Tennis Picks 2025 (Saturday 14th June)

I guess I should have been wary of Friday the 13th with both selections falling down the wayside, but the Semi Final Round has been reached at the four big tournaments being played and that offers an opportunity to bounce back.

Elena Rybakina never really got close to covering, but Madison Keys had her chances and was effectively punished for a slow start, even if she couldn't care less having found a way to bounce back and progress past Diana Shnaider.

These early grass court matches could be invaluable for those players who are competing before Wimbledon and all that are still involved this week will be looking to secure a title and important World Ranking points to take forward.

Ekaterina Alexandrova - 1.5 games v Elise Mertens: Two of the top three Seeds have worked their way through to the Hertogenbosch Semi Final and the winner of this match is going to be a favourite to win the title on Sunday.

You can't argue with the form that Elise Mertens has put together in her three wins in the tournament with a bagel handed out in each of the three matches played. The World Number 25 has yet to drop a set and Mertens has to be really happy with the quality of serving she has produced in the tournament.

It was not the most productive of clay court seasons for the Belgian, but she is a comfortable grass court performer.

Winning matches will always give a player confidence and winning in the manner that Elise Mertens has been doing in Hertogenbosch can only add to that belief. However, it should be noted that all of the players she has faced in the tournament have been Ranked between 76 and 85 and so facing the Number 2 Seed is going to be a significant increase in level of opponent.

It also becomes a much tougher test for Elise Mertens when noting how well Ekaterina Alexandrova has been able to play on the grass in recent years.

An illness forced her to miss Wimbledon in 2024, but the World Number 15 reached the Fourth Round in SW19 in 2023 and she is set for another strong run.

Ekaterina Alexandrova has been given more of a test to reach the Hertogenbosch Semi Final, but she will have benefited from that and has a win over a player Ranked inside the top 40. The second serve needs to be given a bit more protection if Alexandrova is going to win the title here, but she will be confident when facing an opponent she has gotten the better of more often than not in previous matches.

The higher Ranked player has won three of the four previous matches against Elise Mertens, although they are meeting on grass for the first time.

Those wins can still play an important mental role and Ekaterina Alexandrova has really enjoyed playing at this tournament, which will also help. She won back to back titles here in Hertogenbosch in 2022 and 2023 before losing in the Semi Final last year and Ekaterina Alexandrova can get the better of Elise Mertens and move through to the Final with a solid win behind her.

Elena Gabriela Ruse - 1.5 games v Elisabetta Cocciaretto: The higher Ranked player coming into this Semi Final is Elena Gabriela Ruse, but she was forced to win a couple of Qualifying matches to take her place in the main draw.

In some situations that may not feel ideal, but Elena Gabriela Ruse has used the momentum to shine through to the Semi Final in Hertogenbosch having won all of her matches in straight sets.

It should be noted that the World Number 80 has not really faced a deep competition to reach this Round, although the win over Bianca Andreescu in the Quarter Final deserves respect. The latter is returning from another injury layoff though and Elena Gabriela Ruse has won matches perhaps as she should do considering the Ranking of the opponents.

She is facing another player Ranked outside the top 100 in this Semi Final, but Elisabetta Cocciaretto has won a couple of matches against players Ranked higher than herself to take her own place in the final four.

Like her opponent, there has not been a deep appreciation of the grass as far as Elisabetta Cocciaretto is concerned, but she will have gained confidence from the level she has been producing here this week.

Both have served well, which has to happen on this surface, but it is Elena Gabriela Ruse who has been offering up a bit more on the return.

In a close match, that could be key and Ruse has shown a bit more on the grass in the last couple of years, and she could keep the momentum going in what has been a really strong week.

MY PICKS: Ekaterina Alexandrova - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Elena Gabriela Ruse - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 3-2, + 0.65 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2022 (June 12th)

A solid return on Saturday has given me a chance to end the first grass court tournaments with a winning record, but there are four Finals to get through before these events can be placed in the books.

Much bigger events are coming up next week with the tournaments in London, Halle, Berlin and Birmingham offering up big Ranking points and deeper fields than we have seen this week. It is also the week when the majority of the top names will play their last events before Wimbledon begins later this month.

Matteo Berrettini v Andy Murray: If you were solely concentrating on the names in the draw, seeing Andy Murray and Matteo Berrettini in the Final of this grass court tournament in Stuttgart would be no surprise.

However, there are circumstances around both players that has perhaps led to this being a surprising Final.

Matteo Berrettini missed the entirety of the clay court season and there may have been some match rustiness to shake off when playing here in Stuttgart. He did reach the Final of Wimbledon after winning the big title in Queens last year, but even then you may have felt that the Italian would need a little bit of time to round back into the kind of form that has seen him become one of the top names on the Tour.

On the other side, Andy Murray chose to miss much of the clay court season in order to prepare for Wimbledon and he is very comfortable on the grass courts. He was a beaten Semi Finalist in a Challenger event in Surbiton last week and we have yet to see Murray really put the wins together as he has in Stuttgart, but he has upset a couple of opponents on his way to this Final.

It will give Andy Murray confidence and the serve has been improved since his wobble in the win over Alexander Bublik and it is so important for Murray to try and pick up cheaper points. He is facing someone who has not always been the most effective return player, but Matteo Berrettini has the kind of serve that can see him roll through service games and build scoreboard pressure to break down an opponent.

We all know how good a return player Andy Murray can be and his numbers have been stronger than Matteo Berrettini's this week, although he did only win 24% of return points against Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Italian is a stronger server than Tsitsipas and he will feel he can put Andy Murray under more pressure and make enough returns on the second serve to win this match.

Last year Matteo Berrettini crushed Andy Murray at Queen's Club in London on this surface, and it was a day in which the former returned very well to back up his big serve.

This should be a close and competitive Final, but I have to give a very slight edge to Matteo Berrettini who looks very happy on the surface and he can win a match that could go the distance before both players head to London.

MY PICKS: Matteo Berrettini @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Ekaterina Alexandrova @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 19-15, + 3.62 Units (68 Units Staked, + 5.25% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2019 (June 14th)

The rain is playing havoc across Europe and the tennis events this week have not really been able to avoid it either. For the most part the ATP Stuttgart tournament has stayed on schedule, but that is not the case elsewhere on what should have been Quarter Final day at all of the events being played.

