Tennis Picks 2022 (April 5th)

Rain decimated the day's play at the ATP Marrakech tournament on Monday, while I did not really have the time to look through the WTA matches scheduled at Charleston and stuck with the two selections for the day.

Tuesday is another tough looking day with plenty of players making their first appearances on the clay courts in 2022 and I think that there have been few options.

I am not able to write out full analysis of any of the Picks for Tuesday, but both come from the WTA Charleston event, which is already entering the Second Round later in the day.

MY PICKS: Anastasia Gasanova - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Sloane Stephens - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Davis Cup Tennis Picks 2018 (April 6th)

The Davis Cup Quarter Final ties will make headlines of their own, but most fans will be keeping a close eye on Rafael Nadal who makes his return since pulling out of the Australian Open Quarter Final match against Marin Cilic.

Nadal is playing the second rubber of the Spanish tie against Germany in Valencia, but his team have made it clear that the current World Number 1 is not at full health as he looks to defend plenty of points over the next couple of months in the lead up and during the French Open.


The four Davis Cup ties have provided some options for the Tennis Picks which have made a good start to the week from the WTA Charleston event. Any Picks from the United States vs Belgium tie and from the two WTA events will be added to this thread on Friday, but the Picks below are from the Spain vs Germany and Italy vs France Quarter Final ties which begin early on Friday morning.


Alexander Zverev - 3.5 games v David Ferrer: The big question for Alexander Zverev is how he has managed to handle himself emotionally having lost the Miami Masters Final to John Isner a few days ago. He hasn't got a lot of time to prepare for the move from the hard courts onto the clay courts, while Zverev will be playing against another crowd supporting his opponent as he looks to give Germany a strong start in the Davis Cup tie against Spain.

A few years ago the prospect of facing David Ferrer would have been a scary one for any player, especially on the clay courts where the movement and defensive skills Ferrer possesses made him a tough opponent to beat.

However Zverev has already beaten Ferrer twice on the hard courts in 2018 to give himself a mental boost for this match, while I also have to say that the Spanish veteran is simply not as strong as he once was.

Ferrer's numbers against top 50 opponents on the clay courts over the last couple of years have deteriorated badly from his peak and I think that is an issue when facing Zverev. You can't ignore how well Zverev is able to play on the clay courts as he showed when winning the Rome Masters last year and his stronger service numbers and solid return numbers give him the edge in this first rubber.

I do think Ferrer will have his moments and he could even take a set, but I would expect Zverev to settle into the match and begin to take control of proceedings. He can produce some big time tennis on this surface and I would expect the stronger serving and very effective returning can help him get past Ferrer and cover the number of games being asked of him.

Coming off the hard courts onto the clay courts shouldn't be a big problem for Zverev, and he has had a few days to get himself physically ready for this match. I am looking for him to just be a little too good for Ferrer and give Germany the perfect start to this Quarter Final tie.


Lucas Pouille - 5.5 games v Andreas Seppi: On first glance I have to say this does look a big number of games for Lucas Pouille to cover, but the clay courts have been a surface on which he has been able to produce better returning numbers than on other surfaces.

He had a decent time on the clay in 2017 and Pouille certainly has some decent numbers on the surface which makes him someone to respect. The serve has continued to be a strong weapon for the Frenchman, but he has found his feet when it comes to the return on this surface and I think that is key against Andreas Seppi who has seen his own numbers declining on the clay over the last couple of years.

One of the bigger issues for Seppi is when he has come up against players Ranked in the top 50 when he really has seen a sharp downward trend on both his serving and returning numbers.

The home crowd can at least get behind Seppi and give him a boost in this one, but I do think the majority of the play will be on Pouille's side of the court and he will be the player creating the majority of break point chances.

Pouille can be a hard player to back because he does tend to struggle to retrieve breaks and that can lead to silly dropped sets, but I think he is the better player in this one. It will take Seppi turning back the clock to earn the upset and I will back Pouille to create the break points to win and cover the handicap.


Fabio Fognini - 6.5 games v Jeremy Chardy: I might need my head testing in picking two players who can be very, very erratic when the mood strikes them, but I am going to back Fabio Fognini to cover a big number against Jeremy Chardy in the second rubber of the tie between Italy and France.

With the home support behind him, Fognini will certainly feel he has the edge on the clay courts over Chardy even if the latter has been able to snap his run of losses to Fognini by beating him on the hard courts in North America over the last month.

Chardy has a very good serve when he is feeling at his best and it is a weapon that can give Fognini some problems even on the clay courts. The Frenchman has been able to maintain strong hold numbers on the clay courts but his bigger issue is trying to out-rally players on this surface for long enough to earn the break point chances.

