World Grand Prix Darts Day 2 Picks 2026 (Tuesday 29th September)

The upset suffered by Luke Littler may just have given the rest of the field the confidence to believe that the big Ranking tournaments may not be dominated by the World Number 1 as so many have come to expect.

Luke Littler will go into most tournaments as the strong favourite even after losing to Luke Woodhouse in the First Round at this event, but breaking the aura is important for the players who take on the World Number 1.

It has certainly been an upset that has opened up this event and everyone remaining in the draw is going to be heading to the stage with that much more confidence. The top player is out, but Michael van Gerwen is another who has fallen at the first hurdle and that may put more pressure on those heading out on Day 2 knowing the kind of opportunity that may have come up.

One of those is the World Number 2 Luke Humphries, who finished Runner Up here last year, but the key for the players is to remain focused on the task at hand and that is simply moving through to the Second Round.

James Wade to win & over 1.5 180s v Joe Cullen: Losing at the World Grand Prix against Joe Cullen twelve months ago could play on the James Wade mind, but the higher Ranked player has been in the much stronger form of the two players.

The format is one that can see matches run away from any player if they are not hitting the Doubles, but James Wade should have the superior confidence on the oche.

Joe Cullen has not played since losing another opening match on the European Tour earlier this month, but Rockstar is dangerous when at his best.

He does tend to be inspired when facing the stronger players on the Tour, but Cullen's form coupled with that shown by James Wade suggests revenge is more likely than repeat when these two meet in the First Round in 2026.

Gian van Veen to win & over 3.5 match 180s v Dirk van Duijvenbode: These two compatriots had a very good match at the World Series of Darts Finals last weekend and both are in the kind of form to believe this could be another high quality contest.

The edge here has to be Gian van Veen with his Doubling ability, even if there has been a suggestion from players that Doubling In is much different to Doubling Out.

Gian van Veen has lost in the opening Round in each of the last two seasons at the World Grand Prix, but it has taken huge performances from Ross Smith and Luke Littler to get the better of him.

Another is likely to be needed and Dirk van Duijvenbode has the power scoring to be a threat against anyone.

However, it is the superior Doubling that Gian van Veen produces which may end up being the difference when all is said and done and the higher Ranked Dutchman can move through to the Second Round for the first time.

MY PICKS: James Wade to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 2.15 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gian van Veen to Win & Over 3.5 Match 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 3-0, + 2.92 Units (3 Units Staked, + 97.33% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 1 Picks 2026 (Monday 28th September)

The PDC Tour is moving into the final three months of the season and that means there are a lot of big Ranking events to be played before the World Championship begins on Friday 11th December.

This is also going to be a time when those chasing spots in the Premier League will really want to impress the most, while the two year World Ranking approach used by the PDC means there can be big changes made to the positions, which could lead to more opportunities in 2027.

Most of the tournaments have the same kind of format with the length of the match the biggest difference from week to week- the floor events and opening Rounds of the European Tour events are all played in best of eleven Leg format, while there are a couple of tournaments that use Set play rather than Legs to determine winners.

With all that being said, the World Grand Prix is the standalone tournament on the calendar.

It is played in a Set format, but this is also the only tournament that has a 'Double In, Double Out' setting and that does make it very different to the other events played throughout the year.

This does give players more opportunities to try and earn the upsets, although it should also be said that Luke Humphries and Luke Littler have won the World Grand Prix in the last three seasons. The outlier in that time is Mike De Dekker, who has never really reached those heights again, but Rob Thornton and Daryl Gurney are other surprising winners of the tournaments since 2015, while Michael van Gerwen, Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price have all won the title pretty recently too.

Luke Littler will always be the strong favourite in any tournament he enters, while the tournament being played in the United Kingdom is another positive for him after dealing with the boo boys at the World Series of Darts Finals.

He has a pretty awkward opening draw, but not many would write off Luke Littler, even if the hopes of sweeping all of the Majors in 2026 ended with the defeat in Amsterdam last week.

You would probably be more comfortable backing Luke Humphries from the bottom half of the draw, but there is so much to like about how Ross Smith has been getting on.

A tough path has to be trodden if Smith is going all of the way, but this is a player in form having won the last Ranking event and who looks a definite contender at the World Championship with the right draw in front of him.

At the World Grand Prix, Ross Smith is expected to be tested right out of the gate, which could make it tough.

Instead there could be some value in backing James Wade for a run- he has not really enjoyed the format in recent years, but that would be ignoring the fact he has won the World Grand Prix twice before, and Wade could be tough to stop if he can earn a revenge victory over Joe Cullen who beat him in the First Round last year.

Danny Noppert to win & both over 0.5 180s v Niko Springer: The 'Double In, Double Out' format does have an impact on the maximum hitting markets, but you would still expect Danny Noppert and Niko Springer to hit one each considering their abilities around the treble 20.

All of the top players know what kind of threat Niko Springer brings to the oche and the German is someone who will step up his level against the better players he faces.

However, Springer has not really brought that form into events played over the last month and so you have to believe Danny Noppert has too much for him.

You would not really say that Noppert is in great form of his own or anything like that, but he did put a few wins together at Players Championship 29 played last week. The 6-4 loss to Luke Littler at the World Series of Darts Finals will have given the Dutchman some belief, while he had a couple of solid wins at a couple of European Tour events played earlier this month.

Danny Noppert had suffered a couple of hard luck losses at the World Grand Prix, but broke through to reach the Semi Final last year and can edge to a victory in the First Round in 2026.

Ross Smith to win & over 1.5 180s & Cameron Menzies over 0.5 180s: These two were set for a big match at the World Matchplay, but it lasted just three Legs before Cameron Menzies felt too ill to continue.