It could mean some double duty for a few of the players on Friday, but the majority of the Quarter Finals have been set and will hopefully be completed on the day.


I was disappointed with the way the Thursday selections went and a bit frustrated with some of my decision making. The good news is that those poor decisions were recognised and hopefully will be turned around before the week is up.


Matteo Berrettini - 2.5 games v Denis Kudla: The grass court season is a good time for Denis Kudla and his record on the surface is perhaps not a complete indication of how well he can play. A Semi Final run in Surbiton ended with a harsh defeat to Victor Troicki, but the American has refused to let that get him down and he has played well on his way to a Quarter Final in Stuttgart.

A battling win over Gael Monfils saw Kudla dig deep and come through a final set tie-breaker in a match that lasted close to two and a half hours. I do wonder if that is going to play some part in this Quarter Final with no rest days between matches as you have in the Grand Slams, but the quicker points on the grass does help with any recovery.

Denis Kudla has always got a real bite out of his serve on the grass and over the last couple of seasons he has proved to be someone who can use that to pressurise opponents on the return. The American is going to need all of that returning ability when he takes on Matteo Berrettini who is an improving player on the Tour and moved into the top 30 of the World Rankings.

It should mean Berrettini is in a position to be Seeded at Wimbledon and his two wins in Stuttgart have not only been impressive for who he has beaten, but also the manner in which the Italian has won. Wins over Nick Kyrgios and Karen Khachanov have come in straight sets and Berretini has not faced a break point in either match as the big serve has set him up to control points from the off.

He is getting plenty out of the return too and I do think Berrettini can outhit Kudla in this big serving match. I am anticipating both players to run through some service games without too many issues, but Berrettini is someone who looks like he could be a comfortable grass courter and with the right draw at Wimbledon he may be able to earn plenty of Ranking points too.

Both players will be familiar with one another as they play for the sixth time since the Australian Open in January 2018. So far it is Kudla who leads 3-2, but the two matches in 2019 have been split and Berrettini has looked the better player without quite winning both matches.

Those two matches have come on different surfaces with Kudla winning a hard court match and Berrettini winning on the clay. Those results might have been expected, but it is Berrettini who looked stronger behind serve in both matches, but he was not able to deal with the pressurised break points as well as he would have liked. That could be a problem on the grass where it is so hard to retrieve breaks of serve, but I think Berrettini can edge past Kudla in this one and he may have enough to cover this number too.


Milos Raonic - 2.5 games v Marton Fucsovics: After missing the entire clay court season, Milos Raonic must be happy that he is back and winning matches on the Tour. The next month is important for him to prevent a slide down the World Rankings with plenty of points to defend, and that includes a run to the Final in Stuttgart twelve months ago.

The Canadian has beaten Alexei Popyrin and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on his way to the Quarter Final, but both matches have taken three sets and Raonic has spent plenty of time on the court. That has to be a concern for a player who has been off the Tour for as long as Raonic has been, but he is serving very well and that is always going to put some pressure on opponents.

In this tournament Raonic has held 97% of the service games he has played and he is someone whose serve has always been the most effective on this surface. The only reason matches have not been that straight-forward for Raonic is his poor returning numbers so far, but he may get a few more chances against Marton Fucsovics.

All credit has to be given to Fucsovics who has beaten Jaume Munar and Nikoloz Basilashvili and who has held 85% of the service games he has played. However it should be noted that this number is far above his usual levels produced on the grass courts and I do think he will eventually see it come down to a more consistent standard that Fucsovics has been able to produce.

His returning is superior to Raonic's, but Fucsovics will have to show he has learnt plenty from the 6-4, 6-2 defeat suffered to the Canadian on this court twelve months ago. On that day Fucsovics could not get his teeth into the Raonic serve at all and it was the higher Ranked player who was more comfortable when it came to the return and I do think something similar could occur in this Quarter Final.

You can't ignore the amount of time Raonic has spent on the court on his return to the Tour, but I think the serve does make his life easier. If Raonic continues to find his marks as he has been, I think he will have the majority of break points and can have one of his more straight-forward wins of the week.


Borna Coric - 2.5 games v Christian Garin: There was a time when Borna Coric was perhaps not at his most comfortable on the grass courts, but in 2019 he is looking to follow on from his most successful year on the surface. I have mentioned before that the small sample from the three or four tournaments on the grass can make it difficult to really get a good read of how players can and have been performing on the surface, but the signs for the young Croatian are good.

Last year he reached the Final in Halle and I think it may be a positive sign that he has taken in the tournament in Hertogenbosch. My feeling is that Coric does believe he can perform well enough on the grass if he gives himself time to get a few matches under his belt and the come from behind win over Taylor Fritz will boost the mindset.

Borna Coric played well in that match and his serve proved to be a key weapon, while his return is always going to be one that can put opponents under pressure.

In this Quarter Final Coric is taking on Christian Garin who is another young, improving player on the Tour. In the last couple of years Garin has only played at Wimbledon with his Ranking giving him a place in the main draw, but defeats in the First Round each time suggested he might not be at his best on the grass.

I am still not quite sure how comfortable Garin is on the grass, but back to back wins in Hertogenbosch will help. His serve is perhaps not as effective as Coric's, but Garin has been returning very well in his two matches here with breaks of serve in 45% of return games played.

Again I will mention the relatively small sample and the percentage of points won on the return are markedly up on his previous performances on the surface. I am not sure Garin will have the same kind of success when he faces Borna Coric whose serve should set him up a little better than Garin over the course of this match.

It could be a fun match with both players capable on the return, but I think Coric is the superior grass courter and he can show that with a win and a cover of this spread.

MY PICKS: Matteo Berrettini - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Milos Raonic - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Borna Coric - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
David Goffin - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Alex De Minaur - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)
Lucas Pouille @ 2.10 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 7-9, - 5.74 Units (32 Units Staked, - 17.94% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2019 (June 13th)

The weather in London isn't exactly screaming June and summer, but the same can be said around Europe.

