Boxing Picks 2026- Raymond Muratalla vs Andy Cruz (Saturday 24th January)

This was supposed to be the weekend when Moses Itauma returned to the ring and continued his development and progress towards a Heavyweight World Title fight.

Unfortunately an injury has seen the entire card postponed and pushed back to the end of March, but that may be the start of a busy run for some of the top Heavyweights around the world.

Rumours are strengthening that Deontay Wilder will face Dereck Chisora in London in early April, while both Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury are both due back in the same month.

The last time Dubois and Fury were out in the ring were in contests against Undisputed Heavyweight King Oleksandr Usyk- at one stage it sounded like Usyk would next defend his status against the aforementioned Deontay Wilder, but that might be revisited later in the year and the Ukrainian may instead face another former Unified Heavyweight Champion in one Andy Ruiz Jr.

That does leave Fabio Wardley and Agit Kabayel looking in from the outside, although it may then make sense for the two to meet instead in a battle of top quality Heavyweights vying to be next in line to take on Oleksandr Usyk.

We do hope to have some news sooner than later with some of the top Promoters looking to announce some of the cards that are coming up in the first half of the year.

Some of those have been released by Matchroom and Queensberry who have some good looking shows for the fans in February and March, while a big fight night has been announced in America headlined by Ryan Garcia three weeks after Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson have squared off at Madison Square Garden.

A big Heavyweight name is not in action this weekend, but we have a World Title fight in the Lightweight Division taking place in Las Vegas, while Zuffa Boxing has its first show on Friday evening.

Credit has to be given to Dana White in announcing at least one more date and another to be rumoured for February, while the signing of Jai Opetaia is of high quality (even if it means having to work with other Promoters, which is not part of the business model).

There are still questions whether this UFC-style model can work in Boxing... Dana White continues to insist he wants to end the control of the Boxing organisations and he is well backed with Turki Alalshikh on board and the start of the Promotional cards will generate plenty of interest.

Raymond Muratalla vs Andy Cruz

Just seven fights into his professional career, Andy Cruz has fast-tracked his way into a World Title fight and he is the favourite this weekend.

At 30 years old, Andy Cruz did not want to wait around after putting together a deep amateur career and he has not eased his way into the pro ranks.

The Lightweight Division has lost some big names in recent years and there is every chance Andy Cruz could soon follow the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis in moving into the Light-Welterweight ranks to chase bigger names and challenges.

However, it would be a big mistake to overlook Champion Raymond Muratalla who is unbeaten in twenty-three fights and who has been elevated into full IBF World Champion.

This is another fighter who may choose to leave the Division sooner, rather than later, but Raymond Muratalla will want to show that he has learned plenty from his narrow win over Tevin Farmer and deserves to be recognised as a full World Champion. Criticism of becoming an 'email Champion' has hurt others, but Muratalla did want the big fights in the Division and ultimately it is not his fault that they were not arranged.

There has been plenty to like about the Champion- he has solid punching power, but is also capable of boxing really well and will need all of that if he is going to hold off Andy Cruz.

The blueprint has been given to Cruz by the performance put together by Tevin Farmer, who gave Raymond Muratalla a lot of problems.

Andy Cruz is faster and fresher than the veteran Farmer, and that is expected to be a difference in this Title Fight with the Cuban likely doing enough to secure the victory on the cards.

Working with the Ennis team in Philadelphia means Andy Cruz is more willing to sit down on his punches than you may expect, but the game plan here will be to frustrate the Champion with his skills and movement likely to be really important.

Raymond Muratalla is a very good fighter, but there is this feeling that he might be able to be out-boxed by someone of the talent of Andy Cruz and the likelihood is that the Challenger can become the Champion thanks to the Judges' cards.

It is a solid undercard designed to give some fighters exposure and others a spot to begin the rebuild.

Omari Jones and Israil Madrimov could both earn Stoppages on the undercard, but those prices are plenty short.

The likelihood is that Madrimov is not going to need too much time in the ring to get the better of Luis David Salazar- his opponent has been as low as the Light-Welterweight limit as recently as 2021 and Salazer was fighting at below the Light-Middleweight limit the last time he headed out to the ring.

He has fought at Middleweight before, but Israil Madrimov has been in with a much higher class of opponent and should make a really early statement in this one.

Khalil Coe is also expected to be victorious on the undercard against veteran Jesse Hart, but he missed weight and will lose his USA Light Heavyweight Title on the scales.

He may still put on a solid show to win this one late on, although it is difficult to dismiss the toughness of Hart to be able to get to the cards and at least give the favourite something to think about.

On Friday night, Zuffa Boxing 01 takes place and the first card is headlined by Callum Walsh who has long been aligned with Dana White.

This is one of the names that the new Promotion are looking to build around and the unbeaten fighter put on a good performance on the undercard of the Terence Crawford win over Canelo Alvarez to have more people take interest.

He is only 24 years old and the Irishman may have some real room for development.

Callum Walsh is moving up to Middleweight and will be looking to see if he can carry his power against Carlos Ocampo who has only been beaten in very good company.

The 30 year old Ocampo was blitzed by both Errol Spence Jr and Tim Tsyzu with neither fight lasting more than a single Round, but he did take Sebastian Fundora to the cards.

Carlos Ocampo took eighteen months away from the ring after being blown away by Tim Tszyu in 2023 and has started fighting above the Light-Middleweight limit and he has three wins in a row. Of course it should be stated that those have been at a lower level compared with those defeats and Carlos Ocampo may come up short again, even if Callum Walsh is perhaps not going to be as strong as those fighters that have wins over the Mexican.

However, the younger fighter hits hard and Carlos Ocampo should not make it too difficult for Callum Walsh to find him.

It will be a test for Walsh to see where he is in his career, but this is an opportunity to show people why the upper management at Zuffa Boxing are so keen to get behind him and he can break down Carlos Ocampo for a Stoppage win.

MY PICKS: Andy Cruz to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Israil Madrimov to Win Between 1-2 @ 3.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Callum Walsh to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Boxing 2026: 1-2, + 0.74 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.80% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 7 Picks 2026 (Saturday 24th January)

If it wasn't for a couple of late selections just missing the cover at the end of Day 6, it could have been a truly special day for the Tennis Picks made.

Earlier in the day, Daniil Medvedev had come through in five sets and still managed to cover a big spread, so there was some fortune attached, but unfortunately Tommy Paul was not able to complete a big win that he was on course to achieving when Alejandro Davidovich Fokina withdrew after winning two games in two sets.

The Aryna Sabalenka pick looked unlikely to win very early on as she got herself into a trickier match than it should have been, but overall you can never complain when adding more positive numbers to the totals.

On Saturday there is a heatwave set to hit Melbourne, one that has seen the organisers make a decision to move the starting time to an hour earlier than normal so they can get players on and off the court and leave the middle of the day as empty as possible.

It could mean a late night developing as the Third Round comes to a conclusion, but the safety of the participants and the fans has to be high on the list of priorities and the decision made by the Australian Open to try and get matches through before the hottest part of the day is the right one.

Heat is a factor that can change the outlook of any match as we simply don't know how all players will react to what are usually tough conditions in Melbourne.

This has not been the case so far at the tournament, but also means the incoming heatwave is going to have a serious impact and fatiguing issues can take hold.

Hopefully the players picked can find a way to keep battling through those tough moments.

Day 7 is not nearly as loaded with selections as the previous day, but there remain some solid plays on the card and those can be read below.

There is still some consisderable work to get through if this 2026 season is going to have the strong platform that has been set, especially with the second week yet to get underway at the opening Grand Slam of the season.