He will be hoping to challenge Ross Smith for much longer than that in the First Round at the World Grand Prix and Cameron Menzies picked up a win at Players Championship 29 to boost confidence ahead of this Ranking event.

Cameron Menzies has plenty of ability and will be dangerous, but Ross Smith should be very familiar with the format and winning the World Series of Darts Finals to add to the considerable success on the floor and on the European Tour Stage will have given Smudger a huge amount of belief.

Ross Smith has simply put in so many wins of late that the confidence will be surging and although his recent record at this event is disappointing, the favourite can add a couple of maximums to go with at least one from his opponent on the way through to the Second Round in 2026.

Wessel Nijman v Rob Cross: There is no doubt that Rob Cross has enjoyed the format at the World Grand Prix and even beat Luke Littler at the event two years ago.

Last year he overcame Wessel Nijman in a three Set battle in the First Round, but Rob Cross will know he needs to be a lot better if he is going to do the same again.

Twelve months on, Wessel Nijman is a much stronger player than he was and he has earned a bit of revenge over Rob Cross by beating him in the final of a European Tour event at the end of June.

Wessel Nijman remains the more consistent scorer, as he was in the loss to Rob Cross here last year, and he can just do enough to edge past the former World Champion and reverse the result from 2025.

MY PICKS: Danny Noppert to Win & Both Players Over 0.5 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith to Win & Smith Over 1.5 180s & Cameron Menzies Over 0.5 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Wessel Nijman @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 136-170, - 21.70 Units (305 Units Staked, - 7.11% Yield)

World Series of Darts Finals Day 2 Picks 2026 (Friday 18th September)

A couple of the Day 1 selections ended on the wrong side after beginning too slowly or blowing a healthy lead through missed Doubles, but it could have been a worse day and that keeps things ticking forward.

The First Round is going to be completed in Amsterdam on Friday and there are perhaps not as many good looking matches in this half as there are in the half that was completed on Thursday.

It is reflected by having a couple fewer Picks from the Session to be completed through the evening in the Netherlands, although there is still plenty of quality darts for the fans to enjoy.

Nathan Aspinall to win & most 180s v Raymond Smith: There have been some suggestion that Raymond Smith is playing with a concern about his arm, but you would never have guessed that from the performances produced in the New Zealand and Australian World Series tournaments played in August.

He reached the Semi Final in New Zealand having beaten the likes of Stephen Bunting and Adam Leek, while Raymond Smith gave Gian van Veen a scare in Australia.

This should narrow the focus for Nathan Aspinall who has not been as active as he would have liked in what has been a busy personal year for the former Premier League participant.

When he has arrived at tournaments, Aspinall has shown his qualities and can find a way to complete the Match Double in what could be a good First Round match.

James Wade to win & over 1.5 180s v Damon Heta: James Wade has won nine matches in a row since losing in the New Zealand World Series tournament in the Semi Final.

It is a run that saw him pick up the title in Australia and Wade followed up by winning a European Tour title as well.

He was very disappointed to have missed out on playing in the Premier League this season, but James Wade is putting another strong year in the books and might be much harder to ignore in 2027. Rounding out the season with a Ranking title may make it impossible for him to miss out on a tournament he clearly wants to play in, but this is a tough opening match for James Wade.

Damon Heta has not had the kind of 2026 that he may have hoped, but he remains a very tough player to beat and he reached the Semi Final in the European Tour event played last weekend. That run was ended by James Wade, but it was a very good match and this could be another.

It is James Wade who has won the last three between the players and he may just have enough to edge this one as well- Wade has been hitting the treble 20 mark with some regularity in recent weeks and can add two in any winning effort on Friday.

Luke Littler to win & over 3.5 180s v Danny Noppert: Two weeks ago, Luke Littler won a European Tour title and beat Danny Noppert without dropping a Leg in that success.

Last week Danny Noppert was beaten by eventual Winner James Wade without winning a Leg and the home crowd will be hoping to lift the World Number 10 to a more competitive effort.

It is a big ask against the top player in the world and Luke Littler continues to put so much pressure on opponents thanks to his scoring power.

He can find at least four maximums in another win over Danny Noppert and Luke Littler is capable of reaching that mark even in a blowout win.

MY PICKS: Nathan Aspinall to Win & Most 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

James Wade to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Littler to Win & Over 3.5 180s @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Series Finals: 2-3, - 0.85 Units (5 Units Staked, - 17% Yield)

World Series of Darts Finals Day 1 Picks 2026 (Thursday 17th September)

We are entering that time of the PDC calendar when big tournaments come thick and fast and eyes begin to turn towards the World Championship.

Three months remain before it all gets underway at Ally Pally again, but the attention is focusing on the big events when you think only six floor Players Championship events remain.

Two more European Tour events will take place before the European Championship, while the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals are other big events remaining in the build to the World Championship.

Luke Littler has put together a couple of years where his dominance is very much in line with the likes of Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen previously and every big event he enters, Littler will be a strong favourite to pick up the title.

He has yet to Qualify for the Players Championship Finals, but you would not rule out the World Number 1 from doing that even though he will finish the season with just four floor events attended. That may lead to some criticism from outsiders, but Luke Littler will care little about that if he does go on to sweep the 2026 big titles and then wins a third World Championship in a row to open 2027.

The World Series Finals brings together plenty of big names, but the challenge for all beyond the First Round is beating Luke Littler in a longer format match.

This has not happened very often at all since Littler lost the World Championship Final to Luke Humphries in January 2024 and something needs to change if only to give those chasing the World Number 1 the belief that they can beat this player. Most have lacked that confidence and Littler has also shown he can surge through the gears at key times to take matches away from opponents and so the youngster remains the player to beat any time he enters any tournament.