Both events in Stuttgart and Hertogenbosch have been affected by the poor conditions around, but at least they managed to keep their events on track for the most part. On Thursday the Cricket World Cup arrives in Nottingham for the latest game in that tournament, but fans won't be too pleased to know that the WTA event and ATP Challenger event being held there has been moved indoors because of all the rain that has been in the area this week.

It looks like more of the same there on Thursday, but my focus is on the matches that are actually going to be played on the grass. I had a mixed Tuesday, but I am disappointed I did not write anything out for Wednesday. Life got in the way a little bit, but that is just the way it goes and there are angles that hit the mark for Thursday to try and get this week moving in a positive direction.


The one issue with grass court events is that we don't get a huge sample of form or how players are going to deal with the surface. There are some players out there on Thursday who might not have had much fun on the grass in their careers so far, but these things can quickly be turned around in the three or four events players take in over the next month.

Small samples mean it is tougher to get a read of how a player can perform on the grass, but we do have enough to make plays on the way through to Wimbledon when more stock can be put into the form displayed in the weeks leading to the third Grand Slam of the season.

It is something to consider and will also make a difference for those matches that are hitting enough marks to mak the selections over the remainder of the month.


Adrian Mannarino - 1.5 games v Fernando Verdasco: A couple of years ago Adrian Mannarino recorded his first win over Fernando Verdasco when these two players met on the grass courts of Antalya. They play in the Second Round in Hertogenbosch on Thursday and this is the first match the Spaniard will be playing on the grass in 2019.

There was a time when Verdasco was actually a pretty happy player on the grass, but the last couple of years have been more of a struggle for him. He has been losing a lot more than he has been winning and Verdasco's numbers have been average to say the least despite what you would consider to be a decent game that should transfer onto the surface.

To be fair to Verdasco, he has maintained decent hold numbers on the grass over the last few years. However the return has not had the same impact and that has left him vulnerable in matches and I think that is especially the case early in this grass season as he gets set to take on a competent player on the surface who already has produced a win to move into the Second Round.

Adrian Mannarino will be glad to be moving from off the clay and onto the grass courts, although there is some pressure on him with plenty of points to defend over the next month. Last year he reached the Final in Antalya and also had a Quarter Final run at Queens and Fourth Round run at Wimbledon so it may be difficult for Mannarino to prevent the slide down the World Rankings his last twelve months perhaps deserved.

His win in the First Round was a good one, but against an opponent who has not played a lot of tennis at this level in the last couple of years through injury. There have been signs that Mannarino is declining as a player and 2018 was a much tougher year on the grass compared with 2017 even though he earned one more win that year.

The Frenchman has a vulnerable serve which is a concern going into this match, but I do think he finds enough returns that can stay low on the grass which can cause problems for his opponent. Adrian Mannarino is confident enough on a grass court to believe he can win this match even though Fernando Verdasco is the more talented player on the court.


Richard Gasquet - 1.5 games v Mikhail Kukushkin: It is going to take Richard Gasquet a little bit of time to recover to a point where he can play his best tennis on the Tour. A long injury lay off and a return on the clay courts was perhaps far from ideal, but Gasquet is one of the more comfortable grass court players out there.

His win in the First Round in Hertogenbosch looks a solid one even if Gasquet needed three tough sets which could have sapped some energy. He certainly was more convincing than Mikhail Kukushkin, although I do think this is another player who is very happy on the grass and can use a decent serve to set up his entire performance from match to match.

Both players do have solid serves for the surface and they can both return effectively enough which makes this a close match. The lack of matches in the legs in 2019 may affect Richard Gasquet, but his serve has proved to be more potent of the two in their previous matches.

That may be the case and the difference maker when they play each other in this Second Round match. I do think Kukushkin will challenge Gasquet considering his own level on the grass and those lack of matches I have mentioned, but the Frenchman is someone who can produce some of his best tennis on this surface and I expect him to edge this one.

MY PICKS: Adrian Mannarino - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Richard Gasquet - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Matteo Berrettini-Karen Khachanov Over 24.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Alexander Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 2.20 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Felix Auger-Aliassime - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 6-6, - 1.34 Units (24 Units Staked, - 5.58% Yield)

Season 2019: + 75.37 Units (956 Units Staked, + 7.88% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2019 (June 11th)

There isn't much I can say about Rafael Nadal that hasn't already been said before- any player that wins twelve Grand Slams in one tournament has to be given the utmost respect.

It is amazing to think that Pete Sampras reaching fourteen total Slams was such a huge achievement that we have seen the likes of Roger Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic now take that number to a new level. Who would argue against Nadal from matching Sampras' total at the French Open alone?

You can only say it has been a remarkable time in men's tennis as we watch three of the absolute greatest players of all time compete and now we head into the grass court season when all three will believe they can win the next Grand Slam of 2019.

Wimbledon comes around pretty sharpish following the conclusion of the French Open and the grass court season has already begun. I did not make any selections on Monday because I had seen the weather and was not expecting a lot of tennis to be played in Stuttgart, Hertogenbosch or Nottingham.

This will I will mainly be avoiding the WTA Nottingham event because it feels like one that is going to be played on a different surface than the outdoors grass we would have expected. Rain is hammering the UK through the week and we don't need much to see grass court matches interrupted and that looks to be the case for all of the ladies playing in that event.

The other two venues look to be in a position that they will enjoy better conditions for the majority of the week and on Tuesday my first grass court selections in 2019 will come from those events.

I won't be able to write up any analysis for those Picks on Tuesday, and there are a lot of Picks to open this week with a full First Round of matches scheduled at these events. Hopefully we can get this week off to a positive beginning and I will then update the season totals on Wednesday from the French Open after securing a couple of winners in the women's and men's Finals over the weekend.


MY PICKS: Aleksandra Krunic @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Alison Riske - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Kiki Bertens - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Elise Mertens - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)
Jannick Sinner @ 2.20 William Hill (2 Units)
David Goffin - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Mikhail Kukushkin - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Marton Fucsovics - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Gilles Simon - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Denis Kudla - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)
Gael Monfils - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Tennis Picks 2018 (June 17th)

This has been a very strong week for the Tennis Picks and I have a couple to round off the tournaments as I look to put an exclamation mark on the week.