Taylor Fritz - 6.5 games v Stan Wawrinka: A little over a decade ago, the top of the ATP Tour was dominated by the 'Big Four', which then included Andy Murray alongside the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

That era is now known as the 'Big Three' with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic separating from the pack, but another player who had every right to be spoken alongside the very best on the Tour at that time is Stan Wawrinka.

He may not have reached the Semi Final at Wimbledon, but Wawrinka won Grand Slam titles at the other three Majors, including at the 2014 Australian Open. He reached the Semi Final on two other occasions in Melbourne, but the former World Number 3 is two months from celebrating his 41st birthday and Stan Wawrinka has announced he will retire at the end of the 2026 season.

With that in mind, Wawrinka was awarded a Wild Card into the main draw at the Australian Open on his retirement tour, but it is clear that the Swiss player is not ready to go quietly.

He came through in four sets in the First Round and then needed to go the full five sets and spend over four and a half hours on the court to win in the Second Round. Neither match was against an opponent Ranked higher than Number 92 and even a day of rest may not be enough for a 40 year old body to recover as it once did.

So not only does Stan Wawrinka have to overcome fatigue and physical ailments in the Third Round, but he is also taking on World Number 9 Taylor Fritz who has made comfortable progression through the first couple of Rounds here.

Taylor Fritz does not have the same storied history at Grand Slam level compared with his veteran opponent, but the American is expected to have a lot more to give and he should be able to wear down the much older opponent.

He has reached the Quarter Final in Melbourne before, but the overall record at the Australian Open is disappointing for Taylor Fritz considering his qualities on the hard courts. One of the main reasons has been a relatively poor return game, but this match up may not be where that aspect of his tennis is exposed, especially if Wawrinka is struggling with his fitness.

Taylor Fritz should be able to contain much of the threat from the other side of the court behind his serve and it should be noted that the return numbers are significantly better against lower Ranked opponents.

Over the last twelve months, the American has suffered a couple of disappointing defeats on the hard courts, but in the main he has tended to get the better of those he will be expected to beat.

You would think twice about this spread if it was a First Round match, but Stan Wawrinka has already invested so much into the tournament that you have to feel he is worn down and cannot keep up on the scoreboard.

He will not want his last memory of playing on the courts in Melbourne to be a retirement mid-match so you have to believe Stan Wawrinka will bite down and try and finish the contest, even if he is hurting and the last set could be where Taylor Fritz can pull away for the win and cover.

Over the last year, Stan Wawrinka has only played four matches against top 50 Ranked opponents on this surface and he has lost each one, while the service numbers have been severely impacted in those defeats. Even a relatively limited return player like Taylor Fritz should be able to get himself into rallies to wear down the veteran and come through with a solid win.

Jakub Mensik - 1.5 sets v Ethan Quinn: Two young players meet in the Australian Open Third Round on Day 7 of the tournament, but there is no doubting that Jakub Mensik is significantly further along in his development than Ethan Quinn.

This is made simple by the difference in World Ranking- the 20 year old Mensik is the World Number 17 and has won a title in Auckland this season, while his opponent is 21 and the World Number 80 who has failed to Qualify in Brisbane before an opening Round defeat in Adelaide.

However, they are in the same position on Saturday in this Third Round match with the opportunity to reach the second week of a Grand Slam a big boost to the career, especially at this early stage for both.

Neither has yet to play in double digit main draws at Grand Slam level and so there is some pressure on both with the chance to reach the Fourth Round for the first time. In reality both are going to feel this is a winnable match, although the stronger claims are certainly on the side of the higher Ranked player.

After coming through in a fifth set decider in the First Round, Jakub Mensik looked very comfortable in the Second Round.

He will have noted the relative ease in which Ethan Quinn has progressed, including in an upset over Hubert Hurkacz in the Second Round, but Mensik will believe his serve gives him a big edge in this contest.

The serve is going to be important on both sides of the net, but Ethan Quinn has struggled to impose that shot on top 50 Ranked opponents on this surface over the last twelve months. He has been in good form in this tournament with some suggesting conditions are quick in Melbourne, but Quinn will need to bridge a gap to a player that has very strong serving numbers on the hard courts in 2025.

Jakub Mensik is young though and he was upset in the Second Round at the US Open by a player Ranked way outside the top 100.

On that day he failed to deal with the pressurised moments when the big points came around, but Mensik will take plenty of confidence from the fact he beat Ethan Quinn twice last year and once on the hard courts.

In those two meetings, Jakub Mensik won 65% of service points played compared with Ethan Quinn's 57% mark and that led to a significant advantage of games being held. The hard court meeting in Cincinnati saw Jakub Mensik avoid giving up a single Break Point and you just have to favour the player from Czechia to come through at clutch times in this contest.

There is so much more to come from Ethan Quinn, which makes him dangerous, but at this current stage of their respective developments, Jakub Mensik can come through in three or four sets.

Casper Ruud - 1.5 sets v Marin Cilic: All credit should be given to another veteran continuing to fight his way through the Tour after Marin Cilic made it through to the Third Round at the 2026 Australian Open.

He was a very solid winner in the Second Round when set as the underdog, but Marin Cilic may need to find another gear if he is going to beat a top 20 Ranked opponent and earn a spot in the second week of the tournament.

The serve remains a big weapon for Marin Cilic, although it is a weapon that becomes harder and harder to impose on the better quality of opponent he faces. While his overall numbers in 2025 on the hard courts saw the Croatian hold 85% of service games played, those numbers dip over the last twelve months to 81% when only factoring in matches played against top 20 Ranked opponents.

However, it is the struggles on the return in those six matches that have really caught the eye and makes this a challenging Third Round match for the 37 year old.

Casper Ruud has played in three Grand Slam Finals, including at the 2022 US Open, but his performances at the Australian Open and US Open tournaments since then have been disappointing. The World Number 13 has only reached the second week at either of the Grand Slam tournaments played on hard courts once since reaching the Final in New York City and that despite his overall numbers on the surface improving in the last couple of years.

Two straight sets wins in Melbourne will have given Ruud confidence and his serve is a big weapon on this surface.

He does have one eye on news from back home where his wife is expecting to give birth at any time and Casper Ruud has stated that he will withdraw from the tournament if that happens over the next few days. This has not been a distraction though and instead the Norwegian is using it as motivation, much like Andy Murray once did, which makes Casper Ruud dangerous.

Unlike the very top names on the Tour, Casper Ruud can be guilty of losing in an upset or two and that has happened on the hard courts over the last twelve months, albeit not all that often.

He was beaten by an opponent Ranked outside the top 100 at the US Open a few months ago, but Ruud has won nine of ten matches against players outside of the top 50 on this surface since then. That includes a comfortable win in the First Round and Casper Ruud is expected to get the better of Marin Cilic on Saturday.

In four previous matches on the Tour, Casper Ruud has beaten the veteran each time, including on the hard courts of Stockholm in October.

The scoreline looks competitive, but Casper Ruud dominated the serving numbers and that has been the case in all four meetings against Marin Cilic.

You can never dismiss the veteran from giving the World Number 13 something to think about as a former Finalist in Melbourne, but Casper Ruud should have enough to avoid dropping two or more sets as he progresses to the Fourth Round here for just the second time in his career.

Karen Khachanov - 5.5 games v Luciano Darderi: The Italian has moved up into the top 30 of the World Rankings and that is partly down to a couple of solid, if unspectacular runs at the last couple of Grand Slam tournaments.

In the main, Luciano Darderi has built his World Ranking on strong clay court results, but it has been a tougher task on the hard courts.

Last year he finished with a 6-15 record on this surface, but Luciano Darderi did reach the Third Round at the US Open and he has done the same at the Australian Open, which suggests he may be getting to grips on how to produce on the hard courts.

