US Open Day 12 Tennis Picks 2026 (Thursday 10th September)

One of my personal criticisms of recent years on the Tour in relation to the WTA half has been that there have not been the standout dominant players who have made a significant separation from the pack.

It has meant Grand Slams have felt very open for any player to come through with a solid two week run to earn a Major, which can be a positive once in a while, but not for every tournament.

2026 feels different and that is underlined by the top four Ranked players all reaching the Semi Final at the US Open.

Both Mirra Andreeva and Linda Noskova reached the Quarter Final and will feel they should have beaten higher Ranked players, but those runs are also a positive seeing as the two youngsters won the French Open and Wimbledon respectively. Instead of being a 'flash in the pan' like some recent Grand Slam Winners have felt, both Andreeva and Noskova look like they will be playing amongst the elite of the Tour for many years to come and are almost certainly going to add to the Slams already won.

Three of the four Semi Finalists at the US Open will be searching for at least a third Grand Slam title with the exception being Jessica Pegula.

An all-American Final can still be the outcome on Saturday, but the two big hitting World Number 1 and World Number 2 stand in the way and those having tickets for the Evening Session are going to be in for a fun day on the grounds.

Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 games v Jessica Pegula: Both of these Semi Finalists are going to feel they showed plenty of character to come through awkward moments in the Quarter Final and that should give them confidence as the US Open begins to reach its climax.

The top Seed in the draw has officially lost the World Number 1 Ranking, but Aryna Sabalenka likely made peace with that happening considering how the Ranking Points were shaking out. Instead the only focus for the Belarusian is winning a Grand Slam title in 2026 and she will simply be glad to still be involved in New York City after the narrow win in the Quarter Final.

To be fair to Aryna Sabalenka, she had been the better player in the match against Linda Noskova, but the two time defending US Open Champion did not play the big points as well as she would have liked, at least not until the final set tie-breaker. The Noskova serve made a big impact at the big moments, but Aryna Sabalenka will be aware that her opponent in this Semi Final is not going to serve as big as the Wimbledon Champion.

Another year looked to be passing Jessica Pegula by as she trailed in the US Open Quarter Final and her hopes of winning a first Grand Slam would have faded a little more.

Before it was too late, Pegula started to find some of her best tennis, but she will be the first to admit that the last three Rounds have not been good enough from a serving perspective. Jessica Pegula is a very good return player, which has made up for the serving problems, but she cannot hope to get away with such a drop in standard against someone who serves as well as Aryna Sabalenka does.

There is also the mental obstacle of having been beaten by Aryna Sabalenka in the last two years at the US Open.

Those losses have been in the 2024 Final and the 2025 Semi Final and Jessica Pegula will believe that she should have the last of those matches. However, she ultimately did come up short and has now lost five of the last six hard court matches between these players since August 2024.

The last three of those matches have needed a third set decider, while Jessica Pegula beat Aryna Sabalenka on the grass courts of Berlin in the sole match played between these top WTA players in 2026.

It is a win that will give her confidence, but Jessica Pegula is going to have to dig in and find another level if she is going to beat Aryna Sabalenka on this court.

The service numbers have fallen away dramatically in the last three Rounds and it is very difficult to see how Jessica Pegula can find her way into another US Open Final without improving that part of her game dramatically. That feels unlikely right now and Aryna Sabalenka can take advantage of that to tip the scales in her favour in this big match.

No one can say that Aryna Sabalenka has fully convinced at the US Open having had a difficult year overall, but she is playing at a superior level compared with Jessica Pegula. Those back to back US Open wins over the World Number 3 will also give the top Seed that much more belief in the tighter moments of this Semi Final and that may end up being a key reason for Aryna Sabalenka to reach yet another Final at this Grand Slam.

Elena Rybakina v Coco Gauff: The come from behind win in the Quarter Final means Elena Rybakina has secured the World Number 1 Ranking regardless of how this tournament is concluded. However, she looked to be taking in that achievement in her stride and the focus is on backing up the success at the Australian Open by adding this hard court Grand Slam to the collection.

It is fitting that the top four players in the World Rankings are all involved in the final four at the US Open after Coco Gauff also rallied for a Quarter Final win.

The American is one of two former Champions still in the tournament and Coco Gauff continues to dig deep and win matches even when not at her best. This is a strong character trait and even seeing the run of sets won come to an end did not stop Coco Gauff from believing she could turn the Quarter Final back around.

At the same time, Coco Gauff will be the first to admit that she was not at her best in the win on Wednesday and she will have to improve significantly to beat someone in the form of Elena Rybakina.

Both of these players reached the Final of different WTA 1000 tournaments in the lead up to the US Open, although Coco Gauff won the title in Cincinnati and Elena Rybakina came up a little short in Toronto.

However, Elena Rybakina did beat Coco Gauff in her run in Toronto and used her superior serve to earn the edge in that match.

This has to be the approach to this Semi Final and Elena Rybakina has found her easy power working very well on the New York City hard courts. The performances have been impressive and it is a real surprise that she had not been beyond the Fourth Round at the US Open previously, but Elena Rybakina has looked more comfortable here this year and it is the serve that is going to set things up for her.

Coco Gauff has been serving pretty well herself, but was put under a lot of pressure by Mirra Andreeva in the Quarter Final before turning things around. There is little time between the Quarter Final and Semi Final to make big adjustments and it could be another difficult day for the American with the pressure that Elena Rybakina can create with her own delivery.

The fans are going to give Gauff a boost and this is a player that never knows when they are beaten, which makes her dangerous.

In saying that, Coco Gauff will know she needs to improve significantly on the performance produced against Elena Rybakina last month in Toronto and the future World Number 1 looks the right play. The money has come in on Rybakina which has shifted her from an opening 2.20 outsider to a 1.85 favourite, but she does look to be the right player to back even if Coco Gauff is a fighter who is unlikely to wilt under the lights.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Elena Rybakina @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 29-21, + 4.58 Units (100 Units Staked, + 4.58% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 12 Picks 2026 (Friday 10th July)

The opening Ladies Semi Final was something pretty special, but Karolina Muchova's opponent is yet to be determined at the time of writing.

Once the second Semi Final is completed, I will update the Wimbledon numbers from the tournament, but this thread is focusing on the two Semi Finals to be played on Friday.

It was something of a surprise to read that the bottom half Semi Final will be played first, especially as they were on court on Wednesday and not Tuesday, but it is a positive for Novak Djokovic to have that slightly longer time to prepare for another big match on Centre Court.

Both favourites look very likely to come through, but matches are played on grass and not screens/paper, while dismissing Novak Djokovic to win any tennis match would be very foolish indeed.

Jannik Sinner - 5.5 games v Novak Djokovic: As soon as the Wimbledon draw was made two weeks ago, most fans would have been hoping for the latest battle between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic with the winner expecting to be favourite to win the title on Sunday.

Over the last couple of years, it has felt like Jannik Sinner has gotten on top of Novak Djokovic and the World Number One had beaten the Serb in five straight matches.

That alone would not have been an issue for someone like Novak Djokovic, but three of those wins had been earned at Grand Slams, including beating Djokovic at the Australian Open in 2024 and Wimbledon in 2025. Those are two tournaments that Novak Djokovic has loved throughout his career and to be beaten in the manner he had been would have certainly had some wondering if Djokovic would ever win another Grand Slam.