It has been a busy day all around which means I will simply place the Tennis Picks from the four Finals set to be played on Sunday below.

MY PICKS: Kirsten Flipkens @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Richard Gasquet - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Boyle Sports (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 21-10, + 16.94 Units (62 Units Staked, + 27.32% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (June 11th)

The Tennis Tour is not one that waits around too long before the next tournaments are ready to go and this week we have the change in surface.

Congratulations have to be given to both Simona Halep and Rafael Nadal for winning the French Open titles this past weekend, but the majority of the Tour will have turned their attention to the grass courts and the move from the clay courts.

The initial move can be difficult for some players who simply don't enjoying playing on the green stuff as some of the other surfaces, but it is all preparation for the third Grand Slam of the season at Wimbledon which begins in less than a month from now.

For Tennis fans it is also a big week as Roger Federer returns to the court having skipped the clay court season to give him the best chance to produce the tennis needed to win Wimbledon and/or the US Open. You can't blame Federer for the decisions he takes considering he won in SW19 last season and he may be the favourite to add to the number of Grand Slam titles he owns as he bids to keep Rafael Nadal from taking over with the most Grand Slam wins in the men's game.

Federer will be back on the courts in Stuttgart later this week and that is one of four events being played. Hertogenbosch will offer a men's and women's event while Nottingham hosts another WTA event in a busy week on the Tour during the relatively short grass court swing.


The French Open proved to be a difficult tournament for the Tennis Picks and has dented the season totals, but I am looking to get this week going with a positive beginning. The change in surface is something to keep in mind with some players simply not comfortable on the grass, while others will be grateful to get off the clay and onto a more productive surface for themselves.

I have got the break down from the four ATP matches I am selecting and adding three WTA Picks to the 'MY PICKS' section below.


Yuichi Sugita - 2.5 games v Nikoloz Basilashvili: The clay court season could not have ended quick enough for Yuichi Sugita who simply has not performed consistently on that surface throughout his career. The move to the grass courts should be something he is very comfortable with and I expect Sugita to get the better of Nikoloz Basilashvili when they play in Hertogenbosch.

Over the last couple of years Sugita has shown some real improvement on the grass courts with decent numbers behind his serve and on his return which should give him the edge in a match like this one.

In each of the last two seasons Sugita has had a combined hold/break percentage of 107% and that is significantly better than Basilashvili which means I favour the Seeded player to come through this First Round match.

In 2016 Basilashvili 87% combined hold/break percentage and in 2017 he improved that slightly to 91% but that is still some way short of the Sugita numbers. With those numbers it won't be a big surprise that Basilashvili is 1-6 on the grass courts compared with Sugita who is 17-7 and I am looking for Sugita to come out more comfortable on this surface.

You can't always tell how someone will react to a first match on a new surface which is something to consider when making your plays on Monday in the first of the grass court matches. However I do think Sugita is the better player on the surface and I think he would have been looking forward to the move away from the clay courts more than Basilashvili and I expect Sugita is going to work his way to a win and a cover of the number in this match in Hertogenbosch.


Aljaz Bedene-Marius Copil over 23.5 games: This is a very interesting match up on the grass courts with both Aljaz Bedene and Marius Copil very capable of producing some of their best tennis on the grass courts.

I did favour Copil to win but the poor head to head with Bedene and the very similar numbers does put a dampener on backing the underdog in this one.

What looks to be a little more certain is that both Bedene and Copil should be very strong behind the serve and it would not surprise me if we get to see a number of holds of serve which could mean at least a couple of tie-breakers are needed to separate the two players.

The three previous matches between these players have all come on the clay courts and the last one in Budapest a couple of months ago was a close run thing, but mentally it should mean Bedene is in a good place. Bedene had a combined hold/break percentage of 101% on the grass courts last season and that is narrowly below Copil's 105% although last year was considerably better for Bedene than in 2016.

What has stayed steady for Bedene is the strong hold percentage and he is not exactly facing a great returning opponent on the grass. On the other hand Copil's hold percentage has been even stronger and he should be able to rattle through some games very quickly which suggests this will be a tight match even if there is a winner in straight sets.

The total games are slightly high, but there is every chance these two players need a deciding set to determine the winner and I think backing at least twenty-four games to be played looks the call.


Florian Mayer - 2.5 games v Yannick Maden: 2018 has not been a good year for Florian Mayer and I do wonder if the veteran is finally on an irreversible slide in his career. The grass courts may give Mayer a chance to at least change the perception of a player who has lost 14 of 19 matches played in 2018 and this is a surface on which Mayer is very comfortable.

His opponent has been given a Wild Card into the draw in Stuttgart and I expect Mayer is more familiar with Yannick Maden than many tennis fans will be.

Maden has some decent numbers compared with Mayer in 2018 but the majority of his time is spent off the main Tour as he makes a living. His limited time on the grass courts means this is just the fifth match Maden would have played on the surface and he is 2-2 in the previous for matches with none of those coming against opponents inside the top 150 of the World Rankings.

You can't really read too much into such a small sample, but over the years Mayer has produced some of his best results on the grass courts. It was only two years ago Mayer was winning one of the biggest titles of his career in Halle and having a combined hold/break percentage of 103% on the grass in 2017 is respectable enough considering he has been playing at a higher level than Maden.

Last season was some of the better returning Mayer has put together on the grass and the feeling is that he can have some joy against Maden who held at 73% on the grass in 2017 in the four matches played. That is not exactly stellar numbers considering the opponents they came against and I think Florian Mayer can put some wins up with the right draws over the next five weeks.

I will look for the veteran to make his experience count and help him win and cover the number in this First Round match in Stuttgart.


Mischa Zverev - 1.5 games v Mikhail Youzhny: This has all the makings of a really good grass court match between Mischa Zverev and Mikhail Youzhny but I have to favour the home player to have the edge.

You can't take nothing away from Youzhny who is still a very effective grass court player and especially not when he has put a couple of wins on the Qualifiers under his belt ahead of this First Round match. The Russian was surprisingly beaten in the First Round in the Surbiton Challenger last week, but Youzhny's numbers on the grass courts in recent seasons suggest he hasn't lost a major step on the surface when playing against opponents outside of the top 20 of the World Rankings.