The serve will be tested by Fognini who has a decent return and has produced some of his best tennis in Davis Cup. Not many would have forgotten the way he dismantled Andy Murray in Italy on the clay courts before and I do think this is the kind of situation in which Fognini does seem to bring his very best to the court.

Over the course of a best of five set match I do think Fognini will be able to break down the Chardy game and I think that will give him every chance of covering this number. Fognini has maintained some strong numbers on the clay courts over the last few years and I think he can continue the fine form he has shown on this surface already in 2018.

I think Chardy's returning issues could be a real factor in helping Fognini in covering the number in this second rubber and I will back the Italian to do that.


Madison Keys - 3.5 games v Bernarda Pera: The WTA Charleston event has reached the Quarter Final stage which means all of the players in this tournament have shown decent enough form.

It may be a surprising run for Madison Keys who has not produced her best tennis on the clay courts in the last couple of years, although she has played a Charleston Final before in her career.

Keys is very much a confidence player who has to see the serve working to the usual standards to make sure the rest of her game is up to scratch. That has been the case so far this week and I do think she will be able to put Bernarda Pera under pressure as a player who is still getting accustomed to this level of tennis.

Pera has shown she has plenty of quality in her own tennis and playing left-handed can be a problem for opponents to solve. She has some decent wins this week too which will have given her confidence, but I have to believe Keys is familiar with what Pera wants to do on the court and I expect the bigger hitting from the higher Ranked American to prove to be a difference maker on the day.

As long as Keys maintains her focus behind serve, I expect her to come through this match and cover these games by earning a break more in each set of a straight sets win.


Kiki Bertens - 2.5 games v Alize Cornet: Alize Cornet won her grudge match against Caroline Garcia on Thursday, but she is going to have maintain some heady standards if she is going to beat Kiki Bertens.

So far this week Cornet has been in fantastic form which has to be respected, but the numbers are far superior to the usual kind of levels the Frenchwoman finds on the clay courts.

Confidence is high so nothing suggests she will be dropping backwards, but Kiki Bertens presents a very difficult challenge for any opponent on the clay courts.

Bertens might not be playing at the same level that Cornet has produced this week, but her numbers are much more in line with those she has produced on the clay courts in the last two seasons. It does suggest Bertens can maintain these levels for longer than Cornet and I do think her serve is a big weapon for her in this match.

That serve can set up a few cheaper points for Bertens and I think she will be able to put Cornet under pressure in the match when it comes to protecting her own serve. The head to head may lean towards Cornet, but I think Bertens is one of the better clay court players out there and I am expecting her to have some strong runs over the next couple of months on this surface.

The superiority on the clay courts should show up in this match and I will back Bertens to come through and cover the number in this Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Lucas Pouille - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Fabio Fognini - 6.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Madison Keys - 3.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)
Kiki Bertens - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 3-0, + 5.12 Units (6 Units Staked, + 85.33% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (April 4th)

It was a solid Tuesday for the Tennis Picks with both from the WTA Charleston tournament coming back as winners.

On Wednesday the entire Second Round is played at that event on the green clay, while the WTA Monterrey event moves into their own Second Round on the hard courts.

That does mean plenty of matches are scheduled on the day, but I can only find one match that convinces me of a player to pick with the rest of the matches to take note of for future tournaments on the clay courts in the next two months.


Kiki Bertens - 3.5 games v Aleksandra Krunic: Over the last couple of seasons Kiki Bertens has built her World Ranking off the back of strong clay court results and she was a dominant winner in the First Round.

Her numbers have been impressive on the clay courts with strong serving backed up by solid returns and she looks like someone who can go deep into all the events she enters in the next couple of months.

I would expect Bertens to put plenty of pressure on Aleksandra Krunic who has a decent clay court record, but has struggled once the level of opponent has ramped up on this surface.

The win in the First Round over Bethanie Mattek-Sands looks good on paper, but the American is off a big injury and this is a big step up for Krunic when she faces Bertens.

Krunic has a decent return but that is going to be tested by how well Bertens can serve on this surface, while her own service numbers when facing players Ranked in the top 100 on the clay courts have not really been good enough.

Last year Bertens lost just four games in a convincing win over Krunic.

This time it should be closer, but I still think Bertens can be backed to win and cover the number of games being asked of her and I will back the Dutchwoman to move into the Third Round with a break more in each set of a straight sets win.

MY PICKS: Kiki Bertens - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-0, + 3.52 Units (4 Units Staked, + 88% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (April 3rd)

The early season hard court swing is over and the Tennis Tour now moves onto the clay court events as we begin the build up towards the second Grand Slam of the season at the French Open which begins at the end of May.

We have to negotiate a couple of slower weeks on the Tour for both the ATP and WTA with Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties scheduled for this part of the year, and we also have to accept that some of the clay court events in April have a different feel to those played in the weeks ahead of the French Open.