He admitted himself that beating both Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at the same tournament would be a considerable challenge, but the latter has been absent from the last couple of Grand Slam events. That means Novak Djokovic 'only' has to beat Jannik Sinner and he will have taken a great amount of confidence from the Australian Open Semi Final win over the Italian back in January.

Not only did it snap the losing run to Jannik Sinner, but Novak Djokovic will have taken great heart from outlasting the Italian in that Semi Final that lasted over four hours and needed to go the distance to determine a winner.

Novak Djokovic needed over five hours to win his Quarter Final, but the match was played on Tuesday and that means this is a situation where the former seven time Wimbledon Champion has had two days of recovery, rather than the usual one day between matches that would be the case at Grand Slam events. Beating Felix Auger Aliassime in the manner he did is a reminder that Novak Djokovic still has something in the tank, but he will be aware that he needs to find another level to beat the defending Champion on Centre Court.

Serving well has been the key for Novak Djokovic, but he is not the same returner as he was at his peak and that will offer plenty of encouragement to Jannik Sinner who has not won any of the last three Grand Slam tournaments played. He is the World Number One, but Sinner has yet to make a Grand Slam Final in 2026 and there is pressure on his shoulders, which perhaps contributed to a tougher than expected Quarter Final win.

Jannik Sinner has spent considerably less time on the court than 39 year old Novak Djokovic and that is going to be a potential factor, while the top Seed has been serving at a consistently high level.

He would like to show a bit more on the return of serve to really feel like his rhythm is in a good place, but Jannik Sinner should be happy enough with the match up and beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the 2025 Wimbledon Semi Final.

This one should be a bit more competitive, but Jannik Sinner should still have the qualities needed to find the breaks of serve at key times and eventually win with room to spare in this last four meeting on Centre Court.

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 games v Arthur Fery: An incredible performance in the Quarter Final has helped Arthur Fery into the Wimbledon Semi Final and he will be sitting alongside three Grand Slam Champions as the youngster looks to prevent the clock hitting midnight on his Cinderella run.

A straight sets win in the Quarter Final would have been just what the doctor ordered if Arthur Fery wants to put his best foot forward in this Semi Final.

Earlier in the tournament, Arthur Fery has invested so much time and energy on the court as he has battled out of very difficult spots to continue to make this unexpected run. The fans are firmly behind him and the British player is going to be moving just outside the top 32 positions in the World Rankings even if he is beaten on Friday.

The World Rankings will look after themselves and all Arthur Fery and his supporters will be thinking about is this Semi Final against the French Open Champion.

Alexander Zverev has never been able to put it all together at Wimbledon, but there was an immediate feeling that winning the French Open could see this player kick on and add Grand Slam titles to his collection really quickly. He knows he can get over the line on the biggest stage and Zverev has moved through the Wimbledon draw with a lot of confidence, although he did beat a Taylor Fritz suffering with an injury in the Quarter Final.

It may have been a factor, but Alexander Zverev will also believe he has been playing well enough to deserve his spot in the Semi Final and the serve has been a huge weapon for him. Serving well is going to be key in this one to offer the crowd little to get behind, while also reminding Fery of the kind of level he is facing, and it is no surprise that the Number 2 Seed is the big favourite.

Arthur Fery served well in the Quarter Final, but he had been put under pressure on that shot in the previous two wins and Alexander Zverev can do the same to him here.

Centre Court is going to be firmly behind the 24 year old who has come out of nowhere to put this run together at Wimbledon, but it would be a big surprise if it is a run that can continue onto the Final on Sunday.

You would have to say that Alexander Zverev is going to have to show improvement on the return of serve if he is going to complete the French Open-Wimbledon double that has proven to be so difficult for players down the years. Considering Zverev had never made the Quarter Final in SW19 before this tournament, a title here would really be a big surprise, but the German could not have hoped for a better Semi Final opponent and Alexander Zverev can wear down the upstart.

On current form, Arthur Fery can make a set or two competitive, but you would have to imagine that all of the emotions and physical exertions of the last two weeks will eventually get on top of the British player. He is playing with little to lose, but Fery does have something to aim at here and Alexander Zverev can use a big serve to keep him under pressure and ultimately come through with a solid scoreboard victory that sees him cover this handicap mark laid out.

MY PICKS: Jannik Sinner - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 Games @ 2.10 William Hill (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 38-34, - 5.54 Units (142 Units Staked, - 3.90% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2026 (Thursday 4th June)

The last four of the Women's tournament features plenty of young talent, but there won't be many who would have put a bracket together and come out with these four names.

A big opportunity is now in front of the players with a Grand Slam title to be won, but Aryna Sabalenka has to be kicking herself.

The body language had been pretty negative throughout the match, even when Sabalenka was very much in control, but losing 12 of the last 13 games was a complete capitulation.

It is not the first time the World Number 1 has managed to lose a match at the business end of a Grand Slam and not the first time Aryna Sabalenka has completely collapsed from a strong position. She was pretty downbeat in the press conference after the defeat, which is not a surprise, but it continues to show that the WTA Tour is missing that dominant force and perhaps a reason why Serena Williams is thinking about a comeback.

The former World Number 1 is back in Doubles action next week, but it would surprise no one if she did take a Wild Card into Wimbledon, which begins later in the month. One more Grand Slam is needed to match Novak Djokovic, although it would still take a monumental effort for a 44 year old who is turning 45 in September to be able to put together the kind of run needed to win a Grand Slam.

Serena Williams will be returning with that in mind, if she does indeed return to the Singles court and not just prepare for a shot at the Doubles Olympic Gold at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

That is something that may give the WTA another shot in the arm, but for now the focus for the four players still playing at Roland Garros is winning a Grand Slam title and moving into the upper tier of the sport in their own right.

Marta Kostyuk - 1.5 games v Mirra Andreeva: There has long been an expectation around Marta Kostyuk and the potential she has, and at 23 years old she looks to finally be making her big breakthrough on the Tour. After getting the better of compatriot Elina Svitolina in the Quarter Final, Marta Kostyuk is moving very close to the top ten in the WTA World Rankings, while she has also reached a maiden Grand Slam Semi Final.

If she wins one more match, Marta Kostyuk will enter the top ten of the World Rankings for the first time, while a French Open title would mean she also becomes the Ukrainian Number One.

Putting together an unbeaten clay court season, which includes a big WTA 1000 title in Madrid, should mean Marta Kostyuk comes into this Semi Final filled with confidence, but it is the younger player in this match up that has the experience edge.

While there has long been an expectation about the kind of successes that Marta Kostyuk could have on a tennis court, Mirra Andreeva has been seen as a future multiple time Grand Slam Champion since the then 17 year old reached the French Open Semi Final in 2024.

The run at the French Open means Mirra Andreeva has reached the Quarter Final four times at Grand Slam level, and three of those have been in Paris- she has converted two of those into Semi Final appearances, including this season, but Mirra Andreeva will have to get the better of an opponent who has beaten her twice already this season, including once in the Madrid Final on a clay court.

There is the issue about the Russia-Ukraine war that has continued to be a feature of the press conferences, but the focus here has to be on the court.