However it has to be said that he is facing an opponent whose games is tailor made for the grass courts and Zverev has shown his comfort on the surface with some very strong numbers over the last couple of years.

Even the loss last week was a close one for Youzhny but now he faces an opponent in Zverev who will look to put some pressure on him by getting to the net and forcing the Russian to hit his passing shots. The old school pressure Zverev brings can disrupt any opponent when at his best and last year he found his best tennis on the grass courts with an 110% hold/break percentage.

Youzhny's numbers are far from sloppy in each of the last three seasons on the grass, but Zverev is capable of using the home support and scoreboard pressure behind his own serve to edge out his opponent. I do like Youzhny on the grass courts, but he has slipped a little more than Zverev and I expect the latter to move into the Second Round.

MY PICKS: Yuichi Sugita - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Aljaz Bedene-Marius Copil Over 23.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Florian Mayer - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Mischa Zverev - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Coco Vandeweghe - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Camila Giorgi - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Jana Fett @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Season 2018 Update: - 4.04 Units (825 Units Staked, - 0% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2017 (June 17th)

This has been a solid week for the tennis picks and I am hoping the last two days of the tournaments can also ensure that a winning week is put together.

Friday has been a busy day to write up a full thread, but I have some picks from the Semi Final matches to be played across the tournaments which you can see below.

MY PICKS: Feliciano Lopez - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Benoit Paire @ 2.38 Coral (2 Units)
Ana Konjuh - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 15-11, + 5.78 Units (52 Units Staked, + 11.12% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2017 (June 13th)

Both the ATP and WTA Tour have moved onto the grass court tournaments as preparation for Wimbledon begins in Hertogenbosch, Nottingham and Stuttgart this week.

Next week the bigger events take place with a couple of ATP 500 events and the important WTA tournament in Birmingham which is when the really big names are all taking part to get themselves ready for the third Grand Slam of the season.


It was a mixed start to the week for the tennis picks with the two women's matches both landing the wrong way, but the two men's matches at least preventing it being a really poor day. There are plenty of matches scheduled for Tuesday as the events this week really get going, but finding the right angles is the key with the move from the clay onto the grass courts a difficult transition for players.


Andrey Kuznetsov - 1.5 games v Jerzy Janowicz: One of the big criticisms you can have of both of these players in their careers is that they can be guilty of playing some really sloppy tennis to go with the big hitting that can impress. The reason I am backing Andrey Kuznetsov to get the better of Jerzy Janowicz is the latter is still on his way back from a long term injury and the former is someone who is more than capable on the grass courts.

It feels like Janowicz is being priced up as the player who once reached the Wimbledon Semi Final, although that was a stunning run at the Slam rather than the culmination of a strong set of results on the grass. His game is well suited to the surface which isn't a surprise considering the size of the serve, but Janowicz is just as capable of throwing a stinker of a service game with double faults and poor shot selections likely to hold him back.

The Janowicz return game is still a considerable weakness in his game and he may have some troubles dealing with Kuznetsov's serve as long as the Russian is producing something like his best tennis. My concern in backing Kuznetsov is that this is a player who can go on a long run of making unforced errors as his aggressive style means he has a very small margin of error off the ground.

Kuznetsov and Janowicz will both make their mistakes in this one and I wouldn't be surprised if we need to go into a third set to determine a winner. However I do like the current form of Kuznetsov compared to Janowicz who is trying to rediscover his form on the Tour and the fact the former has produced some decent tennis on the grass courts in his career.

After a battle, Kuznetsov can work his way to a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win.


Feliciano Lopez - 2.5 games v Gilles Simon: There have been considerable signs that Gilles Simon has slipped from the level he once had and he looks to be a declining force on the Tour. His opponent in this one is another veteran of the Tour but Feliciano Lopez is still playing at a slightly higher level than the player on the other side of the net.

You would also think the grass courts would favour Lopez more than Simon even if the Spaniard has underachieved on this surface over the last couple of years. Early losses makes this a tougher match to get a read on, but Lopez has matched up well against Simon in his career too which should give him an extra edge.

There have been some solid performances from Simon on the grass which should mean he is given some respect, but I think he will be put under pressure from Lopez. The serve is followed by decent volleying and I am not sure Simon's defensive moment is as good as it once was, while the Simon serve is much more attackable.

I will be looking for Lopez to produce a solid serving day to keep the pressure on Simon and force him to try and pass at the net. Added to that will be a solid slice that Lopez can use to extract some mistakes from Simon off the low ball and also as a way to get to the net and keep the Frenchman trying to pass for much of the match.

That pressure should be enough to help Lopez come through with a 7-6, 6-4 win and move into the Second Round here in Stuttgart.


Jeremy Chardy v Florian Mayer: It looks like Florian Mayer will come in as a slight favourite to win this match, but I think the underdog Jeremy Chardy may surprise him. Mayer is considerably higher in the World Rankings, but he has some significant points to defend in the next two weeks which may put some pressure on the veteran German who has been having a tough season.

That is not to say that Chardy has had a really strong season, but he has been putting up more wins than Mayer in recent weeks. The move to the grass courts should help Mayer as he has shown strong form on the surface in the past, but I think he is perhaps overrated by the Quarter Final run here and winning the title in Halle last year.

Chardy is comfortable on the grass himself having reached the Fourth Round at Wimbledon previously, but he didn't have a great 2016 on this surface. There was some misfortune attached to at least one of the losses he had last year and I like the fact that Chardy should have the edge when it comes to the serve in this one.

That can be very important on the grass courts, while Chardy might have the superior forehand in this one too. Serving well and being able to follow with that shot should give Chardy a chance of earning the upset against Mayer who will be using more variation than the Frenchman. However I think Mayer will be put under pressure from Chardy's power and it is the latter who may come out with a narrow win.

He has never lost to Mayer before which may help mentally at key times in this one, especially if it is a tight match as I am expecting. Chardy can make that count with the win as his return game does enough damage to beat Mayer and move into the Second Round.