For example in Charleston this week we have a green clay court tournament and next week in Houston we have clay courts that don't play as slowly as those in Europe.

Those tournaments aside, we will move onto the red clay events in the build to the French Open and I do love this part of the season. After a decent enough first three months of the season, I am hoping to kick on in the weeks ahead as we see some big events played before the next Grand Slam and then there is a relatively short grass court period in the lead to Wimbledon which begins in early July.


This week I will have Tennis Picks from the two WTA events being played and then hopefully from the Davis Cup Quarter Final ties taking place on Friday through to Sunday. It doesn't necessarily mean there will be picks every day this week as shown by me bypassing Monday's schedule, but only if I find the matches that have hit my marks.

On Tuesday I have a couple of matches that seemingly are attractive enough to try and find a winner.


Irina-Camelia Begu - 3.5 games v Georgina Garcia Perez: Any time a player comes through the Qualifiers for a tournament I do have to respect they are feeling confident and that is the case for Georgina Garcia Perez.

The Spaniard should be comfortable on the clay courts, but this is a big step up for her as she faces a player Ranked in the top 100 and one who has shown she is very comfortable on this surface herself.

I do think Irina-Camelia Begu has sometimes flattered to deceive and perhaps should be higher up the World Rankings with the ability she has. However Begu can struggle for consistency, although her best results have been on the clay courts in her career.

Begu has also played well in Charleston in recent years with plenty of wins at this opening clay court event after the back to back hard court Masters events in North America.

Her return is effective enough to think she will have success against Garcia Perez and the key for Begu is trying to work out what an unfamiliar opponent wants to do as quick as possible. That might mean Begu starts a little slowly, but she should have the returning ability to put Garcia Perez under pressure and the Romanian has a serve which can be very effective on the clay courts and I will look for her to win this one and cover the number.


Caroline Garcia - 3.5 games v Varvara Lepchenko: The hard court events in Indian Wells and Miami were disappointing for Caroline Garcia but she is still enjoying a solid twelve months as her improvement has been hard to ignore.

There is still room for better, but Garcia is a comfortable player on the clay courts and I do think she can improve.

While the serve is a decent weapon for Garcia, I do want to see a little more out of her return and that is going to be tested by Varvara Lepchenko who has a decent First Round win in Charleston already this week.

However Lepchenko is not at her best on the clay courts and is a player who can see her own return fail to fire in the manner she would like. When that happens the American can see her own serve just stumble at times and I think Garcia has the kind of game that can take advantage of those problems especially if she is serving to the standard she can reach.

Having a first match on clay against someone who has experienced the conditions can be difficult and is a slight concern for me. Even with that in mind I think Garcia will be able to do enough to earn a break more in each set in a straight sets win and I will back her to cover the number in this one.

MY PICKS: Irina-Camelia Begu - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Caroline Garcia - 3.5 Games @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Tennis Picks 2016 (April 9th)

Another busy day in the tennis world as the tournaments wind down and the ATP Tour moves onto the first Masters event on the clay courts in Monte Carlo.

The Semi Finals in Casablanca, Charleston, Houston and Katowice take place on Saturday and I have picks from some of those matches.


Federico Delbonis - 4.5 games v Albert Montanes: This has been a strong week for Albert Montanes who has begun the slide out of the main Tour events. The veteran has yet to drop a set this week but the challenge increases in magnitude as he gets ready to face Federico Delbonis for a place in the Final on Sunday.

It is a big ask for Montanes who has lost all three previous matches against Delbonis and has yet to win a set. Most of those wins have come fairly comfortably for the Argentinian and I am backing Delbonis to be able to cover the number in this one.

2016 has not been a very strong season for Delbonis, but the next few months are going to be key for him as the Tour moves onto the clay courts in Europe ahead of the French Open. This should be the time of the season when Delbonis can put together some strong results and move his Ranking in a positive direction and he has to be looking at this tournament as one he can win to build momentum.

His serve is a little more secure than Montanes and I expect Delbonis will have the majority of break point chances in this one. If he can produce his best tennis at those critical moments, I expect Delbonis will win this one 63, 64 to move into the Final.


Borna Coric - 1.5 games v Jiri Vesely: Two younger players on the Tour will be looking to reach a Final at the start of the European clay court season which could help them improve their World Rankings in the coming weeks. Out of the two players, Borna Coric looks the more secure and able to reach his potential than Jiri Vesely who has struggled for consistency at this level.

It has been an 'easy' draw for Coric who has had to win just one match to reach the Semi Final while his opponent has won three matches to join him at this Stage.

That might mean Coric is a little undercooked for the Semi Final, but the other side of the coin is that he should be physically fine to compete. Both players are comfortable on the clay courts, but I think Coric has the better movement and that might give him the edge on this surface.

