WTA Finals Day 7 Tennis Picks 2018 (October 27th)

The Semi Final of all the tournaments being played this week are going to be played on Saturday.

We are down to the last two days of the WTA Tour for the 2018 season with the WTA Finals concluding the Group Stage and leaving four players standing in Singapore.

The ATP 500 events in Vienna and Basel also have reached the Semi Finals and there are a couple of players looking for vital points to get a little closer to earning a place in London. Only one more big opportunity remains with the ATP Masters event in Paris beginning this weekend so the race for places at the ATP World Tour Finals will go on for a few more days.

Both Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin Del Potro have entered the tournament in Paris where the conditions have been changed to be much more similar to those the players will see in London. Both of those players will be in London as long as they get through this week feeling good about their health as neither Nadal or Del Potro will want to go into 2019 with any lingering issues around them.

If they don't feel good then I can imagine a line will be drawn on 2018 in order to get ready for the new season which begins seven weeks after the ATP World Tour Finals are completed.


MY PICKS: Elina Svitolina - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Sloane Stephens - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Daniil Medvedev + 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

WTA Finals Update: 14-8, + 12.14 Units (44 Units Staked, + 27.59% Yield)

WTA Finals Day 5 Tennis Picks 2018 (October 25th)

The WTA Finals will begin to set up the Semi Finals at this tournament over the next two days as the Group matches come to a conclusion.

First up is the White Group where all four players are still able to make it through to the Semi Final after four of the six Group matches have been completed.

For some there is no room for error- Petra Kvitova needs to win in straight sets and hope Elina Svitolina does the same if the Czech player wants to make it through to the Semi Final. Any other result will keep her compatriot alive, but Karolina Pliskova will feel destiny is her own hands and a first win over Kvitova will be enough to move her through to the Semi Final regardless of what happens in the final match in the Group.

You would assume Elina Svitolina has made it through to the Semi Final, but two wins have not been enough to confirm her place in the Semi Final. She will know all the permutations by the time she takes to the court to play Caroline Wozniacki, but right now Svitolina will know one more set will be enough unless Petra Kvitova wins the early match when her place in the Semi Final will be secured.


Karolina Pliskova - 1.5 games v Petra Kvitova: There is always some doubt around a player when they have not been able to beat another, especially when it comes to playing someone from the same country. That is certainly an issue for Karolina Pliskova on Thursday when she faces Petra Kvitova in the final Group match for both players.

In all honesty Pliskova also has to get over the disappointment of losing a tight three set match against Elina Svitolina, a match that she should have arguably won. That would have been enough to secure a Semi Final spot in Singapore and now she has to face a dangerous opponent who may not have much to lose.

Petra Kvitova suffered a tough loss a couple of days ago too when she was beaten by Caroline Wozniacki in three sets. That defeat has put her on the brink of exiting the tournament and Kvitova knows she can't even afford to lose one set if she is going to have a chance to play in the Semi Final on Saturday.

She hasn't really been playing well enough to think Kvitova is capable of doing that, but having won all three previous matches against Pliskova means she has the mental edge in this match. This is also a different sort of match for both players as they face another big hitter rather than a player who may be using their superior movement to get the better of them around the court.

It does mean first strike tennis is all important and I am giving the edge to Pliskova with the way she has been serving. Pliskova has also been winning a lot more tennis matches than Kvitova over the last six weeks since the US Open was completed and that may be enough for Pliskova to finally get in a position to better her compatriot.

The favourites have really struggled at the WTA Finals so far with their 1-7 record against the spread and just 2-6 record straight up. That may have a lot to do with how little separation can be made from the top players on the Tour at the moment but Pliskova can earn a win for the favourites by edging out Kvitova in three sets.


Caroline Wozniacki - 1.5 games v Elina Svitolina: Things will be much clearer for both of these players when they take to the court for the second of the Group matches to be played in the White Group on Thursday. If Petra Kvitova has beaten Karolina Pliskova it will be good enough for Elina Svitolina to have earned a Semi Final spot, but otherwise she is going to need at least one set from this match.

For Caroline Wozniacki it is clear that she needs to win this match but she will know that he has to win the match in straight sets if Karolina Pliskova has won the first Singles match going onto the court. A Kvitova win would mean Wozniacki just needs to win this match and so it could be a tense affair regardless.

This is the second season in a row that Wozniacki and Svitolina are meeting in the Group Stage of the WTA Finals, although last year it was the first match for the two players. On that occasion Wozniacki lost just two games in her win over Svitolina which also snapped a career record of 0-3 against the Ukrainian.

You would think that Wozniacki is very happy in the conditions and she has shown her desire to be here and defend the title she won last season in her win over Kvitova a couple of days ago. She will need to bring some of her best tennis to the court to beat Svitolina whose own confidence has to be in a good place after winning both of her previous matches, even if she was a little fortunate to be in the position to win the match against Pliskova.

Out of the two players it is Wozniacki who has shown more consistent form since the end of the US Open and she will be confident having beaten Svitolina here last year. There is a chance that Svitolina just relaxes having invested so much to win her first two matches in the tournament and I also think Wozniacki can get enough joy from the return of serve to be in a position to win this match.

I do worry that Wozniacki perhaps loses her own focus if Pliskova wins and she drops a set in this match. That would mean she is going out of the tournament whether she wins or loses this match and the desire may come off her game and reduce the intensity of her performance.

Personally I think Wozniacki will look to end her season on a high with a win no matter what it means for her future in the tournament and I will back her to cover as the favourite for the second time in Singapore.

MY PICKS: Karolina Pliskova - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Caroline Wozniacki - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Roberto Bautista Agut - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

WTA Finals Update: 9-6, + 6.22 Units (30 Units Staked, + 20.73% Yield)

WTA Finals Picks 2016 (October 30th)

There might be an Elite Trophy tournament being played in China next week, but for most fans this will be considered the end of the WTA season when the Final of the WTA Finals is played between Angelique Kerber and Dominika Cibulkova who have already played once before in the Groups.

I will never understand the reasoning behind the WTA season ending with the Elite Trophy rather than the WTA Finals, although it has been announced that it is going to be looked at and we could potentially see that change by the 2017 season.

Sunday will also see the tournaments in Vienna and Basel come to a close with the Finals of those events while the Paris Masters completes the Qualifiers ahead of that tournament beginning on Monday.


Saturday proved to be another strong day for the picks with the four made seeing one voided because of a withdrawal and the other three producing winners. That has completely turned around the horrific Wednesday when the picks went 1-6 and looked destined to see me end this week with a losing record, but now I am almost assured of a solid end to the week.

I want to underline it with three winners on Sunday to ensure a strong week as I have a pick from each of the three Finals that will be played.


Dominika Cibulkova + 4.5 games v Angelique Kerber: The World Number 1 is the deserved favourite to win the WTA Finals and I think there are a lot of factors pointing her way. Angelique Kerber has gotten stronger and stronger in each match played in Singapore since being pushed all the way by Dominika Cibulkova in her first match in the Group and a second win over the Slovakian would be enough to add this title to the Australian and US Open titles she won during the season.

I have a lot of respect for Cibulkova and I am surprised she is being given a game more in this Final than she was in the Group match against one another. Part of the reason has to be that Cibulkova has needed three sets to win her last two matches compared with Kerber who has barely lost games in that time, but I think Cibulkova has the kind of fight in her game to not allow herself to fall apart.

