Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2025 (Tuesday 12th August)

You can only feel frustrated with some of the ways the selections have fallen this week, but that becomes all the harder to take when yet another retirement prevents one winner coming in.

It is the fourth one since the start of the Canadian Masters and all when the winning selection was literally a handful of games away from securing that return.

Making it worse is when the player you backed is clearly struggling, but soldiers on to lose (Cameron Norrie earlier this week)... It is a shame the likes of Marta Kostyuk, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Arthur Rinderknech have not had the same mentality, especially as the former two were both back in action this week just a few days after being unable to continue.

So it has been a tough week and Tuesday may be key to the remainder of the tournament- some fortune will be nice and a positive return to rebuild momentum is key.

Without that, the thoughts may already turn to the US Open, which begins a week on Sunday especially if there is the misfortune piles up on Tuesday... Losing selections isn't the only factor, but losing from a position of winning or having players refuse to take losses mid-match would not really be good enough.

One of the selections from Tuesday has full reasoning, but the others from the ATP tournament are added to the 'MY PICKS' section below with the post being put out later than usual.

Jessica Pegula - 5.5 games v Magda Linette: The two defeats in Washington and Montreal have to be considered disappointments for Jessica Pegula and especially as to how early she was eliminated from both tournaments.

This is a player that will still believe she can win a Major title and the upcoming US Open may represent the best opportunity to do that.

The World Number 4 is still playing at a good level on the hard courts and she was a Finalist at the Miami Masters earlier this year, while also winning a title in Austin. Playing in the United States should be a real motivation for Jessica Pegula who reached the Final in New York City last year before finding Aryna Sabalenka a little too good in each set of a straight sets defeat.

A strong win over Kimberley Birrell will have given Jessica Pegula belief to take further into the Cincinnati tournament and she has to be considered a strong favourite to beat Magda Linette in the Third Round.

The 33 year old is a declining force on the hard courts, although she is scrappy and that means that respect is owed to Magda Linette in this match.

Finding consistency on the hard courts has been challenging for Magda Linette and she is another player who has suffered early losses on the surface over the last month. The serve can sometimes get Linette out of trouble, but this has proven to be a tough match up for her and Jessica Pegula should be comfortable in what she needs to do in order to win.

She has been able to attack the Magda Linette second serve with a lot of success in those prior meetings and the World Number 40 has not been able to get into the Pegula service games as well as she has needed.

There will be moments when Magda Linette is having her way, but over the course of this match, Jessica Pegula should be keeping the pressure on the lower Ranked player and she may have the return game to help cover this big line.

MY PICKS: Jessica Pegula - 5.5 Games @ 2.05 William Hill (1 Unit)

Jakub Mensik - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Karen Khachanov - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (1 Unit)

Alexander Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 1-5, - 3.80 Units (6 Units Staked, - 63.33% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2023- Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius (August 12th)

Every time it feels like Boxing has taken a couple of positive steps forward, negative headlines only feel like they are around the corner.

After two mammoth events featuring some of the elite boxers in the world, last week the news came out that Dillian Whyte was not going to be allowed to go on with his rematch with Anthony Joshua after failing a VADA test in preparation for the big fight in London.

Once again these are issues within the sport that continue to hurt all of the athletes involved- so many casual fans must get put off by these stories and wonder about the state of the sport, while even those who have never failed a test will be tarnished by these reports.

There is no doubt that the failed test is a disappointment for Anthony Joshua, who had been preparing very hard for the rematch, and the fans who had bought tickets for the event (like me). Robert Helenius is going to be talked up by Eddie Hearn and Matchroom, but this is the same fighter they considered past it BEFORE he was Knocked Out in the First Round by Deontay Wilder having been critical of that fight.

Anthony Joshua needs to be active though and it is better to face somebody, rather than sitting out for a few more months hoping for the Deontay Wilder fight to materialise.

The biggest fight of the night will actually be taking place in the United States where Emanuel Navarrete takes on Oscar Valdez for the WBO World Super Featherweight Title. This was a fight that was due to take place earlier in the year, but they finally will meet in the ring and it is a fight that should produce fireworks and very quickly too.

Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius

The excitement of the rematch between Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte is no longer a factor, but it is only good news for Joshua to actually get another fight under Derrick James under his belt.

While there has been an opponent change, Robert Helenius is perhaps at a similar stage of his career as Whyte and this is someone who can help make Anthony Joshua look good after the criticisms of the performance in the win over Jermaine Franklin in April.

Yes, Helenius is a bit taller than Whyte and he is coming in off a victory last week, but this is someone who is very much on the downward slope in his career and who has struggled to deal with the big shots as well as he once would.

The Deontay Wilder wipeout will be very much on the mind's of most fans and that does put some pressure on Anthony Joshua, although this tall, European style has proven to be one that Joshua has enjoyed facing and produced some of his best performances.

Accusations of being 'gun shy' will be levelled at Joshua again if he is not more positive than he was in the win over Franklin, although I do think the latter has shown he has a decent chin, good movement and can dip much lower than Robert Helenius will be able to do.

Those big time Knock Out losses suffered by Robert Helenius are hard to shift from the mind and the fact he is someone who will take a risk to get forward can only work to Anthony Joshua's advantage.

If this fight moves into the second half, it will be a big surprise and Anthony Joshua can earn a first Knock Out win since December 2020.

Criticisms of Heavyweight fighters is not going to be unfamiliar to one of those on the undercard as Filip Hrgovic returns after a year out of the ring.

He has been waiting to see if his mandatory IBF World Title position would be called, but inactivity is disappointing as he takes on unbeaten Demsey McKean.

Filip Hrgovic is fortunate to still be an unbeaten fighter after his win over Zhilei Zhang last August, but he has admitted his camp had been anything but ideal ahead of that fight as he was hurt time and time again.

This time he is facing an opponent who is not nearly as experienced as Zhang and Filip Hrgovic's power should make a difference for him against the unbeaten Australian.

Demsey McKean has not been much more active than Hrgovic and has been taking on lower level opponents with this being a big step up compared to those previous opponents.

The expectation is that El Animal can just remind the fans of his abilities and wipe out the memory of his last performance. He hits hard and very early on and Filip Hrgovic should just show that he deserves to be the next big contender for the World Titles when the Undisputed fight is finally signed off.

