exiting the Champions League in Barcelona.

A win is important, but I think Manchester United may be just about ok if they don't lose although that will put some pressure on them when facing Manchester City and Chelsea in back to back games at Old Trafford over the next week. They will finish up facing two of the current bottom three, while the teams above them in the race for the top four have some challenging fixtures to negotiate too.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be targeting a big win here and Manchester United are unbeaten in 8 against Everton, which includes winning on 2 of their last 3 visits here. I think Manchester United will have to score at least twice to earn the victory at Goodison Park this weekend though considering the defensive issues and I think this will be a fixture that produces three or more goals.

Everton's run of clean sheets at home against three of the top five is going to challenge the Manchester United attack, but the visitors have found goals away from home under Solskjaer and my biggest concern to see this pick as unsuccessful has to be a 1-1 scoreline. I think there is enough for both clubs to chase the three points though and it could be a fun game for the neutrals on Easter Sunday, although a tense one for the Manchester United fans and players that know the importance of a return to the Champions League.

Fantasy Star: Gylfi Sigurdsson- has been integral to Everton's successes in recent weeks and will be a danger throughout this one.

Alternative: Jesse Lingard- a severe lack of goals in the last couple of months as injury have slowed him down, but will likely start and does seem to get into those forward positions to cause problems.


Arsenal v Crystal Palace Pick: A couple of tough away games have resulted in back to back 0-1 wins for Arsenal at Watford and Napoli and they should be feeling confident now they return home for their latest Premier League fixture. With the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United facing difficult away trips to Manchester City and Everton respectively, Arsenal may feel this is a big chance to really take hold of one of the top four places which will mean a return to the Champions League.

My one concern for the players is that there could be some fatigue in the legs considering they have played those two tough away games since Crystal Palace last took to the field. Now they also have to deal with an opponent that has fantastic speed in the final third and who have been very confident away from home where Roy Hodgson can employ some counter attacking tactics that see Crystal Palace at their best.

Their recent results at the Emirates Stadium are not very encouraging, while Arsenal have won 8 in a row at home while scoring two or more goals in each of those. The last 7 wins have come by two or more goal margins too as Arsenal have shown defensive strength that has not really been a feature of their season in general.

I think the confidence of being back at home will help Arsenal overcome any tiredness they may be feeling and this Crystal Palace team have not been at their best in recent games. They were comfortably beaten at Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month and Crystal Palace have not been creating as many chances away from home as they would like.

With the run Arsenal are on at home with the streak of wins and the streak of winning by two or more goals I think they can do enough to beat Crystal Palace on the day. 4 of the last 6 games between these teams at the Emirates Stadium have ended with an Arsenal win of two or more goal margins and my feeling that the Crystal Palace players are perhaps mentally shutting down means I will back the hosts to cover the Asian Handicap.

Fantasy Star: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang- scores a large majority of his goals at home and has two games to come this week.

Alternative: Sead Kolasinac- Arsenal have had back to back clean sheets this past week and have been stronger at home.


Cardiff City v Liverpool Pick: This is a vital fixture at the top and bottom of the Premier League table and it won't surprise anyone to know it was one that was picked for television coverage.

In all honesty it is going to take a brave person to tell me that Liverpool are not going to win considering their recent form and the fact that Cardiff City have struggled when they have met the very best in the Premier League. The home team did give Arsenal and Chelsea some scares, but they have conceded at least twice in their home games with both of those London clubs mentioned as well as Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Manchester United and doing that against Liverpool will likely mean the three points are heading to Merseyside.

Cardiff City will offer a lot of fight and will battle with a Liverpool team who are travelling back from Portugal, but the lack of quality is likely going to cost them a victory.

However there is every chance they can play their part in this fixture on the scoreboard as Liverpool have conceded in each of their last 4 away games. One of those came at Fulham, another side in the bottom three, while relegation threatened Southampton also scored against Liverpool in a recent home Premier League game.