However, it remains hard to ignore the fact that Darderi has a 9-29 record on the hard courts prior to his two wins in Melbourne.

Fans of the Italian will state that he is 2-4 when facing top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts over the last twelve months and Luciano Darderi may feel he can play with more freedom when having 'nothing to lose'. Despite the record, the numbers have not been very favourable though and Darderi is going to be an underdog when facing top 20 Ranked Karen Khachanov, who is very happy when playing on this surface.

The 29 year old may have needed five sets to come through his opening match in Melbourne, but Karen Khachanov had been handed a tough draw. There was little concern in the Second Round win and that should mean Khachanov has plenty in the tank as he prepares to reach the second week in Melbourne for the third time in four years.

His serve is always going to be a potent weapon for Karen Khachanov and he will need to serve well if he is going to win this match.

Karen Khachanov has been on the Tour for some time, but he should be comfortable with his ability on the surface against someone who is still getting to complete grips with top quality tennis on the hard courts.

The Russian has produced decent numbers when not facing top 20 Ranked opponents, and winning 68% of service points in those matches on the hard courts and backing that up with breaks in 25% of return games played gives Karen Khachanov a significant edge.

It is perhaps a surprise that Karen Khachanov has been asked to cover a larger spread than the one he was faced in the Second Round, but the strength of that win is a contributory factor.

However, the underlying feeling is that Khachanov has the hard court know-how to find a way to cover even if he needs four sets to win the match.

Naomi Osaka - 5.5 games v Maddison Inglis: This is not the first time that Australian Maddison Inglis has made it through to the Third Round of her home Grand Slam, but in 2022 she was awarded a Wild Card into the tournament.

Four years later, Maddison Inglis entered the Qualifying Rounds for the Australian Open, as has been the case in each of the last three seasons.

The last couple of years have ended in the final Round of Qualifying, but Inglis battled through to the main draw at this event and has continued to dig in to earn another run to the Third Round. This is going to help improve the World Ranking, which currently sits at Number 168, and the Australian has already beaten four players Ranked higher than herself to reach the Third Round.

However, none of the wins have been against anyone Ranked higher than Number 48 and this time Maddison Inglis is taking on a two time former Champion of this event.

Naomi Osaka has not been at her best in the first couple of Rounds, but she has found a way to move through the draw and that is an improvement on some of the early results she had when returning to the Tour. There is certainly more belief within the World Number 17, although Osaka may have to have found a way to ignore the criticisms that have been aimed at her for some of the on-court behaviour in the win over Sorana Cirstea.

She has apologised for what some believed to be gamesmanship and the challenge for Naomi Osaka is remaining focused and not worrying too much about what others may think.

This challenge only increases considering this is likely to be a match played in an atmosphere where the home player is going to be loudly backed by the crowd.

If she can lock in, Naomi Osaka should have too much for an opponent who had a career 1-11 record against top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts before beating Laura Siegemund in the Second Round.

In eight of those eleven defeats, Maddison Inglis would not have won enough games to get within the spread set for this Third Round match.

Naomi Osaka does need to improve if she is going to have a serious impact at the business end of this tournament, but her current level is expected to be too much for the Australian.

Over the last twelve months, Osaka has won six of seven hard court matches played against opponents Ranked outside the top 100 and four of those would have seen her cover the spread like this one.

The reality is that Naomi Osaka's level should be too much for a veteran in Maddison Inglis who will be well supported, but who has to find a number of gears to remain competitive.

MY PICKS: Taylor Fritz - 6.5 Games @ 1.80 Coral (2 Units)

Jakub Mensik - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Coral (2 Units)

Casper Ruud - 1.5 Sets @ 1.75 Coral (2 Units)

Karen Khachanov - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365

Elise Mertens - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Linda Noskova - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Ben Shelton - 1.5 Sets @ 1.50 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 23-10, + 17.36 Units (66 Units Staked, + 26.30% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2025- Naoya Inoue vs Ye Joon Kim (Friday 24th January)

Finishing up with a profit in 2024 is obviously a positive, but it is important to make a strong start to the 2025 Boxing year and that is because of the dip suffered in 2023 following a solid 2022.

It is key to put the winning years together to push forward, but January is proving to be a relatively quiet month for fans of the sport.

All of that changes very quickly when the calendar ticks over to February, while we have had some early news about the new Ring Magazine led cards that will be considered separate to the Riyadh Season events.

That has to be made clear because Ring Magazine is obviously now owned by Turki Alalshikh, who continues to be the face of the Saudi authorities despite his own promotional events being put together. The first is the big card in the United States featuring both Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia as they prepare to face off in Saudi Arabia in a rematch later in the year.

Reports continue to suggest we are getting closer to hearing about Terence Crawford's bid to dethrone Canelo Alvarez in the Super Middleweight Division, although both could be out in tune up events in May before a September showdown.

A fight that does not deserve the same billing as some of those mentioned will headline in London, assuming all the minor details are now finally signed off- Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn will still bring a huge amount of financial reward for the two fighters with Tottenham Hotspur Stadium looking to be the venue for that one. It might not be an elite fight, but the build up is going to be spiteful and that is yet another fight that is expected to be a two fight deal, much like the Haney vs Garcia rematch is set to be.

The opening weekend of February is going to be headlined by David Benavidez vs David Morrell, two fighters who feel they have had to move into the Light Heavyweight Division because of Canelo's refusal to face them at Super Middleweight.

That will be frustrating, but the winner of this one is going to become a mandatory for one of the World Titles that will be held by the winner of the Undisputed Light Heavyweight title fight later in February when Dmitry Bivol takes a second shot at Artur Beterbiev.

It is a bout that could be put on a big card, with big rewards for the winner.

Before that, we have a weekend of decent action across a couple of days.

It is always an honour to be able to watch Naoya Inoue, even if original opponent Sam Goodman has withdrawn from the contest for a second time. The show must go on though and Inoue is another fighter who could be offered with financial rewards to fight in Riyadh with a number of decent options available to him.

First things first and that is dealing with this replacement and matching the kind of impressive victory that Jai Opetaia had earlier this month.

The Cruiserweight World Champion and Justis Huni both secured big wins Down Under and they have helped open the 2025 season with two winners from the selections made.

A new thread will be used for the two Matchroom cards that are taking place on Saturday, but this one will be focusing on the top Super Bantamweight in the world and the remainder of the card being run in Japan.

Naoya Inoue vs Ye Joon Kim

There is no doubting that Naoya Inoue has become much more active as he has moved through the weight classes and it was only an injury to Sam Goodman that prevented him from fighting three times in 2024.

He is not exactly taking on weak opposition either, but this replacement looks like being one of the 'easier' fights Naoya Inoue has had in recent years.

Ultimately it is not his fault with Goodman pulling out of the fight for a second time and Naoya Inoue does not want to see his career lose the momentum he has built over the last three years. By getting this mandatory out of the way, Naoya Inoue can look for bigger challenges in the months ahead, whether that means moving up another weight class or having someone step up to prepare to face him.

With the Saudi riches knocking on his door, Naoya Inoue could be back out pretty quickly as long as he does what is expected in this fight.

Ye Joon Kim had been on standby to ensure the event would go ahead even if Sam Goodman was to not able to go and that is credit to the local promoters. The 32 year old South Korean deserves his praise too, but there is no doubt that this is a massive step up in class for Ye Joon Kim and it would perhaps be surprising if this is competitive, never mind if the upset can actually be achieved.

One punch can change things in Boxing, as Jaime Munguia will point out, but Ye Joon Kim is fighting someone who has shown he can come through adversity against much higher calibre of opponents.