There is also an ultimate crossroads fight for two veterans Derek Chisora and Gerald Washington who have lost more than they have won in recent fights.

Out of the two, Chisora looks to have a bit more left in the tank and has been a lot more active than the American who was rumoured to be stepping in for Dillian Whyte in the main event before Robert Helenius in the main event.

It might not be the most pleasant fight to watch, but it could end up developing into a shoot-out as energy dissipates for two big, older fighters with plenty of miles on the clock. The feeling is that Derek Chisora's ability to take a bit more of a punch and still chug forward may wear down Gerald Washington and see the British fighter force the Stoppage.

And in another Heavyweight clash on a big hitting night, Johnny Fisher is expected to get the better of Harry Armstrong for the Southern Area Title and it could be a relatively early night for the up and coming Romford Bull.

Over in the United States, the fight between Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez is finally going to take place for the WBO World Title in the Super Featherweight Division.

Shakur Stevenson has left the 130 pound Division behind, and the winner of this one could quickly be heading into Unification bouts in a decent weight class.

Picking a winner is not easy- Emanuel Navarrete has looked like he has the dimensions to be a strong fighter in the Division and his power has carried, while Oscar Valdez is plenty experienced at World class level. However, Valdez has not really looked the same at this weight class and this is where Navarrete looks to have an edge and he might be able to find a late Stoppage in a firefight.

MY PICKS: Anthony Joshua to Win Between 1-6 @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Filip Hrgovic to Win Between 1-6 @ 3.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Derek Chisora to Win Between 6-10 @ 3.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Johnny Fisher to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Emmanuel Navarrete to Win Between 7-12 @ 8.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Boxing Update: 36-64, - 18.02 Units (188 Units Staked, - 9.59% Yield)

Canadian Masters Tennis Picks 2021 (August 12th)

It has been a really inconsistent week for the Tennis Picks and it means the performance of the selections has not been good enough as far as I am concerned.

Something of a roll was being put together in a season when the Tour begins to resemble something like normality despite the continued problems being posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, but I need to have a couple of strong days to turn this week back around and look for a third tournament in succession producing a positive return.

We are into the Third Round of the Canadian Masters at both the events in Montreal and Toronto and the entirety of that Round will be played on Thursday. It will be the Quarter Finals taking centre stage on Friday before both events are completed over the weekend and the ATP and WTA Tours join together for the last major tournament before the US Open begins later this month.

Roberto Bautista Agut v Diego Sebastian Schwartzman: The Big Three of the ATP Tour are all missing for the next two Masters events on the North American hard courts and that will offer a real opportunity for players to pick up a big title and plenty of momentum to take into the US Open later this month. The final Grand Slam of the season may be a really open event considering the issues Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are dealing with and the chance to win a Major is something that every player on the Tour should be looking to grasp with both hands.

In recent years the US Open has been the most open of the Grand Slam tournaments on the ATP Tour and the likes of Marin Cilic, Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem have all ended up Champions here in the last seven runnings of the tournament.

Roberto Bautista Agut and Diego Sebastian Schwartzman will meet in the Third Round in Toronto looking to showcase their own abilities to win a big event and both are better hard court players than may be expected. The two have had solid runs in the past, but only one of them can build on the early momentum they have earned here having received a Bye in the First Round and so winning a single match each to reach the Third Round.

A couple of poor showings in European clay court events while many took the chance to play at the Olympics may have knocked Roberto Bautista Agut's confidence, but he was a comfortable winner over Tommy Paul in the Second Round. The Spaniard has been the more consistent hard court player compared with Diego Sebastian Schwartzman and Roberto Bautista Agut will have a similar ability to get into the long rallies and feel he can outwork his opponent.

Diego Sebastian Schwartzman will believe the same, but there is a marked difference in the ability of the two players to hold serve on this surface. Both are decent return players, but it is Roberto Bautista Agut who can find a way to hold onto his serve a little more effectively than Diego Sebastian Schwartzman and that may help him edge through to this Masters Quarter Final.

Two years ago Roberto Bautista Agut got the better of Diego Sebastian Schwartzman in Canada, albeit in Montreal rather than in Toronto where this Third Round match will be played. The Spaniard doubled the amount of break points created compared with Schwartzman on that day and I do think his return ability can see him edge past the Argentinian in this tough looking Third Round match too.

Frances Tiafoe - 2.5 games v Gael Monfils: A Lucky Loser might be considered a player that is vulnerable in the main draw of any tournament, but Frances Tiafoe is a gifted tennis player who has yet to put it all together to find the consistency he would like. The American has taken full advantage of taking Sebastian Korda's place in the main draw and two impressive wins have moved him through to the Third Round in Toronto.

The second win was particularly notable as Frances Tiafoe beat home hope Denis Shapovalov and dominated the match to underline the kind of tennis he can play when at his best. The problem for Tiafoe has been to maintain that kind of level through multiple matches, but he has played four matches here this week and that should mean he is fully in tune with the kind of conditions he will see.

Backing up a big win can be difficult for those players further down the World Rankings, especially as Frances Tiafoe is going to have bigger expectations to win this match than he did against Denis Shapovalov. A couple of seasons ago it is unlikely that Tiafoe would have been the favourite, but Gael Monfils has had a very difficult twelve months and there are signs that the Frenchman is on the downward turn of his career.

Gael Monfils was a good winner over John Millman in the Second Round, but his World Ranking will take a major dent when the Tour returns to the twelve month format shortly. The Number 24 Ranking feels too high for Monfils and a 4-10 record in 2021 underlines the point about this veteran losing his way.

Before the win in the Second Round, Gael Monfils had lost all three previous matches played on the hard courts and that includes at the Tokyo Olympics at the end of last month.

Neither of these players has been particularly impressive on the return of serve, but Frances Tiafoe has held 80% of the service games played on the hard courts this season compared with Gael Monfils' 70% mark and that is a huge difference relatively speaking. The American has also been slightly more productive on the return of serve and I think Frances Tiafoe is deserving of his spot as the favourite.