Cibulkova will very much know she is going to have a few weeks off from the Tour after this match so has every reason to leave it all out there and the Kerber serve has not been firing to the point that her opponent can't feel she won't get opportunities to break serve. Her own serve is a concern, especially if fatigue issues are in play, but I can see Cibulkova having some success in this one to make it a close match.

Almost nothing separated them when the played last week and Cibulkova can take heart from that performance. She will need to win a few big points to make sure she keeps this competitive, but I will back Cibulkova with a healthy amount of games being offered to her in this Final of the WTA Finals in Singapore.


Kei Nishikori - 1.5 games v Marin Cilic: Both of these players might feel they had a bit of an escape in their respective Semi Final matches to eventually get through to the Final in Basel. Kei Nishikori went match point down to Gilles Muller before turning things in his favour, while Marin Cilic also had to come from a set down to beat Mischa Zverev having come close to the brink of defeat in the second set.

It is Nishikori who has managed to get the better of Marin Cilic in their previous matches with a 7-4 lead, but one of those defeats did come in the Final of the US Open 2014. That is by far the biggest match these two have played against one another but Nishikori had won twice in a row since that match against Cilic before being forced to retire at Wimbledon back in July.

You can see why Nishikori would match up well with Cilic- while the power is clearly with the Croatian, Cilic's consistency can be hard to call upon and that is where Nishikori will continue to get lots of balls in play and pressure the second serves he sees. Cilic might hit a few more aces, but Nishikori won't let that bother him and I think something similar will occur in this Final.

The points mean more to Cilic who is chasing a place in London for the ATP World Tour Finals, but I think Nishikori will prove too strong on the day by dragging Cilic deep into a third set. It can lead to a 36, 63, 64 win for Nishikori as he wears down his opponent and I will back the Japanese player to lift the title in Basel on Sunday afternoon.


Andy Murray - 4.5 games v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: Two players who are familiar with each other on and off the court will contest the Final in Vienna as Andy Murray takes on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for the title. Both players have plenty of motivation to win here with Murray looking to close the gap on Novak Djokovic to the World Number 1 spot and Tsonga hoping to add vital points in a last ditch effort to make it to the World Tour Finals in London.

Murray was the recipient of a bye through to the Final when David Ferrer withdrew before the two players were to take to the court and that could be important. Especially so when you think Tsonga had to beat Ivo Karlovic in three sets where he expended a lot of emotional energy in recovering a second set break and then having to overcome his own serve being broken when ahead in the third set.

That emotional energy being sapped can really take something out of a player and I think it could work against Tsonga. I do have to respect that he has given Murray plenty of trouble in their past meetings with his big serve and the capability of playing some really special tennis which opens up break point opportunities.

However I am not sure the court is going to help his serve be as potent as it can be and Tsonga may have to work harder for his points which can be tough when you're not at the top of your game. The serve has really not been firing as it can with three breaks given up to Ivo Karlovic and Tsonga also having a few issues against Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Murray has shown he can be devastating against the biggest servers if they are not hitting their marks when he crushed John Isner here in the Quarter Final and I think the rest he has received the last couple of days plays out here. After a few issues on serve, Murray can eventually take control in a 64, 63 win and another title to add to his name.

MY PICKS: Dominika Cibulkova + 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Kei Nishikori - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Andy Murray - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 20-15, + 7.18 Units (70 Units Staked, + 10.26% Yield)

WTA Finals Picks 2016 (October 27th)

I cannot begin to say how frustrated and irritated I was with the way the tennis picks went on Wednesday.

Karolina Pliskova blew a set and a break lead to eventually go down against Svetlana Kuznetsova, while the Fabio Fognini pick just never got off the ground.

However it was the other four picks that fell apart that absolutely got under my skin... Garbine Muguruza was up a break in the second set but ended up losing 6/7 games to miss the cover by one game and that became an ugly theme of the day.

Feliciano Lopez decided he would throw in his double faults during this two tie-breakers with John Isner to effectively give up those to the big American. In fact I think he lost his first two service points in both tie-breakers to give up the match for all intents and purposes.

Things didn't improve with both Kei Nishikori and Robin Haase missing their own covers by single games. Nishikori had 15-40 on Paolo Lorenzi's opening two service games and couldn't break and missed all 6 break points he earned in set one to eventually win 76, 62 to miss his cover, while Haase broke the Juan Martin Del Potro serve three times in the second set and still couldn't at least get to a tie-breaker which is pathetic when you consider that.

I can pretty much say that is the way my 2016 season has gone with little luck at the very crux of matches far too often and that has meant I haven't been able to pick up the momentum I should have done. In all honesty even a little bit of luck at the big moments would have seen at least half of those losses come back as winners and keep the positive run going, but instead every single one looked to have landed on the wrong side because the players I've picked have lost those big points.

Frustration is putting it mildly.


The WTA Finals Red Group is going to be decided on Thursday and things have become fairly clear in the Group. Dominika Cibulkova has to win in straight sets and hope Angelique Kerber beats Madison Keys in straight sets to have a chance of getting through to the Semi Final.

That is the only way Cibulkova can get through, but a straight sets win for Simona Halep will put her through to the Semi Final regardless of what happens in the other match. A straight sets win for Keys over Kerber would put her through to the Semi Final and it does feel that both matches are going to have some importance attached unlike in the White Group where Garbine Muguruza has been knocked out and Svetlana Kuznetsova has already booked her place in the Semi Final.

Thursday will also bring Second Round action from the ATP events in Basel and Vienna as the Quarter Final line up is set for Friday.


Simona Halep - 3.5 games v Dominika Cibulkova: The first set is going to be critical to the outcome of this match and it might be difficult for Dominika Cibulkova to stay focused if she drops that and is ultimately out of the tournament. Now the Slovakian is one of the biggest fighters on the Tour and unlikely to give up in any match she plays, but it can be difficult to motivate when at the end of a long season in which she has surpassed expectations.

For Simona Halep taking at least a set in this one, even in a losing effort, will give her a chance of progressing through to the Semi Final but she will then be reliant on Angelique Kerber beating Madison Keys. However a straight sets win for Halep will put her through to the Semi Final regardless of the outcome of the final match in the Group.

The match up is a difficult one to weigh up because Halep looks to have the consistency, but I think the Cibulkova firepower and desire makes her hard to stop. Neither player has a big serve and it could easily come down to which of them perhaps takes a few more chances that pay off with the short ball, particularly on the second serve, which could prove to be the difference.

That is an area I think Halep can be stronger and I believe she is going to make the big plays at the big moments to push ahead in this tournament. It should be a couple of tight sets being competed by these two players but Halep can win this one 64, 64 for a place in the Semi Final.


Angelique Kerber - 2.5 games v Madison Keys: Both of these players are going to know their exact situation in the Group heading out onto the court and that might play a part in how this match goes. I am not going to read too much into what I expect to happen in the first match of the day, but instead focus on how I think this match will go.

You can't ignore the fact that Angelique Kerber has won all five previous matches against Madison Keys and I think this is the kind of opponent that the American has to learn to deal with to take the next step in her career. Like Simona Halep, Kerber has the tools to negate the big Keys serve and force the younger player to try and beat her with consistency off the ground.

While Kerber can accept that Keys will be able to penetrate the defences with the power she has, the World Number 1 will also know she can force mistakes from the Keys game by getting as many balls back in play as possible. Going into the Keys backhand from the Kerber forehand should also be a productive play to open up the court for Kerber and having to play as many balls as Keys is likely going to have to can be mentally draining.