During the run to the Semi Final, Mirra Andreeva has produced the stronger numbers and her crushing win over Sorana Cirstea in the Quarter Final will have given the teenager a huge amount of confidence. She has long been very happy on the clay courts and Andreeva has been involved in very big matches at the French Open in each of the last three editions of this Grand Slam.

Experience is a big edge when it comes to handling the sense of occasion and that is something that Mirra Andreeva will have to try and use.

However, the numbers may be stronger overall in this tournament, but it is Marta Kostyuk who has two top ten wins under her belt and she has definitely had to fight through the tougher path. Doing so, and being unbeaten on the clay in 2026, should mean Marta Kostyuk is not intimidated by the match, but it is all about handling the emotion on the day with so much on the line.

It will be important for her team to try and get Marta Kostyuk to focus on the court, although the war in her home country is going to be on the mind and facing a Russian opponent will make that impossible to ignore.

The current World Number 15 has beaten Mirra Andreeva twice this season and that will be a boost for the confidence.

Tellingly, Marta Kostyuk has been the much stronger player in both matches and has won both in straight sets, including that Madrid Final last month- the clay here plays differently to Madrid, but Kostyuk has proven to be the stronger server in those head to head matches and that could be a key to the outcome of this Semi Final.

Mirra Andreeva is a confident player when the serve is working, but Marta Kostyuk could dip those levels if she is able to get into thos return games as she has previously.

It is Marta Kostyuk who has broken serve at least four times in each match played in Paris and she has broken six times in four of the five wins- this may be the first time she drops a set to Mirra Andreeva with the nerves likely going to play a big impact, but the latter has not reached the Final of a Grand Slam herself and there are still those moments when Andreeva reminds everyone that she is still a very young player and that may be the case on Thursday.

Diana Shnaider - 2.5 games v Maja Chwalinska: The second Grand Slam of the season has been one that has featured upset after upset and you will struggle to find too many people who selected the final four in the Women's event before the French Open began.

At least some sort of case could have been made for Mirra Andreeva and Marta Kostyuk, who make up the other Semi Final, but how many would have predicted Diana Shnaider and Maja Chwalinska to have made their way through the top half?

Both won Quarter Final matches on Wednesday in awfully tough conditions at the tournament- instead of the brutal heat of the first week, both players had to come through windy conditions that made it very difficult to control the ball, but both Shnaider and Chwalinska deserve a lot of credit for beating higher Ranked players.

There is a real storyline around both players too- Maja Chwalinska has won eight matches to reach the French Open Semi Final having begun her tournament in the Qualifying Rounds. She began her run outside of the top 100 in the World Rankings, but Chwalinska is set to earn a top 30 Ranking going forward and that means the next twelve months will be an opportunity to play in the biggest tournaments on the Tour.

For Diana Shnaider, the clay court season had been a difficult one as she struggled to mix it with the best players on the Tour, but back to back wins over Grand Slam Champions will have given her a whole heap of confidence. Those two wins over Madison Keys and Aryna Sabalenka have come in three sets and Diana Shnaider has come through the final set decider in each match without dropping a game, and that will have given the World Number 23 plenty of belief in her own tennis.

The comeback against Aryna Sabalenka from 6-3, 4-1, 30/0 behind is a huge moment for Diana Shnaider and now it is all about recovery, more mentally than physically.

Nerves are going to be a huge feature of this match with a Grand Slam Final place on the line and that does make it that much tougher to predict.

On paper you have to give the edge to Diana Shnaider who has had a solid record on the clay over the last couple of years and while competing at a high level.

Nothing is wrong with the Maja Chwalinska numbers, but the 24 year old has played in Challenger level events, which is backed up by her World Ranking, while she has not beaten a top 20 Ranked player yet in the tournament. At the end of this tournament, Diana Shnaider will be a top 20 Ranked player again and the younger of the two left-handed players has also beaten Maja Chwalinska on the clay before, albeit back in 2022 when Shnaider was making her way up the levels.

An early injury has perhaps held Maja Chwalinska back, but this run has still come out of left field considering what has been produced in the build up to the French Open- the numbers have bene strong enough, but those had come about at a much lower level than the main Tour events, and even then the Pole had a 10-5 record.

It is a run that will have some thinking back to 2021 when Emma Raducanu came through Qualifiers to then go on and win the US Open- more recently, Dayana Yastremska came through Qualifying and eventually reached the Australian Open Semi Final in 2024, but the latter of those players had more Grand Slam experience than Maja Chwalinska, who is taking part in just her third main draw appearance at a Major.

People are comparing it more to the Raducanu run, and this is likely going to be a match that features a lot of Breaks of serve.

Wind is going to be a real problem again on Thursday, especially with the roof likely to be open if the thunderstorms of early in the day are not expected to return. That does make it tougher with the nerves and emotions already pretty high for both players and it could come down to who can handle the conditions best when the pressure builds up.

The edge has to be with Diana Shnaider considering her experience of playing in bigger events, while she has looked the slightly more consistent return player and that may see her earn one or two more Breaks than Maja Chwalinska in this surprising Semi Final at the French Open.

MY PICKS: Marta Kostyuk - 1.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Diana Shnaider - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

French Open Update: 26-20, + 2.46 Units (88 Units Staked, + 2.80% Yield)

Indian Wells Tennis Day 12 Picks 2026 (Sunday 15th March)

It did prove to be a difficult tournament to turn around after the two ATP Semi Finals were split 1-1, but that does not mean we move past the last day of the Indian Wells Masters.

The two Finals are both scheduled to be played on the day and both look like they could be very enjoyable for the neutrals tuning in.

A repeat of the Women's Australian Open Final and a Men's Final featuring two of the very best hard court players in the world can only be a positive and my thoughts can be read below.

Aryna Sabalenka - 1.5 games v Elena Rybakina: A repeat of the Australian Open Final will be played in the Indian Wells Final and both Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have put together strong runs here.

Out of the two players, Aryna Sabalenka has been producing the higher level of tennis, but she has also struggled to get the better of this opponent.

In the last nine hard court matches between the pair, it is Elena Rybakina who has won seven times including in Melbourne in January. They met three times on the hard courts in 2025 and Rybakina won two of those, while the sole meeting in Indian Wells was also won in the Final by the World Number 3 in 2023.

All of that will give her a lot of confidence, but Aryna Sabalenka will feel she was very unfortunate to lose the Australian Open Final and the performances so far in the Indian Wells conditions will give her confidence in turning that form around. She has found it very difficult to read the Rybakina serve, but it was the World Number 1 who had more Break Points in the defeat in Melbourne and that is another reason Sabalenka can believe she has the game to get the better of this rival.

Aryna Sabalenka has been the much stronger server so far this week and she can certainly contain much of the threat from the World Number 3, although there is always that mental pressure to deal with.

That comes from the fact she has lost so many recent matches against Elena Rybakina, but the latter has not been nearly as impressive as the top Seed. That is not to say that Elena Rybakina has played poorly, but the wins have been in more competitive matches, even if that can sometimes be a help rather than a hindrance.

Both players should produce some good tennis in this Final, but the narrow edge is rightly with Aryna Sabalenka and she may just pick up a big title that gives her momentum to carry into the clay court season after a stop in Miami later this month.