In all honesty this feels like a fight that will go as long as Naoya Inoue wants- the feeling is that the Champion will know he cannot afford to pick up any cuts and bruises that prevents him from being back out in the ring pretty quickly. This should see him motivated and the 'Monster' may be in seek and destroy mode, which may end up producing a big Stoppage at some point during the first third of this contest.

There is always a decent undercard put together on the Naoya Inoue shows in Japan and the chief support features Jin Sasaki who is continuing his rebuild.

Seven wins and a Majority Draw has just reminded fans of the talents of Sasaki after the late Stoppage at the hands of the still unbeaten Andy Hiraoka.

He had to move up in Division having missed weight ahead of that defeat to Hiraoka and Jin Sasaki has looked pretty good in the Welterweight ranks.

With the likes of Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr moved on and Jaron Ennis unlikely to be long for the Division, Jin Sasaki is one of a number of fighters that will be looking to fill the void.

Veteran Shoki Sakai has fourteen defeats on the record, but has yet to be Stopped.

That experience could keep him out of harms way, but Jin Sasaki will keep the pressure on and he may make a real statement by forcing the Stoppage against Shoki Sakai in the second half of this contest.

MY PICKS: Naoya Inoue to Win Between 1-4 @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jin Sasaki to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Australian Open Tennis Day 13 Picks 2025 (Friday 24th January)

The Women's Final has been set after Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys were able to win Semi Final matches played on Day 12 at the Australian Open.

Fans of big hitting tennis are going to enjoy the occasion, although some would have been hoping to see the top two players in the World Rankings competing for the first Grand Slam of the season.

There is still a chance of that happening in the Men's Final, although that would not at least an upset in the first Semi Final scheduled on Day 13 when Novak Djokovic takes on the Number 2 Seed Alexander Zverev.

Out of the two Semi Final matches, the first does look like the one that the fans will enjoy most, although Ben Shelton will want to give the defending Champion something to think about in the Night Session.

Novak Djokovic-Alexander Zverev over 40.5 games: Both of these players showed tremendous grit and determination to win Quarter Final matches where the losing opponent will have been left with a lot of regret.

That is arguably more for Tommy Paul against Alexander Zverev having served to win both of the first two sets, but being broken and eventually downed in four sets by the World Number 2.

For Carlos Alcaraz the Quarter Final loss to Novak Djokovic will have just given the young Spaniard another learning moment as he allowed arguably the greatest player of all time get in his head. Dropping the first set, Novak Djokovic looked like he was carrying a major injury that was limiting his movement, but Carlos Alcaraz played a really poor match and ultimately will feel he allowed the former World Number 1 off the hook.

Novak Djokovic will not care and instead is feeling very grateful for an extra day of rest between his Quarter Final win and this big Semi Final. This is going to be used to make sure he is ready to compete as healthy as he can be and Novak Djokovic might hold a slight mental edge over Alexander Zverev having won the biggest matches they have played against one another at Grand Slam events.

However, it has been some time since Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev last faced off and the latter is most definitely at the peak of his powers.

Six of the last eight Grand Slams played by Alexander Zverev have seen the player reach the Quarter Final, and this is the fourth time he has played in the Semi Final. Getting over the line and reaching a Grand Slam Final has been tougher with just one appearance on the final Sunday in that run of form and winning a Major is the only ambition left for Alexander Zverev.

There is room for improvement in the serving numbers if Alexander Zverev is going to upset Novak Djokovic, and he is facing a great returner who will keep the pressure on him. A high percentage of first serves is key, while Zverev is certainly capable of getting enough returns back in play to hurt Novak Djokovic too.

Of course Novak Djokovic is going to feel pretty comfortable in the match up, as long as he is not suffering lingering problems from the issue that was affecting him in the Quarter Final. Both previous Grand Slam matches between these players on the hard courts have been pretty competitive, but Novak Djokovic has played the big points better than Alexander Zverev so you do have to give him the edge overall.

However, it is foolish to ignore the improvements made by the World Number 2 and the fact that Novak Djokovic is older and has only reached one Grand Slam Final since the US Open in 2023. It may mean another long, competitive match is played between the two players in this Semi Final and they may produce enough positive serving to produce the games to surpass this total set.

Jannik Sinner-Ben Shelton over 32.5 games: The World Number 1 was in imperious form in the Quarter Final win over Alex De Minaur and any worries about Jannik Sinner being held back by an illness have been erased.

He admitted he had been feeling much better after the tough Fourth Round win over Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner was able to continue his dominance of the last remaining Australian competing in Melbourne. The match up is simply not a very good one for Alex De Minaur who does not have the power to keep Jannik Sinner from taking over the rallies, while the Italian is always going to have the consistency to eventually break down De Minaur, as proved to be the case in the Quarter Final.

The layers are expecting another routine win for Jannik Sinner when he takes on young American Ben Shelton, but the latter has a much bigger game than Alex De Minaur and that makes him that much more dangerous for the top Seed to deal with.

Unsurprisingly Jannik Sinner does have a winning record against Ben Shelton and the main reason for that is that the World Number 20 is still working on being more effective on the return of serve. This is an issue that Shelton will want to address if he has serious ambitions of winning a Grand Slam, but all the other tools are there for him with big groundstrokes backing up a huge serve.

This Semi Final is going to be all about first strike tennis as far as Ben Shelton is concerned, while Jannik Sinner has to feel confident of his chances if he can neutralise a rally early and then allow his own consistency and big hitting to take over. The backhand advantage for Jannik Sinner gives him the edge, but he will be well aware of the threat that Ben Shelton brings onto the court.

It was a routine win for Jannik Sinner when these two met on the grass at Wimbledon last year, but matches between the pair have been a lot closer on the hard courts.

Ben Shelton won their first hard court match in Shanghai in 2023, but Jannik Sinner has responded by winning the next three, including both played on this surface in 2024. However, Sinner needed to save 7 Break Points in his win over Ben Shelton in Shanghai at the back end of last season and took his one opportunity to earn a tight, competitive win over the American.

This match is expected to be played in the Night Session at Melbourne Park and that may give Jannik Sinner another edge having been used to playing in the conditions on this court. It is another test for Ben Shelton, but the 22 year old has to be encouraged by his performance against the World Number 1 in Shanghai and a big serving day could see him push Jannik Sinner.

As solid as a return player Jannik Sinner has become, it should be noted that he has not had consistent success against the Ben Shelton serve with 14% of return games ending in breaks when competing against the American on the hard courts. Over the last twelve months Jannik Sinner's number is actually closer to 30% on this surface and that just underlines the challenges faced by the top Seed in this Semi Final.

Even in their two matches last year on this surface, Sinner was able to break in one of five return games and this could be a Semi Final which sees competitive sets played.

A three set win for Jannik Sinner may make it difficult to cover this total number of games line, but if Ben Shelton is serving as he can, the match up is one where even a straight sets win might be enough. The Break Points created in Shanghai will give Ben Shelton confidence that he can avoid losing a seventh, eighth and ninth set in a row on this surface against Jannik Sinner and this is a Semi Final that may also go longer than the layers are anticipating.

MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic-Alexander Zverev Over 40.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jannik Sinner-Ben Shelton Over 32.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 27-11, + 21.40 Units (73 Units Staked, + 29.32% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 11 Picks 2024 (Wednesday 24th January)

While the men's draw looks solid, the top half of the women's draw looks incredibly open.

Two of the four Semi Final matches have been set and both look like being very strong matches.

On Wednesday we will complete the final four line up, but it feels like an incredible opportunity for the four WTA players facing off in their Quarter Final matches on Day 11.