Earlier this season Cardiff City scored a consolation goal in their 4-1 defeat at Anfield and this is a team who have scored in 3 of their 5 home games against the 'big six' clubs with Liverpool yet to host. The Bluebirds can be a threat from set pieces and Liverpool have been far from invulnerable defensively and at the prices it looks like the right play.

If it wasn't for some recent heavy defeats at home I would have considered backing Cardiff City with the start on the Asian Handicap, but I think they are going to need to score if they are going to cover. I do think that is possible and backing both teams to score is the selection in this fixture.

Fantasy Star: Mohamed Salah- back in the goalscoring form and can lead the charge towards the title.

Alternative: Sadio Mane- both have scored in each of the last two games and they can pose a threat to Cardiff City throughout this League fixture.


Chelsea v Burnley Pick: The Monday Night Football offering has a lot more on the line for Chelsea chasing a Champions League spot than it does for Burnley who look to have earned the points to avoid the drop. However Sean Dyche is not someone who is going to allow his players to slack off with four games remaining and I think Burnley could provide a threat that comes from a team that have won 3 League games in a row this side of the last international break.

It does seem like Chelsea are struggling to put in full performances and after half time they have been having difficulties in recent games. They beat West Ham United 2-0, but the visitors were the better team in the second half, while Everton, Liverpool and Slavia Prague have all won in the second half in recent games.

That is definitely an issue that needs to be resolved if Chelsea are going to return to the Champions League, but they can earn the three points on Monday. Both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United will have played earlier this weekend, but both have tough away games so Chelsea can take advantage of any slips although I am not sure it is going to be a comfortable day at Stamford Bridge.

I think Burnley can play their part with the two forwards they use and the danger posed from set pieces. Burnley managed to score at Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool in the Premier League and they can cause Chelsea problems who have been playing plenty of big football in the last few days while Burnley have been resting and recuperating.

Chelsea don't concede many at home, but they have conceded in 2 of their last 3 home games with Burnley and teams are creating chances here. It would be a huge surprise if the home team don't score at least one and I will back both teams to get on the scoreboard in this one.

Fantasy Star: Ruben Loftus-Cheek- an advanced midfield spot and can take advantage of spaces created by Eden Hazard.

Alternative: Chris Wood- if Burnley are to score, it could be the New Zealander whose two goals last week almost certainly secured their place in the Premier League for the 2019/20 season.

Fantasy Football

Last week was a real body blow to my FPL team after putting my faith in Brighton who responded with a 0-5 and 0-2 defeat in the space of a few days. The decision to pick Kieran Trippier over Jan Vertonghen also backfired as he was rested, while Captaining Hueng-Min Son was barely a reward as he played three minutes (although did earn an assist).

Miserable times at a critical time of the season, but GW35 offers the chance of a bounce back with double games for a number of teams.

Goalkeeper 4.8 Million and Above

Bernd Leno (Arsenal- 4.9 Million): Has two games this week and Arsenal have earned back to back clean sheets. A decent option.

Goalkeeper 4.7 Million and Below

Ben Foster (Watford- 4.6 Million): Two winnable games for Watford and a real chance to add at least one clean sheet.

Rui Patricio (Wolves- 4.5 Million): Two games this week and Wolves have been much stronger at home than on their travels.

Defender 5.1 Million and Above

Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City- 6.1 Million): Will likely play both Manchester City games. Can be a threat from set pieces too.

Matt Doherty (Wolves- 5.3 Million): A real chance of at least one clean sheet and also an attacking threat in the system used by Wolves.

Defender 5 Million and Below

Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal- 5 Million): Like I mentioned in the goalkeeper section, Arsenal have had back to back clean sheets. Sead Kolasinac is also an attacking threat capable of providing assists.

Willy Boly (Wolves- 4.7 Million): A cheaper option to get into the Wolves defence and a serious threat from set pieces.

Yan Valery (Southampton- 4.1 Million): Have two games this week and Valery could be a forward thinking option from defence.