These players have met twice in 2016 and Kerber has won all four sets and I think she will have enough of an edge in the longer rallies to wear down Keys in this one. If Madison Keys can get 75% of first serves in and just play with virtually no unforced errors she could win this match, but that is a big ask and I am looking for Kerber to put up her third win in Singapore in a 75, 63 win.


Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 3.5 games v Philipp Kohlschreiber: You cannot look past the fortune that Philipp Kohlschreiber got in this win over Stephane Robert on Wednesday and he will need a lot more of that to snap his nine match losing run to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. It will be interesting to see if Kohlschreiber has had the time to recover physically from what was a testing match against Robert and the Frenchman he faces on Thursday is a lot more powerful and consistent.

The recent run of results have shown Kohlschreiber might not be at his full confidence level and that has seen him struggle on the serve. On another day he would have been beaten easily by Robert and being as loose as that against Tsonga is only going to result in yet another defeat to this opponent.

Tsonga hasn't played a lot of tennis since the retirement at the US Open but he has looked solid enough in the limited time he has been on court. He was an easy winner in the First Round in Vienna where he has won the title before and I think the indoor hard courts suit his game just fine as he is able to dictate points comfortably behind the heavy forehand.

If Tsonga is serving well it will only increase the pressure on Kohlschreiber to stay with him and I think that will ultimately prove too much for the German to do. I like Tsonga to build the pressure and crack Kohlschreiber in a 63, 64 win.


Andy Murray - 5.5 games v Gilles Simon: When these players met in Shanghai it was a poor day serving from Andy Murray that allowed Gilles Simon to remain competitive against him. The courts in Vienna may help Murray get a little more out of his first serve which had not been as productive as he liked in Shanghai and I think the match up is one that Murray will know exactly what to expect.

Simon is going to battle hard and he will extend rallies with his defensive movement and ability to put the ball in some awkward spots for Murray to try and do something with. The Frenchman is able to get to the net and stop Murray from just chipping the ball into play, but his weakness remains the serve which should see the World Number 2 be able to get into the rallies.

I have little doubt that Murray is going to be in a position to break serve a few times and the key will be to make sure he takes a solid percentage of those and not allow them to slip past. What is harder to guess is whether Murray is going to be able to serve well enough to prevent Simon from continuously battling back like he did when these players met in Shanghai and it does have to be said that plenty of their previous matches have been competitive affairs.

The form Murray has been in definitely gives him an edge though and I think he has taken the chances that have come his way when he does get into break point positions. He has at least been serving decently enough to help himself to a 64, 62 win in this one barring another late break when serving for the match as he had in Shanghai.


Marin Cilic - 3.5 games v Pablo Carreno Busta: There is still a really big opportunity for Marin Cilic to reach the ATP World Tour Finals with two big weeks under his belt and that would be a nice way to end his Singles season before heading into the Davis Cup. This gives him a strong chance to reach the Quarter Final in Basel as Cilic is playing Pablo Carreno Busta in the Second Round, a player who has played a lot of tennis of late.

The Spaniard is in a position to be Seeded at the Australian Open and Carreno Busta has shown some improvements on surfaces other than the clay courts. His title win in Moscow last week has to be respected, but Carreno Busta didn't have to beat anyone of the quality of Cilic in that run and this is a big test for him.

Carreno Busta has suffered a couple of one-sided losses to Milos Raonic and Gilles Simon on the hard courts prior to the win in Moscow and Cilic is certainly more equivalent to the qualities that those two players can bring. I think an aggressive return will put Carreno Busta under some pressure and the heavier groundstrokes should come from the Cilic racquet although he will have to control the unforced errors.

There are going to be some sticky moments on the Cilic serve because of the way that Carreno Busta is playing, but I think the Croatian can keep alive his chances of making it to London with a 64, 64 win.

MY PICKS: Simona Halep - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Angelique Kerber - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Andy Murray - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Marin Cilic - 3.5 Games @ 1.73 William Hill (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 9-12, - 7.76 Units (42 Units Staked, - 18.48% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2015 (October 29th)

I can only say it was more frustration on Wednesday as players got into strong positions only to let me down in unexpected fashion. Leonardo Mayer had a break advantage in the final set of his match with Teymuraz Gabashvili, but fell apart by losing four games in a row to drop the match.

Even worse has to be the manner in which Stan Wawrinka lost to Ivo Karlovic- he was up a set and a break before being pegged back, losing the tie-breaker and then dropping serve immediately in the final set to lose the match.

Pathetic to be honest with you.

Thankfully Rafael Nadal came out of a difficult position to win his match else it could have felt like a disastrous day, but I am frustrated that it didn't end up with a winning position on Wednesday considering how close at least three of the losing picks were to being successful.


The tournaments in Singapore, Basel and Valencia continue on Thursday when we get the first two Semi Finalists in the WTA Finals as well as setting up the Quarter Final line up for the two ATP events this week.


Simona Halep - 2.5 games v Agnieszka Radwanska: This is a big match for both players in action this Thursday as both still have a chance of qualifying for the Semi Final despite losing their last match. Simona Halep can confirm her place in the Semi Finals if she can win this match in straight sets, while Agnieszka Radwanska would be able to do the same if she can win in straight sets and Flavia Pennetta is beaten in straight sets later in the day's play.

Any kind of win for Halep will give her a chance of progressing and that means her motivation should be high through this match, but I do wonder about Radwanska's mindset. If she is to drop a set, it means Radwanska is going to be out of the tournament even if she wins this match and that could see her check out.

Some might look at that as a chance for her to loosen up and let rip with nothing left to play for until January, but it has been a long season and she could just as easily tank away the match. Simona Halep has dominated Radwanska in recent matches too which should give her the mental edge and I definitely think she has more in her game to exploit the serve of the Pole than the other way around.

The last time they met saw Radwanska make an incredible start before Simona Halep took over but I think it might be a little more straight-forward for the World Number 2 this time around. After taking a tight first set, I look for Halep to pull away for a 64, 62 win.


Flavia Pennetta + 1.5 sets v Maria Sharapova: After winning just three games in her first match in Singapore, Flavia Pennetta would have been pleased to have her own destiny in her hands going into the final Group match. A straight sets win for Flavia Pennetta will be enough to get into the Semi Final and prolong her career by at least one more match, although she will know the exact permutations by the time she goes to the court.

For Maria Sharapova it looks a lot more straight-forward as winning a set should be enough to move into the Semi Final having won her first two matches with a 4-1 set advantage. There hasn't been too many signs of the injury that has kept Sharapova off the Tour over the last few months, but Flavia Pennetta has been something of a conundrum for the Russian.

Pennetta has won the last three matches between the players and all of their matches have been competitive with every single one needing a final set decider to determine the winner. I like the way the Italian battled back to beat Agnieszka Radwanska in her second Group game having been embarrassed by Simona Halep on Sunday, and Pennetta will give it her all with this potentially being her last match on the Tour.

The head to head with Sharapova will inspire her too and I like Pennetta's chances of taking at least a set in this one at a generous odds against quote. She has done that in every previous match against Sharapova and the mere fact she has won three in a row against the Russian should inspire a big performance from Pennetta.


Marin Cilic - 4.5 games v Teymuraz Gabashvili: Both players got through tough matches on Wednesday to move into the Second Round and I think Marin Cilic can back that up by beating Teymuraz Gabashvili and reaching yet another Quarter Final.

