It was another topsy-turvy day yesterday that began terribly, but ended with lot of positives and profits.
Andy Murray looked impressive in dispatching David Nalbandian and that means both outright picks are alive this week. There is still a lot of tennis to be played before anything good comes from the outright picks, but it's been a longer adventure than last week when both exited the tournament at a very early stage.
On to the Picks:
Andy Murray - 4.5 games vs Alex Bogomolov: This is a big chance for Andy Murray to get revenge for an embarrassing loss to Bogomolov earlier this year in Miami.
That loss came during a big slump in form for Murray after the Australian Open, but I think he is in better form now.
Bogomolov recorded another big win this season when beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga yesterday and he is enjoying his time here, coming through 5 Rounds to reach this stage.
I am a little concerned that Murray has too many lapses in his concentration, but I do expect the British Number 1 to move through in straight sets and I can see him pulling away in the second set to cover the spread.
Rafael Nadal - 4.5 games vs Fernando Verdasco: Rafael Nadal has beaten his Spanish compatriot in all 12 previous meetings and I don't think Verdasco is in the form to change that.
The closest Verdasco came to beating Nadal was in Australia in that Semi Final of 2009 when he pushed Nadal to the limits of his game, but Verdasco is far removed from that kind of form and the 2 sets he won that day are part of the 3 sets he has EVER won against Nadal.
I think Rafa is far too consistent for Verdasco, who is capable of throwing in nightmare service games, and I expect him to move through without too much fuss.
David Ferrer - 2.5 games vs Gilles Simon: David Ferrer is the ultimate competitor and I have a lot of respect for his dedication to his craft and his ability to get the absolute best from his ability- personally I think a lot of youngsters playing the game should look at Ferrer as an example of what hard work can reward.
Ferrer's lack of matches on the hard courts is a concern, but he plays Gilles Simon who also has not played too much hard court tennis this Summer.
I think Ferrer holds a big edge in the match up because the two players essentially have the same game, yet it is Ferrer who is just a little better in all departments.
Ferrer has won their 2 previous meetings, albeit back in 2007, and he lost just 5 games combined in winning in straight sets on each occasion... I think he will win in straight sets again tonight.
Gael Monfils - 1.5 games vs Philipp Kohlschreiber: Gael Monfils has a very good record against Philipp Kohlschreiber and I expect he can continue that here.
My biggest concern is the fact that Monfils has been playing a lot of tennis in recent weeks, reaching the Final in Washington and the Quarter Final in Montreal last week, and he may be a little fatigued.
Kohlschreiber is making a surprise appearance at this stage as he was not expected to win his first 2 matches, but he had not been in great form on the hard courts this season and I think Monfils will be just too good for him again.
Daniela Hantuchova vs Marion Bartoli: I am not convinced the layers have this right by making Hantuchova the underdog in this match.
The Slovakian has a 4-1 head to head record against Bartoli and that includes 2 wins on the hard courts of the United States, the latest coming in San Diego last season.
Neither player has been in fantastic form of late, but I think Hantuchova will have the mental edge in the match and can come through, possibly in 3 sets.
Petra Kvitova vs Andrea Petkovic: A quick look at the results from Toronto will show Petkovic beat Kvitova in straight sets last week for the loss of just 3 games, but the match was a lot closer than that and I think the Wimbledon champion can overturn that result.
There has been an overreaction, in my opinion, from that result last week and they are now set as a pick 'em contest or with Kvitova as the slight favourite and I will have a go backing her to win.
The Czech player has not played a lot of tennis of late and struggled a little more against Chanelle Scheepers than I thought she would, but the match is on her racquet and if she can cut out some of the unforced errors, I think she can win.
MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 4.5 games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Rafael Nadal - 4.5 games @ 1.90 Pinnacle (2 Units)
David Ferrer - 2.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Gael Monfils - 1.5 games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Daniela Hantuchova @ 2.20 BetFred (2 Units)
Petra Kvitova @ 1.91 Pinnacle (2 Units)
WEEKLY UPDATE: + 3.04 Units
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Showing posts with label Daniela Hantuchova. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daniela Hantuchova. Show all posts
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Saturday, 18 June 2011
Wimbledon Ladies Tournament Outright Picks and Preview
The Women's tour has really suffered this year in terms of quality, but it does mean that the prices for their tournaments are generally larger than for the Men's. The return of the Williams sisters after several months off is the story as we head into Wimbledon but there are other issues that will be determined in the next fortnight.