Midfielder 7.1 Million and Above

Raheem Sterling (Manchester City- 11.5 Million): Has been in seriously good form and Manchester City are all in to go for the Premier League title. Should play both games this week and scored twice against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City- 9.7 Million): Could be the key player in determining the destiny of the Premier League title. Had two assists against Crystal Palace last week and surpassed that with three against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League.

Heung-Min Son (Tottenham Hotspur- 8.8 Million): Scored twice at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, but definitely a risk when it comes to rotation.

Midfielder 7 Million and Below

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal- 6.7 Million): Could be having a big impact for Arsenal with Aaron Ramsey expected to be ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Diogo Jota (Wolves- 6.2 Million): Has scored in the last two League games at home and also managed to add another in the FA Cup Quarter Final against Manchester United at Molinuex. Serious threat with back to back games here to come this week.

Jordan Henderson (Liverpool- 5.3 Million): Does not have two games this week, but Henderson is being used in advanced positions for Liverpool and a cheap way to get into their midfield after he was rested in Portugal.

Forward 6.4 Million and Above

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City- 11.7 Million): Scored in the Champions League and should lead the line for both Manchester City games. Also scored twice in his last start at Old Trafford which is stunningly four years ago.

Raul Jimenez (Wolves- 6.9 Million): Two home games in a row and Raul Jimenez has scored the majority of his goals here.

Forward 6.3 Million and Below

Andre Gray (Watford- 5.9 Million): No Troy Deeney gives Andre Gray a chance to cement his place in the FA Cup Final starting eleven. Games against Huddersfield Town and Southampton should provide an opportunity to add to his five Premier League goals.

Danny Ings (Southampton- 5.4 Million): A favourite of Ralph Hasenhuttl and plays twice this week.

MY PICKS: Manchester City - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.76 Bet Victor
Bournemouth & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.85 Ladbrokes
Watford & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.30 Ladbrokes
Leicester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.03 Bet Victor
Wolves & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.30 Bet Fred
Newcastle United-Southampton Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.45 Betfair Sportsbook
Everton-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.90 Betfair Sportsbook
Arsenal - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Bet Victor
Cardiff City-Liverpool Both Teams to Score @ 2.30 Paddy Power
Chelsea-Burnley Both Teams to Score @ 2.10 Paddy Power

Monte Carlo Masters Tennis Picks 2018 (April 20th)

It had been a difficult start to the week at the Monte Carlo Masters, but Thursday proved a good day to turn things around with a 3-0 return from the Tennis Picks made.

Nothing was easy on Thursday, but I have stuck with the methods that have been successful the last couple of months instead of losing heart after some disappointing luck contributed to a couple of losing Picks.

The numbers were on my side in the matches played on Thursday, but this time I also had the bit of luck that is always needed when it comes to the break points being converted and that saw the three selections coming back as we wanted.

On Friday the four Quarter Final matches are set to be played back to back and I have three selections from the four matches scheduled for the day.


Grigor Dimitrov v David Goffin: This has all the makings of a good Quarter Final even if there are a couple of doubts about both Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin. The former is someone who has yet to show the consistency on the clay courts fitting of a top 5 Ranked player, while the latter has not really shown his best tennis since returning from an eye injury.

The wins this week will have given both Dimitrov and Goffin confidence, but you can't dispute the mental edge has to be with the Bulgarian having beaten Goffin in nine of their ten matches since turning professional.

Only one of those matches took place on the clay courts though and that was a long time ago to be virtually irrelevant, although the big wins over the last six months over Goffin will certainly be fresh in Dimitrov's mind.

Dimitrov's numbers are not that bad, but he has to find a way to be a little more effective when it comes to the break of serve. He wins enough return points but perhaps has to knuckle down mentally to produce his best tennis when the chances come his way, chances that should come against Goffin's serve which can be erratic to say the least.

The basic Goffin numbers indicate that it is his return game which has proven so effective on the clay, which is not a big surprise. However those return games take a significant nosedive when Goffin faces top 20 Ranked players on this surface and Dimitrov's serve has proven to be effective enough regardless of who he faces to give him the edge in this one.

The head to head underlines his strength and Dimitrov can be backed as the underdog to win this Quarter Final.