Dirk van Duijvenbode - 2.5 legs v Viktor Tingstrom: After reaching the World Matchplay Semi Final in July and looking like he was getting back to levels shown previously, Dirk van Duijvenbode has not really built on the momentum he had picked up.

He beat two former World Champions in his run to the last four, but was outclassed by Luke Littler like so many others have been.

Dirk van Duijvenbode reached the Quarter Final of the European Tour 11 event at the end of August, but has suffered opening defeats in the next two tournaments. However, this looks a very winnable First Round match in Amsterdam where the home fans are going to be behind him.

Viktor Tingstrom is very capable when at his best, as he showed in a win over Stephen Bunting at the Nordic Darts Masters, but he has suffered two comfortable defeats to Dirk van Duijvenbode on the floor this year.

With the scoring power that van Duijvenbode possesses, he should have enough to power past this opponent in the opening match at the World Series of Darts Finals.

Kevin Doets-Ross Smith over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout: Two very strong scorers meet in a First Round match that the layers are struggling to favour one over the other.

It is a tough match to call and both Kevin Doets and Ross Smith should be confident, while the former is going to have the home support behind him.

Playing in Europe has been very positive for Ross Smith all season though and that will give him belief and confidence and both players are big time maximum hitters once they find their rhythm.

Matches like this can be swung by a big finish or two and that may be the case when Kevin Doets and Ross Smith meet for a third time in 2026 having split the previous two matches.

Josh Rock v Stephen Bunting: Both of these players were involved in the Premier League in 2026, but Josh Rock and Stephen Bunting may have work to do to compete again in 2027.

That would change if the format is expanded as rumoured, but if only eight players are selected, neither has done enough to believe they will earn a call up.

All of that changes in the next three months with some big runs at Ranking events and in spots like this one at the World Series of Darts Finals.

It should be said that neither can point to a lot of positive form of late, but Rocky is perhaps an underrated underdog considering he has won three of the four matches against Stephen Bunting this season.

The two Premier League matches were split with a win each in this format, but Josh Rock earned wins at the UK Open and World Matchplay and that may give him enough belief to power into the Second Round.

Luke Humphries to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Jermaine Wattimena: It is no surprise that there is a big Dutch contingent taking part in this tournament and the atmosphere by the time Luke Humphries and Jermaine Wattimena reach the stage should be approaching fever pitch.

The fans would love to see an upset, but Luke Humphries has enjoyed the tempo set by Wattimena and it has allowed him to play some of his best darts.

He was beaten by this opponent at the Dutch Masters in January last year, which is something that Luke Humphries is unlikely to have forgotten. It should also motivate him to be more prepared to deal with the hostile atmosphere and the World Number 2 looked in good form when reaching the European Tour 13 Final last week.

Jermaine Wattimena is very capable on his day and should contribute to the maximum total, but the form has been a little more mixed over the last couple of weeks and that gives Luke Humphries the edge to win the match.

Michael van Gerwen - 1.5 legs v Daryl Gurney: There is no doubt that Michael van Gerwen is still striving to close the gap to the top two players in the world, but on his day he can still be very, very good.

The consistency has been lacking, although van Gerwen can give the home fans something to celebrate by beating Daryl Gurney.

The Northern Irishman has lost four matches in a row, albeit in competitive fashion, but those defeats can knock the confidence out of many. Daryl Gurney does give off the impression that he would be less bothered and he will certainly be fired up to quieten the crowd, but nine losses in ten matches played makes it hard to see that happening.

When they met on the European Tour earlier in the season, Michael van Gerwen won a very high quality contest between the players.

It feels like Michael van Gerwen is still playing the superior darts in September and Daryl Gurney's recent drop in standards may result in an early exit in Amsterdam.

MY PICKS: Dirk van Duijvenbode - 2.5 Legs @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kevin Doets-Ross Smith Over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Josh Rock @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Both Players Over 1.5 180s @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Micael van Gerwen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.70 William Hill (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 128-162, - 21.43 Units (289 Units Staked, - 7.42% Yield)

European Tour 13- Flanders Darts Trophy Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 11th September)

Another European Tour event begins on the PDC Tour and that means Qualification for the European Championship Finals is beginning to be on the forefront of the player's minds.

Despite that, a number of top names have withdrawn from the Flanders Darts Trophy as they prepare for the World Series of Darts Finals to be played at the end of next week.

Of course this means a big opportunity for those who have travelled for this event.

Andrew Gilding - 1.5 legs v Chris Landman: Goldfinger won a couple of matches last week at the European Tour 12 event and he is almost certainly going to be playing at the European Championship Finals.

Andrew Gilding should have enough consistency to move past Chris Landman at this latest European Tour event.

He has been playing at a level that suggests that will be the case and Chris Landman has been beaten in five of the last six matches played. The World Number 115 has won the most recent meeting between the players, but Andrew Gilding will be confident he can turn that result around.

The real concern for Chris Landman is that he has not been competitive in recent matches and Andrew Gilding can exploit any doubts that the underdog may have.

Ryan Joyce - 1.5 legs v Stephen Burton: A win in the opening Round of the European Tour 12 event will have given Stephen Burton a boost in confidence, but he was beaten in the next Round and that has prevented any momentum being built up.

Stephen Burton has been struggling with his form for weeks and that makes it very tough to expect him to put a strong run together.

The First Round match at the Flanders Darts Trophy against Ryan Joyce looks really difficult for Stephen Burton.

Relentless is one of those players that will just tick along and do what he is supposed to and that consistency should be enough to see Ryan Joyce edge through to the Second Round.