Vesely is the taller player, but I think he is still trying to find the best way to get more out of his first serve and that can be an issue on the slower surfaces for him. I can see Coric earning more points behind his own first serve and I think it will be a battle to the end with the Croatian player earning his way to a 76, 64 win.


Feliciano Lopez - 1.5 games v Juan Monaco: This has been a good week for both Feliciano Lopez and Juan Monaco with only one set dropped between them in five wins to reach the Semi Final. Both should be familiar with one another as former Doubles partners and veterans of the Tour and both will be looking to win the tournament this week in Houston to put some vital Ranking points on the board.

It is Lopez who has won the majority of their previous meetings which isn't a big surprise to me. While his return game isn't the best, Lopez has a very solid serve and that puts the pressure on Monaco whose own serve can be a weakness and I expect that will be the reason the Spaniard moves into the Final in this one.

The surface in Houston is playing faster than most clay courts and that will only favour Lopez a little more and force Monaco to try and stay with him on the scoreboard. The sliced return should keep Monaco focused at all times if he is to stay with Lopez, but it might also force the pressure onto him when behind on the scoreboard and thus leading to mistakes.

I don't think it will be as comfortable as it was for Lopez on Friday, but I do think he will battle through to a 76, 64 win to make it four straight wins over Monaco.


Sara Errani - 1.5 games v Elena Vesnina: The layers are expecting a tight Semi Final after Elena Vesnina has put together a couple of solid tournaments in a row. I do wonder how much is left in the tank for the Russian having won two Qualifiers to get into the main draw before winning four matches in a row to get into the Semi Final.

One credit that has to be given to Vesnina is she has won all of her matches without dropping a set which should give her plenty of confidence to take into this match. However, Sara Errani is the best clay courter she would have faced and the Italian has shown she is able to build momentum through tournaments having won the title in Dubai in what has been a season littered with early exits otherwise.

Errani has had to dig much deeper than Vesnina to come through the last couple of Rounds, but she has managed to do that to show she is very capable of winning this event. Her serve isn't the biggest, but Errani will move Vesnina around the court and I can see her exposing those movement issues to come through this difficult looking Semi Final.

I can see a number of breaks for both players in this one, but ultimately I think Errani will have enough clay court nous to come through with a 76, 64 win.

MY PICKS: Federico Delbonis - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Borna Coric - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Sara Errani - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-2, - 0.40 Units (8 Units Staked, - 5% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (April 8th)

To say it was a hectic few days in Vegas and then on to Wrestlemania 32 in Arlington, Texas would be an understatement and it has taken a couple of days since returning to London to get back on track.

There is still some partying to shake out of the body, while the next few weeks will be busy for me too meaning a couple of breaks in between making picks.

I am joining the tennis late this week having only just returned, but the business end of the first clay court events of the season should be interesting as we begin the build towards the French Open at the end of May.


Irina-Camelia Begu + 4.5 games v Angelique Kerber: Winning the Australian Open is probably something that Angelique Kerber was not really expecting deep down inside and so the struggles since then is not a big surprise. However the last two tournaments suggest Kerber is beginning to deal with having a target on her back and the confidence looks to be returning in her game.

While that is a strong reason she is favoured to win this Quarter Final, Irina-Camelia Begu has given her some tough outings in the past.

In fact it is Begu who has won two of the last three matches between them while they played out two tie-breakers here in Charleston last season in a match that Kerber eventually won. Begu hasn't had the best start to 2016 but she has looked better in the last two tournaments and will be boosted by her own battling qualities in coming through some tough matches already this week.

Of course Kerber is the more likely winner, but I can see Begu making this a battle until the end and this looks a lot of games she is being given with a chance to cover.


Sara Errani - 3.5 games v Yulia Putintseva: I know she won the title in Dubai, a big event, but Sara Errani has not had the best 2016 overall. Now we have begun the clay court season, perhaps we are going to see the best of the Italian who has come through the draw in Charleston fairly comfortably so far.

She will have to be at her best to beat Yulia Putintseva who has a big win under her belt when coming through in three sets to beat Venus Williams in the Third Round on Thursday. That is the second consecutive time Putintseva has needed three sets to get through and Errani will test her physical well-being in this one with the extended rallies and ability to make Putintseva play plenty of balls.

The big issue for Errani has always been the ability to get the most out of her serve and protecting that shot has been a problem over the years. She will allow Putintseva to get a chance to hammer a return of either first or second serve, although I think Errani is used to protecting this shot much more on the clay courts.

It will be a battle with the way both players go about their game as they can both put together strong movement, but I think Errani will find a way to break down Putintseva. That should lead to a 64, 64 win for the higher Ranked player and a place in the Semi Final.