Jannik Sinner - 4.5 games v Daniil Medvedev: The win over Carlos Alcaraz will have given Daniil Medvedev a huge amount of confidence and has also maintained what has been a really strong run of form being produced by the World Number 11.

He now takes aim at winning back to back titles and arguably the biggest one anyone can win outside of the Grand Slams when competing for the Indian Wells trophy.

Daniil Medvedev served really well in the Semi Final win and he is going to have to do the same if he is going to put together a rare tournament in which a player beats the top two players in the world in back to back matches.

Beating Carlos Alcaraz means Daniil Medvedev is more than capable of winning this Final, but there will be a lot of respect for the way Jannik Sinner is playing and the World Number 2 produced a dominant win over Alexander Zverev in the Semi Final.

No one is going to be surprised to read that Jannik Sinner has been serving well, but it is the aggressive performance on the return that has proved to be the key to the Italian reaching his first Final of the 2026 season. This week Sinner has broken in almost 40% of return games played and dealing with the very solid Alexander Zverev serve will mean he is not intimidated by what Daniil Medvedev can produce.

Jannik Sinner began his career by losing the first six matches against Daniil Medvedev, but he has now won eight of the last nine matches, including the last three in a row.

Eight wins in a row have been produced on the hard courts and Jannik Sinner would have covered what looks like a big line in the last four hard court matches played in a best of three set format.

During this eight match winning run on the hard courts, Jannik Sinner has held 90% of his service games compared with Daniil Medvedev's 75% mark and that is a significant difference.

Respect has to be given to Daniil Medvedev for the current level being produced, but it is still a little short of the standard being set by Jannik Sinner and the latter can win the Indian Wells title with a solid looking success on the scoreboard.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (1 Unit)

Jannik Sinner - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 William Hill (1 Unit)

Indian Wells Update: 12-14, - 3.98 Units (26 Units Staked, - 15.31% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2026 (Thursday 29th January)

The opening Grand Slam of the 2026 season has now reached the last four days and that means the spotlight will shine on the Singles tournaments on different days.

On Thursday and Saturday it will be the leading ladies who take centre stage with the two Semi Finals played on the Night Session before the Saturday showpiece Final.

On Friday and Sunday it will be the turn of the men and it may take a brave person to back against seeing the Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner Grand Slam Final for the fourth Major in a row. Players like Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic will be hoping experience can give them an edge, but it is a big ask and the two leading male player on the Tour continue to dominate.

Before all of that we get into the women's Semi Final matches and both offer some intrigue.

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina know what it takes to get over the line, but Jessica Pegula is a former US Open Finalist and Elina Svitolina will feel that she has already overachieved since returning to the Tour. Of course the latter is being fuelled further by off court events taking place back in her homeland and that is going to be the backdrop to her Semi Final with the World Number 1, while also meaning the latter will be playing with plenty of motivation of her own knowing how some of her peers feel about her presence on the Tour.

The second Semi Final should be another fun match between Pegula and Rybakina and my Picks from both last four matches can be read below.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Elina Svitolina: You cannot ignore the political backdrop to this Australian Open Semi Final when Aryna Sabalenka takes on Elina Svitolina. It has been a tournament filled with questions being asked of the American players about political upheaval taking place back in the United States, while a different Ukrainian player made headlines early at the Australian Open when criticising some of the top Russian and Belarusian athletes on the Tour.

There is not going to be a handshake before or after this match, but both Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina will be very respectful of what the other brings on the court. Added motivation cannot be ignored on both sides of the net and it is going to be very important for the two competitors to keep a lid on the emotions if they are going to find a way to compete in the Final of the opening Grand Slam of the season.

While impossible to ignore issues off of the court, the focus here has to be on how the two have matched up with each other.

Both have to be credited for maintaining unbeaten runs through the opening month of the season which has led to each winning a title, while the performances within the Australian Open have also been impressive.

Aryna Sabalenka has beaten a couple of young, developing stars of the WTA Tour in the last two Rounds, but Elina Svitolina will be the highest Ranked player she will have faced in Melbourne this year. Previously that match would have been against World Number 16 Victoria Mboko, but inexperience would still have been. factor in that Fourth Round match and now Sabalenka is facing someone returning to the top 10 of the World Rankings and who has plenty of Grand Slam experience.

Not only that, but Elina Svitolina is much more battle-hardened having beaten three players Ranked inside the top 22, while also having back to back top 10 wins. Those last two victories over Mirra Andreeva and Coco Gauff came in matches when Elina Svitolina did not drop a set and she produced some high quality tennis to make sure neither Andreeva nor Gauff could get a foothold into those matches.

There is still a mental obstacle to overcome as Elina Svitolina has not reached a Grand Slam Final before, but the run to the Semi Final here means her record in Majors is as successful post-motherhood as it was before she took her leave of absence from the Tour.

This is the first Grand Slam Semi Final since Elina Svitolina's surprising run at Wimbledon 2023, while the style of play has changed with the 31 year old looking to be more aggressive in her tennis. This has been evident here in Melbourne with Svitolina using the serve very well, especially when it comes to protecting the second serve, and Svitolina has really had a lot of success on the return.

She may have played some high Ranked opponents, but that has not stopped Svitolina from winning 52% of return points played, while she has broken at least four times in every match at Melbourne Park.

Of course it has to be noted that this time Elina Svitolina will be facing one of the best servers on the WTA Tour in Aryna Sabalenka and the World Number 1 has been particularly effective at winning a few more points behind the second serve. She may also feel there is room for improvement on the points won behind the first serve, but Aryna Sabalenka looks to be peaking at the right time.

Much like her opponent, Aryna Sabalenka's control of the serve has allowed her to play with aggression on the return and she has also been very effective at winning those points to keep the pressure on the opponent.

It does feel like this Semi Final will come down to which of the two players is most effective at looking after the second serve.

In recent meetings between the players, it is Aryna Sabalenka who has just been able to play the bigger points more effectively and her power has been telling on the return.

The majority of the previous matches have been on the clay courts, which is a surface on which Elina Svitolina may feel she can cause more problems for the World Number 1.

In two previous hard court matches, Aryna Sabalenka's first serve has made the difference, including in the first of those when the younger player was much lower in the World Rankings. The hard court match in Cincinnati in August 2024 was dominated by Sabalenka and the feeling is that she has the serving prowess to avoid the kind of capitulation suffered by Coco Gauff in the Quarter Final.

The blueprint to attack the Elina Svitolina serve has been shown in the Round earlier by Mirra Andreeva and you just have to believe that Aryna Sabalenka's comfort on the Melbourne hard courts eventually see her pull away for a solid win and a place in the Australian Open Final for a fourth year in a row.

Elena Rybakina Over 3.5 Breaks of Serve and 5+ Aces v Jessica Pegula: Both Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina came through Quarter Finals in impressive fashion and that makes for a good looking Semi Final between players who have been amongst the best on the Tour for some time.

Both have played Grand Slam Finals, but it is Elena Rybakina who has gotten over the line when winning the title at Wimbledon.

Elena Rybakina also reached the Final right here in Melbourne six months after winning the title at SW19, but she came up short against Aryna Sabalenka in 2023. Since that defeat, her best Grand Slam runs have been at Wimbledon where she has reached the Quarter Final and Semi Final and, somewhat more surprisingly, at the French Open where Elena Rybakina has played in another Quarter Final.