Will Maria Sharapova continue her resurgence and recapture the Wimbledon crown?
Will Caroline Wozniacki show why she is the World Number 1?
Will the likes of Petra Kvitova, Julia Goerges and Victoria Azarenka win a Grand Slam for the 'new generation'?
Will any British Women make the 2nd Round of the tournament?
First Quarter
Caroline Wozniacki sits on top of the draw as the World Number 1, but she has been written off in a number of places as a winner of Wimbledon. It is interesting to note she decided to play in an indoor hard court tournament rather than taking any time on the grass and we will see if that was the correct decision soon.
Wozniacki should be able to get through the first 3 Rounds here in the tournament but that is where her tournament could draw to a close as she is likely to face Dominika Cibulkova or the dangerous Julia Goerges. Cibulkova is less likely to provide the problems that will lead to victory, but Goerges can hit through the ball and that will be a problem for Qozniacki who relies more on her defence to win matches.
Even if Wozniacki is still around by the time the Quarter Finals come around, it is then she will potentially see her biggest hurdle in the form of Maria Sharapova. The Russian may have a couple of problems before she reaches the Quarter Finals, most notably in the forms of Lucie Safarova and Sam Stosur.
Safarova is a big hitting left hander that can play at an exceptionally high level when she is on her game and could be a danger in the 3rd Round. Safarova has won the only previous meeting with Sharapova, but doesnt have the same grass court pedigree and I would expect the latter to get through.
Sam Stosur could cause problems with her solid serve for Sharapova, but the Russian has won all 8 previous meetings with her before and I would expect Sharapova to get the job done again.
Sharapova, I would expect, would be too strong for any of her potential Quarter Final opponents and I think she will be one of the Semi Finalists.
Second Quarter
This section is highlighted by Serena Williams, but she has not been given the kindest of draws if I am honest. A potential 2nd Round meeting with Bojana Jovanovski is not as straight forward as it may look, especially considering the lack of court time Serena has had.
Furthermore, a 4th Round match with Marion Bartoli, the winner in Eastbourne, is not to be overlooked. Serena may have won both meetings with the Frenchwoman, but Bartoli has plenty of hitting power and could definitely cause one or two problems for the American.
To make the path a little more complicated, Serena will eventually have to face either Na Li, the French Open Winner and Australian Open Runner Up, Agnieska Radwanska, a former Junior Champion at Wimbledon, Ana Ivanovic, a former World Number 1, or one of the most dangerous unseeded players in Sabine Lisicki, a recent winner on grass in Birmingham.
Na Li is scheduled to meet Sabine Lisicki in the 2nd Round and that could be one of the matches of the day. Lisicki has won their only previous meeting and has shown some solid grass court pedigree as a former Quarter Finalist here at Wimbledon.
Ana Ivanovic has not had the best of times when playing on grass, and I think the 4th Round meeting from this section could be Agnieska Radwanska and Sabine Lisicki.
I feel Lisicki would provide more of a problem for Serena Williams in the Quarter Final with her hitting ability whereas Radwanska is more of a defensive minded player that looks to frustrate opponents into mistakes.
Serena Williams may just get through to the Semi Final meeting with Maria Sharapova, but this is going to be tough for her throughout.
Third Quarter
Victoria Azarenka may be the highest rated seed in this section of the draw, but she could not have been over the moon to see a possible 3rd Round clash with Daniela Hantuchova on the horizon. Both players should get through their first 2 Rounds to set up a mouth watering clash.
Daniela Hantuchova (I have a definite soft spot for her) is one of the form players on the WTA Tour, reaching the Final in Birmingham and the Semi Finals in Eastbourne coming into this tournament. She beat Caroline Wozniacki in the French Open and a recent win over Venus Williams shows she is mentally in a good place.
With a 2-0 head to head record against Azarenka, and arguably the better grass court pedigree, I feel a surprise here.
If Hantuchova can win that match, it will really open the door to a Quarter Final spot.
There her opponent is likely to come from Francesca Schiavone, Andrea Petkovic or the dangerous Ekaterina Makarova. Schiavone has not really had the best time on grass in recent years and I am sure Makarova will feel she can reverse the loss in their only other meeting.