Feliciano Lopez - 3.5 games v Tim Smyczek: The clay courts in Houston are unlike most around the world in that they seem to play much faster, as many in North America seem to do. That has led to some surprise Semi Finalists and Winners of this tournament in the past and someone like Feliciano Lopez may appreciate this type of clay court more than the ones he will see in the coming weeks.

On this surface, Lopez should be able to get plenty of free points behind the serve as well as being able to attack the net as he plays the match very much like a hard court. He hasn't had the success here Lopez might have liked in the past, but I think he will be surer underfoot than Tim Smyczek and can beat the American on the way to the Semi Final.

Smyczek has shown some form over the last few weeks and his confidence should be in a good place having reached the Quarter Final. However he will have to serve well to stay with Lopez and one sloppy service game could cost the American the set if Lopez is playing up to the standards he can produce.

The key for Lopez is to build pressure on the scoreboard by putting plenty of first serves in play and and forcing Smyczek to keep with him. I think that will see a couple of late breaks of serve to help Lopez move through to the next Round behind a 75, 64 win.


Marcos Baghdatis + 2.5 Games v Jack Sock: 2016 has been a season in which Marcos Baghdatis has looked revitalised and that has seen him re-enter the top 40 in the World Rankings. He will be looking to push on further, although the clay court season is perhaps his weakest portion of the season and the Cypriot will look at the tournament in Houston as his best chance for big points in this part of the season.

His win over Fernando Verdasco on Thursday was an impressive one, although the standard might have gone up when Baghdatis faces Jack Sock in this Quarter Final. The American reached the Quarter Final in 2014 before winning the title in Houston in 2015 and Sock has the kind of game that should work well on the clay courts in the build up towards the French Open.

Sock reached the Fourth Round at Roland Garros last season and clearly can produce some of his best tennis on clay, although it was Houston where he really shined. The court plays faster than the European clay courts and that should suit both players in what looks like a close match to me.

That makes the games being given to Baghdatis look very appealing and I think he can steal a set to make it possible to cover even in a losing effort. Personally I also think Baghdatis has restored some confidence and can give Sock plenty to think about in this one as the defending Champion tries to take the title home again and I am backing the Cypriot to cover in this one.

MY PICKS: Irina-Camelia Begu + 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Sara Errani - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Marcos Baghdatis + 2.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Tennis Picks 2015 (April 11th)

Weather permitting, the tournaments in Houston, Casablanca, Charleston and Katowice will be coming to a close this weekend and the ATP Tour can begin to focus on the first big event of the clay court season.

The draw for the tournament in Monte Carlo was made on Saturday morning and the drop in Rafael Nadal's Ranking does mean that he is Seeded for a Semi Final against Novak Djokovic. These two are the clear favourites to win the French Open at the end of May and matches between them will give each to put a phycological marker down on the other.

However, Nadal has failed to win in his last two appearances at Monte Carlo as his previous unblemished record on the clay courts have shown some chinks in the armour. The Spaniard also has a much tougher path through to the Semi Final with some dangerous players in his section.

Roger Federer is the Number 2 Seed in Monte Carlo next week and he is another that might have hoped for an easier introduction to life back on the clay courts. Stan Wawrinka, the winner here last season, is a potential Quarter Final opponent for Federer.

The Masters at Monte Carlo will begin on Monday with this weekend set for qualifying there.


Madison Keys - 4.5 games v Lucie Hradecka: Lucie Hradecka needs to be given credit for reaching the Semi Final here, but she really should have been knocked out by Caroline Garcia in the Third Round. She escaped through power and some big mistakes from her opponent, but the former element is going to be matched by Madison Keys who I feel is the much stronger player in this match.

There is no doubting that Madison Keys is destined for the top of the women's game and the natural replacement for Serena Williams as the top American player when the latter hangs up her racquet. Keys might not be most comfortable on the clay courts, but the one in Charleston is not playing like the slower European clay courts and that has helped Keys dominate all of her matches so far this week.

Keys is yet to lose more than four games in any of her three matches this week and while Lucie Hradecka needs to be respected for her comfortable win over Sara Errani, fatigue may also be a factor. Hradecka had to come through the qualifiers here so has had to play plenty of tennis, but that might have given her the confidence to come through some tough moments in the draw already.

I can't imagine there will be too many long rallies in this one, and it might be a case of first-strike tennis, but I think Keys has more about her game and I like her to reach the Final after a 63, 64 win.


Andrea Petkovic - 2.5 games v Angelique Kerber: These two compatriots haven't met for four seasons, but it was Andrea Petkovic who won the last three matches between them and might be able to continue that run.

Andrea Petkovic has been in good form over the last couple of months and has openly talked about finally bringing her production in practice onto the competitive court. That has seen her pick up a title in Antwerp and reach a Quarter Final in Doha and Semi Final in Miami which will give her confidence to take into the clay court season.