He can also look back fondly on his sole previous meeting with Gael Monfils which saw Frances Tiafoe win in straight sets at the Cincinnati Masters in August 2019. Back then Gael Monfils was the stronger hard court player, but I feel he has slipped and Frances Tiafoe is still a steady enough force on this surface to win and cover in this Third Round match.

Hubert Hurkacz - 2.5 games v Nikoloz Basilashvili: A Bye in the First Round and a Walkover in the Second Round has seen Hubert Hurkacz move through to the Canadian Masters Third Round without playing a single shot. He disappointed at the Tokyo Olympics, but Hubert Hurkacz will be looking to build on his earlier Masters success when winning in Miami on the hard courts.

That was a significant moment in his career, but Hubert Hurkacz will have had even more people sitting up and taking notice after reaching the Wimbledon Semi Final last month. That run included beating both Daniil Medvedev and Roger Federer and the tall Polish player has shown enough on the hard courts to suggest he will be a potential threat in New York City.

There will be a bit of a learning curve with a first match in the conditions, but Hubert Hurkacz will have been in Toronto for a while and that won't be an excuse ahead of the Third Round match. A couple of titles have been won on the hard courts, but Hurkacz will be looking for more consistency after a number of early defeats in other tournaments have prevented him from really pushing up the World Rankings as he would have liked.

Winning in Miami is big though with many considering that Masters tournament as the 'fifth Major' in previous years and I think that is encouraging for the Pole. His numbers on the hard courts have been pretty impressive too in 2021, but you do have to wonder if those are sustainable for him.

I do feel this Third Round match is an opportunity for Hubert Hurkacz, although Nikoloz Basilashvili is a pure example of a player that can be incredibly hot one week and then disappear from the business end of tournaments for a number of weeks after that. The Georgian had a really poor hard court season in 2020, but he has been stronger in 2021 and his wins over Jenson Brooksby and the crushing of Alex De Minaur here in Toronto have to be highly respected.

The problem for Nikoloz Basilashvili is that his serve can be a weakness and that should offer Hubert Hurkacz an opportunity to earn the breaks to move past him. Nikoloz Basilashvili has held in just 72% of service games played on the hard courts and that puts pressure on the return, a pressure that will be hard to manage against someone who is capable of serving as effectively as Hubert Hurkacz is when at his best.

There is a talent in Basilashvili that has to be respected, but I can see Hubert Hurkacz serving well enough to force the break down of the Georgian's service game and it should see the Miami Masters Champion come through with a win and a cover.

MY PICKS: Roberto Bautista Agut @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Frances Tiafoe - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Hubert Hurkacz - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Casper Ruud - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Karolina Pliskova - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Ons Jabeur - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Jessica Pegula @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Canadian Masters Update: 6-7, - 4.76 Units (26 Units Staked, - 18.31% Yield)

Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2019 (August 12th)

After a brutal start to the Canadian Masters following a really poor end to the week before, I quickly realised I needed a few days to just reset in what is a very long season of making picks on the Tennis Tour.

It has been a very strong 2019 to follow from a good 2018, but the last couple of weeks have been tough and I have regularly struggled when the ATP tournament is played in Montreal and the WTA tournament is played in Toronto. With that in mind and the poor luck I had been experiencing early last week, the decision was the right one as far as I am concerned.


This week the Tour moves to Cincinnati and both the ATP and WTA's biggest players have arrived at the last major stop before the US Open begins in two weeks time. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are both in acton, but the two title winners from last week are missing as Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu both have decided to take this week as the chance to rest before the last Grand Slam of 2019 begins.

Serena Williams has to be a doubt having withdrawn from the Toronto Final after playing just four games. Back spasms were to blame, but she will be given until at least Wednesday to make a decision as the former World Number 1 looks to complete preparation for the US Open too.


Conditions in Cincinnati are usually considerably different to those in Canada and even in New York City with the courts tending to be some of the fastest hard courts on the Tour. Things may have changed in 2019, but traditionally that is the case and it is something to consider.

The schedule for this tournament can be quite tight with Second Round matches beginning as soon as Tuesday and those markets won't be formulated before I get some kip. It basically means some of the threads may need to be added to on the day of the matches, although I will try and get nay picks out as soon as possible.

I had gone through the First Round matches that had been confirmed on Sunday but there were no matches of note for Monday. That is until the market for the matches involving the Qualifiers from Sunday had been put together and I haven't identified too many Tennis Picks that appeal on this day.

Hopefully it will be a significantly better week than the last couple of weeks have been and build some momentum towards the next three weeks as the US hard court season comes to a close.


Guido Pella - 2.5 games v Casper Ruud: It says something about how Guido Pella is playing the best tennis of his career that he has never played in the main draw at the Cincinnati Masters. Twelve months ago he was not in a position in the World Rankings to be considered an automatic entry into this Masters event, but now he has improved his Ranking by over thirty places and is on the brink of reaching a new career high as the Argentinian bids to get into the top 20.

At 29 years old Pella is having a really surprising season, although it has to be said he is only slightly above average as a hard court player. He still has a losing record on the hard courts over the last twelve months, but Pella has reached the Semi Final in Los Cabos and the Fourth Round in Montreal last week so the confidence has to be in a better place for the Argentinian.

Guido Pella's numbers are fairly average with 63% of points won behind serve and 38% of return points won on the hard courts in 2019. Those numbers have been pretty consistent over the longer twelve month look at his performances on the surface, and Pella has held 77% of service games and broken in 21% of return games on the hard courts since July 2018.

Casper Ruud has a winning record on the hard courts, but the majority of his time has been spent off the main Tour and his numbers are very average when you factor that in. While a decent clay courter, Ruud is just 3-10 on the hard courts on the main Tour and he has held 74% of service games played in those matches and broken in just 14% of return games faced.

The numbers definitely give Pella enough of an edge to want to back him to cover the handicap mark set for this First Round match. These two also met at the US Open in August last year and Pella dominated the match having faced just one break point in the straight sets win and the higher Ranked player broke in 38% of return games played.

I do think Ruud is much improved, but his best performances have been on the slower surfaces especially when it comes to the main ATP Tour level. Guido Pella can be a little up and down with his own performances on the hard courts, but he has had a good month and can win this First Round match.