Out of the two players, Cilic was a little more in control of his win on Wednesday and it was Gabashvili who had to dig very deep to see off Leonardo Mayer. Of course Cilic had a longer week last week when winning the title in Moscow, but I don't envision fatigue being an issue for either player.

The more consistent player is Cilic and I think Gabashvili won't have so much luck holding serve as he did on Wednesday. The Croatian has to serve well too to make sure he doesn't give Gabashvili any kind of encouragement in this one, but I think Cilic has been playing well enough to do that and win this match.

Cilic should have the majority of break points in this match and I like him coming through 64, 63.


John Isner - 1.5 games v Jack Sock: Both John Isner and Jack Sock are going to be very happy with the way their 2015 seasons have panned out and both look set to finish in the top thirty of the World Rankings. The chances of John Isner reaching the World Tour Finals look to have gone now, but he will still want to end this season well and try and get into the World Top Ten.

Both men might be looking forward to the end of the season now, but Jack Sock did reach the Final in Stockholm last week and John Isner reached the Quarter Final in Beijing. That shows both are still very focused on the matches they are playing and I think this is going to be a close match decided by a point here and there.

John Isner has had the better of Jack Sock in the past as his serve is a little more solid all around and that has kept the scoreboard pressure on his compatriot. Sock will always give away at least one really sloppy game on serve and Isner is a great front runner that will be able to push away from him if he can get ahead here.

The speed of the courts should make this a close match that features a tie-breaker or two, but I give the edge to John Isner to find a break somewhere and come through this match 64, 67, 76.


Roger Federer - 4.5 games v Philipp Kohlschreiber: This has always been a tournament that Roger Federer would place some real stock in having been a ball boy here in his younger days. Being back at home will only inspire Roger Federer all the more and he was a comfortable winner in the First Round.

He might have won all ten previous matches against Philipp Kohlschreiber, but there is no doubt that Federer will have a lot of respect for his opponent. These two are friends off court that have practiced together many times too so Federer will know all about the quality that Kohlschreiber can bring to the court.

However, Kohlschreiber has looked like he is slipping somewhat through the 2015 season and he is more likely to throw in a poor couple of service games than he was when at his very best. I think the German will be inspired going up against Federer and he will produce some quality tennis, but the problem will be trying to maintain that through the Second Round match.

Eventually you have to think Federer's quality will make the difference with a few returns and he will be too good as long as he serves effectively through the match. He was a little loose on that side in his win over Mikhail Kukushkin, but I think Federer will be more focused knowing the quality player he is facing and will come through this one 63, 64.


Roberto Bautista Agut - 4.5 games v Andrey Rublev: The Tour is a tough learning school for the young players that take it on and Andrey Rublev will look back at 2015 and take note of the lessons he learnt. The youngster has shown he has the talent to reach the very top of the men's game, but it will take time as he grows into his body and gets used to the weekly grind of the ATP Tour.

The younger players tend to have a little bit more fatigue in the final month of the season and I think Rublev will do well to keep up with Roberto Bautista Agut who is happy being on the court all day. The Spaniard did reach the Final in Moscow last week and had to dig deep to beat Nicolas Almagro in the First Round here which might mean some fatigue is in play, but I think his experience of managing the season Tour will give him the edge in this match.

Both players will likely have their chances to break serve, but I think Bautista Agut is the more consistent player at this stage of their career. I expect he will look to dig deep and grind down Rublev who had a solid First Round win to snap a four match losing run on the Tour.

Rublev has suffered some one-sided losses in recent weeks as the season winds down and I think Roberto Bautista Agut wins this one 64, 63 after wearing down his younger opponent.

MY PICKS: Simona Halep - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Flavia Pennetta + 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Marin Cilic - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
John Isner - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Roger Federer - 4.5 Games @ 1.73 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Roberto Bautista Agut - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 5-10, - 10.78 Units (30 Units Staked, - 35.93% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2015 (October 28th)

The last three months of the tennis season have given me my worst run in over four years of doing this and I have to say it has been really frustrating at times. I can't remember a run of form where so many times players look set to come in as a winning pick, but then inexplicably blow a lead.

Either that or they will start off so slowly that they can't really have much of a chance of covering despite then dominating the later two sets in the manner I expected them to start it.

And worst of all is the terrible break point conversion rate that so many players have gone through when I have picked them- that alone would be disappointing, but the fact they have then allowed their opponents to dominate in that category has proven to be a killer.

All of these factors were in play on Tuesday as both David Goffin and Philipp Kohlschreiber won their matches, but failed to cover because they combined for just 33% of break point chances converted. That was compared with their opponents converting 50% of their opportunities and proved to be a big difference even though Goffin and Kohlschreiber had many more chances to break serve.

With that kind of luck, I have to say this season has been a big disappointment for the picks which had been in an incredible position after Wimbledon but I haven't been able to escape the awful weeks in the time since.

I'll make some adjustments in the off-season to get ready for the 2016 season as I look for the final month of the season to at least show some form.


Petra Kvitova - 3.5 games v Lucie Safarova: These two Czech Republic players have both been struggling with injuries and illness and also were both beaten in straight sets to open the WTA Championship.

That means both Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova will be desperate to get back to winning ways in their second Group game, especially if they have a real ambition of getting through to the Semi Final. The losing player is almost certainly going to be out of the tournament and that will bring its own pressure, but Kvitova has dominated Safarova and has to believe she can continue that.

Neither player has done much winning of late which will be a concern for both, but Kvitova has generally found a way to break down the Safarova game. And Kvitova was much more competitive than Safarova in the first game that both played in Singapore and was perhaps a little unfortunate she didn't win the second set tie-breaker against Angelique Kerber which might have turned the whole momentum of that match.

Petra Kvitova has usually been able to wear down Safarova in their matches and I am looking for her to put together a tough 76, 63 win.


Garbine Muguruza-Angelique Kerber Over 21.5 Total Games: Matches between Angelique Kerber and Garbine Muguruza have been tough battles and I think their match in Singapore could easily follow suit. Both Kerber and Muguruza won their opening match to put themselves in a solid position to qualify for the Semi Final, but the losing player will have some significant work to get through to ensure they do just that.

The six previous matches between these two players has seen each player win three times, but I am not surprised Muguruza is given the edge by the layers as she has won three in a row. However, a more noticeable trend is the fact that the last four matches have all been very competitive and would have surpassed this total number of games they are being asked to cover.

As good a player as Muguruza is, she still has the tendency to throw in too many sloppy service games which give opponents a chance. The fluctuations in her game are not as bad as they once were, but there are enough to give Kerber a chance even if the Spaniard has the power to hit through her.

Those fluctuations in the Muguruza game could easily see both players win a set in this one and I think that should see this total number of games passed. Even a tight two setter would do in this match and I will back the over total games.


Marin Cilic - 5.5 games v Marco Chiudinelli: The extra day of recovery was given to Marin Cilic after he won the title in Moscow on Sunday, but the draw looks a kind one for him to open up in Basel. That is no disrespect to the veteran Marco Chiudinelli, but the Wild Card into the tournament has had some bad losses in recent weeks to players far inferior to Cilic.

These two have actually met in Basel before with Cilic coming through in straight sets and losing just six games in the match. Fatigue is the bigger concern for Cilic this week, but he still has an outside ambition of making it through to the World Tour Finals and that might be motivation enough to ignore any tiredness.

I wouldn't want to totally underestimate the veteran Chiudinelli in this contest, but I think he is going to be put under pressure through the match. It will come down to whether he can serve effectively enough to maintain momentum and turn the screw on Cilic, but it looks a big ask for him at this stage of his career.