Marin Cilic v Kei Nishikori: This is a classic match up of the big server and big hitting Marin Cilic taking on the faster, better mover around the court in Kei Nishikori and the winner is going to be the one who can impose his game on the other more often than not. It is no surprise to me that the head to head is as close as it is between Nishikori and Cilic and the layers are expecting another close match on Friday.

Where Kei Nishikori has needed to win three matches to get through to the Quarter Final, Cilic has needed to win just one having received a bye in the First Round and then seeing Milos Raonic withdraw from the Third Round match before they had taken to the court.

That could mean Cilic is a little undercooked on this surface which would be a concern as the feeling is that Nishikori is perhaps the superior player on the clay courts. However Cilic has produced some eye-catching numbers on the clay courts over the last couple of seasons thanks to a very strong return game and that could be a key to this match too.

We know Cilic is going to produce some big serves which can give him a chance to get on the front foot immediately, but he will also challenge the Nishikori second serve as he bids to move into the Semi Final. This is also a difficult time for Nishikori who is only recently back from an injury which means he is not going to be used to playing as much tennis as he has so far this week.

There were a few signs of tiredness from Nishikori in his tough win over Andreas Seppi in the Third Round and I think Cilic is going to exert some mental pressure with a strong return throughout this match. It won't be all Cilic's way with the Nishikori performances so far this week, but I am looking for the Croatian to battle through for the win and secure his final four spot.


Alexander Zverev - 2.5 games v Richard Gasquet: This has been the second solid week in a row that Richard Gasquet has put on the board, but reaching a second consecutive Semi Final on the clay courts won't be easy. He did beat Mischa Zverev in straight sets on Thursday, but now Gasquet has to face the younger Zverev brother who looks to have a big future in the sport.

Alexander Zverev has not been in the best form when you consider he has needed three sets to beat both Gilles Muller and Jan-Lennard Struff to move into the Quarter Final. The stand out issue is clear as he has not served anything close to the level he usually produces and that has meant Zverev has had to work much harder to win his matches.

Despite the poorer serve numbers, Zverev has won matches thanks to an effective return and he will feel he can get into the Gasquet service games. On the other hand Richard Gasquet will feel he can do the same against Zverev if the youngster is not serving at his peak level although I do think it is a matter of time before Alexander Zverev gets it right.

Matches between these players may have all landed in favour of the German but Gasquet has been competitive in every one. He has played a lot of tennis over the last ten days though and Gasquet's serve has not been as strong as he would like and I think that is tested to the full by Zverev.

It could be another close one between these two players, but I think the higher upside remains with Zverev and I think he redeems the family name with a win and a cover on Friday.

MY PICKS: Grigor Dimitrov @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Matin Cilic @ 1.83 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Alexander Zverev - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Monte Carlo Update: 5-4, + 0.86 Units (18 Units Staked, + 4.78% Yield)

Monte Carlo Masters Tennis Picks 2017 (April 20th)

The Monte Carlo Masters will be putting together some big matches as we approach the business end of the week and the majority of the big names are still involved in the Third Round. A couple of them have had to battle through tougher than expected tests, but the majority of the faces we expect to challenge for the French Open title, sans Roger Federer, are still in the Singles draw.

There are some difficult matches to pick on Thursday as we do get to see a couple of players who are more dangerous on the clay courts than they are for much of the season and those are taking on a couple of the big names on the Tour.

Finding a way around these matches and producing some winners from the Third Round won't be easy, but I do think I have shortlisted the right players to back after a strong few days here already.


Lucas Pouille - 4.5 games v Adrian Mannarino: This should have been a huge match between two top French players when the draw was made, but one of their compatriots decided to upset the applecart. Lucas Pouille has made his way through the draw as expected and has put a couple of solid wins on the board, but he might be surprised to see Adrian Mannarino on the other side of the net rather than Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Mannarino has won a couple of Qualifiers to get into the main draw, but coming from a set down and beating Tsonga convincingly was an impressive performance. That was the second time in a row that Mannarino has been able to come back from a set down to win the match but he has rarely produced this level on the clay courts in the past.