It has been a very good week for Angelique Kerber too, but this is a rare highlight in the 2015 season which has been three months of disappointment to be brutally honest. It is the first time that Kerber has won back to back matches this season since Sydney before the Australian Open and confidence has to be in a much better place, although it can't be expected to be fully restored.

The week has been a tough one for Kerber, but battling through those matches will stand her in good stead over the remainder of the season. However, she is facing Petkovic in this Semi Final who has a real solid belief in where she is at and I think that makes the difference in this match. I think it will be tight with breaks of serve in both directions, but Petkovic can battle into the Final after a 63, 46, 75 win.


Jack Sock v Kevin Anderson: Both Jack Sock and Kevin Anderson had to twiddle their thumbs for hours waiting for the Houston thunderstorms to pass before booking their place in the Semi Final on Friday. Out of the two players, Kevin Anderson had to put in a much bigger emotional and physical effort to see of Jeremy Chardy in three sets and I do wonder if that has taken something out of the big South African.

The serve will remain a big weapon to get Kevin Anderson out of trouble and shorten the points to keep the physical strength up, but Jack Sock has been producing some impressive results since beginning his 2015 campaign.

Sock began his season at Indian Wells after injury and he reached the Fourth Round there before a Third Round appearance in Miami heading into this week. The American has produced some solid tennis to move through the draw here without too many concerns and he should give Anderson plenty to think about.

The backhand has always been the big weakness in the Sock game, but Anderson is much more likely to get involved in forehand to forehand rallies and that might suit the American. I do think the physical effort Anderson put in last night will play a part in this one and that is why I believe Sock, who has shown decent form, can win this as the underdog in three tight sets.


Fernando Verdasco - 1.5 games v Sam Querrey: It might have been a late start for Sam Querrey on Friday, but he quickly got through the challenge of Feliciano Lopez and now takes on the defending Champion Fernando Verdasco in the second Semi Final in Houston.

It has been a very good week for Querrey so far, but it has to be said that Verdasco has been in very strong form and clearly is enjoying being the defending Champion here. The Spaniard has hit the ball very well off the ground and has been serving well and he will need to do both of those against Querrey if he is going to progress to the Final for the second year in a row.

Verdasco will have to continue to serve well if he is going to put Querrey under pressure because the latter's major weapon is his own serve and earning a cheap way through those games. The fear for Verdasco is throwing in a sloppy service game like he did in the win over Teymuraz Gabashvili, because it will be much harder to recover going a break down in this match.

The American does have the head to head advantage over Verdasco and he has played well this week, but I think the defending Champion is playing with a lot of confidence and can come through 76, 67, 64.

MY PICKS: Madison Keys - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Andrea Petkovic - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Jack Sock @ 2.15 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Fernando Verdasco - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 6-5, + 0.96 Units (22 Units Staked, + 4.36% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2015 (April 10th)

It is Quarter Final day at the various tournaments that are being played across the continents as we get closer to the start of the first Masters event on the clay courts in Monte Carlo next week.

That looks a strong tournament already with the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all scheduled to take part despite that being the one Masters that you don't have to play in terms of Ranking points.

All three of those men are clearly of the mind that they can win the French Open this season when you look at the events they will take in ahead of the second Grand Slam of the season.


Fernando Verdasco - 3.5 games v Teymuraz Gabashvili: Fernando Verdasco continues his defence of the title he won last season, but this is going to be far from an easy match against Teymuraz Gabashvili who has given the Spaniard all he can handle in their two previous matches.

Gabashvili also had a win over David Ferrer on the clay courts of Barcelona last season so is clearly someone who can't be underestimated on this surface. He has a decent serve and can play some very attractive tennis from the baseline, while Gabashvili had an impressive win over John Isner in the Second Round.

Isner is a previous Champion here like Verdasco, but I still think Gabashvili will need to up his game if he is going to surprise a second player in a row. Verdasco can be so up and down with his own game at times which will give Gabashvili a chance, but I do think the Spaniard has produced enough quality this week to think he can find a way to battle through this match.

It certainly won't be easy, but I think Verdasco wins 75, 64 in two tough sets.


Feliciano Lopez v Sam Querrey: Sam Querrey has really picked up his level of play over the last few months of the 2014 season as he took part in a few more Challenger events, but he is still not quite up to the main Tour level.

The Ranking has improved, but I think it is a big ask for him to beat Feliciano Lopez in this Quarter Final considering how well the Spaniard has matched up against Querrey in the past.

I think a lot of that is down to the fact that Lopez' backhand slice can extract errors from the Querrey game, while Lopez is also very comfortable getting up to net and putting the ball away. This isn't like the European clay courts as the one in Houston tends to play a bit faster, which won't bother either man in this Quarter Final, but I think Lopez can have the edge when it comes to the one or two points that makes all the difference between winning and losing.