MY PICKS: Guido Pella - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Season 2019: + 98.41 Units (1473 Units Staked, + 6.68% Yield)

Olympic Games Tennis Picks 2016 (August 12th)

There was no need for a new post for the Olympic Games tennis picks on Thursday as the entire Wednesday schedule had been rained out but things are back on track going into the final three days of the tournament here.

The Tour will then move on to Cincinnati where the final Masters ahead of the US Open is to take place, although it was announced that Novak Djokovic would miss that event. The World Number 1 is apparently suffering with a wrist issue and Cincinnati has never gelled well with Djokovic as the faster surfaces have seen players able to hit through him.

It might also make Andy Murray the favourite to win the US Open and the British Number 1 is definitely favourite to win the Olympic Gold Medal for the second time in his career after coming through a scare against Fabio Fognini. The latter had been up a break in the final set but lost five games in a row to see Murray move into the Quarter Finals although the conditions in Rio have been difficult with plenty of wind affecting the timing of the ball.

Hopefully the conditions will settle down in the last three days so we can see some top tennis and on Friday it is all about the men's Quarter Finals and women's Semi Finals.


It looks like being another strong week for the tennis picks after the matches saw a 5-2 record come out of Thursday and it would have been even better if Rafael Nadal had served out the match in the second set when he was broken by Gilles Simon. I won't be greedy though as I look to put another serious dent into the season totals and I have set myself an ambition of getting back into the positive before the US Open begins at the end of the month.

That is a challenge and will need a lot of winning picks to get back into the black, but it has been a very strong seven weeks since the beginning of Wimbledon when I was certain it was going to be a disappointing back to back losing seasons.

I just have to keep focused and make sure I can continue reading matches as well as I have and also receive the bit of luck that everyone making picks will be looking for.

I will have the Friday picks up in a few hours once the full markets are available.


Petra Kvitova - 2.5 games v Monica Puig: There can't be too many players in better form than Monica Puig at the moment who has breezed through the Olympic draw to ensure she will be competing for a Medal on Saturday. Whether that is the Gold or the Bronze is yet to be determined, but Puig has made it clear how much she is thriving playing for her country this week.

It follows a run to the Semi Final in Florianopolis last week and my concern for Puig is at what point does all of the tennis begin to affect her game? I think she has been helped by breezing through the draw in the manner she has and Puig is yet to drop a set and only fourteen games in her four matches so far this week. Back to back 6-1, 6-1 wins in the Third Round and Quarter Final will only increase the confidence she is clearly feeling.

And it is not as though Puig has faced poor players with wins over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and the complete wipeout of Garbine Muguruza the stand out results. However she is going to be facing a very dangerous Petra Kvitova in the Semi Final who has only dropped a single set herself and one who dropped just two games to Serena Williams' conquerer Elina Svitolina in the Quarter Final.

This is only the second Semi Final that Kvitova will be playing this season which might play a part in the match, but she has looked confident in her matches this week too. Kvitova can be erratic and hard to judge on a day by day basis, but I am giving her the edge with Grand Slam titles under her belt compared with Monica Puig who is playing her biggest match of her career.

Puig doesn't have the best record against top 20 opponents and I will look for Kvitova to use all of her experience to battle through to the Gold Medal match behind a 76, 64 win.


Angelique Kerber - 2.5 games v Madison Keys: It has already been a memorable 2016 season for Angelique Kerber but I don't think that means she is going to be satisfied with what she has achieved so far. Winning the Australian Open Final and reaching the Wimbledon Final has given Kerber a new found confidence and she will believe she can go on and win the Gold Medal here in Rio.

Her Semi Final is going to be far from straight-forward against Madison Keys who is beginning to reach the business end of tournaments more regularly. A lot of hype has surrounded Keys with her impressive serve and big hitting off the ground, but there is still room for improvement from the young American and some of her vulnerabilities can be attacked by Kerber.

I am still not convinced Keys has the consistency to beat someone as defensively strong as Kerber, a player that can also quickly turn the tables on opponents. A 'better version' of Keys in Serena Williams has struggled in her matches with the German who can get enough serves back in play and deep enough to prevent the quick strike tennis that both Serena and Keys will look to play.

This could easily be a breakthrough tournament for Keys if she can get past Kerber, but it has been a more difficult route through to the Semi Final for the American. Having to play one more ball than she is accustomed to will also likely see Keys going for the lines a little more and that in turn leads to more unforced errors, while Kerber is good enough to go for plenty of winners of her own.

Kerber has a strong 4-1 head to head advantage over Keys which includes a straight sets win over her in Miami back in March. The conditions might make it difficult for Keys to hit through Kerber consistently and I think the Aussie Open Champion will be playing in the Gold Medal game on Saturday behind a 64, 64 win.


Roberto Bautista Agut + 2.5 games v Juan Martin Del Potro: This was the one Quarter Final I was really interested to see how the layers priced up as I thought Roberto Bautista Agut deserved to go in as the favourite. The bigger name is clearly Juan Martin Del Potro who has won the US Open and also had the stand out result in the men's draw when beating Novak Djokovic in the First Round earlier in the week.

The wins over Joao Sousa and Taro Daniel came with some effort from Del Potro and he now faces a player in Bautista Agut who can be very good defensively and eased past big serving Gilles Muller on Thursday.

A key for the Spaniard is going to be getting into rallies with Del Potro, who I am very glad to see producing big results again. The backhand wing still remains an issue for Del Potro and while the forehand is a cannon, getting Del Potro moving on the run to that side will give Bautista Agut a chance of extracting mistakes.

My fear for Bautista Agut is that the serve can be a bit of a let down for him and this isn't a lot of games to receive, but I do think he is good enough to take a set. In fact I think he is playing well enough to think he can win the match outright and even this small number of games can be telling if the Spaniard is playing to the level he can. He has to try and wear the big man down in this one and try not to give too much away, but Bautista Agut can do that and I will take the games being offered to him.


Gael Monfils + 2.5 games v Kei Nishikori: One of the best looking Quarter Finals in the men's draw has to be Gael Monfils taking on Kei Nishikori as both have been in some stunning form over the last few weeks. Monfils won the title in Washington before reaching the Semi Final of the Canadian Masters, while Nishikori managed to reach the Canadian Masters Final.

