Australian Open Tennis Day 13 Picks 2018- Women's Final (January 27th)

The Australian Open has basically reached its conclusion with the two Singles Finals to be played over the next couple of days.

First up it is the turn of the women as Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki compete for not only the first Grand Slam title of the 2018 season, but the first Grand Slam either player will have won. Add in the fact that the World Number 1 Ranking is on the line between the two top Seeds at the Australian Open and it looks to be the most fitting way for the tournament to end.


Simona Halep-Caroline Wozniacki over 21.5 games: The World Number 1 Ranking and a maiden Grand Slam is on the line as Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep compete for the Australian Open title on Saturday. Both players deserve their spot in the Final and much of the match could come down to which of these players is able to hold their nerve the best.

The edge in terms of fitness has to be given to Wozniacki who has not had nearly the same kind of difficult path through the draw as Halep. While it has to be remembered that Wozniacki was down match points and recovered from a 5-1 hole in the final set of her Second Round match, the Dane has only dropped another set on her way through to the Final.

Compare that to Halep who rolled an ankle in the First Round and has admitted she has played through some pain during the last couple of weeks. The current World Number 1 also needed to win one match 15-13 in the third set, while Halep saw off Angelique Kerber 9-7 in their Semi Final on Thursday after saving match points in the deciding set before beating one of the form players on the Tour.

Halep does come in as the last unbeaten player in 2018 having won the title in Shenzhen before her run through to the Final here. She will have to show some mental toughness to take on Wozniacki who won their two matches in 2017 including a brutal 6-2, 6-0 win at the WTA Finals in the final tournament of the season on the hard courts.

On the face of things you would think Halep would match up well with Wozniacki with an ability to scramble around the court and play solid defensive tennis, but also as the player who should have a little more aggressiveness in her play when she is on the front foot. It has been Halep's return game which has been firing wonderfully well in her last couple of wins and I think playing Wozniacki gives her a chance to get after this serve and put the pressure on her opponent.

However you can't ignore the mental aspect of losing two matches to Wozniacki in 2017 and also being 2-4 down in the head to head. In saying that, Wozniacki has shown some mental lapses as she has got closer and closer to winning her maiden Grand Slam title and that saw her drop a set to Carla Suarez Navarro in the Quarter Final and have to fend off some set points in her Semi Final win over Elise Mertens in the second set.

At some point I would expect the nerves to affect whoever is leading this match and the layers are right to have it down as a very close one. It would not be a big surprise to me if a player dominates the first set and a half before seeing the finishing line and allowing their opponent back in to force a decider.

I am really struggling to pick a winner, but these two players had needed a decider in three consecutive matches before the stunning win Wozniacki had over Halep in the WTA Finals. I am going to suggest that was an exception in what should be a match where both players are closely matched and have to deal with considerable nerves to decide who will take home all of the prizes on offer.

The biggest surprise for me would be to see one of the players run away with the match considering how both Halep and Wozniacki have been playing. Both have shown the desire and character to win matches where they have faced match point and I would expect to see two incredibly tight sets at the very least in this one as nerves keeps things close.

There is every chance a decider will be needed too and I think backing the total games line to be surpassed is the way to go in the Final.

MY PICKS: Simona Halep-Caroline Wozniacki Over 21.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 34-38, - 6.50 Units (143 Units Staked, - 4.41% Yield)

US Open Recap

The final Grand Slam of the season has come and gone in Flushing Meadows and it was an interesting tournament as Novak Djokovic underlined his status as the World Number 1, while Serena Williams had her 2nd consecutive meltdown at this event.

Below are a few thoughts coming out of the event and also the season profit update.

1) Novak Djokovic has already recorded the best tennis season in memory: When I say this, I mean in the Men's game although it is also arguable that it is the best single season in both the Men's and Women's events. To go 70-2 while picking up 3 Grand Slams is mighty impressive, but to do it in an era when Men's tennis is definitely in a 'boom' phase makes the feat even more incredible.

The Serb could easily have gone out to Roger Federer in the Semi Final but staved off 2 match points and has now improved his record to 11-1 against Federer and Rafael Nadal in 2011, an incredible statistic on its own.