However, despite the very strong hard court numbers over the last couple of seasons, Elena Rybakina has struggled to make the second week at either of the two Slams played on that surface until this strong opening to the 2026 season.

Jessica Pegula had also reached a ceiling in her Grand Slam performances, but broke through to reach the Final at the US Open in 2024 and was a Semi Finalist in New York City back in September. Before 2024, Pegula had played in and been beaten in five Grand Slam Quarter Final matches, which includes in three straight years at the Australian Open.

There had also been signs that this was a player who was becoming a declining force, but the World Number 6 has really impressed in her run to the Semi Final in Australia over the last few days. She has beaten the defending Champion and Jessica Pegula came through a tight second set to beat Amanda Anisimova, who had reached the last two Grand Slam Finals, while also maintaining a run of having yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Her opponent has also come through in straight sets throughout the tournament and overcame a slow start to motor past Iga Swiatek in the Quarter Final, which will have given Elena Rybakina a real boost in confidence.

The serve is proving to be a monster weapon for Rybakina and she has really gotten in to a nice rhythm behind that shot in the last two Rounds as the competition has increased.

It is going to need to be working as well to keep a lid on Jessica Pegula, but Elena Rybakina has to be confident having beaten the American twice on the hard courts in 2025. Both of those wins saw Elena Rybakina have a real edge on the serve and that is likely going to be a key factor in the outcome of this Semi Final, although Jessica Pegula's mental strength can not be dismissed.

The American has been the stronger return player in the tournament, but that has to be expected.

It is the Elena Rybakina second serve that can become a key in making sure that the Kazakhstan representative is not being pushed back early in rallies and she will certainly feel she has the easy power to come through this match.

You have to expect Elena Rybakina's serve to rack up the Ace count in this match- she has been flowing nicely in the last two Rounds and managed to put up 24 Aces in the two wins over Jessica Pegula last year with at least 9 in both wins.

Elena Rybakina also broke at least four times in both matches and she has the capabilities of hitting those marks again.

As mentioned, Rybakina has been finding some stellar rhythm on the serve and Madison Keys managed 4 Aces in her defeat to Jessica Pegula, while the World Number 5 has broken at least four times in each of the last four wins in the tournament.

You have to respect Jessica Pegula's capabilities of digging in and finding a way to turn points and games, which makes the spread dangerous, but putting the Ace count and Breaks of Serve together gives us an odds against quote for Elena Rybakina, who looks the stronger player overall.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Coral (2 Units)

Elena Rybakina Over 3.5 Breaks of Serve & 5+ Aces @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 33-22, + 8.48 Units (114 Units Staked, + 7.44% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2025 (Thursday 4th September)

The last four days of the US Open begin with the spotlight on the final four women with both Semi Final matches scheduled for the night session.

They will then have a day of rest before the Final on Saturday and it will be the men who play the two Semi Final matches on Friday before the last Grand Slam of the season is completed at the end of the weekend.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Jessica Pegula: Twelve months ago, Aryna Sabalenka vs Jessica Pegula was the US Open Final and they meet again in New York City, albeit a Round earlier than in 2024.

Out of the two players, Jessica Pegula has been more impressive in her run to the Semi Final, but this has been a tough match up for in recent meetings against the World Number 1 and that is hard to ignore.

The Final was a tight, competitive battle ending 7-5, 7-5, but Aryna Sabalenka was a more comfortable winner in the Miami Final earlier this year. She dominated the number of Break Points created in that latter Final and the top Seed is very comfortable in New York City, even if the fans are likely to be firmly behind the American player.

Jessica Pegula has been serving very well in her run to the Semi Final and that is going to be important for her in this match.

She has to try and keep the pressure on Aryna Sabalenka and not be forced into a position where the World Number 4 has to attack what is a big serve.

The expectation is that Jessica Pegula will have some returning success considering the slightly underwhelming performances we have seen from Aryna Sabalenka in this tournament. Having a walkover in the Quarter Final may mean Sabalenka needs a bit more time to just settle down, and the feeling is that the first set is going to be another tight, competitive battle and four of the last five sets played between these two players have all ended 7-5.

However, it should be noted that Aryna Sabalenka has won all of those sets and she can do the same here, while then taking a similar route to the title win in Miami to cover this big mark.

Naomi Osaka-Amanda Anisimova over 21.5 games: There is so much to admire about the performances of both Naomi Osaka and Amanda Anisimova during this US Open and the winner is going to be very deserving of a place in the Final on Saturday.

After reaching the Wimbledon Final, Amanda Anisimova has to be given credit for backing that up and having such a strong run at her home Grand Slam tournament.

She was crushed without a winning a game in that Wimbledon Final, but Amanda Anisimova my have exorcised any demons by getting revenge on Iga Swiatek in the Quarter Final in New York City. The World Number 9 has long been seen as a player with a huge amount of potential, and Anisimova is now making sure she is fulfilling some of that through her performances at the Majors.

Naomi Osaka is a two time former Australian Open and US Open Champion and is looking to complete a 100% conversion of rate at Major tournaments when reaching the Quarter Final- she has won all of the Grand Slams in which she has reached the last eight and Osaka will certainly feel good about moving through the Quarter Final without needing a deciding set.

Both of these players are serving effectively and that is going to be key to the outcome of this Semi Final.

It does feel like Naomi Osaka has a very slight edge when it comes to the serve and that may ultimately prove to be the difference in this match up.

Dismissing the chances of Amanda Anisimova will be a mistake, especially with the confidence she would have picked up in London and backed up here in New York City.

However, the American is going to have to serve really well to keep the pressure on Naomi Osaka, a player who has been playing with a lot of confidence of her own following the run to the Montreal Final last month.

It would not be a huge surprise if this is a match that needs at least one tie-breaker and there is every chance that both players can find a hot streak within a set to push this into a decider. The lean may be with Naomi Osaka, but the overriding feeling is that this could be a match that surpasses the total line set.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka-Amanda Anisimova Over 21.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 24-16, + 7.86 Units (79 Units Staked, + 9.95% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 12 Picks 2025 (Friday 11th July)

The Ladies Final has been set and you could argue that both Finalists are something of a surprise- Amanda Anisimova has shown some form on the grass this summer, as has Iga Swiatek, but neither has had a big impact at Wimbledon before and the winner is set to become the latest 'surprising' Champion here.

Before that, we have two huge Men's Semi Finals featuring three of the top four players and the seven time Champion Novak Djokovic.

No matter which permutation we get for the Final, it should bring together a really positive end to the third Grand Slam of the season and the attention will soon turn to the hard courts.

We do have some clay court events and some early hard court tournaments beginning right after Wimbledon concludes in what is a relentless Tour, but the majority of the biggest names will be thinking about the Masters events in Canada and Cincinnati before the US Open gets underway next month.

However, the focus for those left playing on the grass is picking up a Major trophy this weekend and you can read my thoughts on the two Semi Final matches taking place on Friday below this.

Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 games v Taylor Fritz: Tennis fans, especially fans of the Men's game, will feel a new era is being ushered in, although one where the young players are still growing.