Their two previous matches have also been highly competitive as they have needed to go the distance each time, but there is more on the line this time with a chance to move into the Medal matches for the winner.

Picking a winner is difficult as there are strengths and weaknesses for both players that do seem to match up well against each other. It is Monfils who has the edge in serve and athleticism around the court, but Nishikori can sometimes be the more aggressive player off the ground meaning he can push and pull the Frenchman around the court and dictate the play.

Monfils did need three sets to beat Marin Cilic on Thursday so tiredness is a factor, although he showed in Washington and Toronto that he can handle a lot of tennis in a short period of time. I can see both players producing a lot of flashy tennis in this one and it should be the most enjoyable match to watch, but I have leaned towards Monfils with this number of games on the board.

When they met in Miami it was missed opportunities to break serve which cost Monfils, but he looks to be returning even better at the moment. The Nishikori serve will give him chances and I think Monfils is at the height of his confidence and can certainly keep this one competitive throughout. It looks like it could go right down to the wire as their match in Miami did and I will take the games and look for Monfils to perhaps even pull the 'upset' as the underdog.


Rafael Nadal - 4.5 games v Thomaz Bellucci: One poor service game cost Rafael Nadal the cover on Thursday, but the Spaniard won't care about that as he still moved through to the Quarter Final. A former Olympic Gold Medal winner, Rafael Nadal has to be the favourite to get to the Gold Medal match from the top half of the draw, although he is going to be in a rare position of not being the crowd favourite in this Quarter Final.

In the past Nadal has received huge support from the Brazilian crowd and all week he has received massive support, but taking on home favourite Thomaz Bellucci in a Davis Cup kind of atmosphere is going to see that support shift to Bellucci. I don't think Nadal will be overly concerned about that and might even thrive in what will be a tremendous atmosphere on Friday.

It has already been a strong week for Bellucci but getting to play for a Medal at his home Olympics is only going to be motivating him even more. He rode his luck at times to win the first set against David Goffin in the Third Round to pull the upset, while Bellucci was the beneficiary of Dustin Brown's unfortunate injury in the First Round.

The confidence has to be improving, but I can't help feel that things have gone Bellucci's way so far and playing Rafael Nadal is an altogether different test. The lefty advantage is gone and Nadal has beaten Bellucci all five previous times they have met and the Spaniard would have covered this number in the first two sets of all of those wins (four of five been played at Grand Slam level, Nadal won 14/14 previous sets).

I don't know if Nadal is ready to beat the best players on the Tour, but he has played well this week and a slightly better serving display than yesterday should give him a serious edge in this match. Bellucci had lost eight of nine matches on the hard courts before his wins in the Olympic Games and he would be 2-5 in covering this number over two sets with another loss coming via retirement.

I will be looking for Nadal to be a little better when the break points come his way and just play a little more solid behind his serve to help him to a 75, 63 win in this Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Petra Kvitova - 2.5 Games @ 1.73 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Angelique Kerber - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Roberto Bautista Agut + 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Gael Monfils + 2.5 Games @ 1.73 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Rafael Nadal - 4.5 Games @ 1.73 Bet365 (2 Units)

Olympic Tennis Update: 23-12, + 14.96 Units (70 Units Staked, + 21.37% Yield)

Canadian Masters Tennis Picks 2015 (August 12th)

There is always a lot of incremental weather around North America at this time of the year and it looks like it will be no different in 2015. Both events in Toronto and Montreal have been affected by the rain through the first three days here and the same can be expected through the rest of the week.

Cincinnati and New York will also have the same problems and the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium can't come quick enough at Flushing Meadows.

Hopefully there won't be too many more delays over the next couple of days as the tournament looks to remain on schedule for the Sunday finish.


Gilles Simon - 4.5 games v Mikhail Youzhny: It was an impressive win for Mikhail Youzhny against Victor Troicki in the First Round, but I think that has a lot to do with the latter rather than the veteran Russian. Youzhny might have a strong 7-3 head to head record against Gilles Simon, but it is Simon who has won the last three matches and has covered this number each time.

I have to respect the fact that Youzhny has won three matches in a row as that might have restored some shattered confidence, but he is going to have to roll back the years in this one you would feel. As impressive as his win over Victor Troicki was, Gilles Simon is unlikely to be as generous with the points he gives away and is coming in off an impressive straight sets win over Andreas Seppi himself.

Simon has been producing the far more consistent tennis of the two players through 2015 and I think he can wear down Youzhny in this one. He will have to serve effectively to just make this a more routine win than it might otherwise be, but Youzhny's own serve has looked vulnerable at times and he will be physically tested.

If Simon can get an early breakthrough and show Youzhny he won't be giving up too much that the Russian doesn't work for, I like his chances to win this one 63, 64.


Marin Cilic - 2.5 games v Bernard Tomic: Both of these players have had some solid success between Wimbledon and this Masters event in Montreal and so confidence shouldn't be an issue. It is a big six weeks for Marin Cilic who won the US Open last season and could have a significant drop in the World Rankings if he can't build some solid points at his next three tournaments, but he made a good start with a Semi Final berth in Washington last week.

He faces Bernard Tomic who won the title in Bogota, but who suffered a disappointing early exit in Washington last week. However, Tomic has won his first match in Montreal although my concern about the Australian is surrounding some of his off-court issues.

That is taking away some of the focus and he will be put under pressure by Cilic who is getting better and better on court after injury hurt the beginning of the 2015 season. After some disappointing early results, Cilic has reached the Semi Finals in Stuttgart and Washington and the Quarter Final at Wimbledon over the last couple of months.

Improving results and battling through tough moments will all bode well for Cilic going forward, although defending his title at the US Open would be a bigger upset than him winning that Grand Slam in the first place. I think he can be too strong for Tomic as long as he serves well and puts pressure on the Australian to stay with him which may result in a 75, 64 win.


Stan Wawrinka - 2.5 games v Nick Kyrgios: I made a point of mentioning yesterday on Twitter that a more confident and efficient player than Fernando Verdasco would have beaten Nick Kyrgios. Verdasco had all the chances, but couldn't hold onto serve under pressure and allowed the youngster to move through, but I like Stan Wawrinka to get the better of him in this match.