I believe Cilic is able to earn at least three breaks of serve and that should set him up for a 64, 62 kind of win in this one.


Leonardo Mayer - 1.5 games v Teymuraz Gabashvili: It was a solid week for Teymuraz Gabashvili in Moscow, although the defeat in the Quarter Final in the manner it came would have disappointed. That has been a rare week of success for Gabashvili in recent weeks though and I think he will have a difficult time seeing off Leonardo Mayer in this First Round match in Basel.

There hasn't been a lot of winning done by Mayer in recent weeks, but he has lost to better players than Gabashvili while winning the matches he has been expected to. I have been a little disappointed that Mayer wasn't able to win one of his two matches against Gilles Simon, but the Frenchman is a far different proposition than Gabashvili.

This should be a much bigger hitting kind of match that should suit Mayer and Gabashvili, but I think the former has a little more to like about his game. There is no doubting that Gabashvili has plenty of talent, but his serve can be a weakness and Mayer's is definitely the better shot which can be a difference maker.

I won't be surprised to see this one go three sets, but I like Mayer to find his way through to the Second Round behind a 64, 67, 64 win.


Kevin Anderson - 3.5 games v Borna Coric: It has been a career season for Kevin Anderson but it doesn't look like he will have enough in the locker to reach the World Tour Finals. That remains a goal for the South African, but he has suffered some disappointing losses over the last month to the likes of Gilles Muller and Steve Johnson that might have ended Anderson's hopes of playing in London.

He could be one of the top Seeds that is quite vulnerable over the last few weeks of the season, but I think Anderson will be a little too strong for the talented youngster Borna Coric.

This is the first full year on the Tour that Coric has competed in and I think the last month has shown that it has taken its toll and fatigue is an issue. Coric has lost three of his last four matches and his thoughts could easily have drifted to the off-season and then focusing on 2016 and I think there are a couple of reasons that Anderson should find himself a winner and a cover of this margin.

The first of those is the Anderson serve should give him a decent chance to keep his nose in front on the scoreboard while Coric is still trying to get the best out of his own serve. That will come once he finishes growing into his body, but it also means he can have trouble holding onto serve at times and I think giving Anderson the lead will be tough for him to peg back at this stage of his career.

After a battling first set, Anderson may be able to move clear for a 64, 63 win.


Stan Wawrinka - 1.5 games v Ivo Karlovic: Ivo Karlovic has been serving like a monster in recent weeks and that is shown by the fact that he has not dropped a set outside of a tie-breaker in any of his nine matches since the US Open.

You can't say he hasn't played some tough matches in that time with a three set loss to Rafael Nadal at the Shanghai Masters the most memorable. However, Karlovic has dropped matches in straight sets to Ernests Gulbis, Pablo Cuevas and Nick Kyrgios although all of those have been in two tie-breakers.

Now he faces Stan Wawrinka in conditions that should suit his serve and that makes him very dangerous if the Swiss Number 2 is not at his best. It can be tough to look after your own side of the court when it feels like you are constantly serving, while Wawrinka can be accused of being a little slack when it comes to his service games.

However, you can't ignore the fact that Wawrinka is playing at home and has had the better of Karlovic in their recent matches. Only some poor play at break point up prevented Wawrinka beating Karlovic more comfortably when they played at the Cincinnati Masters in August, but I think he will be a little stronger this time.

Breaking the Karlovic serve is far from easy with the way the Croatian is playing, but Wawrinka is capable of doing it with the bounce going his way at break points. Even if those don't come his way, Karlovic has lost a few matches now in straight sets with both sets being decided on the tie-breaker so I will back Wawrinka to cover this number of games on Wednesday.


Rafael Nadal - 2.5 games v Grigor Dimitrov: Rafael Nadal could so easily be out of the tournament in Basel, but he dug deep to come back from Lukas Rosol serving for the match and turn the match around completely.

It backs up his successful weeks in Beijing and Shanghai and Nadal won't want to slip up against Grigor Dimitrov, a player he has beaten every time they have met on the court.

If people thought Nadal has had a bad season, Dimitrov fans will point out how difficult it has been for their own man this year. He might have had a convincing win over Sergiy Stakhovsky to move into the Second Round, but Dimitrov has had plenty of disappointing losses all year with little sign of that changing.

I am struggling to see how Dimitrov has changed things significantly to keep Nadal at bay in this one and I think the Spaniard is going to be too strong. They have had some close matches in the past, but this could be a little more in favour of Nadal and I think he is playing the superior tennis and is definitely the more confident player.

That can make the difference and ensure Nadal is able to move through 76, 64.

MY PICKS: Petra Kvitova - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Garbine Muguruza-Angelique Kerber Over 21.5 Total Games @ 1.83 William Hill (2 Units)
Marin Cilic - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Leonardo Mayer - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Kevin Anderson - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Betway (2 Units)
Stan Wawrinka - 1.5 Games @ 1.73 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Rafael Nadal - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-6, - 8.20 Units (16 Units Staked, - 51.25% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2015 (October 27th)

The first matches in Group A and B at the WTA Championships are now in the books and there have been a couple of surprising results already, none more so than Maria Sharapova battling back from a set down to beat Agnieszka Radwanska.

Group A is back in action on Tuesday and it is a critical time for Radwanska and Flavia Pennetta with the losing player most likely out of the tournament depending on what happens in the other match on the same day. It could be an emotional day for Pennetta who announced she would be retiring at the end of this tournament as she is on the brink of an exit with a straight sets loss going to see her knocked out of the event.


The ATP events in Basel and Valencia will continue on Tuesday as the majority of the First Round matches are scheduled to be played, but I can't go on without mentioning Rafael Nadal's win over Lukas Rosol despite finding himself just a couple of points away from losing that match.

Rosol has been a thorn in the side of Nadal over the years that began with a victory over the Spaniard at Wimbledon and he clearly relishes this match up. Two months ago I am convinced Nadal would have lost that match having not created a break point in the first two sets up until breaking Rosol in the second set when the latter was serving for the match.

That's another win that will build Nadal's confidence having had a couple of solid weeks in Beijing and Shanghai and rumours of his despise do seem greatly exaggerated. His Ranking is not going to improve drastically over the last couple of weeks of the season, but this will give him real belief to take into the 2016 season if he can finish off his last couple of tournaments in impressive form and the win for Nadal looks a huge one, especially if he can go on and have a strong week in Basel.


Agnieszka Radwanska-Flavia Pennetta Under 20.5 Games: This is a huge match for both of these players as they look to get back into a position where they can make a move to the Semi Finals. A defeat for Flavia Pennetta will likely mean her career is at an end, but I can see the Italian putting it all in after a very one-sided loss to Simona Halep last time out.

Matches between Agnieszka Radwanska and Flavia Pennetta has seen both players have their successes but the one glaring trend is how one-sided the matches tend to be. It might only be five wins to three in favour of Radwanska, but the last six matches have all seen only eighteen games or fewer needed to decide the winner.

I am not entirely sure why that is, but my feeling is that Pennetta's power will either break through the Radwanska defences consistently or she may make too many mistakes and allow the Pole to surge clear.

Picking a winner might actually be more difficult than the layers think, but Radwanska's big wins over Pennetta concerned me enough to steer clear of the handicap too. However, this might be too many games for the pair to surpass judging by recent matches between the two and it might be another one-sided win for one of the players that will put the winner in a position to advance to the Semi Finals.