You cannot dismiss the Grand Slam titles that have already been won by Carlos Alcaraz and he is the two time defending Champion at Wimbledon, but comparing his run in 2025 compared with the way dominant Champions like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer would move through the draws is night and day.

Yes, he keeps winning and that has to be respected- nineteen wins in a row have been produced at Wimbledon and there is a growing aura around Carlos Alcaraz, which makes it tough to face him. However, the likes of Fabio Fognini, Jan-Lennard Struff and Andrey Rublev have taken sets from the World Number 2 and the Spaniard was under a bit of pressure when playing at Queen's Club, although ultimately winning the title.

The manner of the win over Cameron Norrie will certainly have the Alcaraz fans feeling much better about their man and he is deserving of being a strong favourite even when taking on a very comfortable grass court player in Taylor Fritz. Titles have been won on the surface and the American has reached the Wimbledon Semi Final for the first time, although, much like Carlos Alcaraz, it has been far from a straight-forward pathway through the draw.

In some ways Taylor Fritz was fortunate to come through in four sets against Karen Khachanov in the Quarter Final and there is a lot of pressure on the World Number 5 to make sure he is serving at his very best. Anything less would see him in a tough position trying to win rallies against someone who is superior on the ground, and the match up has proven to be a difficult one for Taylor Fritz in the past.

This is the first meeting on grass, but Carlos Alcaraz holds two hard court wins over the American and neither was very competitive with Taylor Fritz restricted to winning 59% of points behind serve. Obviously that is a number that will need to be improved dramatically if Taylor Fritz is going to threaten the upset, but there is also the pressure of knowing how important it is to get plenty of first serves in play.

In the two meetings on the Tour, the Fritz second serve has been attacked relentlessly by Carlos Alcaraz, while the defending Champion has been picking up his own level behind the serve in the last two Rounds.

The Semi Final is going to be much more competitive than the Carlos Alcaraz Quarter Final win over Cameron Norrie, but there is this feeling that the defending Champion will begin to pull away from his opponent again.

He has not been at his best in this tournament, but Taylor Fritz has had plenty of moments where he has been struggling and Carlos Alcaraz can beat him for a third straight time, while also reaching the Wimbledon Final for a third year in a row.

Jannik Sinner - 1.5 sets v Novak Djokovic: An injury scare during the Fourth Round 'win' over Grigor Dimitrov had some wondering if Jannik Sinner would play in the Quarter Final, but he did and he was a strong winner over Ben Shelton.

The Italian has been given a second chance in the tournament having looked all but out against Grigor Dimitrov with the World Number 1 trailing 2-0 in sets and struggling to really get to grips with what the veteran was producing. A really unfortunate pectoral injury saw Dimitrov forced to pull out of that match and there is every reason to believe Jannik Sinner is even more dangerous than usual if he feels he is playing with 'house money'.

A four set was produced by Novak Djokovic in his own Quarter Final, but it was a tougher than expected match against Flavio Cobolli and a slip in what proved to be the last game of the match has raised some doubt about the seven time Champion's health.

It would be a surprise if Novak Djokovic is not able to go on Friday, but he will need to be at full health as he looks to secure yet another Wimbledon Final spot. Winning a 25th Grand Slam is the goal for Djokovic and he remains one of the top grass court players in the world, but Carlos Alcaraz has beaten him twice in a row at Wimbledon and the former World Number 1 has lost his last four matches against Jannik Sinner.

None of those have been on the grass, but the Italian crushed Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in 2024 and that court is the one where the latter is at his very best. Last month Jannik Sinner secured a straight sets win over Novak Djokovic at the French Open to reach the Final and the mental edge may just be with the current World Number 1.

Of course Sinner has not had the same type of success on the grass compared with Novak Djokovic and was beaten by the latter in 2022 and 2023 right here at Wimbledon. However, the second of those defeats felt very unfortunate for Sinner who had played well, but could not take his Break Point chances compared with a clinical Novak Djokovic and that ultimately cost him the match.

Both will appreciate the importance of serving well in this match, but it has felt like Sinner has been a touch more consistent in this part of his tennis.

Novak Djokovic has to take encouragement from the stronger return numbers he has put on the board at the tournament, but that is also partly down to the match ups he has faced and getting into the Jannik Sinner serve is a completely different test, even for the best return player of all time.

In the recent head to head, Novak Djokovic has really had a tough time dealing with the power and ability to back up the serve that Jannik Sinner has been able to produce. The scoreboard pressure has made it tough on the veteran and it is going to take something pretty special for Novak Djokovic to win this match.

The Sinner elbow issue has to be watched in what could be a longer, drawn out match compared with the big hitting power battle he had with Ben Shelton. However, Jannik Sinner's movement and heavy ball gives him the edge and the feeling is that he will find a way to win this one in three or, most likely, four sets.

MY PICKS: Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Jannik Sinner - 1.5 Sets @ 1.83 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 4-3, + 0.86 Units (14 Units Staked, + 6.14% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2025 (Thursday 5th June)

The Grand Slam events can see players create some magical stories, but the Lois Boisson one at Roland Garros is historic.

Emma Raducanu's success at the US Open in 2021 was an incredible story with the Qualifier coming through and winning the tournament, but it can be argued that Boisson's run is even more impressive.

For the first time in this event, Lois Boisson will be playing on consecutive days and it will be interesting to see how she continues to handle the increasing pressure, although the soon to be top 70 Ranked player may feel she has 'nothing to lose'.

It is the women Semi Final matches that will take centre stage in Paris on Day 12 of the tournament and both are going to be intriguing matches.

My thoughts on those matches can be read below as the first of the two Singles Finals at the French Open are set by the end of Thursday's action.

Iga Swiatek v Aryna Sabalenka: The only disappointment some tennis fans may feel is that this is a Semi Final rather than the Final when the World Number 1 takes on the three time defending French Open Champion.

For the first time in a long time, Iga Swiatek entered the tournament here in Paris with plenty of doubters around her after a mixed clay court season. Her World Ranking is in danger of suffering another drop and only holding onto her crown as the Queen of Clay would see Swiatek end the tournament as a top four Ranked player.

It has been tough.

However, Iga Swiatek has looked pretty comfortable back on the red dirt in the French capital and it has felt like her Fourth Round win over Elena Rybakina has just reminded the Pole about her own abilities. Winning that in the manner she did will have provided Iga Swiatek with a shot of confidence and belief and this is a Semi Final she can win.

Opposing Aryna Sabalenka is dangerous with the World Number 1 looking capable of winning Grand Slam titles on any surface, but who has yet to actually prove that by doing so at either the French Open or Wimbledon. That means there is still something to show as far as the Belarusian is concerned and this match up has still been a tough one for Aryna Sabalenka.

She did snap a three match losing run to Iga Swiatek by beating her in Cincinnati last year, but this is going to be played on the clay and Aryna Sabalenka has only won one of the previous six against the Pole on this surface.

Last year they had a very close match in Madrid that was won by Iga Swiatek and that was followed by a more comfortable win for the dominant clay courter in Rome.

There are more doubts around this Semi Final simply because of the form that both were showing prior to the start of the French Open, but the runs produced by both at the tournament suggests there is not much between them now.