Makarova won at Eastbourne last year before losing to Venus Williams and definitely can play on the grass. Andrea Petkovic should be her 4th Round opponent, but she too has not had the best record on grass courts and Makarova could reverse her only loss to the German too.
The winner of this Quarter is very much likely to come from the Daniela Hantuchova-Victoria Azarenka 3rd Round match. I think the Slovakian is in brilliant form and could achieve her best result at Grand Slam level this year.
Fourth Quarter
The final quarter of the draw really has some special players in the mix with Petra Kvitova, Vera Zvonareva and Venus Williams all likely to have realistic ambitions of winning the title.
Vera Zvonareva should get through the first 2 Rounds with little problems but then faces a tough looking match against Tsvetana Pironkova. Pironkova will present problems after reaching the Semi Finals here last year (losing to Zvonareva) and also pushing Serena to 3 sets in Eastbourne last week.
However, the Russian may prove a little too strong in the end and should move on to a 4th Round match with Venus Williams.
Venus Williams will first have to beat Jelena Jankovic in the 3rd Round, a tough match for the elder Williams who has lost to Jankovic on the grass at Wimbledon before. They have a 6-6 head to head record and Jankovic actually won their last meeting in Rome last year while losing just 1 game.
Regardless who gets through that tie, I would favour Zvonareva to get through to the Quarter Finals.
Petra Kvitova should move through to the 4th Round as she has been given a kind draw. Her biggest threat comes from Roberta Vinci, a winner of the Unicef Open in Holland last week, but I feel Kvitova's power will overwhelm the Italian.
In the 4th Round, Kvitova is likely to face the winner of the Yanina Wickmayer-Svetlanta Kuznetsova match. The Russian has won both meetings with Wickmayer in the past, but both have the same kind of level on grass courts.
At this stage, I would favour Kvitova, the Wimbledon Semi Finalist of last year, to come through and play Zvonareva.
This Quarter Final should be an excellent one to watch. Both Kvitova and Zvonareva have 2 wins apiece against one another, but I think the Russian will be the stronger player and get through in 3 tough sets.
Semi Finals and Beyond
The first Semi Final between Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams could determine the winner of the tournament. Both have beaten the other 1 time on grass, although Serena has won 5 in a row on all surfaces.
Serena also beat Sharapova in the 4th Round in a very good match last year, but the fortunes of the two players are reversed this time. Sharapova is the player in form while Serena is the one on the road to recovery.
This could be another intense battle between the two, but if Sharapova can keep her serve in check, I think she will once again be playing in the Wimbledon Final.
The second Semi Final will be seen by the two participants as perhaps their last real chance to win the big prize. Zvonareva has won 4 of the 6 meetings with Hantuchova, but the last 3 have been tight affairs with Daniela winning 2 of those.
Hantuchova is in the form of her career, but it is hard to take her as a serious contender to win the title considering she can get the touch of the nerves. However, Hantuchova may just have been given the final confidence boost to do well after beating Venus Williams in Eastbourne during the course of the week.
Zvonareva has the mental boost of making it to the Final here last year and that may be what tips this Semi Final in her favour.
The Final, as I said, was likely to be decided in the first Semi Final and I believe that will be the case here. Sharapova has the better grass court game, and also enjoys a strong head to head over Zvonareva.
There will be nerves, but reaching the Semi Final at Roland Garros would have helped Sharapova no end, and I think she will win her 2nd Wimbledon title this year.
MY PICKS: Maria Sharapova win @ 5.5 Various (2 Units)
Vera Zvonareva win @ 21.0 BetFred (1 Unit E/W)
Daniela Hantuchova win @ 51.0 Victor Chandler (0.5 Units E/W)
Will Maria Sharapova continue her resurgence and recapture the Wimbledon crown?
Will Caroline Wozniacki show why she is the World Number 1?
Will the likes of Petra Kvitova, Julia Goerges and Victoria Azarenka win a Grand Slam for the 'new generation'?
Will any British Women make the 2nd Round of the tournament?
First Quarter
Caroline Wozniacki sits on top of the draw as the World Number 1, but she has been written off in a number of places as a winner of Wimbledon. It is interesting to note she decided to play in an indoor hard court tournament rather than taking any time on the grass and we will see if that was the correct decision soon.