Adrian Mannarino - 1.5 games v Jordan Thompson: After a run to the Final of the Challenger event in Surbiton last week, you can understand why Jordan Thompson is only a narrow underdog to Adrian Mannarino in this First Round match in Hertogenbosch. Having the grass under his feet compared with the Frenchman who is playing his first competitive match on the surface could be important for Thompson.

On the other hand, I think that run might also have seen Thompson become a little overrated for this match against a lefty who has produced some solid runs on the grass throughout his career. Mannarino has also won his first match on the grass in each of the last five seasons and he would have covered this number each time.

The serve is not overpowering, but Mannarino can make it awkward coming out of the left-handed stance. That should put some pressure on Thompson, while Mannarino has an underrated return game which is also going to cause some problems for the Australian.

Thompson will be able to rattle through some service games, but I think there will be times when Mannarino really turns the screw against him and I am giving him the overall edge in this match. I would be looking for Mannarino to perhaps ride out some early issues as he gets more comfortable on the grass courts and that can then see him take control of the match.

He may even drop the first set, but I will look for Mannarino to come through with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win.


Coco Vandeweghe - 4.5 games v Carina Witthoeft: There are elements of Carina Witthoeft's game that I do like and I think it should be one that transfers onto the grass courts effectively enough. This does look like being a career year for Witthoeft on the main Tour, but she has yet to really put together a strong set of results on the grass.

I do think Witthoeft will cause some problems for Coco Vandeweghe, especially when the first serve is landing. However Vandeweghe has had a lot of success on the grass courts over the last few seasons and it isn't just the big serve that has set that up.

The American has actually returned pretty effectively and perhaps that is something that will surprise some people. Vandeweghe's heavy groundstrokes find huge penetration on the grass courts and getting the first strike is very effective on this surface compared with even the hard courts and that has seen Vandeweghe dismiss some challengers very easily.

Vandeweghe has played well in Hertogenbosch where she is the defending Champion and she would have covered this number in 12 of her 19 wins on the grass over the last couple of years. In that time she is 10-1 covering this number when favoured by less than 1.40 and that is an impressive run from a player who is not as known for her return as she is the heavy serve and big forehand.

I will look for Vandeweghe to have a little bit too much for Witthoeft on both serve and return and see that lead to a 6-3, 6-4 win for the American defending Champion.

MY PICKS: Andrey Kuznetsov - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Betway (2 Units)
Jeremy Chardy @ 2.20 Betway (2 Units)
Adrian Mannarino - 1.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)
Coco Vandeweghe - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Betway (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-2, - 0.36 Units (8 Units Staked, - 4.5% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2017 (June 12th)

It was a very good few weeks for Rafael Nadal which culminated with the Spaniard winning his tenth French Open title, a remarkable achievement for a player that many felt had seen his best days.

Instead that looks far from being the case for Nadal who is in a very strong position to end the year as the World Number 1, even if we are now entering the second half of the Tour when the tournaments are perhaps played on surfaces that he doesn't appreciate as much as the clay and slower hard courts.

Nadal has won four Grand Slams at Wimbledon and the US Open combined, but recent seasons have been more difficult for him in those events. On the other hand, Nadal's confidence has to be at a really high level and he might be ready to produce some of his vintage tennis at the remaining two Grand Slams to be played this season.


The Tour moves onto the grass court events just a day after the Roland Garros Final and the preparation for Wimbledon will be underway for many players. While most of the big names will likely sit out until the top events which begin in seven days time, one who will be back this week is Roger Federer who decided to skip the clay court season.

Federer is a clear favourite to win the title in Stuttgart which is one of three different venues for the grass court events this week. Everything has been geared up for Federer to have a real chance to win the remaining two Grand Slam events being played in 2017 and he will go into Wimbledon as the second favourite, although his Ranking could mean having to face someone like Andy Murray very early in the draw.

I don't think it will bother Federer having won the Australian Open despite having what looked a very difficult draw on paper, but the next couple of weeks is important to get the winning feeling back having been out of action since winning the title in Miami at the beginning of April.


The 2017 season for the tennis picks looked in a very difficult position after a really poor Indian Wells tournament which saw me take a few weeks off from the picks. I wanted the clay court season to try and turn things around and it has been a positive few weeks which culminated in a very strong showing at the French Open.

It has taken away some of the really poor efforts in the middle of the season and I am looking to keep the momentum going during the next month heading towards Wimbledon.

There is still work to do to turn this season into a positive one, but the last few weeks have proved to be very important to just put this year back into a manageable position and also justified the decision to take a break before the clay court season began.


Mischa Zverev - 3.5 games v Malek Jaziri: You don't want to be guilty of over-rating Mischa Zverev who had that memorable run at the Australian Open and I do acknowledge that the oddsmakers will tend to do that with players who make surprising runs in events.

With that in mind, I do think Zverev can be too good for Malek Jaziri who has regularly been a player who has struggled on the grass courts. Jaziri struggles to protect his serve and I think that is not going to be helpful when looking to win grass court matches where one break of serve can prove to be costly in a whole match.

He does produce sloppy service games on the grass and someone like Zverev can take advantage as he will look to pressure Jaziri by rushing to the net as much as possible. Forcing someone who is uncomfortable on the grass to hit passing shot after passing shot is likely to be a successful game plan for Zverev.

The German's own serve is not likely to give away as much as Jaziri's and I think that is going to be the key for helping Zverev come through in this one. I can see him having enough for a 6-4, 6-4 kind of win as he moves through to the Second Round.


Nicolas Mahut - 3.5 games v Dennis Novikov: The last two ATP tournaments in Hertogenbosch have both been won by Nicolas Mahut who comes alive at this time of the year. The veteran has not been having a good season and will likely be tested by Dennis Novikov, but he loves the grass and clearly holds this tournament very dear to his heart.

Mahut tends to play some of his best tennis on the grass courts with this serve-volley game perfectly suited to the surface, He is also very comfortable on a surface where so many other players tend to struggle and I won't be surprised if the Frenchman puts the wins together in the coming weeks.

He will have to respect his opponent who has had a number of matches on the grass courts already. Novikov has won a couple of Qualifiers to get into the main draw and was also involved in the tournament in Surbiton last week and that could give him an edge against an opponent who is making his bow on the grass in the 2017 season.