David Goffin - 3.5 games v Andreas Seppi: At this stage of a very long season, players have to search for the motivation to keep going on the Tour. Some will still be chasing a place in the World Tour Finals, others are just hoping to set a marker for the new 2016 season while others still are perhaps wanting to build confidence for a big chance to represent their nation.

The last of those might be the motivation for David Goffin who will be representing Belgium in the Davis Cup Final next month. That Final is played on the clay courts so Goffin might be using the last two weeks to simply put some wins together and give himself plenty of belief to take into the Davis Cup.

It won't be easy against Andreas Seppi who is a competitive character on the Tour, but the Italian has lost four straight matches on the Tour. That includes a straight sets loss to Goffin in Beijing and I think it will be tough for Seppi to turn that form around when he will be forced to work so hard to hold his serve.

The veteran Italian is a tough opponent to see off on his day, but the match up is one that Goffin should appreciate as he will have time to tee off on the Seppi serve which remains a weakness. I'd be surprised if Goffin has it as easy as he did in Beijing against Seppi when he lost just five games, but I still think he wins this one 64, 64 and moves into the Second Round.


Philipp Kohlschreiber - 2.5 games v Jerzy Janowicz: Whenever a player comes through the Qualifiers, I always think they have to be given plenty of respect as a couple of wins will give anyone some confidence. The dangerous Jerzy Janowicz is a player that thrives on confidence but this has been a difficult season for him and I do wonder if his two wins this week to get into the main draw is enough for him to turn that around.

The conditions in Basel should suit Janowicz whose best run on the main Tour has come on the indoor hard courts when reaching the Final at the Paris Masters. However, too many double faults and too many poor shot selections doesn't help the Pole's cause and a solid player like Philipp Kohlschreiber can take advantage.

The veteran might be coming down to the latter stages of his career, but Kohlschreiber has had a couple of solid runs in tournaments since the US Open. He looks good for a Seed at the Australian Open in January, but to ensure that happens Kohlschreiber would love another solid run in Basel.

Kohlschreiber has been in better recent form than Janowicz and he has won his last two matches against this opponent. Despite the fact Janowicz might be more in tune with the conditions, I think Kohlschreiber can be solid enough to look after his own serve and find a break on his way to a 76, 64 win.


Grigor Dimitrov - 4.5 games v Sergiy Stakhovsky: There is no doubting that 2015 has been a disappointing season for Grigor Dimitrov who has also had to deal with personal and professional changes. The end of the season has to be used to ensure he will at least be Seeded at the Australian Open in January while also trying to build some momentum to take into the new season.

Being down at Number 28 in the World Rankings is a real surprise for Dimitrov fans, especially if you had told them that at the beginning of the season. He hasn't shown too much positive form since the US Open so it might be a surprise I am picking him to win by a comfortable margin in this First Round match.

However, Sergiy Stakhovsky is the kind of player that can produce some solid stuff, but is more likely to throw in a couple of terrible service games to go down without too much of a fight. The win over Roger Federer at Wimbledon will be his career highlight, but Stakhovsky has lost by wide margins to lesser players than Grigor Dimitrov since the US Open.

I remain a little concerned with the Bulgarian and his lack of form because that means confidence is dented and Dimitrov is more likely to throw a sloppy game in himself when it comes to the serve. Even with those doubts in my mind, I still think he is going to be too good for Stakhovsky and I will look for Dimitrov to win this one 64, 63.


Fernando Verdasco - 2.5 games v Guillermo Garcia-Lopez: Neither one of these players can really point to too much recent productive form, although Guillermo Garcia-Lopez has the edge over Fernando Verdasco in that regards. It does feel like Fernando Verdasco is perhaps on an irreversible slide down the World Rankings these days, but he has dominated his compatriot and has won five straight matches against him including one match earlier this season.

The problem for Verdasco is that his inconsistencies on the court have now shifted in terms of producing wins- he has always been inconsistent, but Verdasco generally used to produce more good than bad, although it feels that has perhaps moved the other way these days.

That has seen Verdasco lose some tight matches in the last few months rather than winning those to maintain his Ranking and would be a concern in backing him in this First Round match. However, I think Garcia-Lopez has to overcome a mental hurdle when he takes on Verdasco which can be difficult against a player from the same nation.

Garcia-Lopez has had some disappointing losses since reaching the Final in Shenzhen and I think Verdasco has a little more out of the serve that can help him through this one. It will likely need three sets for Verdasco to get it done, but I like his chances of coming through 63, 36, 63 and earn an important win.

MY PICKS: Agnieszka Radwanska-Flavia Pennetta Under 20.5 Total Games @ 1.83 William Hill (2 Units)
David Goffin - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Philipp Kohlschreiber - 2.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Grigor Dimitrov - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Fernando Verdasco - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-2, - 2.40 Units (6 Units Staked, - 40% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2014 (October 24th)

We have reached the Quarter Finals of the two ATP tournaments that are being played this week and it looks like Grigor Dimitrov is going to become the latest player to fall out of contention in the Race to London.

That is nothing against Dimitrov who is still involved, but the likes of Milos Raonic, David Ferrer and Andy Murray have enough points in hand and haven't been knocked out this week which suggests the Bulgarian will need a lot to go in his favour for him to make the Tour Finals. He'll probably prefer to finish outside the top 10 so he can have a break and not go to London as an alternate too and that might be the situation he finds himself in with just one tournament to go after this one.

Of course, Dimitrov can win the the title this week and next week in Paris to prove me wrong, but I think that is increasingly unlikely and I believe both Murray and Ferrer are playing well enough to stay in front of a player that will be looking to play in the Tour Finals for years to come.


We will also determine the final four of the WTA Finals and it has highlighted why the Round Robin format was not used for too long on the ATP Tour- a few years ago some of the smaller tournaments attempted to begin their event with Groups, but it makes it much more likely that players will tank matches and I think the final round of matches in the WTA Finals look a little dangerous for that to happen.

A couple of years ago Victoria Azarenka was criticised for not trying in a dead rubber and a couple of players on Friday may actually benefit from losing a match.


Ivo Karlovic - 1.5 games v Benjamin Becker: I backed Kenny De Schepper to keep it close against Ivo Karlovic on Thursday and I think I would have been very much on the right lines if he had taken his only break point opportunity in the first set.

However, Karlovic was comfortably the best player on the court and he fully deserved his win and I do think he has every chance of backing that up with another win on Friday in this Quarter Final.

Karlovic has lost the most recent match against Benjamin Becker, but he had previously won 6 in a row against the German and I have to say I have been impressed that the big serving Croatian has found as many breaks of serve as he has in recent weeks.

Scoreboard pressure may play a part in that and I think that could be the case in this Quarter Final as Karlovic moves through with a 76, 64 win.


Rafael Nadal - 5.5 games v Borna Coric: Borna Coric has taken advantage of his Wild Card to reach a Quarter Final in Basel as he has recorded two impressive wins over players ranked much higher than he is.

The Croatian will be confident, but will now be facing a huge challenge in Rafael Nadal who has dismissed his first two opponents while giving up just 6 games. You can't really tell how healthy Nadal is feeling with Simone Bolelli and Pierre-Hugues Herbert very much out of his league, but it also suggests Coric will have a tough afternoon.

A lack of knowledge about Coric may give the youngster a chance to surprise a little, but Nadal plays every point so hard that he is likely to wear down his opponent and it might be a bit of a tennis lesson for the young player.

Nadal has been brutally efficient so far this week and I think he will prove too good in a 64, 62 win.