Linda Noskova, Dayana Yastremska, Anna Kalinskaya and Qinwen Zheng make up the quartet and one of those players will be playing in their maiden Grand Slam Final. They will be facing a former Grand Slam Champion in that Final on Saturday, but it could be a huge boost to their careers if they can go on and win the Australian Open crown, although no one outside of their individual teams would have really expected this kind of run.

Picking winners in those Quarter Final matches looks incredibly tough- the feeling is that Kalinskaya could certainly cause an upset, but the Noskova-Yastremska match could be filled with nerves.

The men's matches should see the four players dealing with nerves much better having played big Grand Slam matches in this Round previously and those two are the focus on the day.

Hubert Hurkacz-Daniil Medvedev over 40.5 games: The women's draw has once again been decimated by upsets across the board, but seven of the eight men's Quarter Finalists are currently Ranked in the top 10 as those players continue to lead the way.

It should make for a strong end to a tournament that has featured so many upsets over the first ten days and every player left will feel they have a chance of winning the opening Grand Slam of the season.

Some will certainly be backed by outsiders more than others, but internally all of the players left standing will believe they have the tennis that is capable of winning a major.

Daniil Medvedev has not won the Australian Open, but he has twice been a Finalist here and he goes into this Quarter Final as the favourite. However, he will be well aware of the dangers that Hubert Hurkacz poses, especially as the latter leads the head to head 3-2 despite being the lower Ranked player each time they have met.

That record includes a five set win at Wimbledon in 2021 and Hubert Hurkacz was able to snap the two match losing run on a hard court against Daniil Medvedev when beating him at the Miami Masters in 2022. They did not play one another in 2023, but the match up will not have changed too much for Hubert Hurkacz and the underdog will certainly feel he has every chance of earning the upset to take his place in the final four.

The key will be the serve for the Pole who has held 92% of his service games played against Daniil Medvedev- at the same time, the World Number 3 has managed to hold 89% of his own service games when only considering the hard court matches between the two players.

There is no doubting that the serve has been an important factor in Hubert Hurkacz making it through to the Quarter Final and he has held 93% of his service games played in Melbourne in 2024. Hubert Hurkacz has been allowed to get on the front foot when it comes to the return with the serve working so well and his returning numbers have been very good in the tournament too.

Daniil Medvedev will be definitely tested in this match and his numbers on the hard courts have dipped in the last couple of seasons. Even in his run in this tournament, Medvedev has only been able to hold 82% of his service games played and he will have to be a lot more focused on that side of his tennis against an opponent serving as big as Hurkacz is right now.

You can make a case for the underdog, especially as Hubert Hurkacz has a win over Daniil Medvedev at a Grand Slam event, albeit on the grass of Wimbledon which is arguably the World Number 3's least favourite surface.

The expectation is that Medvedev will be much stronger on a hard court, even if the head to head is in favour of the opponent. The last two wins for Hubert Hurkacz have both been in straight sets, but this looks like a potential battle in the making and the first three matches all saw both men win at least one set.

Tie-Breakers are likely to be in play, and that should mean four sets will be enough for this match to surpass the total line set.

Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 games v Alexander Zverev: It was Alexander Zverev who won the first two matches ever played against Carlos Alcaraz, but the latter was Ranked outside the top 40 in both of those back in 2021. Since cracking the top 10, Alcaraz has won three of five matches and that includes a crushing win at the US Open last September at the same stage of that Grand Slam.

Alexander Zverev earned some revenge by beating Carlos Alcaraz in a deciding set at the ATP World Tour Finals in Turin, but that was a match played on an indoor hard court. The conditions in Melbourne have been pretty quick, which would suit the German, but you cannot ignore the time he has already spent on the court.

Some may describe it as potentially being undercooked, but Carlos Alcaraz should be the fresher player in this Quarter Final having spent around nine hours on the court compared with the fourteen hours Alexander Zverev has had to negotiate. The fact that Zverev has played two five set matches already in the four played in Melbourne is also a negative factor going against the underdog set for the match.

The serve has been important for Alexander Zverev who has held 89% of his service games played in the tournament. This has made up for the relative struggles on the return with Zverev breaking in just 15% of return games played, which is a similar level shown to when he was playing in the United Cup earlier this month.

A poor returning number has to be a concern ahead of facing Carlos Alcaraz who has held 98% of his service games played at the Australian Open in 2024. He has been broken just once in the four matches played and that has allowed the Spaniard to just free himself up on the return, which has led to breaks in 33% of return games played.

In the two hard court matches played against one another in 2023, it was Carlos Alcaraz who had the slightly superior serving numbers in terms of percentage of points won. He also played the big Break Points a little better than Alexander Zverev, despite finishing 1-1 in the head to head, and you have to feel the fresher player will be able to come through in this important Quarter Final.

At his best Alexander Zverev can be very dangerous, but he may not have the energy to keep levels high throughout this Quarter Final and that should give Carlos Alcaraz the opportunity to pull away by the end.

MY PICKS: Hubert Hurkacz-Daniil Medvedev Over 40.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 20-45, - 54.86 Units (130 Units Staked, - 42.20% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 9 Picks 2023 (January 24th)

After a really positive run through the Third Round matches, the Fourth Round was a touch more frustrating.

However, I can only be pleased with the opening of the 2023 season... It is only an opening though with six days left at the tournament.

Eight Quarter Final matches, four Semi Final matches and two Finals have to be played across those six days before the end of the Australian Open and so this is a time not to applaud past successes, but remain focused to ensure a positive end to the event can be secured. This is going to feel important because I will not be having any more Tennis Picks in January and perhaps not until the WTA Tour begins its swing through the Middle East.

The ATP Tour will hit the South American Golden Swing and indoor hard court events in Europe before their tournaments are also head to Qatar and Dubai for big events at the end of February.

All in all it means the next few days are important to build on the start made at the Australian Open and you can see the selections from Day 9 as the top half Quarter Final matches are played.

Sebastian Korda v Karen Khachanov: It is almost twenty full years since an American men's tennis player has won a Grand Slam title when Andy Roddick picked up his sole Slam at the US Open. Since then, American tennis has struggled to find the talent to really challenge for the major prizes on the ATP Tour, but the last couple of years there has been a momentum shift.

We may finally have seen that come together at a Grand Slam where a number of those younger players have made it through to the Quarter Final of the Australian Open. On Day 10 we are going to definitely be getting at least one American male player into the last four of a Grand Slam, but on Day 9 arguably the most talented of the players leaving those shores will be in action in his own Quarter Final.

Having a former Australian Open Champion as a father and a top 30 Ranked WTA player as a mother has clearly helped the children with the Korda sisters making a big name for themselves on the LPGA Tour, but it is Sebastian Korda making the biggest waves this week. He may consider himself the 'worst athlete' in the family, but at the end of this tournament he is definitely going to be eclipsing his mother's best World Ranking mark and is looking to win the same title his father did twenty-five years ago.

American commentators have long talked up what Sebastian Korda could be capable of and you do wonder how many more Grand Slams he could pick up if he can win one early in his career. 2023 has already started in impressive fashion for Korda who has a number of top 20 wins already and he is the favourite in this Quarter Final.

I think the price would have been much wider in favour of Sebastian Korda if he had not been dealing with one or two issues in his win over Hubert Hurkacz in the Fourth Round, while the performances of Karen Khachanov have been very impressive this week. The Russian is higher Ranked than Sebastian Korda and is an experienced player at the business end of Grand Slams having reached three previous Quarter Finals at this level at each of the other three tournaments played.