Aryna Sabalenka has to take a huge amount from the Fourth Round performance of Elena Rybakina and that is going to be the blueprint she looks to follow. If she can just maintain that for a little longer than Rybakina did, Aryna Sabalenka could win this match, but we have seen the World Number 1 come up short at around this stage of multiple Grand Slams previously.

Ultimately she is going to have to break through some of the aura that Iga Swiatek has continued to hold on the clay courts and it can be tough for Aryna Sabalenka to do that.

The last couple of Rounds have been a bit more stressful for Aryna Sabalenka, even if she is still playing at a strong level, but this is a significant test for her. She will have to serve well and there is little doubt that Iga Swiatek is playing better than expected when this tournament began.

When all is said and done, it is difficult to see Iga Swiatek as the underdog in the Semi Final and it may be the defending Champion's serve that proves to be slightly more effective on the day.

Lois Boisson + 5.5 games v Coco Gauff: On paper you have to feel that there can only be one winner, but tennis in Paris is played on clay and Lois Boisson is riding a momentum that could be very, very difficult to stop.

She will soon be entering the top 70 of the World Rankings, but there had been nothing to suggest the French Wild Card was going to be having a tournament like this one when the French Open began. Inexperience should have been a factor and that is before considering the time Lois Boisson had to spend away from the court after the ACL injury suffered last year, but momentum and confidence is firmly with the 22 year old.

The win over Mirra Andreeva will have given her a huge amount of belief and this is the second top ten Ranked player that Lois Boisson has beaten at this tournament as she takes aim at the third.

The crowd certainly helped as Mirra Andreeva lost her way and reminded everyone that she is still a teenager, no matter how much talent she possesses.

Whether the same mental breakdown can be expected from an experienced player like Coco Gauff is a question to be answered and this could yet be a decisive factor.

In recent years, Gauff has spoken about the positive support she has received in Paris and she has clearly enjoyed playing here with the crowd getting behind her. However, she will not have experienced an atmosphere like the one that is expected for this Semi Final as she takes on a home player with the fans hoping for the first French Champion in Paris since Mary Pierce in 2000.

With a serve that is still looking vulnerable, Coco Gauff is going to have to deal with the cheers after Double Faults and missed first serves and that can wear down even the most experienced of players.

The World Number 2 showed her resiliency to come through in three sets her Quarter Final against Madison Keys and Coco Gauff is returning well enough to believe she can overcome shaky service games. She will likely put Lois Boisson under more consistent pressure than Mirra Andreeva was able to do and Gauff is also a strong defensive player who can make the less experienced player have to hit one more shot than she may expect.

Ultimately we should see the higher Ranked player come through, but it is unlikely that Lois Boisson will go quietly and the layers are putting a lot more respect on her in this Semi Final. That is highlighted by the handicap being below the mark set, by some layers, for Boisson's matches against Andreeva and Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff can be considered a stronger clay court player than both at this stage of their respective careers.

However, it is the vulnerable serve that may end up making this a very competitive Semi Final and Coco Gauff is going to have to get through some emotions if she is able to reach another French Open Final.

MY PICKS: Iga Swiatek

Lois Boisson + 5.5 Games

Australian Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2025 (Thursday 23rd January)

If I am being honest, I am not a big fan of the technology that has infiltrated sport, especially in football where so many subjective decisions are causing controversy.

However, there are certain elements where technology can play an important role- offside is slightly controversial with the line drawing, but goal-line technology is making things much clearer and that is a positive intervention.

With that in mind, it is quite staggering that tennis players are expected to make snap shot calls over things like a double bounce- when the lines were being called by umpires, players were still given a bit of time to determine whether they wanted to challenge calls, but those are much easier to see for a player compared with the number of bounces a ball has taken when it is a bang-bang call.

The reality is that on Day 11 of the Australian Open it was not a bang-bang call when Emma Navarro's drop-shot clearly landed for a second time significantly before Iga Swiatek was able to get to it and the entire Stadium could see what had happened immediately.

However, Emma Navarro was not able to really stop the point where she is expected to and ultimately it has proven to be a controversial moment that will have authorities changing the way they expect the technology to be used.

The match would have still likely landed in Iga Swiatek's direction, but it was a poor look for a sport in a Quarter Final setting and that will be talked about until the Semi Final matches begin on Day 12.

Both Tennis Picks came through on Day 11 and that has moved the number back in a positive direction after a 1-2 record on Day 10.

It has been a really strong tournament and with six matches left it feels more comfortable to say that- however, the focus is to go 6-0 rather than 0-6 over the coming days to give the 2025 year an early boost.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Paula Badosa: In April 2022, Paula Badosa was the World Number 2 and looking like a player ready to challenge the very best for the very biggest prizes in the sport.

Injury pushed Paula Badosa not only down the World Rankings to the point that she was entering the Australian Open in 2024 as the World Number 100, but it also pushed the Spaniard to the brink of retirement.

The last twelve months might have felt like the last roll of the dice for Paula Badosa and any setbacks might have meant retirement was the only real solution to her issues.

Thankfully she has not only largely avoided problems, but Paula Badosa has gradually approached the kind of tennis that took her to World Number 2 in the first place. She reached the US Open Quarter Final in September, only the second time she had made it that far at a Grand Slam event, but Paula Badosa has surpassed that here in Melbourne after the deserved upset of Coco Gauff on Day 10.

Improvements on the court means Paula Badosa entered the tournament as the World Number 12 and she is expected to be back inside the top ten when the new Rankings are released on Monday.

This is a big match for Paula Badosa and she will be hoping that facing a friendly face in Aryna Sabalenka, a good friend off the court, will help ease the tension.

The two time defending Champion came through a tough Quarter Final against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and that will have given Aryna Sabalenka a bit more belief as she looks to win another Grand Slam title Down Under. Her overall performance in Melbourne has perhaps not reached her top level, but that could be a positive for Aryna Sabalenka as she looks to peak in the coming days and try and win the title on Saturday.

We know there is better to come from the Sabalenka first serve and that is going to be important in this Semi Final, especially if Paula Badosa continues to serve as well as she has.

The most impressive part of Paula Badosa's serving has to be how well she has managed the second serve and she beat an erratic and inconsistent Coco Gauff impressively. There is an expectation that Aryna Sabalenka will offer more of a threat on the return with this aspect of her tennis being key to her run to the Semi Final, while the experience edge cannot be ignored.

Aryna Sabalenka is leading the head to head thanks to five straight wins over Paula Badosa, including all three played in 2024.

They did play out a competitive match in Stuttgart on the clay, which was prematurely ended when Paula Badosa had to withdraw in the third set, but the other two matches on the hard courts of Miami and clay courts of Roland Garros were both won comfortably enough by the Belarusian.

Paula Badosa has a big game and can be very dangerous, but it is an unfamiliar moment for her and that could just see nerves play a part.

Prior to her successes in Australia, Aryna Sabalenka had some of those difficult learning moments in the big Grand Slam matches and she may just have the power and authority on this court to dish out a painful lesson to a good friend.

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 games v Madison Keys: The chances of the Quarter Final moving in a different direction are pretty slim, but Iga Swiatek's win over Emma Navarro had a huge controversial moment in the second set when a clear 'double bounce' was missed by the umpire.

Without an immediate stop of the point, Emma Navarro was not able to review, while Iga Swiatek has had to face some criticism for not showing some sportsmanship to offer the point to her opponent.