Confidence isn't an issue, but Wawrinka can sometimes be guilty of going for the outrageous rather than the high percentage shot although you have to accept that as being part of his game. It clearly works for Wawrinka as a two time Grand Slam winner and the biggest issue for him might be the fact that he hasn't played a match since Wimbledon.

In that time Kyrgios has played a couple of matches, but Wawrinka has previous after beating the Australian at Queens in his first match after winning the French Open title. He will need to serve well, but I think he will be given opportunities to break serve if Kyrgios is as loose in his play as he was against Verdasco in the First Round.

The biggest question is of course the match rustiness that Wawrinka might feel, but I think the Number 3 Seed here this week comes through 76, 64 after a difficult first set.


Andrea Petkovic - 2.5 games v Heather Watson: Andrea Petkovic hasn't been in the best form and an early loss in Stanford was a real disappointment for her. She has had to battle for her couple of wins over the last couple of weeks and will have to be better if she is going to beat Heather Watson.

However, Watson does look a little over-rated in this match despite winning three matches to get into the Second Round after a couple of qualifier wins.

This match will be a battle as both players are very capable of trying to break down opponents, but I do think Petkovic has a little more about her game. As much as Watson is trying to improve the pop on her own shots, that is a work in progress and I think Petkovic will have the better penetration through the court in this one.

It will likely be a tight, hard fought match that could see both players have their chances to pull clear. However, I think it will eventually see Petkovic prevail 64, 46, 63.

MY PICKS: Gilles Simon - 4.5 Games @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Marin Cilic - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Stan Wawrinka - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Andrea Petkovic - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-2, - 0.72 Units (8 Units Staked, - 9% Yield)

Cincinnati Tennis Picks 2014 (August 12th)

I don't know whether it is because I have been doing some long hours of late, or whether I am just not quite thinking straight, but it has been an incredibly poor last seven days of picks. That poor run continued with the first day at the Cincinnati Masters/Premier Event and has been an irritating part of the season.

At least from Canada I could say there was two surprise winners and at least four surprise Semi Finalists in the two tournaments, but that doesn't mean I am enjoying 'missing' on so many picks.


The second day of action in Cincinnati means some of the big names on both Tours are beginning their tournaments and it is going to be a big week for the likes of Maria Sharapova, Stan Wawrinka and Serena Williams who need to set a marker down for the US Open. Wawrinka might be a strange name to include, but he hasn't been at his best over the last few weeks and is a Grand Slam Champion this season, something the likes of Roger Federer and Andy Murray haven't done in 2014.

Both Sharapova and Williams have had disappointing tournaments in Montreal with Serena struggling through to the Semi Final before being beaten comfortably by older sister Venus.


Feliciano Lopez + 2.5 games v Marin Cilic: After a strong showing in Toronto last week, it can be tough for players to back up a successful week and it will be interesting to see if Feliciano Lopez can do that against Marin Cilic.

It is one of the toughest First Round matches in Cincinnati this week with both players capable of playing well on the hard courts, although the edge in the match may go down in favour of Marin Cilic.

Both players have decent serves, but Cilic certainly has the better return game, although Lopez may be able to have some success by extracting errors off the Cilic forehand with Lopez' backhand slice.

The Spaniard will also look to close on the net and keep the pressure on Cilic and their previous four matches have mostly been very competitive. Tiredness is a concern for Lopez, but I think he can make this competitive and make this small number of games very telling.


Vasek Pospisil v Radek Stepanek: This match has been set as a pick 'em contest in the First Round, but I think Vasek Pospisil has been in the better form in recent weeks and can make up for his early exit in his home tournament last week.

Pospisil can say he reached the Final of the tournament in Washington the week before and so may have been a little fatigued, but Radek Stepanek has lost three matches in a row and hasn't been in great form since his run to the Final at Queens.

The last couple of years has seen Stepanek struggle on the hard courts and he was dismissed by Pospisil in Montreal twelve months ago. While the veteran has the know-how to make life awkward for any opponent and can get under the skin of the player on the other side of the net, Pospisil should be able to use his serve to good effect in the contest.

It might be tighter than their previous meeting, but Pospisil should come through even if it takes three sets.


Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 3.5 games v Mikhail Youzhny: It was by far the biggest title that Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has won his career as far as I am concerned and the manner of his victory in Toronto should inspire him ahead of the US Open.

My only question in this match is whether Tsonga has had enough time to come off the high of the performance he put in last week where he recorded wins over Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Roger Federer to take the title home. That Final was played on Sunday and that doesn't leave a lot of time to celebrate and travel to Cincinnati to get used to the conditions here.

Mikhail Youzhny has won half of the six previous matches between these players, but two of those wins came in Tsonga retirements and he is having a terrible 2014 which hasn't produced the tennis it would take to beat Tsonga in the form he displayed last week.

The tiredness is hard to factor in, but I expect Tsonga can win this one 64, 64 and continue the form he has been displaying last week.


Stan Wawrinka - 4.5 games v Benjamin Becker: Since the Australian Open win, Stanislas Wawrinka has won the Monte Carlo Masters, but he has struggled for consistency since January. Where he has a Quarter Final appearance in Wimbledon, Wawrinka has a First Round loss at the French Open, and he was beaten early in Toronto last week.

The Second Round match with Benjamin Becker won't be easy considering the German has been in decent form through the summer on the hard courts.

Becker has a powerful serve that is perhaps under-rated and if that part of his game is in form, he will make it difficult for Wawrinka. However, anything extended off the ground should give the Swiss player the opportunity to dictate the points although he has to remove some of the unforced errors that can blight his game.

Earlier this year, Wawrinka crushed Becker for the loss of four games- I expect this to be much closer but the higher Ranked player to come through 75, 63.


Sabine Lisicki - 3.5 games v Roberta Vinci: Last week in Montreal, Sabine Lisicki crushed Sara Errani and I do feel she can do something similar to the Italian's Doubles partner Roberta Vinci in this First Round match.

A good summer for Vinci was not enough to see her come through her first match in Montreal last week and this year has seen more and more players get the better of her. Players recognise what is generally coming off the backhand and the power of the likes of Lisicki should prove to be the difference between the players.