This is going to be a considerable challenge for Mannarino after seeng Lucas Pouille win his two matches with some comfort and the latter has also been the better clay courter of the two playing in this one. Pouille can still be someone who plays one too many loose games which will give Mannarino a chance of another upset, but I think the latter will have some difficulty in looking after his own serve through the course of the match.

It is a lot of games for Pouille to cover, but he has managed to do that in his two previous wins here this week and looks to be producing some solid tennis. Having the superior clay court background has to help him, while Mannarino has to produce another big effort after upsetting Tsonga in the Second Round.

I do think there will be a couple of tough moments for Pouille to overcome if he is going to make it through to the Quarter Final, but ultimately I believe he can do that. I am looking for Pouille to see off Mannarino with a 7-5, 6-3 win to move forward in the draw.


Stan Wawrinka - 2.5 games v Pablo Cuevas: The clay season should be a part of the year that Pablo Cuevas is able to enjoy and this is clearly the surface he favours more than the others. However it might be something of a surprise to note that Cuevas has not produced too many wins between April and the French Open on the European circuit.

I am not sure I can put my finger on exactly why Cuevas can have some difficulties at this time except for the fact that the draws for these events are usually deeper and loaded with some of the top players on the ATP Tour. While he is a solid clay courter, Cuevas doesn't really have anything outstanding to fall back upon and that can see him struggle when facing the top names.

He has to deal with one of those on Thursday when taking on Stan Wawrinka in the Third Round and Cuevas will know he has to step up his game in this one. Wawrinka is a former winner in Monte Carlo and is also a former French Open Champion while this is the kind of surface on which he gets time to put his big swings together and batter opponents into submission.

Wawrinka has not been at his best in Monte Carlo since winning the title and he has not had too many solid runs in the Masters events on the clay courts since that win in 2014. While that may be the case, Wawrinka has won the French Open and reached the Semi Final at Roland Garros over the last two years and I think he can have the power to overcome what is a stiff test on paper.

I just have a little more belief in the Wawrinka game compared with Cuevas', while the strong win over Jiri Vesely was better than a three set victory may suggest. As long as Wawrinka can remain as focused as he was in his Second Round win after hitting a bit of bad fortune, I think he will be too good and can come through with a tough 7-6, 6-4 win.


Alexander Zverev + 3.5 games v Rafael Nadal: Any time you oppose Rafael Nadal on a clay court you know it is a potential pick that is going to run away from you very easily. That could happen on Thursday in the Third Round after Nadal managed to dodge a potential upset against Kyle Edmund in the Second Round, although I am backing Alexander Zverev to keep this one close.

I am certainly not opposing Nadal because he wasn't at his best on Wednesday, because the defending Monte Carlo Champion has to feel a lot better with his first clay court match under his feet. I am expecting Nadal to be much better when he takes on Zverev, but I have a lot of time for the young German and do think this is a player that is going to be amongst the elite in the years to come.

Zverev has won his two matches here this week impressively and he shouldn't feel overawed taking on Nadal having faced him twice before and pushed him all the way in both matches. Of course playing Nadal on clay is a completely different test to facing him on the hard courts as Zverev has previously, but the youngster is also comfortable on this surface.

He hits the ball hard and will attack the Nadal serve which should mean Zverev has half a chance of stealing a set in this match. The question for Zverev is whether he can stay mentally invested for long enough to stay close with Nadal having dropped a couple of sets to the Spaniard very easily as mental and physical fatigue has worn him down.

This is a huge mental challenge for Zverev, but I do think he has produced the kind of tennis that will give him a shot in this one. Having the games in the pocket is appealing at odds against and I will back the German to at least keep this one close even if ultimately falls short against Nadal again.

MY PICKS: Lucas Pouille - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Stan Wawrinka - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Alexander Zverev + 3.5 Games @ 2.20 Coral (2 Units)

Monte Carlo Update: 11-2, + 16.36 Units (26 Units Staked, + 62.92% Yield)