MY PICKS: Andrew Gilding - 1.5 Legs @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ryan Joyce - 1.5 Legs @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

European Tour 12- Czech Darts Open Day 1 Picks (Friday 4th September)

Another European Tour success for Ross Smith will have made up for a disappointing couple of efforts in the World Series events played in Australia and New Zealand and this is a player who has big ambitions to join the elite players of the PDC Tour much more regularly next season.

Earning a spot in the Premier League will not be easy, but there are some opportunities coming up in which the players can impress as the Majors round out the calendar year.

Before we get to that, there is another European Tour event to be played this week at the Czech Darts Open and this is a big event that has both Luke Littler and Luke Humphries involved.

Those two are amongst sixteen Seeds that will join the event on Day 2, but the First Round has to be completed before that can happen.

Two Sessions are to be played on Friday and there are some very good names in action as they bid to join the Seeded players in the Second Round.

Last week proved to be a decent tournament for the Darts Picks, but the key is to build momentum between now and the World Championships and try and get the 2026 season turned around.

Joe Cullen - 1.5 legs v Stephen Burton: The disappointment of exiting the last European Tour event in a whitewash defeat should have subsided and Joe Cullen can begin another tournament with a victory in the First Round.

He got the better of Adam Leek last week and Cullen is playing an opponent who has been struggling for any consistency on the floor.

Of course you have to credit Stephen Burton for Qualifying for the Czech Darts Open, but he has lost six of his last seven matches played in the Players Championship events. That will have dented some of the confidence and this is a First Round match that feels all about Joe Cullen and the attitude he brings to the stage.

If that is right, Joe Cullen should have enough to earn his place amongst the Seeds, much like he did last week.

Luke Woodhouse - 1.5 legs v Connor Scutt: No one needs to be reminded of how good Connor Scutt can be on his day, but he had a miserable time on the European Tour last week.

That makes it six losses in the last eight matches played and Connor Scutt was not able to get anything going on the stage in Budapest.

Moving to the Czech Darts Open may give Scutt the change of scenery he needs, but he will also know he will have to be a lot better to compete with Luke Woodhouse.

A European Tour title has been won by Luke Woodhouse this season and he lost a very high quality match last week to Rob Cross. He will be well aware that similar levels will lead to a lot more wins than losses going forward and he may have too much for Connor Scutt who is battling to move through his slump in form.

Beau Greaves to win & most 180s v Daryl Gurney: The winner of this First Round match is going to be facing Luke Humphries in the Second Round on Saturday.

So many will be hoping that Beau Greaves is the player who is facing the World Number 2, but the layers are also anticipating her getting the better of Daryl Gurney on current form.

Beau Greaves is a very good maximum hitter and produced a strong average in losing to Rob Cross last week, and that is the kind of level that can be too much for Daryl Gurney to handle.

The Northern Irishman is going to be highly motivated knowing he is the underdog and he handled the occasion just well enough to edge past Greaves at the World Championship. That was won over a longer format, while Daryl Gurney has not been in the kind of form to believe he will be able to recover from a slow start in this First Round match.

An early defeat last week in Hungary will have hurt and Beau Greaves is capable of completing the Match Double on her path through to the Second Round.

MY PICKS: Joe Cullen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Woodhouse - 1.5 Legs @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Beau Greaves to Win & Most 180s @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 122-152, - 17.20 Units (271 Units Staked, - 6.35% Yield)

US Open Day 3 Tennis Picks 2026 (Tuesday 1st September)

It has been a pretty intense last couple of days and that has made it difficult to sit down and write out a longer thread as the US Open has gotten underway.

That should improve as the week goes forward, but the Tennis Picks can be read below as we look to build on the opening success.

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 games v Lorenzo Sonego: The big news in the Men's draw is the early elimination of Novak Djokovic and that has only opened the draw up even further after Jannik Sinner withdraw before the tournament began. There are still lingering doubts about the overall fitness of Carlos Alcaraz and that will mean French Open Champion, Alexander Zverev, is going to be considered a big threat having been a Runner Up in New York City before.

His performances this summer will have lessened some of the enthusiasm around Alexander Zverev's prospects, but he is a very solid Grand Slam competitor and the experience cannot be underestimated the longer he remains in the tournament.

The First Round match against Lorenzo Sonego is going to be a test, but the match up is one that Alexander Zverev will be comfortable dealing with.

A couple of matches were won at Winston Salem, but Lorenzo Sonego has not enjoyed much success in the lead up to the the US Open and is playing as the World Number 89.

At 31 years old, Lorenzo Sonego will know that his best years may be behind him, but his serve can be very dangerous on the faster surfaces. However, that also means there is pressure to serve well at all times and especially in any match where he is bidding for an upset, and that has perhaps held the Italian back.

Lorenzo Sonego has held 80% of his service games in the three hard court matches against Alexander Zverev, but the latter has held 97% and that is a massive difference.

There has been a huge difference in the percentage of service points won to create that gap in the games held and the performances in the build up to the US Open suggests there will be no change to Alexander Zverev being the dominant player in this First Round contest.

Mirra Andreeva - 5.5 games v Janice Tjen: Winning the French Open title means Mirra Andreeva has already achieved one of her career ambitions, but there is so much more to come from the talented teenager.

The next step in the development is improving the hard court consistency and becoming a threat to win a Grand Slam on this surface- Mirra Andreeva has reached the Fourth Round in three consecutive years at the Australian Open, but playing in New York City is a learning experience for players and Andreeva has struggled here and yet to reach the second week.

There has been little to take from the performances in Toronto and Cincinnati, but Mirra Andreeva should be able to get through the early Round before one of the better players on the Tour will end up having too much for her.

It is unlikely that Janice Tjen is going to be that opponent having already been beaten by Mirra Andreeva once in the build up to the 2026 US Open.