Wozniacki should be able to get through the first 3 Rounds here in the tournament but that is where her tournament could draw to a close as she is likely to face Dominika Cibulkova or the dangerous Julia Goerges. Cibulkova is less likely to provide the problems that will lead to victory, but Goerges can hit through the ball and that will be a problem for Qozniacki who relies more on her defence to win matches.
Even if Wozniacki is still around by the time the Quarter Finals come around, it is then she will potentially see her biggest hurdle in the form of Maria Sharapova. The Russian may have a couple of problems before she reaches the Quarter Finals, most notably in the forms of Lucie Safarova and Sam Stosur.
Safarova is a big hitting left hander that can play at an exceptionally high level when she is on her game and could be a danger in the 3rd Round. Safarova has won the only previous meeting with Sharapova, but doesnt have the same grass court pedigree and I would expect the latter to get through.
Sam Stosur could cause problems with her solid serve for Sharapova, but the Russian has won all 8 previous meetings with her before and I would expect Sharapova to get the job done again.
Sharapova, I would expect, would be too strong for any of her potential Quarter Final opponents and I think she will be one of the Semi Finalists.
Second Quarter
This section is highlighted by Serena Williams, but she has not been given the kindest of draws if I am honest. A potential 2nd Round meeting with Bojana Jovanovski is not as straight forward as it may look, especially considering the lack of court time Serena has had.
Furthermore, a 4th Round match with Marion Bartoli, the winner in Eastbourne, is not to be overlooked. Serena may have won both meetings with the Frenchwoman, but Bartoli has plenty of hitting power and could definitely cause one or two problems for the American.
To make the path a little more complicated, Serena will eventually have to face either Na Li, the French Open Winner and Australian Open Runner Up, Agnieska Radwanska, a former Junior Champion at Wimbledon, Ana Ivanovic, a former World Number 1, or one of the most dangerous unseeded players in Sabine Lisicki, a recent winner on grass in Birmingham.
Na Li is scheduled to meet Sabine Lisicki in the 2nd Round and that could be one of the matches of the day. Lisicki has won their only previous meeting and has shown some solid grass court pedigree as a former Quarter Finalist here at Wimbledon.
Ana Ivanovic has not had the best of times when playing on grass, and I think the 4th Round meeting from this section could be Agnieska Radwanska and Sabine Lisicki.
I feel Lisicki would provide more of a problem for Serena Williams in the Quarter Final with her hitting ability whereas Radwanska is more of a defensive minded player that looks to frustrate opponents into mistakes.
Serena Williams may just get through to the Semi Final meeting with Maria Sharapova, but this is going to be tough for her throughout.
Third Quarter
Victoria Azarenka may be the highest rated seed in this section of the draw, but she could not have been over the moon to see a possible 3rd Round clash with Daniela Hantuchova on the horizon. Both players should get through their first 2 Rounds to set up a mouth watering clash.
Daniela Hantuchova (I have a definite soft spot for her) is one of the form players on the WTA Tour, reaching the Final in Birmingham and the Semi Finals in Eastbourne coming into this tournament. She beat Caroline Wozniacki in the French Open and a recent win over Venus Williams shows she is mentally in a good place.
With a 2-0 head to head record against Azarenka, and arguably the better grass court pedigree, I feel a surprise here.
If Hantuchova can win that match, it will really open the door to a Quarter Final spot.
There her opponent is likely to come from Francesca Schiavone, Andrea Petkovic or the dangerous Ekaterina Makarova. Schiavone has not really had the best time on grass in recent years and I am sure Makarova will feel she can reverse the loss in their only other meeting.
Makarova won at Eastbourne last year before losing to Venus Williams and definitely can play on the grass. Andrea Petkovic should be her 4th Round opponent, but she too has not had the best record on grass courts and Makarova could reverse her only loss to the German too.
The winner of this Quarter is very much likely to come from the Daniela Hantuchova-Victoria Azarenka 3rd Round match. I think the Slovakian is in brilliant form and could achieve her best result at Grand Slam level this year.
Fourth Quarter
The final quarter of the draw really has some special players in the mix with Petra Kvitova, Vera Zvonareva and Venus Williams all likely to have realistic ambitions of winning the title.
Vera Zvonareva should get through the first 2 Rounds with little problems but then faces a tough looking match against Tsvetana Pironkova. Pironkova will present problems after reaching the Semi Finals here last year (losing to Zvonareva) and also pushing Serena to 3 sets in Eastbourne last week.