Lopez has won 2 of their 3 previous matches in North America and he looked impressive in his Second Round win. In a match that could be settled by tie-breakers and one or two break point chances, I like Lopez to win.


Madison Keys - 4.5 games v Lauren Davis: Madison Keys won't really be expected to have her best success on the clay courts, but the one in Charleston is playing faster than the ones she will see in the next couple of months. That should aid her in her match with Lauren Davis with this match likely to be settled on her racquet.

This is the fifth time Keys and Davis will meet and the previous four matches have been split, although the power and the aggression will come from the former and her side of the court. If Keys can keep her mind focused on the match and not get frustrated by Davis' ability to get plenty of balls back in play, you would think she can eventually power through this Quarter Final.

The Davis serve is a real weakness too and that could be a real difference in the match.

Both players have been in good form this week with some impressive victories under their belt, but I like Keys to have a little too much in a 63, 64 win.

MY PICKS: Fernando Verdasco - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Madison Keys - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 4-4, - 0.64 Units (16 Units Staked, - 4% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2015 (April 9th)

It was a frustrating Wednesday for the tennis picks that I made, mainly because they were bad picks on my part and that bothers me more than when a little luck goes against them. Bad luck can at least be justified by picks getting into winning positions, but bad picks which have no chance of ending in the winner's enclosure from early on are much more irritating.


Caroline Garcia - 2.5 games v Lucie Hradecka: Lucie Hradecka spent the majority of her time last season playing on the level below the main Tour when it came to clay court events, but she has already surpassed that with a strong week in Charleston.

She had to come from a set down to beat Zarina Diyas in the last Round, but the level of competition will increase again as Hradecka takes on Caroline Garcia in this Third Round match.

Garcia had a couple of really good runs on the clay courts last season and her tough win in the last Round should stand her in good stead for the remainder of this week. I think she has the better movement than Hradecka which is obviously very important on the clay courts when play can shift from side to side in extended rallies, but Garcia also has plenty of firepower to rely upon.

I do respect the fact that Hradecka can produce some big tennis and four wins this week will have given her plenty of confidence to take going forward, but Garcia is the better player with more upside and I expect her to come through 76, 64.


Kirsten Flipkens + 3.5 games v Monica Niculescu: Monica Niculescu crushed Kirsten Flipkens in Antwerp earlier this season, but I am looking for the latter to be a lot more competitive in this match in Katowice.

Both players have come through a Round in impressive fashion so far and neither player has the overwhelming power to expect to dominate, although Niculescu showed her variation can extract the errors from the Flipkens game.

Even though this is played on an indoor hard court, the rallies might be long and gruelling with a lot of slicing and dicing used by both players. Flipkens has picked up a few more wins since her defeat to Niculescu in Antwerp and I think that will help her compete better from a mental standpoint at the very least.

Taking a set should give Flipkens a good chance to at least stay within this number and I do think she has a real chance of overturning the recent match in Antwerp and win this one outright.

MY PICKS: Caroline Garcia - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Kirsten Flipkens + 3.5 Games @ 1.92 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 3-3, - 0.48 Units (12 Units Staked, - 4% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2015 (April 8th)

Belinda Bencic - 4.5 games v Danka Kovinic: I have to respect the fact that Danka Kovinic has played a lot more clay court tennis than Belinda Bencic so far this season, but Kovinic has played the majority of those matches at the level below this one.

Belinda Bencic was also very impressive in her win over Casey Dellacqua and producing something similar will give her the real edge in the match. She served well and also dominated on the return and the confidence has clearly been restored by a couple of very good showings at Indian Wells and Miami last month.

The performance here at Charleston last season should also help Bencic dealing with the conditions at this event and I think she can battle through with a 63, 64 win.


Ekaterina Makarova - 5.5 games v Shuai Zhang: Playing on the clay courts might not be the favourite surface for Ekaterina Makarova, but I do think she will be too strong for Shuai Zhang in this Second Round match.

The first match back on clay is a tough situation for Makarova to deal with and she has not been on the best of form, but Zhang has also been struggling despite her First Round win.

Aside for a run at the Rome Premier Event, Zhang struggled on the clay last season and she has never really reached the required standard at this level to be a consistent on the surface. The slower court speed of the clay courts really will expose the lack of consistency in the Zhang game too and I think a tight first set is followed by a more convincing second set for Makarova who can move through 75, 62.


Sara Errani - 5.5 games v Jana Cepelova: Getting back onto the clay courts will suit Sara Errani just fine and I expect the Italian to produce some of her better tennis over the next two months. The concern for Errani will always be the limited serve she has and having to work much harder to win points through a match compared to some of the other players on the Tour, but she can do that on the slower surfaces as she extracts errors from her opponents.

That will be what Errani tries to do to Jana Cepelova who battled through the First Round, but who has been struggling badly this season.