I am sure he will have a long rest until the tournament in Shanghai now (I think he will pull out of Serbia's Davis Cup tie at the weekend), but he still has 2 achievements left that will truly cap this wonderful year: winning at the O2 at the End of Year Championships and retaining the Davis Cup with Serbia.

2) Rafael Nadal needs to go back to the drawing board in dealing with Djokovic: Nadal has shown in this tournament that he is definitely the 2nd best player in the World, but he needs to find a solution to the Djokovic problem after losing 6 straight Finals against the Serb this year.

For long periods he didn't know what exactly he wanted to do yesterday and his forehand just does not trouble Djokovic: you have to credit the World Number 1 from analysing the games of Nikolay Davydenko and David Nalbandian and trying to take the ball early to remove all of Nadal's heavy spin, something those two players have had success with in the past, just not with Djokovic's consistency.

Nadal needs to look to get more out of his serve, as he doesn't get enough free points from it. For years the complaint was that he did not use the natural 'lefty serve' in the advantage court and that is something he should go away and develop for the 2012 season.

At the moment he is forced to work so hard for every single point and the consistency and power of Djokovic is taking it out of him.

3) Will Roger Federer add to his Grand Slam tally? I still think Federer has another Grand Slam left in him, only being ousted here in New York by a 'lucky' shot on match point 1 against Novak Djokovic.

He will need the right draw if he is to make an impact at Slam level though, as more and more people fancy their chances against him and the top 2 really do not hold fear of him.

I am not ready to rule Federer out just yet.

4) Caroline Wozniacki once again showed she is not a World Number 1: I will give the Dane her credit and say she is out on the tour almost all the time so she deserves her ranking for consistency, but personally I would change the Ranking system to put more and more importance on the Grand Slam events and the upper tour events while lessening the points gained in winning the tournaments where only one or two of the top 30 players will be competing.

Wozniacki was completely outgunned by Serena Williams and had no real idea to deal with the American. Defeats to Dominika Cibulkova and Daniela Hantuchova in the last 2 Grand Slams are not what is expected of a World Number 1 either.

I think it will be tough to take the World Number 1 off Wozniacki in the near future, unless Serena Williams devotes more time to a fuller schedule on the tour next season.


The tennis picks will slow down over the next 3-4 weeks as there is a rest period coming up for the main players while the events on offering are not the best.

I will make a couple of Davis Cup Picks if I can find some value in the market so check in later on in the week for those. In the meantime I will continue making my football, College Football and NFL picks.

US OPEN DAILY PICKS: 27-18, + 27.36 Units


US OPEN OUTRIGHT PICKS: - 12 Units


OVERALL US OPEN TOURNAMENT: +15.36 Units


SEASON PROFIT/LOSS: + 82.08 Units

French Open Day 6 Picks

We are already through 5 days of the tournament and it remains intriguing. The weather took a turn for the worse yesterday as the blustery conditions made it difficult for players to perform to the levels expected of them.

Rafael Nadal still looks a little uncomfortable in his surroundings, surprising considering the Spaniard has won the title 5 times previously. He struggled at times in his straight sets win over Pablo Andujar and has been on court an awful long time considering he is yet to compete in Round 3.

Nikolay Davydenko's surprise loss opens the door for Nadal who will meet Antonio Veic instead.

The biggest winner of the day may have been Andy Murray who struggled through his Round 2 match with Simone Bolelli. However, Jurgen Melzer, a prospective Quarter Final opponent, was beaten in 5 sets and the bottom half of Murray's Quarter has opened up considering Nicolas Almagro has already left the tournament.

With Michael Berrer next in line for the British Number 1, I very much expect Murray to negotiate the match and progress to at least the Semi Finals- he will not get a better chance here.

The Women's tournament was where the big surprises were in store- Kim Clijsters exited the tournament in 3 sets, even after holding match point in set 2, while Maria Sharapova can count her lucky stars that she is still in the tournament.