Lisicki also had a couple of decent wins last week and was only beaten by the eventual winner of the tournament and even that match took three sets to separate them.

As long as she doesn't push too much and make too many errors, Lisicki should be able to record a similar kind of win as she had against Errani and come through fairly comfortably.

MY PICKS: Feliciano Lopez + 2.5 Games @ 2.20 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Vasek Pospisil @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Stan Wawrinka - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Sabine Lisicki - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Cincinnati Update: 0-3, - 6 Units (6 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Tennis Picks Cincinnati 2013 (August 12th)

It hasn't been a great year for the tennis picks, despite being in the positive, and much of the blame can be laid at the door of the outright picks.

There have been a fair few occasions that players have reached the Final/Semi Final but have fallen short and that has led to a poorer season than the previous two, although there is still two and half months left including the final Grand Slam event of the season.

The outright picks haven't been in great form this season but hopefully this week is the beginning of a change on that front and you can see my outright picks from the Cincinnati here.


Last week just wasn't a great week, but hopefully the second Masters event this summer will be a more successful week as a new game begins. There are a lot of First Round matches taking place today although there could be some rain delays on the first day of the tournament in Cincinnati- thankfully the rest of the week looks clear and I am hopeful that all the scheduled matches will be completed on Monday.


Denis Istomin - 3.5 games v Brian Baker: Brian Baker was the feel good story of last season after the former top junior player made his return to the Tour with injuries finally behind him. He had some real impacts during his time on the Tour, reaching the Final in Nice and the Fourth Round at Wimbledon.

Baker did have a drop off of form after that, but he must have entered 2013 in a positive frame of mind, one which was quickly cracked as he suffered an injury at the Australian Open that kept him out of action until last week.

It is a big ask for him to take on an in-form Denis Istomin in his first match on the main Tour in Cincinnati and I just feel the lack of tennis in recent months will be tough to overcome. Istomin has a strong serve and he can take advantage of second serves that Baker throws in during the match. With the way the Uzbekistan player has been playing in the summer, I do believe he should earn a break of serve in each set to help him win this one 64, 64 and move onto the Second Round.


Marcel Granollers - 3.5 games v Lukas Rosol: Since knocking out Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon, Lukas Rosol may be a little more well-known by tennis fans, but he hasn't really kicked on to the extent that he would have wanted since that major victory.

Granted, he has won a title on the main Tour this season and he is automatically eligible for the main draw at these Masters tournaments in North America, which was not the case a year ago, but Rosol has been in disappointing form in recent weeks and he has a losing record on Tour this season.

You would think he has the game to really make an impact on the hard courts, with a big serve that is followed by a big forehand, but he is erratic with the latter shot and his second serve has been attacked. Rosol has now lost 6 matches in a row and he only won his first set of tennis last week since Wimbledon, meaning he has lost 9 of the last 10 sets he has competed on Tour.

Now he is up against a confident Marcel Granollers who recently won the tournament in Kitzbuhel and one who beat Grigor Dimitrov last week in Montreal before finding Andy Murray a little too good. The Spaniard will need to serve well in this match if he is to make it through and he can be a little inconsistent himself at times, while not always playing the big points effectively.

However, confidence is a big thing in tennis and Granollers certainly has more of that than Rosol at the moment and I believe he wins 64, 64.


Grigor Dimitrov v Nicolas Almagro: This is a pick 'em contest that the layers cannot separate and I can understand the reasoning behind that- however, I have been feeling that Grigor Dimitrov is on the more upward curve than Nicolas Almagro who could be coming down the Rankings over the next 6-9 months.

There is no doubt that Almagro is a talented player that can certainly give most players a good run for their money on his day, but he is on course for his lowest win total on the Tour since 2009 and his defeat to Radek Stepanek last week would be a concern. It is fair to say that was his first match on the hard courts this summer as an excuse, but the errors he made and the way he failed to keep his level up to par has to be a concern.

That isn't to say that Grigor Dimitrov has been pulling up trees of late, but he did reach the Quarter Final in Washington before a surprising First Round loss in Montreal last week. The youngster is yet to make a real impact at Grand Slam level, but has had a couple of decent runs in Masters tournaments this season.

Both players have the one handed backhand which is Almagro's best shot, and I do think Almagro has the slight advantage when it comes to the serve. However, the Spaniard's form has been patchy to say the least and Dimitrov is the better returner in my opinion. He missed a number of chances against Granollers last week, but if Dimitrov can be a little more ruthless on the big points, I like him to come through against a Spaniard this week.


Fabio Fognini v Radek Stepanek: After a spectacular clay court summer, Fabio Fognini was involved in a couple of very strange matches on the hard court in Montreal last week- he competed in six sets and five of them ended 61, Fognini winning 3 and losing 2.

That shows what kind of an inconsistent and frustrating player the Italian can be at times and much of that is down to a serve that is very attackable and one his opponents can certainly grab the initiative in rallies from.

However, I do think Fognini can beat Radek Stepanek in this pick 'em First Round match as the veteran may have lost half a step coming to the net these days. Stepanek does like to get forward and put away volleys and pressure opponents to pass him, but that half step just gives them more room to get the ball past the Czech player.

Neither player has a really dominant serve so I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few breaks of serve in the match, but I do believe Fognini will come out of a three set tussle with the Second Round place booked.


Sloane Stephens win 2-0 v Petra Martic: It is always tough for the younger players on the Tour to find the consistency needed to be successful on a week by week basis and that is the situation for Sloane Stephens this season, despite being 17 in the World Rankings.

After reaching the Semi Final at the Australian Open, Stephens has been a touch over-rated by the layers and she has had more than her fair share of surprise defeats since that moment. However, this does look like a good match up for her against another young player Petra Martic.

Martic has won a couple of qualifiers to get into the main draw so will be comfortable in the conditions here in Cincinnati, but she has lost all of her hard court matches at the main Tour level. That includes a thumping by Maria Kirilenko last week in Toronto and I do feel she could find it tough to find the consistency to hit her shots against Stephens.

The American can certainly make enough balls back in court to give Martic trouble, while she also has the weight of shot that can keep Martic under pressure. Stephens will just have to keep her head together when it comes to the big points in each set and I think she can be a little too strong for Martic and move through in straight sets.