The change to the clay courts will suit Cepelova who has produced her best tennis on the Tour on this surface and was also a Finalist in Charleston last season. However, she came here in much better form twelve months ago and I think Errani will expose any doubts in the mind and come through with a 63, 63 win.


Jeremy Chardy - 5.5 games v Go Soeda: Go Soeda might feel he has nothing to lose after coming back from the brink of defeat to beat Lleyton Hewitt in the last Round, but Jeremy Chardy is unlikely to let him off the hook in this one.

Out of the two players, Chardy has a lot more potential on the clay courts and I think his bigger serve will at least set up a few more cheaper points to get him into a position to win this match.

Go Soeda is a battler and won't give up without a fight, but his serve is a weakness and this is a player that doesn't usually spend a lot of time on the clay courts. As long as Chardy keeps focused, he should prove he is capable of earning at least three breaks of serve that should set him up for a comfortable win and a place in the Quarter Finals.

A 63, 63 kind of win looks on the cards for Chardy in this match.

MY PICKS: Belinda Bencic - 4.5 Games @ 1.92 Bet365 (2 Units)
Ekaterina Makarova - 5.5 Games @ 1.92 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Sara Errani - 5.5 Games @ 1.92 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Jeremy Chardy - 5.5 Games @ 1.92 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-0, + 3.68 Units (4 Units Staked, + 92% Yield)

Tennis Picks Davis Cup 2013 (April 5th)

I have taken a week off from the tennis picks I have been making after another successful tournament in Miami, mainly because there really wasn't anything that has taken my fancy from the Women's events taking place.

The ATP Tour has had a break in anticipation of the Davis Cup ties and will return to action next week as the first of the clay courts in preparation for the French Open take place. Most of the big names won't be in action until the Monte Carlo Masters which begins on April 14th and then we will quickly see some of the big tournaments taking place in Madrid (which have thankfully removed the blue clay that caused so many issues last season) and Rome before the French Open begins on May 26th.

This weekend we will see the conclusion of the Davis Cup Quarter Finals, but most of the big names on the Tour are not going to take part. However, that doesn't mean there aren't some interesting matches taking place and these are my picks from the Friday matches.


Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 4.5 games v Carlos Berlocq: I'll be honest with you- if this was the game spread between these players in a best of three set match, I would be a little tempted to go in on the Frenchman, so having the added benefit of this being a best of five means I will be backing Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Tsonga isn't the best on the clay courts, but he is effective enough to cause Carlos Berlocq some real problems and I was a little surprised that Argentina didn't pick up Horacio Zeballos in one of the first two matches.

I think there is every chance that Berlocq can take a set off of Tsonga, who has been erratic at times this season, but the big serving players cause the Argentine some real problems as his own serve will give his opponent chances to break.

This match looks like one that the French can win, likely with Tsonga taking a 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win.


Gilles Simon - 3.5 games v Juan Monaco: Juan Monaco looks like a player that is going to be falling down the Rankings at a rapid rate this season as he has struggled mightily to open 2013. When you're not feeling yourself, and have been struggling for wins, facing someone like Gilles Simon is the last thing you would want to be facing.

These two players have met six times in the past, but only once since 2008 and I think Simon has certainly been in the better form of the two players to open this season.

Simon also played well on the clay courts last season, reaching the Semi Final in Monte Carlo, and if he can keep hold of his emotions, I do think he can earn the French the second match in this tie and put them in a strong position to get into the Semi Finals of the Davis Cup.

I believe Simon will likely need four sets, but can come through with a 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win.


Venus Williams - 2.5 games v Varvara Lepchenko: It would be foolish to rule out a player that has beaten both Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci on the clay courts this season as Varvara Lepchenko has, but I still think Venus Williams is good enough to see her off on this surface.

The one concern I do have is that the winner of this match will have to play twice today and we know that Venus Williams has fitness concerns and could decide that playing twice in one day is not for her.

However, she has had additional rest with the day's play being almost completely wiped out yesterday and I do think Venus still has enough in the tank to beat Lepchenko. While Lepchenko has had a very good 14 months or so or the Tour, it is tough to play one of the Williams sisters in the United States and I think Venus will find a way to pull through.


MY PICKS: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 4.5 Games @ 1.85 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Gilles Simon - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Venus Williams - 2.5 Games @ 1.92 Paddy Power (2 Units)



Daily Picks: 17-11, + 10.74 Units (56 Units Staked, + 19.18% Yield)
Outright Picks: 1-4, - 6.70 Units (13 Units Staked, - 51.54% Yield)

Season 2013: + 47.03 Units (439 Units Staked, + 10.71% Yield)

Season 2012: + 49.21 Units (855 Units Staked, 5.76% Yield)
Season 2011: + 82.02 Units