However, the Russian may prove a little too strong in the end and should move on to a 4th Round match with Venus Williams.
Venus Williams will first have to beat Jelena Jankovic in the 3rd Round, a tough match for the elder Williams who has lost to Jankovic on the grass at Wimbledon before. They have a 6-6 head to head record and Jankovic actually won their last meeting in Rome last year while losing just 1 game.
Regardless who gets through that tie, I would favour Zvonareva to get through to the Quarter Finals.
Petra Kvitova should move through to the 4th Round as she has been given a kind draw. Her biggest threat comes from Roberta Vinci, a winner of the Unicef Open in Holland last week, but I feel Kvitova's power will overwhelm the Italian.
In the 4th Round, Kvitova is likely to face the winner of the Yanina Wickmayer-Svetlanta Kuznetsova match. The Russian has won both meetings with Wickmayer in the past, but both have the same kind of level on grass courts.
At this stage, I would favour Kvitova, the Wimbledon Semi Finalist of last year, to come through and play Zvonareva.
This Quarter Final should be an excellent one to watch. Both Kvitova and Zvonareva have 2 wins apiece against one another, but I think the Russian will be the stronger player and get through in 3 tough sets.
Semi Finals and Beyond
The first Semi Final between Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams could determine the winner of the tournament. Both have beaten the other 1 time on grass, although Serena has won 5 in a row on all surfaces.
Serena also beat Sharapova in the 4th Round in a very good match last year, but the fortunes of the two players are reversed this time. Sharapova is the player in form while Serena is the one on the road to recovery.
This could be another intense battle between the two, but if Sharapova can keep her serve in check, I think she will once again be playing in the Wimbledon Final.
The second Semi Final will be seen by the two participants as perhaps their last real chance to win the big prize. Zvonareva has won 4 of the 6 meetings with Hantuchova, but the last 3 have been tight affairs with Daniela winning 2 of those.
Hantuchova is in the form of her career, but it is hard to take her as a serious contender to win the title considering she can get the touch of the nerves. However, Hantuchova may just have been given the final confidence boost to do well after beating Venus Williams in Eastbourne during the course of the week.
Zvonareva has the mental boost of making it to the Final here last year and that may be what tips this Semi Final in her favour.
The Final, as I said, was likely to be decided in the first Semi Final and I believe that will be the case here. Sharapova has the better grass court game, and also enjoys a strong head to head over Zvonareva.
There will be nerves, but reaching the Semi Final at Roland Garros would have helped Sharapova no end, and I think she will win her 2nd Wimbledon title this year.
MY PICKS: Maria Sharapova win @ 5.5 Various (2 Units)
Vera Zvonareva win @ 21.0 BetFred (1 Unit E/W)
Daniela Hantuchova win @ 51.0 Victor Chandler (0.5 Units E/W)
Monday, 13 June 2011
Tennis Picks June 13th 2011
Just a quick note to start off to say I will update my weekly and overall profit/loss tomorrow afternoon as I still have two picks running from the tournaments that should have concluded on Sunday but have been moved to Monday thanks to the heavy rain in the UK.
We now have tournaments in Eastbourne and Holland in the last week before Wimbledon starts and I have to say it is the Women's draws that have seen the majority of their big players in action. Many of the real Men's contenders decide to take this week off, and this year has been no different.
The biggest news is the return of the Williams sisters to the Women's tour- both Serena and Venus have been missed, but their returns will definitely spark some interest in the WTA. This week Eastbourne is where they will make their comebacks, in a tournament which looks to have a real star quality feel to it.
Obviously the biggest thing to concern us will be the motivation of players. There are some players due out in the Men's section that may feel they have a chance to do some real damage at Wimbledon (Jo-Wilfried Tsonga the main example) and so I am steering clear of outright picks with the real possibility players may 'tank' matches if they get behind.
Let's hope for another week where we can add to the coffers before the most famous Grand Slam in the Tennis World begins next Monday.
Eastbourne
Venus Williams win vs Andrea Petkovic: Andrea Petkovic is one of the most popular players on the WTA circuit, and was, ironically, Venus Williams' last opponent before injury, but I still dont think she has done enough to be favoured on the grass courts against any of the Williams sisters (and I mean even those that dont play tennis).