Karen Khachanov will be looking to make it back to back Grand Slam Semi Final runs after doing that at the US Open in September and that does mean he should be respected. The serve is a potent weapon for Khachanov when he is at his best, and it has been operating at a pretty high level at the Australian Open which has given Karen Khachanov an opportunity to play loose and aggressive on the return.

His toughest match this week was the four set win over Frances Tiafoe, but otherwise Khachanov has been untroubled and so should be the fresher player.

It should be said that the Karen Khachanov numbers are far stronger this week than those produced by Sebastian Korda, but I do think the wins over Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurkacz will stand Korda in good stead.

Further he won both hard court matches against Karen Khachanov last year and Sebastian Korda had a considerable edge on the serve in those matches- he won 66% of service points played and held 86% of service games played compared with Khachanov's 60% and 71% marks respectively.

It has been a really good month for Sebastian Korda and I do think he can keep up his edge over this opponent as he looks to make a maiden Grand Slam Semi Final. You have to imagine that Sebastian Korda has grown up ready to deal with the nerves that come with his strongest Grand Slam run of his young career and I think he will be able to do enough to get past a big-hitting, quality opponent like Karen Khachanov in a tough battle.

The head to head edge on the numbers and the results over the last six months should be a major confidence booster for the young American and I will back him to move through.

Jiri Lehecka + 6.5 games v Stefanos Tsitsipas: He may have started his tennis career much later than most, but Jiri Lehecka is clearly very, very talented and is making waves at the first Grand Slam of the season. Wins over two top 12 Ranked opponents have been impressive to watch, but the challenges continue to get tougher into this Quarter Final as he takes on a genuine contender to win the title in Melbourne.

It won't just be Stefanos Tsitsipas who will test the young player, but a huge amount of the crowd are going to be firmly behind the higher Ranked player and that can be tough to deal with for someone who is not that experienced.

This will be another learning match for Jiri Lehecka, but he has to be pleased with the level of tennis he has been playing at the Australian Open and it may be good enough to challenge Stefanos Tsitsipas, even if the favourite ultimately prevails.

Serving well has been the key to this run to the Quarter Final and Jiri Lehecka is also an aggressive, come forward player who will look to get to the net and dare opponents to pass him. If a return player gets some rhythm on the pass, it could be a tough day in the office for Lehecka, but he has to feel his best approach to this match is putting Stefanos Tsitsipas under the gun and making him pass time and time again.

For all of the qualities the Greek player has, his return can be improved- Stefanos Tsitsipas has been returning well this month, but the wins have come at the Australian Open because of his efficiency when it comes to breaking serve. He is winning less than 40% of return points, but Tsitsipas is 18/34 when it comes to Break Points and a similar kind of level will mean he has every chance of winning this Quarter Final in fairly routine fashion.

Much of that would be down to the fact that Stefanos Tsitsipas is really dominating behind his serve and managing to play the biggest points very well. He was a little fortunate against Jannik Sinner in the last Round having saved 22 Break Points, but Tsitsipas had only dropped serve twice in three previous matches and had allowed a total of 15 Break Points across those three wins.

Like his opponent, Jiri Lehecka has used his serve to try and create pressure that leads to the Break chances and he has been pretty efficient with his performances when those points have been earned. He also showed tremendous resiliency to keep serving well in the win over Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Fourth Round and the Czech player can keep this one close as long as he looks after his own serve.

These two players met eleven months ago and it was Stefanos Tsitsipas who came from a set down to beat Jiri Lehecka. On that day he had a clear edge on the serve and I do think the higher Ranked player will eventually have too much for Jiri Lehecka again, but this is a high number of games to cover if the younger player is serving at the level he has been in this tournament and I will take the games with the underdog.

MY PICKS: Sebastian Korda @ 1.75 Coral (2 Units)

Jiri Lehecka + 6.5 Games @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)

Elena Rybakina - 3.5 Games @ 1.85 Coral (2 Units)

Jessica Pegula - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 34-25, + 8.26 Units (118 Units Staked, + 7% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 8 Picks 2022 (January 24th)

Most of the big names have managed to work their way through to the second week of the Australian Open tournament, but this is a time when the matches become much tougher for the top players on the Tour.

Alexander Zverev suffered a straight sets loss to Denis Shapovalov in the Fourth Round, but the top half of the Men's and Women's events have had the Quarter Final line up put together. I still believe Ashleigh Barty and Daniil Medvedev are the correct favourites to win the tournament over the coming days, but both events do still look to be wide open and I think every player remaining in the draw will believe they can go and win the event.

It should make for some very tough tennis matches to come and will perhaps elevate the Australian Open that has suffered without Novak Djokovic and not really produced the epic matches that people will be tuning into Grand Slams to see.

Jannik Sinner - 1.5 sets v Alex De Minaur: It was a tougher than expected Third Round win for Jannik Sinner, but he did manage to weather the storm and roll through the last two sets against Taro Daniel. The young Italian is continuing to make waves on the Tour, but I think he will be the first to admit that he is going to have to be much better in this Fourth Round tie as he deals with an opponent and what is likely going to be a very loud crowd.

The Australian hopes will largely be pinned on Ashleigh Barty in the Women's event, but Alex De Minaur is still standing in the Men's draw as he has reached the second week at his home Grand Slam for the first time. Expectations are still not going to be weighing heavy on the shoulders of Alex De Minaur, but he has to enjoy being in this position and has to use the crowd to help him battle against a tough opponent.

Alex De Minaur has had a strong week at Melbourne Park and backed up some solid performances at the ATP Cup, but he has to be aware of the challenge in front of him. The wins secured so far have not been against anyone Ranked inside the top 59 of the World Rankings, so you could argue that the Australian has done what most would have expected from him.

However, in saying that, you have to be impressed with anyone who has won nine sets in a row in a Grand Slam and the numbers have been very strong. The serve is working really well for Alex De Minaur and it has allowed him free reign to put a lot of pressure on his opponents when it comes to the return part of his game.

I do think Alex De Minaur will be tested in a different way against someone like Jannik Sinner who has been really good in 2022 and will be looking for a seventh straight win. Take away one poor set against Taro Daniel, and Jannik Sinner has really dominated at the Australian Open and backed up some strong numbers produced at the ATP Cup too.

An aggressive return game has seen Jannik Sinner surge into the top ten of the World Rankings and he has broken in 41% of return games played at the Australian Open. I do think he will put Alex De Minaur under more pressure than the first three opponents have been able to manage and Sinner also holds a mental edge with pro wins over this opponent.

When they met in Sofia on the hard courts around fifteen months ago, Jannik Sinner broke in 33% of return games played compared with Alex De Minaur's 7% mark. While I don't think those wide margins will be replicated in this match, I do think Jannik Sinner is the superior tennis player at this stage of their careers and I think the Italian will find a way to cool down the crowd and move through in three or four sets.

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 1.5 sets v Taylor Fritz: If you look at the two halves of the Men's draw, there is no doubt that the bottom half looks a more loaded with players capable of going on and winning this Grand Slam. Losing Novak Djokovic was a big blow to the tournament, but it gives others a chance to shine and Stefanos Tsitsipas has to believe he is going to have the tennis to go very far in a tournament he has enjoyed in his career.

I still make Daniil Medvedev the favourite in the bottom half to reach the Final, but Stefanos Tsitsipas has thrived at Melbourne Park thanks to the huge amount of support he receives at this tournament. We have yet to see Stefanos Tsitsipas at his easy best, but he has played well in Melbourne and he looks to be peaking as he gets set to begin his second week at the Australian Open.

He is also much more experienced than his opponent in the Fourth Round as Taylor Fritz reaches the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time. There has been plenty of promise around Taylor Fritz and he has long been thought of as the next star of American tennis, but he has yet to make an impact at this level and this tournament may be his event to really announce himself.