However I think Novikov may struggle under the pressure Mahut will try and put on him by forcing him to pass at the net. As I said in the Zverev-Jaziri match above, I do think that is the kind of pressure that can wear down players who either don't like the grass or are inexperienced on the surface and that is where I think Mahut will prove too good.

The lack of wins is a problem for Mahut, but he has bounced back in Hertogenbosch and I will look for him to find a 7-6, 6-3 win out of this one.


I've added two picks from the women's matches scheduled for Monday below.

MY PICKS: Mischa Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Nicolas Mahut - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Oceane Dodin - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Elise Mertens - 1.5 Games @ 1.73 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Season 2017: - 18.82 Units (1046 Units Staked, - 1.80% Yield)

Season 2016: - 5.64 Units (2013 Units Staked, - 0.00% Yield)

Season 2015: - 21.81 Units (1812 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)
Season 2014: + 45.05 Units (1586.5 Units Staked, + 2.84% Yield)

Season 2013: + 21.74 Units (1251.5 Units Staked, + 1.73% Yield)

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

Season 2011: + 82.02 Units

Tennis Picks 2016 (June 11th)

This has become a frustrating week with missed break point chances a feature of too many picks.

It is one thing getting into a position to earn those break points, but the disappointment of those being missed only to see opponents take the limited chances that come their way is hard to take.

You have to ride with that during the grass court campaign though and hope some of that luck evens up through the next few weeks.


Nicolas Mahut - 1.5 games v Sam Querrey: Both of these players have had considerable success on the grass courts in their career and you can't take anything away from the performances Sam Querrey and Nicolas Mahut have produced so far this week. That should mean both are confident and a big serving display from each could mean we are going to see limited break points in this one.

Taking those will be difficult too, but I do think Mahut is very comfortable in Hertogenbosch and that could prove to be a difference maker in this match. There isn't much between the players as both can be very tough to attack when they are serving big on this surface.

However Querrey is much more comfortable playing from the baseline and he may be asked to make some awkward passes against a very good net player in Mahut. That pressure can wear players down when they don't have the best returns and I think Mahut will favour himself in the rallies that get past four shots, even when Querrey is serving.

They played a very tight match at the US Open last year and I think this one will be very close too, but I will look for Mahut to just make the big plays at the right moments to record a 75, 76 win.

MY PICKS: Nicolas Mahut - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 10-12, - 5.06 Units (44 Units Staked, - 11.5% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (June 7th)

It was a mixed opening day of the grass court season as Nicolas Mahut comfortably won his match but Sam Querrey couldn't find a break of serve in his straight sets win over Benjamin Becker meaning he missed the cover by a single game.

On Tuesday a whole host of First Round matches are being played through the three tournaments that are being played this week although the top Seeds have been given 'byes' in some of the events.

That does mean we will be waiting for the return of Roger Federer to the Tour having missed the French Open as he gets set to get his preparations down for Wimbledon. The last few months of the season is when I feel Federer is at his most dangerous with the conditions more to his liking, but the key is to make sure he is fully healthy if he has real ambitions of challenging the dominance of Novak Djokovic.


Gilles Muller - 2.5 games v Robin Haase: The grass courts have not really been to the liking of Robin Haase through his career but he did make something of a breakthrough at his home tournament in 2015. Last season Haase reached the Semi Final in Hertogenbosch and pushed Nicolas Mahut the distance before coming up short and that might be the kind of memory he needs for a big week again.

The clay courts are supposed to be Haase's favourite surface, but he struggled as his form has dipped over the last few months. The Dutchman does have a solid serve which can produce cheap points on this surface and he is facing an opponent that isn't known for a tremendous return, but Gilles Muller looks the more adept on grass.

His lefty serve has pace, but Muller's strength is being able to hit his spots in the service box which leads to him being able to get forward and put away volleys and the short balls. Muller reached a Semi Final here and also the Quarter Final in Queens and he has won a title at the Challenger level on this surface.

If Muller is serving well he should keep Haase under pressure and I think Muller will have his chances to break serve. The key here is taking his chances when they do come along on the grass courts but I think Muller looks the happier on the grass courts and I will look for him to come through 75, 76.


Radek Stepanek - 2.5 games v Denis Istomin: It has been a very difficult twelve months for Denis Istomin, but one of the rare highlights in that time was winning a title on the grass courts in Nottingham. He might defend that title the week before Wimbledon, but it has been a tough season for Istomin and he will be hoping that the grass courts can turn around his form.

Istomin does have some very good results on grass in the past which will make him dangerous in Stuttgart, but I think he has drawn the short straw when it comes to the Qualifiers he could have faced. Radek Stepanek had a memorable showing at the French Open when he almost beat Andy Murray in the First Round, while he had two impressive wins in the Qualifiers which should see him come in with some confidence.

He might be 37 years old now, but Stepanek is still trying to make his way back up the World Rankings and clearly loves the game. Stepanek was beaten in his two grass court matches last season, but his game does translate onto this surface very well with an ability to get to the net and decent movement around the court.

This is going to be a tough match for Stepanek, especially if Istomin rediscovers the form that has deserted him in recent weeks, but I do think the Czech player can come through 64, 75.


Feliciano Lopez - 2.5 games v Mikhail Youzhny: Two veteran players meet each other in the First Round in Stuttgart and both Mikhail Youzhny and Feliciano Lopez are very comfortable on the grass courts. However it is Lopez who has been the more consistent at the main ATP level in the last couple of years and I think that can play a part in this match as he looks to improve his 6-2 head to head against the Russian.

You can see why Lopez is very comfortable on the grass courts- he has a big lefty serve that can earn him plenty of cheap points and a sliced backhand that stays low on the grass courts and puts opponents under pressure. The Spaniard is very happy up at the net where he can play his volleys and I don't think anyone is surprised by the strong record Lopez has on the surface.

These days the best we see of Youzhny comes in matches that are not played at the main ATP level and I think there is a clear difference in the levels in which these two players operate.