It was at a big moment with Navarro looking to move ahead in the second set, but she failed to win another game and Iga Swiatek continues to play at a very high level.

Five wins have been produced at Melbourne Park and the numbers are really impressive, and that means Madison Keys has a huge challenge in front of her as she bids to return to a Grand Slam Final.

The last American female player left in the draw, Madison Keys has played the big points really well in her run to the Semi Final. She has dropped sets in three of the five matches won at the Australian Open, including in the Fourth Round and Quarter Final wins, but credit has to be given to Madison Keys for overcoming tough situations.

Without a doubt she is going to have to pick up her level and Madison Keys is going to have to serve at her very best if she is going to beat Iga Swiatek playing at her current level.

She has being protecting the serve well enough, but Madison Keys is only winning 40% of return points in this tournament and that makes it very difficult to believe in her chances of securing the upset. The fact Keys is now playing an opponent who has just SIX Break Points in five matches won at the Australian Open means the American is likely going to be under significant scoreboard pressure.

Iga Swiatek has not been broken in her last four matches and a dominant first serve has kept her on top of opponents and broken their spirit.

And of course you cannot ignore the fact that the World Number 2 has won 55% of the return points played at the Australian Open, which means Madison Keys is going to have to get plenty of first serves in play and try and move into a position to play first strike tennis. This is going to be very challenging for her and the feeling is that Iga Swiatek will control the tempo of this match and break down Keys physically and mentally during the time spent on the court.

The head to head does not make very good reading for Madison Keys, although both matches played against Iga Swiatek in 2024 were on the clay courts and ended in routine wins for the Polish player as expected.

In two previous hard court matches, both players have won once with the most recent being a Madison Keys win in Cincinnati in August 2022. However, the form of the two players leading into this Semi Final suggests Iga Swiatek is going to avenge that defeat and her return is capable of putting Madison Keys under the kind of pressure that eventually leads to a routine win for the higher Ranked player.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 26-10, + 21.40 Units (69 Units Staked, + 31.01% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2024 (Friday 6th September)

The women's Final was set on Thursday and it is now the turn of the men.

There is no doubt it has been a positive tournament for the home fans with an American player set to compete in both Finals to be played this weekend, although the name of the men's Finalist will be determined on Day 12 at the tournament.

Taylor Fritz - 1.5 sets v Frances Tiafoe: The hard court form of both of these players entering the US Open was far from ideal and expectations for Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe were perhaps not as high as could be.

Both Americans have really performed well in the tournament though and the winner will be the first men's player from the United States to reach a Grand Slam Final since 2009.

It has been a period with the US players have come back to the fore, but they have struggled to get over the line and that carrot is going perhaps play a part in the match. Both are going to be given exceptional support from the New York City crowd and this has the makings of a fascinating match.

Frances Tiafoe showed he was perhaps returning to something like his best in the warm up events for the US Open- he has certainly had the weaker year overall compared with Taylor Fritz, but a run to the Semi Final in Washington and then the Final in Cincinnati will have given Tiafoe a boost in confidence.

He has not shied away from suggesting that his level has seen him lose matches to opponents he feels should not beat him, but this is another tough step for Frances Tiafoe.

We know Taylor Fritz has not played that well on the hard courts since winning the title in Delray Beach, but he did have a solid showing at Wimbledon and his level at the US Open has been impressive. With the likes of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz out of the draw, there is little doubt that both Fritz and Tiafoe have to feel a big opportunity has been presented to win a maiden Grand Slam.

The mental edge has to be with Taylor Fritz who has won his last six matches against Frances Tiafoe since dropping the first against his compatriot. The last match was in 2023, but the wins include at the Australian Open and a Masters event in Miami and the feeling is that Fritz is playing at a level that should give him the edge in this match.

Of course much is going to come down to which of these players handles the occasion the best- neither have been used to reaching this stage of the Grand Slam events, but even less so facing an opponent they will feel they can beat rather than a Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer.

This will play a part, but Fritz has really strong numbers against Frances Tiafoe with holds in 85% of service games played compared with 74% for the latter.

Neither is particularly known for their returning qualities, but Taylor Fritz has been producing the bigger serving in this tournament with at least 70% of service points won in each of the five matches played. It means he has only dropped serve on five occasions in the run to the final four, while the Tiafoe serve has been broken ten times.

Frances Tiafoe has found a few more breaks of serve, which have covered those dropped games, but it will be much tougher to recover breaks against someone serving as well as Taylor Fritz has been over this fortnight.

The fans should enjoy the match knowing a home player is going to be representing in the men's Final on Sunday, but the feeling is that Taylor Fritz can continue his dominance of Frances Tiafoe with a strong win.

Jannik Sinner-Jack Draper over 35.5 games: The controversy of the two failed tests that Jannik Sinner was ultimately absolved of any wrong-doing without facing any suspension continues to cast a cloud over the US Open. The World Number 1 is doing his best to let his tennis speak for him, but this is a situation that the sport would have loved to have avoided and commentators and fans will have questions.

His tennis has been very good in the main and Jannik Sinner beat Daniil Medvedev in the Quarter Final to eliminate the only other men's player left that is a previous Grand Slam Champion. It means the Italian is the big favourite to go on and lift this hard court Slam title having already done the same at the Australian Open and there is little doubt his confidence is high.

Ignoring the outside noise has been a huge factor and Jannik Sinner won the Cincinnati Masters title in prepartion for the US Open before embarking on this run to the Semi Final. Big serving has allowed Sinner to take a few more risks when it comes to the return of serve and that is going to be important as he gets set to face a young British player who has really made big headlines back home.

Jack Draper has long been though of as the natural successor to Andy Murray, but even his own team have to be a little surprised by what he has achieved here in New York City. The draw has opened up for him with the very early defeat suffered by Carlos Alcaraz, but Draper still had to take the opportunity and he has yet to drop a set in the tournament after crushing Alex De Minaur in the Quarter Final.

The advantage of having a huge lefty serve has really been put to good use and Draper has only dropped serve three times in the tournament. Being able to roll through service games has allowed the British player to just be a bit more aggressive on the return and ultimately he has worn down the opponents faced during this tournament.

His run to the Semi Final means Jack Draper will be moving into the top 20 of the World Rankings for the first time, but winning this title would take him to the brink of of cracking the top 10. The one previous meeting with Jannik Sinner ended in a straight sets win on the grass courts of Queen's Club back in 2021 when there was 286 Ranking places between the players as Draper secured the upset.

Both are much improved these days and the serving capabilities of both suggests this will be a tighter and more competitive match than the layers may think. The total games line looks very low with that in mind and you would think it will be comfortably surpassed if both players win a set, which they are more than capable of doing in this Semi Final.

Jack Draper did have the need to call out for some medical assistance in his Quarter Final win, but that did not seem to hamper him and the day of rest between matches will do him good. Winning this Semi Final may be a step too far at this stage of his career, but Draper can build his experience level by challenging the World Number 1 in what should be a very good Semi Final.

MY PICKS: Taylor Fritz - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jannik Sinner-Jack Draper Over 35.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

US Open Update: 26-17, + 10.24 Units (86 Units Staked, + 11.91% Yield)