Venus loves the surface and it suits her game down to the ground. There are obvious concerns with a lack of match practice and whether all the injuries are cleared up, but it is unlike the Williams to turn up to a tournament without the intention of winning, something stated by Venus in an interview a couple of days ago.
We all know the pedigree Venus has on the surface, whereas Petkovic has struggled in tournaments played on grass bar in Holland last season when she reached the Final only to lose to Justine Henin.
This pick is based on the odds and I think it will be a LONG time before I see Venus as an outsider on grass against anyone but her sister.
Ordina Open
Nicolas Mahut win vs Adrian Mannarino: I think the bookies have made Nicolas Mahut the underdog thanks to Adrian Mannarino's run at Queens last week but I think that is a mistake here.
Mahut has plenty of grass court experience and enjoys most of his success on the main tour when playing on this surface. His attacking serve-volley game makes it tough for opponents on the faster courts and he has had some good results on grass over the last few years.
Adrian Mannarino had a big week at Queens, but he still hasn't convinced me that he should be favourite against a player like Mahut. He has already lost to Stephane Bohli and James Ward on grass courts this year, while his wins at Queens were the first he achieved on grass courts on the main ATP Tour.
Mahut and Mannarino are 1-1 in their head to head, but Mahut beat his compatriot in straight sets in London a couple of years ago. I still believe Mahut is the better grass court player.
MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 3.5 games @ 1.83 (2 Units) Still to Run
Daniela Hantuchova - 2.5 games @ 2.00 (2 Units) Still to Run
Venus Williams @ 2.38 William Hill (2 Unit)
Nicolas Mahut @ 2.2 BoyleSports (2 Units)
OVERALL UPDATE: Will be updated tomorrow once the Murray and Hantuchova picks are settled.
We now have tournaments in Eastbourne and Holland in the last week before Wimbledon starts and I have to say it is the Women's draws that have seen the majority of their big players in action. Many of the real Men's contenders decide to take this week off, and this year has been no different.
The biggest news is the return of the Williams sisters to the Women's tour- both Serena and Venus have been missed, but their returns will definitely spark some interest in the WTA. This week Eastbourne is where they will make their comebacks, in a tournament which looks to have a real star quality feel to it.
Obviously the biggest thing to concern us will be the motivation of players. There are some players due out in the Men's section that may feel they have a chance to do some real damage at Wimbledon (Jo-Wilfried Tsonga the main example) and so I am steering clear of outright picks with the real possibility players may 'tank' matches if they get behind.
Let's hope for another week where we can add to the coffers before the most famous Grand Slam in the Tennis World begins next Monday.
Eastbourne
Venus Williams win vs Andrea Petkovic: Andrea Petkovic is one of the most popular players on the WTA circuit, and was, ironically, Venus Williams' last opponent before injury, but I still dont think she has done enough to be favoured on the grass courts against any of the Williams sisters (and I mean even those that dont play tennis).
Venus loves the surface and it suits her game down to the ground. There are obvious concerns with a lack of match practice and whether all the injuries are cleared up, but it is unlike the Williams to turn up to a tournament without the intention of winning, something stated by Venus in an interview a couple of days ago.
We all know the pedigree Venus has on the surface, whereas Petkovic has struggled in tournaments played on grass bar in Holland last season when she reached the Final only to lose to Justine Henin.
This pick is based on the odds and I think it will be a LONG time before I see Venus as an outsider on grass against anyone but her sister.
Ordina Open
Nicolas Mahut win vs Adrian Mannarino: I think the bookies have made Nicolas Mahut the underdog thanks to Adrian Mannarino's run at Queens last week but I think that is a mistake here.
Mahut has plenty of grass court experience and enjoys most of his success on the main tour when playing on this surface. His attacking serve-volley game makes it tough for opponents on the faster courts and he has had some good results on grass over the last few years.
Adrian Mannarino had a big week at Queens, but he still hasn't convinced me that he should be favourite against a player like Mahut. He has already lost to Stephane Bohli and James Ward on grass courts this year, while his wins at Queens were the first he achieved on grass courts on the main ATP Tour.
Mahut and Mannarino are 1-1 in their head to head, but Mahut beat his compatriot in straight sets in London a couple of years ago. I still believe Mahut is the better grass court player.
MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 3.5 games @ 1.83 (2 Units) Still to Run
Daniela Hantuchova - 2.5 games @ 2.00 (2 Units) Still to Run
Venus Williams @ 2.38 William Hill (2 Unit)
Nicolas Mahut @ 2.2 BoyleSports (2 Units)
OVERALL UPDATE: Will be updated tomorrow once the Murray and Hantuchova picks are settled.
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Tennis Picks 12th June 2011
It was a good day yesterday as both picks came in as winners. Andy Murray put in his strongest performance of the season to crush Andy Roddick in 2 straightforward sets before Philipp Petzschner shocked Tomas Berdych in 3 sets at the tournament in Halle.
That means we are having another profitable week following the successes at the French Open and I will look to end the week on a good note.
The tournaments in Eastbourne and s-Hertogenbosch are due to start their main draws tomorrow with a couple of matches in each event, but I wont start backing anything until Monday as none of the games interest me tomorrow.
Queens
Andy Murray - 3.5 games vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: I thought long and hard about this match as I feel Murray will not play to the same level as he did against Andy Roddick, and will also be dealing with a player in the form of Tsonga that is playing some good tennis of late.
However, I do feel Murray is serving particularly well this week and I also believe he will earn more chances as he is the better returner.
Tsonga will make life difficult with his big groundstrokes and by attacking the net, but I feel he has too many lapses in sets that Murray can take advantage of.
Murray leads the head to head 4-2, including a win at Wimbledon last year in the Quarter Finals. Interestingly, they met on grass during a Nottingham Challenger in 2004- that was won by Tsonga.
It is possible the match goes the distance, but I just feel Murray is too consistent for Tsonga at this moment of time and will do enough to cover the spread.
Birmingham
Daniela Hantuchova - 2.5 games vs Sabine Lisicki: Daniela Hantuchova showed some real spirit in beating Ana Ivanovic in the Semi Final yesterday, overcoming a 1 set deficit and a rain delay to win in 3 sets. Hantuchova also served well when the big points came along, saving 12 bps in the final 2 sets and not losing her serve. The Slovakian also has a solid grass court pedigree.
Lisicki has seen her career hit a buffer thanks to bad form and recovering from an injury. She is a former Wimbledon Quarter Finalist, but has not had much success on the grass other than this tournament. She has also had a tough year so far and faces an opponent in form.
Hantuchova won their only other meeting on the fast indoor hard courts and must feel the title is here for the taking.
MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 3.5 games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Daniela Hantuchova - 2.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
WEEKLY UPDATE: + 10.03 Units (+ 4.08 Units yesterday)
That means we are having another profitable week following the successes at the French Open and I will look to end the week on a good note.
The tournaments in Eastbourne and s-Hertogenbosch are due to start their main draws tomorrow with a couple of matches in each event, but I wont start backing anything until Monday as none of the games interest me tomorrow.
Queens
Andy Murray - 3.5 games vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: I thought long and hard about this match as I feel Murray will not play to the same level as he did against Andy Roddick, and will also be dealing with a player in the form of Tsonga that is playing some good tennis of late.
However, I do feel Murray is serving particularly well this week and I also believe he will earn more chances as he is the better returner.
Tsonga will make life difficult with his big groundstrokes and by attacking the net, but I feel he has too many lapses in sets that Murray can take advantage of.
Murray leads the head to head 4-2, including a win at Wimbledon last year in the Quarter Finals. Interestingly, they met on grass during a Nottingham Challenger in 2004- that was won by Tsonga.
It is possible the match goes the distance, but I just feel Murray is too consistent for Tsonga at this moment of time and will do enough to cover the spread.
Birmingham
Daniela Hantuchova - 2.5 games vs Sabine Lisicki: Daniela Hantuchova showed some real spirit in beating Ana Ivanovic in the Semi Final yesterday, overcoming a 1 set deficit and a rain delay to win in 3 sets. Hantuchova also served well when the big points came along, saving 12 bps in the final 2 sets and not losing her serve. The Slovakian also has a solid grass court pedigree.
Lisicki has seen her career hit a buffer thanks to bad form and recovering from an injury. She is a former Wimbledon Quarter Finalist, but has not had much success on the grass other than this tournament. She has also had a tough year so far and faces an opponent in form.
Hantuchova won their only other meeting on the fast indoor hard courts and must feel the title is here for the taking.
MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 3.5 games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Daniela Hantuchova - 2.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
WEEKLY UPDATE: + 10.03 Units (+ 4.08 Units yesterday)
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