Janice Tjen is the World Number 36 and only just missed out on a Seeding of her own, which has to be respected, but this is a player with an 8-13 record on the hard courts in 2026 and who is 0-5 when facing top 20 Ranked opponents.

Her numbers in those five matches against top 20 Ranked opponents have been really poor and Janice Tjen will struggle to bridge that gap.

Mirra Andreeva continues to beat those players she will expect to beat on the hard courts and her numbers have been very strong in those matches played.

When these two met in Cincinnati, Mirra Andreeva was the much stronger player and she may have enough to cover the handicap in this US Open First Round match.

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev - 6.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Mirra Andreeva - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

Taylor Fritz - 7.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Maria Sakkari - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 2-0, + 2.72 Units (4 Units Staked, + 68% Yield)

US Open Day 1 Tennis Picks 2026 (Sunday 30th August)

There will be a fuller thread for the Tuesday First Round matches, but the US Open has to begin with a couple of shorter threads as the tournament gets underway on Sunday.

Jessica Pegula - 5.5 games v Elena Gabriela Ruse: After reaching the Cincinnati Final, Jessica Pegula may simply be glad that a potential injury earlier in the tournament has not been one that could have dented her hopes of winning the US Open before this final Grand Slam of the season got underway.

She has been very close in the last couple of years.

Jessica Pegula reached the Final in New York City two years ago and the Semi Final last year, but the top of the leading contenders all have vulnerabilities in 2026. Her main rival has been Aryna Sabalenka, but Jessica Pegula will know the current World Number 1 is struggling for form and that leaves a door open.

It is clear where Jessica Pegula stands in American tennis that she has been given one of the prime spots on Sunday, but that also means pressure to deliver. Jessica Pegula has not been beaten in the First Round here since 2019, and it would be a real surprise if Elena Gabriela Ruse is able to reset that mark this year.

The last time we saw Elena Gabriela Ruse, she was well on her way to being beaten by Alexandra Eala in Cincinnati, but withdrew with an injury in the middle of the second set.

She was not likely to turn that match around, but it was also an injury that was not expected to keep her out of this Grand Slam.

Elena Gabriela Ruse has produced some steady hard court numbers this season, but there are levels to the sport and it has been a big struggle when facing top 50 Ranked opponents. In those matches, Ruse has a 2-7 record and she has really had issues in protecting the second serve, while simply not offering enough threat on the return to put any consistent pressure on the better players faced.

Changing those narratives in the First Round looks beyond the World Number 63 and Jessica Pegula can get her latest campaign to win a Grand Slam underway with a solid opening victory before earning a couple of days to rest and recover.

Alex Michelsen - 5.5 games v Federico Cina: The US Open has to be the big target for every single American player who is working their way onto the Tour and Alex Michelsen will be hoping he can have an impact here this season.

The last couple of years have both ended prematurely for the World Number 45, but Alex Michelsen has won a Challenger event on the hard courts in the build up to the final Grand Slam of the season and played at a decent level when the Tour moved into the bigger hard court events over the last month.

All of that can help Alex Michelsen and he has been given a decent opening draw considering he is not in a Seeded position.

Of course that does not mean Michelsen can approach this match with a poor attitude and instead it is on the higher Ranked player to exert his authority on an opponent that has limited hard court experience.

The serve is a big weapon for Alex Michelsen and that is going to be the key to this match- he has been pretty steady serving with around an 86% hold mark no matter the Ranking of the opponent, but the key for the home player here is getting the return game operating at a standard to make this a relatively comfortable match.

Any player that battles through the Qualifying Rounds has to be respected, but the 19 year old Federico Cina has perhaps surprisingly made it through. The World Number 181 won a Challenger on the hard courts earlier this season, but he had played three hard court matches in preparation for the US Open over the last six weeks and Federico Cina won one.

That includes losing early in the Challenger event that Alex Michelsen went on to win, but it also underlines the improvement of level needed to earn the upset.

Federico Cina’s raw numbers look reasonable in the relatively small hard court sample provided in 2026, but he has not played a single player inside the top 100 of the World Rankings. During his career, Cina has played three hard court matches against those players and produced a 1-2 record with all of those matches taking place in 2025 and it would be a surprise if this Qualifier can extend his stay in New York City beyond this weekend.

He has nothing to lose and all of the pressure is on Alex Michelsen, but the latter should also have the edge in experience and can reach a hard court level that proves to be beyond the reach of Federico Cina in the First Round at this final Grand Slam of the season.

MY PICKS: Jessica Pegula - 5.5 Games @ 1.70 William Hill (2 Units)

Alex Michelsen - 5.5 Games @ 1.66 William Hill (2 Units)

European Tour 11- Hungarian Darts Trophy Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 29th August)

Four months remain of the calendar year and the Darts Tour is now fast approaching the World Championship that begins in December, but finishes in January, and is now considered a part and parcel of the Christmas period.

Before we get to the World Championships, there are some important events to be played and the European Tour will take centre stage across the next three weekends.

The floor events are now coming to a close with just six of those remaining before the field for the Players Championship is confirmed and that will mean there is some pressure on Luke Littler- he has dominated all of the big events played this year, but Littler needs to have a couple of very strong runs in the two Players Championship events left in Leicester if he is going to earn a spot at the Players Championship Finals after competing just twice on the floor all year.

Luke Littler is missing in Hungary this weekend, as is Gerwyn Price, but a solid field has come together for the eleventh European Tour event of the season.

As is the norm for these European Tour events, the First Round will be played in two Sessions on Friday before the Seeded players join and complete the Second Round across two Sessions on Saturday.

A busy Sunday will then be played out to determine the Champion of the Hungarian Darts Trophy as players look to pick up their form ahead of a very busy, competitive, and hugely important final four months of the season.