Jeremy Chardy - 3.5 games v Pablo Carreno Busta: Jeremy Chardy made it hard work for my pick on him to beat Alexandr Dolgopolov as he took the break advantage in all three sets played, but had to come from one set down to win the match.

It was a solid win for the Frenchman, but I am hoping he didn't leave everything out on the court ahead of this Quarter Final against one of the Spanish contingent left in the tournament in Valencia.

Pablo Carreno Busta has had a couple of surprising wins already this week and it would be something of a surprise if he can put together another solid performance on a surface that isn't the best for his game. He did reach the Quarter Final here in Valencia last season and the feeling is that Chardy's first serve is the more effective weapon and could determine the outcome of the match.

The first set could be another tight one, but I expect Chardy to put his stamp on the match eventually and come through with a 76, 63 win.


Petra Kvitova - 1.5 games v Caroline Wozniacki: Regardless of what happens in the first match in this Group, Caroline Wozniacki is in a strong position to qualify for the Semi Finals after winning her first two matches in straight sets.

In fact, unless Wozniacki's friend Agnieszka Radwanska wins in straight sets against Maria Sharapova, she will definitely be through to the Semi Final regardless of her result in this match and I am not sure where she will find the motivation to really push for the win.

Winning the Group might not be the best decision as there is a strong chance that player will have to face Serena Williams who will finish second in the Red Group in three out of four possible outcomes of the Simona Halep-Ana Ivanovic match. A straight sets win for Petra Kvitova would mean Wozniacki is second in the White Group unless the aforementioned scenario where Radwanska beats Sharapova in straight sets occurs.

Kvitova played well enough against Sharapova to think she would give a strong account of herself even if Wozniacki was fully motivated, but this seems a good chance to back the Wimbledon Champion in a match where her opponent might already be looking to conserve energy for the business end of the tournament.


Ana Ivanovic v Simona Halep: I mentioned that Serena Williams will go through in three out of four possible outcomes from this match with the one exception being a straight sets win for Ana Ivanovic against the in-form Simona Halep.

That form and momentum is very high for the Romanian and it is going to be interesting to see how she approaches this match as she will know exactly who she can play in the next round by finishing first or second in the Group. An easy straight sets win for Ivanovic will give the Serb top spot in the Red Group, while anything competitive will give Halep the edge and she is in the fortunate position of determining that depending on how much she puts into this match.

I hate to think of sports stars as machines- there is little doubt to me that Halep losing this match in straight sets is the best thing for her if she wants to win this tournament. She has nothing to prove by beating Serena Williams in the Final, but everything to lose to give the American a 'second shot' at her later in the event.

I don't think Halep will come out 'wanting' to lose, but I'd be surprised if there is a huge effort to fight in the match with a Semi Final to come on Saturday and her position at the top of the Group virtually secured. My concern would be that Halep wants to stay mentally competitive and wins a set, which eliminates Ivanovic even if she wins in three sets, and that might see the Serb decide to check out of the match.

MY PICKS: Ivo Karlovic - 1.5 Games @ 1.92 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Rafael Nadal - 5.5 Games @ 2.14 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Jeremy Chardy - 3.5 Games @ 2.10 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Petra Kvitova - 1.5 Games @ 1.92 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Ana Ivanovic - 1.5 Games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 6-10, - 7.82 Units (32 Units Staked, - 24.43% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2014 (October 23rd)

If someone had told me that the match had finished 60, 62, there would have been absolutely no way I would have believed that Simona Halep was the victor over Serena Williams- I even had to look at the score twice again to make sure I wasn't reading it wrong as the World Number 1 was given one of her biggest beatings on a tennis court.

That result hasn't ended Williams' participation at the WTA Finals, but it does mean she needs to beat Eugenie Bouchard, preferably in straight sets, and hope Simona Halep can give Ana Ivanovic either a competitive match that goes into three sets or the Romanian can simply win the match and the Group.


With the Race to London taking centre stage on the ATP Tour, Tomas Berdych was the only player that has yet to secure his place in the Tour Finals that was beaten in competition which could have opened the door for the likes of Andy Murray, David Ferrer, Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov to make up some points on him if not overtake him.

With Rafael Nadal looking pretty good in Basel and Novak Djokovic admitting he is preparing for Paris after his wife gave birth to a baby boy, the top eight players may be ready to take their place in London after all. That means every point is going to matter in the bid to sow up those places with just two weeks to go until we know the final line up in London for the event which will begin on November 9th.


Caroline Wozniacki - 2.5 games v Agnieszka Radwanska: The winner of this match will likely have booked their place in the Semi Final of the WTA Finals and I think the Dane Caroline Wozniacki is going to have a little bit too much for Agnieszka Radwanska.

Of course one of the concerns is that Wozniacki had to dig really deep within herself to beat Maria Sharapova just two days ago and it would be interesting to see if she has left something on the court.

Agnieszka Radwanska had a much easier time in her win over Petra Kvitova, which was something of a surprise considering Radwanska's late season form.

Both players produce a similar style of tennis which should make this another competitive match, but I think Wozniacki is able to back up her win over Radwanska from the Cincinnati event, their only match of the year. That ended Wozniacki's three match losing run in the head to head and I think Wozniacki has the slightly better serve which could prove to be a difference maker.

I won't be that surprised if we did see a final set decider for the first time this week, but Wozniacki might just have the edge to come through with a 75, 46, 63 win.


Jeremy Chardy v Alexandr Dolgopolov: This Second Round match comes between two players who will be meeting for the fourth time this season as Alexandr Dolgopolov looks to level the head to head with Jeremy Chardy having won the last match between them.

Chardy is a player that can frustrate me as he can make a rash of errors to lose matches comprehensively, but I am surprised he has been set as the underdog in this match. It seems to be an overreaction to Dolgopolov's dismantling of Gilles Simon in the First Round, especially as that was his first win since coming back from surgery.

The indoor hard courts should really aid both of these players you would feel as they have decent first serves, but neither Chardy nor Dolgopolov have had a sustained success on the surface.

The Frenchman has been in better form of the two players of late with more wins to his name and I am interested to see how Dolgopolov will try to back up his first win in months with another match so soon after that one. I wouldn't be surprised to see this go the distance with both players sometimes very erratic on the court, but I think the underdog can come through with a win.


Roberto Bautista Agut - 3.5 games v Thomaz Bellucci: Coming through the qualifiers and winning a match on the main draw should have given Thomaz Bellucci some confidence ahead of this Second Round match against Roberto Bautista Agut and may also have eased a couple of my concerns in backing the Spaniard.

Bautista Agut was the far better player when seeing off Santiago Giraldo on Wednesday, but he had a long week in Moscow last week that saw him come a little short when losing in the Final. However, he had a couple of days to recover and Bellucci has played more tennis in the last few days than Bautista Agut so tiredness may affect the Brazilian more in this match.

The lefty serve will take some reading for Bautista Agut, but he can frustrate opponents with his defence as he did to Giraldo and I can see the same fate eventually befalling Bellucci. There are times I have watched Bellucci and been impressed with the talent he possesses, but Bautista Agut is having a great season and he looks like a man determined to end 2014 in the right way.

If Bautista Agut is protecting his serve as well as he did on Wednesday, he could wear down Bellucci in this one and eventually come through 75, 64.