Carla Suarez Navarro - 3.5 games v Marina Erakovic: Marina Erakovic won a couple of qualifiers to get into the main draw in Cincinnati after deciding not to take part in Toronto and those wins here should give her some confidence to come through this First Round match against Carla Suarez Navarro.

However, the latter is a player that can certainly be effective enough to come through matches like this as her consistency can be a little too good for the lower Ranked players on the Tour. Her one handed backhand is a great looking shot, although the hard courts are certainly not her favoured surface.

There will be times when Erakovic is able to control this match as she does hit a heavy ball, but Suarez Navarro has the Spanish mentality of trying to grind out her opponents through sheer consistency and I expect that will prove to be the difference in the match. Like with any WTA match, I am expecting a few breaks of serve in this one, but Suarez Navarro to come through with a 75, 63 win.


Roberta Vinci - 3.5 games v Bethanie Mattek-Sands: There aren't too many more flamboyant characters on the WTA Tour than Bethanie Mattek-Sands, but I do think she will have another tough time against Roberta Vinci in this First Round match.

Mattek-Sands was a real surprise during the clay court season as she reached a Semi Final in Stuttgart and the Fourth Round at the French Open, while the American also has a hard court Final under her belt this season.

However, that Final in Kuala Lumpur aside, Mattek-Sands hasn't had the best time on the hard courts as her inconsistency can see her struggle on the surface and that is what made her runs during the clay court such a surprise. The variation that Roberta Vinci uses should underline the lack of consistency that Mattek-Sands has in her game and I think she can back up her result against her from Carlsbad last month.

Vinci hasn't been in great form over the last month, but her slice can cause some problems although she will need to serve a little better if she is to get through to the Second Round. However, the Italian has had plenty of success on the hard courts in North America over the last twelve months with Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and even a title under her belt.

As long as Vinci serves effectively, I would expect her to come through this test with a cover of the spread.


MY PICKS: Denis Istomin - 3.5 Games @ 1.73 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Marcel Granollers - 3.5 Games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Grigor Dimitrov @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Fabio Fognini @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Sloane Stephens win 2-0 @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Carla Suarez Navarro - 3.5 Games @ 1.92 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Roberta Vinci - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Tennis Picks August 12th

The most frustrating element of this week has been how close some of these picks have been to winning, yet I find myself in a very bad position.

Both tournaments in Toronto and Montreal have seen a huge number of surprise results, and I guess that has to be expected considering a lot of the players are playing in their first events since Wimbledon. Still, I expect better from myself and am hoping I can have a strong end to the week to salvage some pride.

Now on to the Picks:

Sam Stosur - 3.5 games vs Roberta Vinci: If you had blindly backed Roberta Vinci in every match this week, you would have + 8.52 Units for every 1 Unit you have staked- it has been more than a surprise to see Vinci still participating in a tournament after struggling on the hard courts for much of her career.

I backed Ana Ivanovic to beat Vinci yesterday, but I am going back to the well with Sam Stosur, a player that looked in fine fettle in her win over Na Li yesterday.

Stosur plays her game with a lot of spin and that could cause problems for the 5 foot 4 inch Vinci, especially if she gets as much off the court as the Australian did yesterday. The hard courts should favour Stosur's game much more and I will expect her to come through in straight sets, 7-5 6-3.


Agnieska Radwanska vs Andrea Petkovic: I am a little concerned with the amount of tennis Radwanska has played recently, but she showed she is in fine form after winning the tournament in San Diego last week. The Polish Number 1 beat Petkovic en route to the trophy and I expect her consistent game will be too much for the German again.

Petkovic took advantage of an error-ridden game from Petra Kvitova yesterday, but she has lost all 3 previous meetings with Radwanska and finds it hard to break down the defence the Pole employs.

This could go the distance, but I think the edge will be with Radwanska at the end of the day.


Mardy Fish - 2 games vs Stanislas Wawrinka: Mardy Fish has been in fine form during the US hard court swing, winning the tournament in Atlanta before reaching the Final in LA, and I think he is favourite to come through the bottom half of the draw since Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal exited early.

Wawrinka has done well to reach this Quarter Final, but I can't shake the feeling he has taken advantage of a very straight forward draw especially after Murray went out.

I expect Fish will have a little too much for Wawrinka in this match, although it is possible it goes the distance. His serve is a little more solid, while he has the knowledge to end points quickly at the net. I would guess the pressure of keeping up with Fish will eventually be the difference and Fish will get through.


Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 3.5 games vs Nicolas Almagro: While we saw Ivan Dodig and Kevin Anderson falter after knocking out players in the top 4 of the World Rankings, I do not expect the same of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who is finally beginning to play with the belief that he should be much higher in the rankings himself.

Many would have been watching out for Juan Martin Del Potro as a dark horse for the US Open, but I have now been converted into thinking Tsonga can do enough to make a serious splash at that event.

His win over Roger Federer showed his serve is working very effectively while his returning game has come on leaps and bounds in the last 8 months.

Nicolas Almagro is a tough competitor, but one who is much happier with the clay under his feet. He has a big serve, but his groundstrokes can be inconsistent and I think that is where Tsonga will have the edge.

Importantly, Tsonga has also won all 4 of their previous meetings, the last 3 all being on clay courts which I would have expected to suit Almagro a little more. I think Tsonga will come through tonight 6-3, 6-4 with a break in each set.


Victoria Azarenka - 5.5 games vs Galina Voskoboeva: Galina Voskoboeva is having a huge week- after qualifying for this event, she has gone on to beat Marion Bartoli and Maria Sharapova and has lost just 2 sets in her 5 matches this week.

This could be her toughest test of the week against Victoria Azarenka who has been playing some good stuff this week, losing just 3 games in 4 sets played. I expect the World Number 4 to have too much for Voskoboeva, and to run away with the match after a tight first set.


MY PICKS: Sam Stosur - 3.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Agnieska Radwanska @ 1.85 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Mardy Fish - 2 games @ 1.91 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 3.5 games @ 1.72 Coral (2 Units)
Victoria Azarenka - 5.5 games @ 2.05 Coral (2 Units)


WEEKLY UPDATE: - 6.41 Units