William O'Connor to win & most 180s v Samuel Price: Any player who has Qualified to take part in any European Tour event has to be respected, but Samuel Price has shown little recent form on the floor.

Earning his Tour Card earlier this season shows the kind of level Samuel Price can reach, but his first appearance on the European Tour ended in a one sided loss. The World Number 135 has also struggled for consistency in his time on the Tour, but this is all a learning curve for Samuel Price who can use that to build a much twelve months.

Early defeats in the Players Championship events played earlier this week can only have dented any confidence Samuel Price may have had ahead of this trip to Hungary.

William O'Connor showed a bit more consistency, and had been producing the stronger numbers and he can edge this First Round contest.

The Irishman is regularly a big maximum hitter and can complete the match double in this match, while that will also help William O'Connor make amends for an early loss in his last European Tour appearance.

Krzysztof Ratajski v Callan Rydz: These two players met a few days ago on the floor and it ended in a win for Krzysztof Ratajski, although Callan Rydz will feel he played well enough to have produced a more competitive scoreline than the 6-2 defeat may have felt.

It is the third time Ratajski has gotten the better of this opponent in 2026 and all of those wins have been in Players Championship settings.

Callan Rydz only earned his place in this tournament after Gerwyn Price made a decision to withdraw, but his recent form has to be a little concerning.

Motivation of playing in front of a big crowd in the Evening Session should inspire a player who has a huge amount of potential to fulfil, but Callan Rydz will have to find a way to ruffle the feathers of a steady opponent.

This has not happened so far this season and Krzysztof Ratajski regularly enjoys his time on the European Tour and can move into the Second Round.

Joe Cullen - 1.5 legs v Adam Leek: He has dropped down to World Number 31 after more inconsistent results, but Joe Cullen should have enough to beat Adam Leek who has been struggling.

The latter did earn an upset over Ross Smith in the World Series events played Down Under, but Adam Leek failed to back that up and he returned to Europe to lose his opening match at both Players Championship events played this week.

It means Adam Leek has lost eight of the last nine matches played and confidence will be dented.

Joe Cullen is not always in the most confident mood when he steps onto stage and can quickly lose faith in his darts, but he is also a heavy scorer when at his best. The two performances at the Players Championship tournaments played earlier in the week were underwhelming, but Cullen can do just enough to edge this First Round match.

MY PICKS: William O'Connor to Win & Most 180s @ 2.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Krzysztof Ratajski @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Joe Cullen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 117-151, - 20.87 Units (265 Units Staked, - 7.88% Yield)

Australian Darts Masters Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 21st August)

The top players have been invited to travel to New Zealand and Australian for back to back World Series events and it was Jonny Clayton who picked up the trophy last weekend in New Zealand.

This week the World Series takes place in Australia and the eight top PDC players will all believe they have what it takes to win the title here, especially with the likes of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries not being involved.

Judging by what was seen last weekend, those invited into this World Series tournament may also be playing with the confidence to believe they can upset the odds and put together a deep run and that makes this World Series event very interesting.

On the opening day of this tournament, all eight opening Round matches will be played before the Quarter Final, Semi Final and Final take place on the second day.

Stephen Bunting - 3.5 legs v Mal Cuming: The disappointing opening Round exit last week should mean Stephen Bunting is that much more focused to make amends when arriving in Australia.

He did not play badly in the loss to Raymond Smith and anything similar should be good enough to beat Mal Cuming who is in eighth place in the Australian Dart Rankings.

In the two previous runnings of the Australian Darts Masters, Mal Cuming has not been able to earn a spot in the draw and he will have to lift his numbers considerably to challenge Bunting.

The Bullet can be really frustrating at times, but he should be focused to bounce back from the early loss at the New Zealand Darts Masters and that should see him ease through to the Quarter Final this week.

Josh Rock to win & most 180s v Adam Leek: The win over Ross Smith last week came as a real surprise, but Adam Leek was not able to back that up in the Quarter Final.

He had not been showing much form at the Players Championship prior to earning a place in the World Series Down Under, but Adam Leek found a way past Ross Smith when he looked set for another defeat.

Credit has to be given to the character of Leek and he will be motivated to perform well here in Australia, while he has beaten Josh Rock once already this season.

However, Josh Rock should be able to maintain a stronger level than Adam Leek even if he was not at his absolute best last week when going out in the Quarter Final as well.

Josh Rock is the bigger maximum hitter and that should aid him in his bid to move through to the next Round.

Jonny Clayton to win & most 180s v Ben Robb: He did not start the tournament in New Zealand with an impressive performance and Jonny Clayton was a little fortunate to beat Haupai Puha.

Despite edging through, Clayton took full advantage by picking up the World Series trophy last weekend and he should be playing with a lot of confidence.

Those qualifying for the New Zealand Darts Masters impressed last week and so Jonny Clayton will know he cannot afford another below par performance against Ben Robb.

A narrow loss to Damon Heta was the outcome of the First Round match involving Ben Robb last week, although it was the missed doubles that kept Robb in the match.

He will need to improve to beat one of the top players on the Tour and Jonny Clayton can secure the match double on his way to the Quarter Final.

Gerwyn Price - 3.5 legs v Simon Whitlock: The veteran Australian is back in the World Series for the third straight year at home, but Simon Whitlock has struggled to compete with the best players on the Tour.

He did win four Legs in his loss to Josh Rock last week in New Zealand, but Simon Whitlock's two matches at the Australian Darts Masters have both ended in 6-1 defeats.

Simon Whitlock will need Gerwyn Price to underperform if he is going to upset the odds, but that looks unlikely considering how well The Ice Man was playing last week.

Maintaining that level has not been easy for Gerwyn Price and he has admitted that he has not been completely focused on his darts this season, even if the results have remained strong.