Kenny De Schepper + 2.5 games v Ivo Karlovic: This isn't a lot of games to take to the bank, but Kenny De Schepper has a big enough serve to force a couple of tie-breaks even if he doesn't quite have enough to see off Ivo Karlovic. The veteran Karlovic has been playing well in recent weeks and has had a big 2014 season to move back into the top 32 in the World Rankings, but he doesn't get a lot of joy when it comes to return games and is still heavily reliant on his own big serve.

This match is likely to have a lot of quick games with both players much more effective when having the first strike of their serve and I think break points will come at a premium. It might take just one break for Karlovic for him to cover this number, but the opposite view is that one break for De Schepper may make it almost impossible for Karlovic to do that.

When they met a couple of years ago, it was no surprise that Karlovic needed two tie-breakers to win the match and De Schepper will have some confidence having won a couple of qualifiers to reach this Second Round match.

I'll be looking for De Schepper to use that confidence to keep this match very close and will take the games on offer.


Roger Federer - 5.5 games v Denis Istomin: The lure of finishing with the year end World Number 1 position is keeping Roger Federer focused for the final three weeks of the Tour ahead of his first appearance in the Davis Cup Final.

He was brutal in dismissing Gilles Muller in the First Round in Basel, but Denis Istomin showed twelve months ago that he can be a decent indoor hard court player when pushing Federer in a three set loss.

That was about as tough as Istomin has ever made it for Federer and my criticism of the Uzbekistan player is that he doesn't seem to give himself a real shot of beating the top players on the Tour. I am not convinced he believes he can win these kinds of matches and I think making it as competitive as last season would constitute a success for him.

I think Federer is playing better than he was twelve months ago and I don't think this match will go the distance although it would be less surprising if the score from the last two sets is repeated again.


Grigor Dimitrov - 2.5 games v Vasek Pospisil: A late bid for a place in the World Tour Finals means Grigor Dimitrov has played a lot of tennis in the last month and I am not sure if that contributed to some of his problems in the First Round against Alexander Zverev.

A bigger issue may have been a lack of familiarity with Zverev's game that allowed his opponent to dominate the first set before Dimitrov dug deep within himself to turn the match around and keep his hopes of reaching London alive.

Vasek Pospisil is less of a mystery and I think that will help Dimitrov in this Second Round match and I do think the layers have made a mistake with this spread. I figured it would be at least one game higher, while I never expected this to be at odds against.

Pospisil does have a serve that should work wonders on the indoor hard courts, and that showed up when he reached the Semi Final here last season. However, he found Roger Federer a little too good in that match and Grigor Dimitrov might be better placed after his First Round scare.

We will likely see at least one tie-breaker, but I think Dimitrov has an effective enough return to find a break or two which can help him cover the number.

MY PICKS: Caroline Wozniacki - 2.5 Games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Jeremy Chardy @ 2.30 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Roberto Bautista Agut - 3.5 Games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Kenny De Schepper + 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Roger Federer - 5.5 Games @ 2.25 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Grigor Dimitrov - 2.5 Games @ 2.17 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 3-8, - 10.66 Units (22 Units Staked, - 48.45% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2014 (October 22nd)

It has been a pretty poor first couple of days for the tennis picks including the terrible Tuesday where all four picks went down the drain- it was one of those days when you couldn't even point to bad luck as all four picks were pretty terrible.

On Wednesday, the WTA Finals move to the second set of round robin matches, while the tournaments in Basel and Valencia both really get going. After the really poor Tuesday action, I am hoping that Wednesday proves to be a more productive day as some of the biggest names in the sport are all in action.


Rafael Nadal - 4.5 games v Pierre-Hugues Herbert: Any time a player comes through the qualifiers into the main draw, they have to be respected, especially when that player wins a match in the First Round too. Pierre-Hugues Herbert has had to battle hard to come through to this marquee match against Rafael Nadal, although he will need to hope that the latter is off his game somewhat for the shock result to have a chance of coming in.

Nadal was brutally efficient in dealing with Simone Bolelli in the First Round, although there remain some issues with his health that have yet to determine his participation in London for the Tour Finals. The Spaniard also admitted he was a little surprised with his performance in the First Round, but I still think Nadal should be far too good for a player ranked outside the top 100 and who spends the majority of his time on the Challenger Tour.

Of course a spread like this can be dangerous for Nadal who generally prefers serving second, while Herbert is someone that pushed Novak Djokovic fairly hard a year ago on an indoor court in Paris. However, Nadal won't give up any point and I think he will wear down his opponent in this Second Round match and come through with a 64, 63 win.


Roberto Bautista Agut - 3.5 games v Santiago Giraldo: The big problem at this time of the season is trying to work out the motivation of players with the end of the season fast approaching. I think Santiago Giraldo could be facing a problem in that regards as he has lost his last three matches and I think Roberto Bautista Agut is going to be a little too consistent for the Colombian.

As big as Giraldo can play at times, Bautista Agut has a decent enough defence to force him to try and hit closer and closer to the lines and eventually leading to the mistakes that the Spaniard will thrive upon.

One concern is that Bautista Agut had a long week in Moscow reaching the Final there on Sunday, but I also think this has been a career year for Bautista Agut and one that he would surely like to end on a high.

Eventually I look for Bautista Agut to just have a little too much for Giraldo which leads to a 64, 64 win.


Serena Williams - 4.5 games v Simona Halep: Both of these players won their first round robin match at the WTA Finals which has given them a great chance of reaching the Semi Finals and the winner will most likely have booked their place in the last four of the final tournament of the season.

Serena Williams battled deep within herself to see of Ana Ivanovic in her first match, while Simona Halep had a much 'easier' day in the office with a convincing win over Eugenie Bouchard that was very one sided.

As consistent as Halep has been, it will be very difficult for her to keep up with Williams who should be able to play first strike tennis which makes her so effective a player. Keeping Halep on the backfoot should allow Williams to dominate the match in terms of pace and eventually breaking down the Romanian who could potentially want to leave something in the tank for her final round robin match against Ana Ivanovic.

Williams has to serve better than she has since the US Open if she is to make this a match she can win with room to spare on the scoreboard, but her power should give her the edge. Keeping the unforced errors to a minimum should be achievable as I expect Williams to earn the short ball and that should be enough to see her come through with a 64, 63 win.


Eugenie Bouchard + 3.5 games v Ana Ivanovic: With both players losing the first round robin matches, this is a must win match for Eugenie Bouchard and Ana Ivanovic and I do think we will see more out of the Canadian than we did a couple of days ago.

On that occasion, too many unforced errors from the Bouchard racquet made life very easy for Simona Halep as she fell behind very quickly in the first set and Bouchard made it clear that she realises she has to be more consistent when dealing with the competition in the WTA Finals.

Ana Ivanovic played Serena Williams very tough in her opening loss, but also went down in straight sets and her own inconsistencies make her a vulnerable favourite. Bouchard has won their two previous matches including coming from a set behind to beat Ivanovic at the Australian Open earlier this season and I think she can make this a competitive match.

The number of games given to Bouchard suggests that winning a set will be enough to help her cover as long as that set is won in any way other than a tie-breaker and this does look a three set match in the making. There should be a few breaks of serve each way, but I like Bouchard to at least keep it much closer than she did against Halep in a huge match for both players with ambitions of making it through to the Semi Finals.

MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal - 4.5 Games @ 1.92 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Roberto Bautista Agut - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Serena Williams - 4.5 Games @ 1.73 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Eugenie Bouchard + 3.5 Games @ 2.17 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-6, - 10.16 Units (14 Units Staked, - 72.57% Yield)