So far, the best looking player (in terms of ability and not looks) is Victoria Azarenka, one of the favourites at the start of the tournament and it is Azarenka who has benefited most from Clijster's exit.


The picks had another good day with both Mardy Fish and Ivan Ljubicic covering the set handicap after winning their matches in straight sets.

Gilles Simon made life a little more difficult for himself after losing the first set to Jeremy Chardy 4-6. However, he turned the match around with his consistency and came through 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 to cover the spread in the gloom of the Paris evening.


So on to Day 6 Picks:


Caroline Wozniaki - 4.5 games vs Daniela Hantuchova: I have said many times, and I will say again, that Caroline Wozniaki is the worst Number 1 I have seen for some time. Dinara Safina had a lot of criticism in her time as Number 1, but at least she was reaching SOME Grand Slam Finals, Wozniaki doesn't even do that, reaching 1 Grand Slam Final in 2009 in her career.

Why the media seem to gloss over this is beyond me- its not like she is blue eyed, blond, and supposedly attractive is it?!!

None of that matters here as to why I have picked her to win and cover the spread. Wozniaki has the perfect game plan to disrupt Daniela Hantuchova, making her play 1 shot more than the Slovakian would like and that has led to Wozniaki leading the head to head 3-0 and yet to drop a set.

In only 1 of the 6 sets competed has Hantuchova won more than 3 games and I think we may see more of the same tomorrow.


Novak Djokovic win 3-1 in sets vs Juan Martin Del Potro: Surprisingly they have put this on last on the Philippe Chatrier Court- that is the equivalent of going to a top quality restuaurant, being given a 4 course meal, and then the waiter brings out the lobster and cavier last and expects the diners to appreciate it!

The crowd have been quiet and filtering away by the time the last match starts on court, but they wont want to miss this fascinating battle.

Novak Djokovic is arguably in the position many thought Del Potro would be in after the latter's win at the US Open in 2009. Instead injuries have derailed his progress and now Del Potro will want to make a statement.

The problem for me is Del Potro has not really got the same consistency in his game as he did have 18 months ago and while I expect him to get it back, it seems too soon to expect him to knock off the supremely confident Djokovic.

However, Del Potro has enough in him to cause problems and I would not be surprised if he forces Djokovic to win in 4 good sets of tennis.


Roger Federer - 7 games vs Janko Tipsarevic: Roger Federer has looked good so far this week as he makes easy progress through the draw, but now faces the man who pushed him to 5 sets in Australia in 2008.

Tipsarevic is a player that raises his game for the top players in the game, but clay is his weakest surface and makes me believe he wont be able to compete with Federer here. The Serb has losing records on the surface for the past 3 seasons before this one and it is hard to see him troubling Federer for long.

I expect the former World Number 1 to win this one in straight sets and cover the spread in the process.


Guillermo Garcia-Lopez to win vs Fabio Fognini: This is much to do with wanting to oppose Fognini as it is wanting to back Garcia-Lopez. Fognini may have dropped just 11 games on his way to Round 3, but I have a feeling he has just taken advantage of a really kind draw.

First he beat Denis Istomin who is having a bad season, and then Fognini knocked out Stephane Robert who obviously partied too hard after beating Tomas Berdych in Round 1.

Garcia-Lopez was particularly expended in Round 2 when he had to win 13-11 in the 5th set against Marsal Ilhan, but I think the Spaniard has been vastly underrated here.

Garcia-Lopez' best results do come on the surface and he has not had a losing record on the clay courts in main ATP tour matches since 2007. Fognini had a losing record just last season, and had lost 6 of his last 7 matches on the surface before this tournament began.

The head to head is 1-1, with Fognini winning on clay in 2008 and Garcia-Lopez winning on grass last season.

Personally I have more faith in Garcia-Lopez and think his odds should be much shorter.


MY PICKS: Caroline Wozniacki - 4.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Novak Djokovic win 3-1 in sets @ 3.75 William Hill (1 Unit)
Roger Federer - 7 games @ 2.10 10Bet (2 Units)
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez win @ 2.50 Paddy Power (1 Unit)


FRENCH OPEN: + 14.82 Units