Motivation should not be too difficult to find for Gerwyn Price against someone who will receive a huge amount of support and he may prove to be the latest top player on the PDC that reminds Simon Whitlock of better days.

Damon Heta - 3.5 legs v Joe Comito: 2026 has not been the season he may have expected, but Damon Heta has shown a bit more positive form over the last couple of months.

He produced a very strong First Round win in New Zealand, although the scoreboard did not reflect how well The Heat had played.

Too many missed doubles were a problem, but Damon Heta is expected to be more focused all around as he plays in front of his compatriots.

Damon Heta should have too much scoring for Joe Comito and that should mean having a lot more chances to close out Legs.

Credit has to be given to Joe Comito for winning a match at the World Championship, but he has won just four Legs in the last couple of years at the Australian Darts Masters.

At the same time, Damon Heta has really produced very strong form in the opening Round at this tournament in each of the two editions and he can pull away for a relatively comfortable win.

MY PICKS: Stephen Bunting - 3.5 Legs @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Josh Rock to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gerwyn Price - 3.5 Legs @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Damon Heta - 3.5 Legs @ 2.20 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 113-147, - 21.14 Units (257 Units Staked, - 8.23% Yield)

Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Saturday 15th August)

The Cincinnati Masters was beginning at the same time as the Canadian Masters was coming to a conclusion and the decision was made to skip the First Round at this next 1000 event and then get back into the preparation for the US Open once the Seeded players entered the tournament.

On Saturday, those Seeded players are getting their tournaments underway in both ATP and WTA events being played here over the next week.

Most of the top names will be looking to lay down a marker for the US Open, but conditions in Cincinnati tend to be faster than most during this portion of the hard court season and so it is a challenge for all competing right after the tournaments in Canada.

Despite that, players will not be looking to make excuses, but instead show they are ready to compete at the last Grand Slam of the season, which is getting underway at the end of the month.

Alexandra Eala - 3.5 games v Elena Gabriela Ruse: After winning the title in Washington, Alexandra Eala put together a decent run in Toronto at the Canadian Masters, but looked like she was running on fumes by the end of her time at that event.

The Fourth Round loss would not have been easily accepted, but it has given Eala a bit of time to rest and recover before taking in this next WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati.

This is the last tournament Alexandra Eala is going to be taking in before the US Open and so she can put everything into matches on the court as she continues to grow on the Tour.

Recent performances will have done Alexandra Eala the world of good and she is expected to have too much for Elena Gabriela Ruse who has struggled when asked to play some of the stronger players on the Tour, especially on the hard courts.

A First Round win will have given Elena Gabriela Ruse a boost, but it has been a season of inconsistency in the hard court results being produced. Credit has to be given to the World Number 77 for winning matches that she will feel she should, but Ruse has a 2-6 record when it come sto facing top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts.

The second serve numbers and those on the return of serve have taken a serious dent in those tougher matches and Alexandra Eala will feel she can exploit those in this Second Round meeting.

Two years ago, Elena Gabriela Ruse beat Alexandra Eala in the final Qualifying Round at the US Open when both were Ranked outside of the top 100.

It was Ruse who was Ranked the higher of the two in the match and she held a Seeded place in the Qualifying draw, but Alexandra Eala is much more experienced now and can record a strong win in her opening match in Cincinnati in 2026.

Amanda Anisimova - 5.5 games v Zeynep Sonmez: Last year, Amanda Anisimova made little impact at the Canadian and Cincinnati WTA 1000 events, but that did not stop her from reaching the US Open Final.

However, Amanda Anisimova had already reached the Wimbledon Final in 2025 and so her confidence would have been in a stronger place than it perhaps is right now.

It has been a decent year all the same, but not with the standout results that the American put on the board last year.

Despite that, Amanda Anisimova has shown time and time again that she can roll through the gears when facing opponents Ranked outside of the elite players and she is facing one of those in Zeynep Sonmez on Saturday in the Second Round.

Credit has to be given to any player who has one main draw win under the belt already, but Zeynep Sonmez has really struggled when she has stepped up a level and that has been reflected in some of the scores produced in her hard court matches in 2026. She will need to serve well to try and put Amanda Anismova under some pressure, but the World Number 10 should be able to contain much of the threat on the other side of the court with her own serve.

It is the higher Ranked player who has the heavier groundstrokes and that can see Amanda Anisimova push through to the Third Round.

MY PICKS: Alexandra Eala - 3.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Amanda Anisimova - 5.5 Games @ 2.05 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Maria Sakkari - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Diana Shnaider - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Novak Djokovic - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (1 Unit)

Tommy Paul-Hubert Hurkacz Over 0.5 Tie-Breakers @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jiri Lehecka-Matteo Berrettini Over 0.5 Tie-Breakers @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Alexander Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Season 2026: 205-175, + 6.95 Units (565 Units Staked, + 1.23% Yield)

Canadian Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Monday 3rd August)

We are now less than a month away before the final Grand Slam of the 2026 season begins and that means the Tour has to move through the first of two very important Masters tournaments on the North American hard courts.

Rain has been an issue over the first couple of days at the Canadian Masters and wet weather is expected in both Montreal and Toronto.

However, it is the tournament in Montreal where the ATP First Round is scheduled to be completed on Monday that looks to be most in danger of a washout.

Later this week, Toronto could also experience a few rain delays, but they should have a clearer Monday to get through the busy First Round and also a couple more clear days, which will give the Seeded players an opportunity to find some rhythm back on the court.

With that said, the focus for the opening Picks is on the First Round matches from the WTA Toronto event as we get this Masters run underway.

Yulia Putintseva - 3.5 games v Shuai Zhang: This has been a head to head dominated by Yulia Putintseva and she has produced the stronger hard court results in 2026.