Taylor Fritz had a very tough win in the Third Round as he came back from 2-1 down in sets to beat veteran Roberto Bautista Agut, while he was cramping at the end of his win over compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the Second Round. With that in mind, you have to believe Stefanos Tsitsipas may be thinking of making this a physical match to see if he can break down Taylor Fritz in that manner as much as anything else.

The American has played well this month, but he will find it difficult to sustain the return numbers which have really propelled his run. This time Taylor Fritz has to deal with an opponent who has a very big serve and Stefanos Tsitsipas has won 71% of service points played at Melbourne Park, leading to 93% of games being held behind that shot.

It will put pressure on Taylor Fritz who has held 81% of his own service games at the tournament so far and I do think it will prove to be the difference in serving numbers that end up making the difference between the players. That was the case when Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Taylor Fritz in their sole previous meeting on the Tour and I think the Greek player can find a way to move through to the Quarter Final in three or four sets.

Marin Cilic v Felix Auger-Aliassime: Backing up an upset in a Grand Slam tournament can be very difficult, but you have to believe the veteran Marin Cilic is used to winning in those conditions and is well equipped to deal with the emotions. He was deserving of his win over Andrey Rublev in the Third Round and beating one of the contenders will have Marin Cilic believing he can go one better than previously at the Australian Open as a former Runner Up.

it may also be easier dealing with the win in the Third Round as an underdog and that is what Marin Cilic will be in the Fourth Round when he takes on youngster Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The Canadian was very fortunate to even reach the Third Round before completely overwhelming Daniel Evans, but Felix Auger-Aliassime has to know that he is going to be tested in this one. The 0-3 head to head against Marin Cilic will only focus Auger-Aliassime a bit more and those defeats will feel pretty fresh in the mind of the younger player.

Two Semi Final runs before the Australian Open will have Marin Cilic in a good frame of mind though and he has been performing well this month and at the Australian Open. The Croatian has served well, but a declining returning game looks to have been rejuvenated in the Australian summer and Marin Cilic has to believe that gives him every chance of earning the upset for a second match in succession.

Felix Auger-Aliassime has won six of his eight matches in January, but his numbers have not nearly been as impressive as Marin Cilic and that makes him a vulnerable favourite. The serve can be a big weapon for the Canadian, but he remains a player with a fairly average return and that is where the difference can be made in this match.

It has certainly been the difference in their previous matches against one another with Felix Auger-Aliassime breaking in 13% of return games played and Marin Cilic doing the same in 34% of return games played.

My feeling is that if Marin Cilic can maintain his form on the serve, he is the better return player of the two players and that can be enough for the veteran to win this match. It might be tight, I wouldn't be surprised if it goes the distance, but I think Marin Cilic is the play as the odds against underdog.

Simona Halep - 5.5 games v Alize Cornet: You could see the almost surprise in the eyes of Alize Cornet as she turned her Third Round match around, but she is going to have to be a lot better if trying to take out one of the favourites to win the Australian Open. All credit has to be given to any player that shows the fight that Alize Cornet produced to turn her last match around, but spending 17 minutes shy of almost three hours on court to do so is not ideal for any player.

A day of rest will help, but Alize Cornet is going to be having to work very hard to win this match and I do think accumulated fatigue is going to play a part. A winning record over Simona Halep will be good for the mind too, but those matches were some time ago and they should not be an overriding factor in the match.

It certainly won't be something that will be bothering Simona Halep too much considering the kind of level she has been producing in January and in the Australian Open. The eight wins already secured in 2022 have largely come in one-sided fashion too and the former World Number 1 is backing up her serve very effectively at Melbourne Park, which has put her opponents under pressure.

Serving well is one thing, but Simona Halep has been very good on the returning side of her game in the tournament so far with almost 59% of return points won through her first three matches at the Australian Open. The Romanian will find it tough to maintain that kind of level throughout the second week, but they are eye-catching numbers and I do think Simona Halep is going to be able to pressurise Alize Cornet.

You should not take anything away from the Frenchwoman considering she has beaten Garbine Muguruza in the Second Round here, but I can't help feel she is going up against someone who is playing at a very high level. Alize Cornet didn't have the best preparation for the Australian Open and she has a second serve that will be attacked by Simona Halep in this Fourth Round match, which is where I believe Cornet will eventually be broken down.

I do think Alize Cornet is good enough to at least push Simona Halep at times, but if she drops the first set, the feeling of fatigue will weight heavily on her and potentially allow the favourite to pull away with a cover of this mark.

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 games v Sorana Cirstea: There were three upsets in the top half of the Women's draw at the Australian Open on Day 7, but I do think the favourites can bounce back on Day 8. The Fourth Round is completed at Melbourne Park and I do think a former Grand Slam Champion can move through to the last eight when Iga Swiatek takes to the court.

While the Grand Slam won by Iga Swiatek was played on the clay courts of Paris, this is a player that has shown improvement on the hard courts in recent years. The progression has been clear from the numbers and I think it is entirely plausible to believe that Iga Swiatek is ready to push further forward on the surface.

Winning the Australian Open will underline the progress being made by Iga Swiatek and I do think she has proven she enjoys the conditions in Australian during their summer. She won a title on the hard courts here back in February 2021 and it took Ashleigh Barty's quality to beat Iga Swiatek in a warm up event for the Australian Open this season.

Iga Swiatek may not look a player with the biggest serve, but she is a player that has backed up that shot very effectively on the hard courts and it has been a big weapon for her in Melbourne. It seems to have freed her up when it comes to the return and in the three wins at the Australian Open, Iga Swiatek has won 52% of return points played.

That will put some pressure on Sorana Cirstea, but you cannot underestimate a player that has reached the Fourth Round with wins over two top 20 Ranked opponents already. Inconsistencies have prevented Sorana Cirstea from breaking into the top 20 of the World Rankings in her career, but she is a competitor capable of producing high level tennis on her day and that was proven to both Petra Kvitova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

A couple of one-sided losses in warm up events prior to the Australian Open are a little worrying for Sorana Cirstea, while in recent seasons she has pretty average numbers on the hard courts. The service numbers at this tournament have been considerably better than what is usually expected from Cirstea and the question is whether she can maintain that level for as long as she will need to win a tournament like this.

I think that is unlikely to be honest and I do think Iga Swiatek will make Sorana Cirstea work very hard on this side of her game. The Romanian should be able to challenge the Swiatek serve too, but I think the higher Ranked player is in very good form at the moment and can eventually wear down her opponent and pull clear.

Kaia Kanepi + 4.5 games v Aryna Sabalenka: The Double Fault issues that have been blighting Aryna Sabalenka prior to the start of the Australian Open had been the main reason the World Number 2 was considered such an outsider to the win the tournament. She has yet to win a Grand Slam, but came very close at the US Open, and there have been signs that the serve is still vulnerable.

However, Aryna Sabalenka is nothing if not a fighter and she has managed to earn her place in the second week of the Australian Open and from here all is possible. She was an underdog in the Third Round against Marketa Vondrousova, but the Belarusian refuses to count herself out and recovered from a set down to beat the left hander.

It is the third match at the Australian Open where Aryna Sabalenka has lost the first set and fought back in 2022, but in the first two matches she was the favourite and doing so as an underdog has to be respected. The layers are back behind her in the Fourth Round, but the Double Faults continue to be an issue and I do think that makes it hard to believe in Aryna Sabalenka as such a big favourite.