I do have to respect Youzhny because it is only three years ago that he reached the Final in Halle and the Fourth Round at Wimbledon where it took Roger Federer and Andy Murray to end his runs respectively. He is a very capable player on the grass courts but I think Youzhny doesn't have the same pop on the serve that Lopez will bring to the court and that should lead to the latter coming through with a 64, 64 win.


Philipp Kohlschreiber - 3.5 games v Pierre-Hugues Herbert: An unfortunate draw meant Philipp Kohlschreiber didn't have a very long run at Wimbledon last year when he was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the First Round. In Halle it was Roger Federer who was his First Round opponent, but Kohlschreiber did have a run to the Quarter Final in Stuttgart.

He is a better grass court players than the results indicate from 2015 because of those two players he was unfortunate to run into. Kohlschreiber didn't have a great French Open but he did have a decent clay court season and while I think he might have lost a step around the court, the faster surfaces should still be one which Kohlschreiber can use to his advantage.

The same can be said for Pierre-Hugues Herbert who has a solid first serve which should work well on the grass courts. He has begun to win matches on the surface in the Qualifier stages having done that twice in a row for Wimbledon. A tough loss to Bernard Tomic last season at Wimbledon shows that Herbert is more than capable of giving players a difficult match on this surface when he is serving well.

I just think Kohlschreiber is going to be a little stronger off the ground in this one and will feel most comfortable on the grass of the two players. If the German can take the chances that will come his way, I will look for him to move into the Second Round behind a 76, 63 win.

MY PICKS: Gilles Muller - 2.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Radek Stepanek - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Philipp Kohlschreiber - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-1, - 0.18 Units (4 Units Staked, - 4.5% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (June 6th)

The 2016 French Open might not have been the most memorable of Grand Slam events, but the tournament will go down in the history books as the place where Novak Djokovic became just the third player to ever hold all four Slam titles at the same time.

The dream Djokovic has always had of becoming a Champion here in Paris came true for the World Number 1 in a dominant win over Andy Murray as he took complete control after the first set was completed. The best player in the World now has won all four majors and he can win the calendar Grand Slam having won the first two Slams of the season.

It was refreshing to hear how honestly Novak Djokovic was talking when he was asked about the calendar Grand Slam- most athletes would have downplayed their chances, but Djokovic looked confident of his ability to win Wimbledon at the US Open to complete the Grand Slam.

Right now it is tough to see who will beat him as Djokovic looks ahead of all his rivals, but the likes of Roger Federer and Andy Murray are likely to be his closest challengers over the next few weeks. Djokovic also has the chance to make added history by winning the Olympic Gold Medal in the same year as the four majors which would be unprecedented and I am struggling to see a reason why he can't do that as long as he stays healthy.


For Andy Murray it was a big tournament too and he has to be proud of his clay court campaign. Coming up short in the French Open Final to Novak Djokovic is no disgrace and now Murray can take a few days to get himself mentally and physically prepared for the grass court season which will begin for him on Monday 13th June at Queens.

He is the World Number 2 and Murray has to consider himself a big threat at his two favourite tournaments at Wimbledon and the US Open and I think there are some exciting times ahead in Men's tennis.


The grass court season has begun at the Challenger level, but this is the first week of main Tour events on the surface. There are some big names in action, but none more so than the returning Roger Federer who has taken a place in the tournament in Stuttgart where Rafael Nadal won the title last season.

Sadly Nadal looks set to have some time on the sidelines and is unlikely to play in the forthcoming weeks heading into Wimbledon and is almost certainly missing that event too. Hopefully the Spaniard can soon return to the court and I am also hopeful that we can begin to see a healthy Roger Federer who missed the French Open with a lingering back issue.


Nicolas Mahut - 3.5 games v Lukas Lacko: The beginning of the grass court season can be tough for some players to make the adjustment coming off the clay, but that has never been an issue for Nicolas Mahut. One of the few remaining serve-volley players, Mahut has loved playing on the grass and has a very good record at this tournament having won the title here in 2013 and last season.

The defending Champion will be expecting to get off to a good start against the Qualifier Lukas Lacko although I have to credit the latter for winning two matches here already this week. Lacko's career has not taken the trajectory I would have expected as injury and a loss of form has seen him come off the main Tour and focus on Challenger events.

There is talent in the Lacko racquet that can pose problems for players when he is in top form, but the confidence is perhaps not in the very best place. His second serve will likely be attacked by Mahut who will try and force Lacko to make the passes to win the points and that can be difficult under the type of pressure the Frenchman will put him.

Mahut has won the two previous matches between these players, but those came a long time ago and are less relevant now. However I do think Mahut is the superior player on grass who clearly enjoys playing at this tournament and I fancy he will get his grass court season off to a good start with a 64, 64 win.


Sam Querrey - 2.5 games v Benjamin Becker: The clay courts are never going to see the best of Sam Querrey and I think the second half of the season might be more to his liking. The American is not always the most reliable player to back, but his serve and forehand combination has worked well on the grass courts in the past and Querrey is a dangerous player on this surface.

More so than Benjamin Becker who was beaten early in a Challenger event on grass last week and who is looking more and more like a player at the back end of his career. Becker has reached the Final at this event just a couple of years ago so can't be dismissed easily, especially if the first serve is firing against an opponent whose return is limited to say the least.

However I think there are too many occasions when Becker throws away his serve with a poor game and that can be critical against someone like Querrey on this kind of surface. Querrey can be guilty of quitting on his own serve at times, especially if someone can force him into five shots or more to try and win a point and not allow the American to dictate behind a big serve and then big forehand combination.

The head to head is leaning towards Querrey which will give him a mental edge too and having won the last three matches between these players, I am looking for Querrey to have enough to record a 76, 64 win in this one.

MY PICKS: Nicolas Mahut - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Sam Querrey - 2.5 Games @ 1.73 William Hill (2 Units)

Season 2016: - 28.72 Units (811 Units Staked, - 3.54% Yield)
Season 2015: - 21.81 Units (1812 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)
Season 2014: + 45.05 Units (1586.5 Units Staked, + 2.84% Yield)

Season 2013: + 21.74 Units (1251.5 Units Staked, + 1.73% Yield)

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

Season 2011: + 82.02 Units