The lack of competitive tennis since Wimbledon is a concern, but Shuai Zhang was beaten early in Washington last week and the 37 year old has not enjoyed this match up with seven straight defeats behind her.

Making it even tougher is that Zhang has won a single set in those seven matches and six of those have been on the hard courts.

Neither player has put together many strong hard court runs sincer very early in the season, but Yulia Putintseva may have enough of an edge to find a way to move past Shuai Zhang with a cover of this handicap mark.

Liudmila Samsonova - 3.5 games v Janice Tjen: Both played in Washington last week, but it was Liudmila Samsonova who impressed a little more than Janice Tjen and she can beat this opponent for the thitd time in 2026.

One previous win has been on a hard court, while the other was on a clay court, but both were very one-sided wins for Liudmila Samsonova and that can give her the mental edge when this First Round match is played.

The fact that both have a losing record on the hard courts is a disappointment,  but Liudmila Samsonova has the stronger numbers and that should not be ignored.

Adding that to the manner in which she has beaten Janice Tjen this season makes the higher Ranked player someone who can put an impressive win on the scoreboard in this one.

Alycia Parks - 2.5 games v Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva: Any player that comes through Qualifiers should be respected, but it did take Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva almost two hours and three sets to win her match.

The 20 year old will need a bit more out of the serve if she is going to earn an upset in the First Round, but that may be something that holds Kasintseva back in this match.

Alycia Parks is not easy to trust with her high-risk approach meaning great rewards, but also the lack of consistency that can lead to poor defeats.

The American looked in decent form in hard court events building towards the 2026 Canadian Masters and the edge in the serve gives Alycia Park the edge in the contest.

It has been the serve that has proved to be the difference in the two previous matches between the players and both have been won by the stronger server in Alycia Parks, which could be the case again on Monday.

MY PICKS: Yulia Putintseva - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Liudmila Samsonova - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

Alycia Parks - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Season 2026: 187-157, + 9.73 Units (529 Units Staked, + 1.84% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2026 (Wednesday 29th July)

The US Open is just about a month away from beginning as the final Grand Slam of the 2026 season takes the spotlight, but the build to that tournament has already begun.

This week we have two 500 level events being played in Washington as both the ATP and WTA Tours make a stop here, while the hard court events in Los Cabos and Memphis offer further preparation places for those looking to build up the momentum on this surface.

Just days remain before the first of back to back Masters events on the hard courts in Canada and Cincinnati and those will be the last big tournaments before the US Open begins, although the likes of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have already announced they will not be playing in Montreal this summer.

Karolina Muchova is the only member of the WTA top ten that has already withdrawn in Toronto and she has to be considered a potential doubt for the US Open, which would be a big blow for the Wimbledon Finalist who has had a career filled with injury-related absences.

The 1000 level tournaments in Montreal and Toronto are for another week and the focus on the here and now for the Tennis Picks is on the tournaments being played in North and Central America through to the end of the weekend.

Timings of the release of the Order of Play does have an impact on how soon the selections can be released, at least for this week, but they will be posted before the day's play begins.

As has been the case in the last couple of weeks, there will not be selections every day if matches do not fit the criteria and that is why there have been no Tennis Picks made on the opening two days of the tournament.

Stefanos Tsitsipas v Alex De Minaur: This is the last of the First Round matches to be played in Washington and the defending Champion Alex De Minaur may have hoped for a better draw.

Not only is he facing an opponent who has won fourteen of the sixteen pro Tour matches between them, but Alex De Minaur has not played since Wimbledon and Stefanos Tsitsipas has picked up a title since then on the clay courts of Gstaad.

Of course this is a match played on a surface that Alex De Minaur will feel favours him, but Stefanos Tsitsipas is no slouch on the hard courts and has reversed his worrying trend in falling down the World Rankings.

Not only has the title win in Gstaad likely given the Greek player a huge boost in confidence, but it should be stated that he has little to no World Ranking Points to defend between now and the end of the season. He is the World Number 51 right now, but Stefanos Tsitsipas will believe he can force his way back into the Grand Slam Seeding positions by the time the Australian Open comes around in January 2027 and he will be confident in building from the title win earlier this month.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has decent enough hard court numbers, although the return of serve can be a weakness on the faster surfaces.

That was not the case when Tsitsipas upset Alex De Minaur in Miami in March and you have to believe the narrow underdog can get the better of an opponent who recently got married and may not have the court time to be ready to get the better of someone that has dominated the head to head previously.

Camila Osorio - 4.5 games v Anastasia Zakharova: Over in Memphis, Camila Osorio can get the better of Anastasia Zakharova for a second time in 2026 and for the first time on a hard court overall.

The World Number 56 is at her best on the clay, which is where she beat Anastasia Zakharova earlier this season, but Camila Osorio is also a solid hard court performer.

That is particularly evident in matches against those Ranked outside the top 50, and Camila Osorio has also produced very good numbers on the surface when facing those Ranked below her.

In those matches, Camila Osorio has made hay behind the first serve, but has also won almost 50% of return points played in an eight match sample and she will certainly feel she can hurt an opponent that won just three games on the clay courts of Madrid when they faced each other in the build up to the French Open. That is a victory in a tournament that plays faster than most clay courts, which is another confidence booster ahead of this match on the hard courts of Memphis.

Anastasia Zakharova did reach the Semi Final of a lower level hard court tournament in Istanbul a few days ago, but she has not been as effective on the return when facing opponents Ranked inside the top 100.

That could be key in this Second Round match and Camila Osorio may have just enough to move past the handicap line set in a winning effort.

MY PICKS: Stefanos Tsitsipas @ 2.20 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Camila Osorio - 3.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (1 Unit)