Aryna Sabalenka will be facing an opponent who also needed to rally from a difficult start to make her way through to the Fourth Round- Kaia Kanepi was behind home hope Maddison Inglis, but rolled through the last two sets to earn her place in the second week. The Estonian has not been the most impressive on the hard courts in recent seasons with some inconsistent performances, but the wins at Melbourne Park should strengthen her belief in making a strong run the rest of the way.

There is a clear difference between the players in terms of numbers over the few seasons on the hard courts, but Kaia Kanepi did beat Aryna Sabalenka in Australia last year. That will her with her belief in upsetting the World Number 2, while Kaia Kanepi may feel her second serve is a bit more reliable under pressure than Aryna Sabalenka's.

Dealing with the Aryna Sabalenka serve will still be a challenge, but I also think Kaia Kanepi has been returning with some quality to believe she can make the favourite feel some pressure. When they met last season, it was the Kanepi second serve that proved to be the difference in a three set match and I am looking for that to at least keep the underdog competitive in this Fourth Round match.

I am a big fan of Aryna Sabalenka and know only too well she can wipe out any player she faces in the blink of an eye, but the service troubles have just seen her lacking some confidence. She has dropped at least a set in all three matches at the Australian Open and you have to imagine Kaia Kanepi is playing well enough to do the same here, which will make the number of games being given to her look really appealing and potentially decisive.

MY PICKS: Jannik Sinner - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Marin Cilic @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)

Simona Halep - 5.5 Games @ 1.61 Coral (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Kaia Kanepi + 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 32-22, + 10.74 Units (108 Units Staked, + 9.94% Yield)

NFL Championship Game PlayOff Picks 2021 (January 24th)

The 2020 NFL season may have been played during a pandemic, but we are down to the final four as the Championship Games are played this weekend.

It is all credit to the NFL we have gotten here and I know I am grateful to the players for putting themselves out there for our entertainment- I have little doubt how much more difficult life would have been without the breaks given to us by the various sports and the NFL has really been a blessing over the last several months.

We will have a small break after this weekend with the Super Bowl scheduled to be played on Sunday 7th February at Raymond James Stadium and it looks like it is going to be a very strong game regardless of which two teams are going to compete in it.

Last week the NFL Picks had a bounce back week after the really poor showing in the Super Wild Card Round and I do look like completing a very strong season. To be fair it had been a poor run before the Divisional Round when the Picks went 3-1 and I am looking to back it up with the two Championship Games to be played on Sunday before the Super Bowl in two weeks time.

I do think these four teams are the best ones in the NFL and I would be disappointed if either game is a blow out. My feeling is that the Number 1 Seeds will prevail, but both road teams are not to be taken lightly as you will be able to tell when reading my thoughts below.

Before the Super Bowl my plan is to have my first Mock Draft ahead of the NFL Draft which will take place in April. I do think I will be able to create a couple of Mocks before the Draft as the Senior Bowl and Combine news comes out, while I would not be surprised to see some major trade moves made before the Draft takes place.

Teams will look a lot different by the time the NFL rolls back around next September and I am also trying to be as hopeful as possible as to how the 2021 season will look for the fans as well as the players.

My hope would be that fans will be back in greater numbers and that the International Series could be back too which means London will be fortunate to have some live NFL again.

Personally I am also keen on getting over for at least one game next year with the Dolphins playing road games in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and it is these kinds of dreams which can help the days tick along while we are all having difficulties through our day to day lives.

After the positive Divisional Round selections, you can read my Championship Picks below.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Green Bay Packers Pick: They might not be the top two Seeds in the NFC, but it does feel like the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the best two teams in the Conference at this time in January.

The Buccaneers have had to win two road games against Divisional Winners to earn their spot in the Championship Game and now they are one win away from adding another piece of history to Tom Brady's long list of accolades in the NFL. Winning would mean Brady would be the first Quarter Back to play a Super Bowl in his home Stadium and there is a feeling the Buccaneers have picked up their play as each week has passed in the first with Tom Brady at the team.

After reports Brady and Bruce Arians were not on the same page, wins over the Washington Football Team and the New Orleans Saints have taken the Buccaneers to the Conference Championship Game. When Tom Brady was signed that would have been the minimum expectation for the Buccaneers in the 2020 season and the veteran Quarter Back doesn't look like he has missed a beat even at his advanced age.

Tampa Bay have won six in a row and they humiliated the Green Bay Packers in the regular season, although it did not dent the confidence of the Packers. That defeat was a bad one, but Green Bay finished with the Number 1 Seed in the NFC and that means they are the only team in the Conference who have earned a Bye Week and they secured a comfortable home win over the Los Angeles Rams to earn their spot in the Championship Game.

As good as Tom Brady has been, Aaron Rodgers has been playing at MVP level for the Green Bay Packers and that is almost despite the lack of support given to him by the team. If the Packers had picked a top Receiver in the Draft last year I would have had them down as favourites to win the Super Bowl, but Rodgers is playing at an elite level and that is bringing out the best of those around him.

However I do feel just as much credit has to be given to the Green Bay Offensive Line which has been able to dominate the trenches despite the injuries they have picked up over the course of the season. David Bakhtiari is absent, but that did not stop the Packers from running over a very power Los Angeles Defensive Line last week and they have also protected Aaron Rodgers which has allowed the future Hall of Fame Quarter Back ample time to dissect teams down the field.

The battle in the trenches is going to be incredibly fun to watch on this side of the ball- the Packers Offensive Line have bullied teams and opened up big holes for the running game, but this week they are facing a Tampa Bay Defensive Line bolstered by the likely return of Vita Vea who has been activated and is ready to play according to all reports.

His presence on the Defensive Line might just give the Buccaneers a boost having been strong against the run all season, but showing some signs that there was some wear on the players up front. Now having a healthy Vea back will only make it that much more difficult for Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams and the Green Bay Offensive Line to have the same kind of success they have been enjoying in recent weeks.

This is the key to the game on this side of the ball- if the Packers can get any kind of a run game going I do think they will open the field for Aaron Rodgers against a Tampa Bay Secondary which has given up some big yards. Last week the Buccaneers were able to expose the deterioration of Drew Brees who looks set to move into retirement, but Aaron Rodgers is playing as well as he has throughout his career.

Stopping Aaron Rodgers is a far bigger challenge than Drew Brees at this stage of their careers and I do think Green Bay will be able to move the sticks through the air. Davante Adams is a big time Receiver for the Packers and he was schemed up to pick up 66 passing yards and a Touchdown in the win over the tough Rams Secondary in the Divisional Round.

Other Receivers have stepped up to make plays for Rodgers when Adams has not been open and I do think Green Bay can have success through the air. The key for Aaron Rodgers is avoiding the turnovers that Tampa Bay used to blow out the Packers in Week 6 of the regular season, but he will feel he is playing at a much better level now and I think Green Bay will have success and find better balance than some may believe in light of the Vita Vea return for the visiting team.

It does sound like it will be cold and possibly snowy in Green Bay at kick off on Sunday, but I think the Packers will be able to at least stay in front of the chains behind this Offensive Line.

Those conditions may not be ideal for teams coming from warmer climates to play in, although Tom Brady has plenty of experience from his time with the New England Patriots. It will be up to his team-mates to show they can cope with what could be difficult field conditions to run on, but Tampa Bay are playing well and their own Offensive Line may feel they can have success if they pick up from where they left off in the Divisional Round.

Namely run the ball.

Leonard Fournette had a strong game against the New Orleans Saints Defensive Line despite the fact the Saints had been playing the run pretty well all season. He backed up the change in pace at Running Back through Ronald Jones and it will be up to the Tampa Bay Offensive Line to try and move people around and give the two Backs a chance of keeping Tom Brady and the entire Offense in front of the sticks.

Stopping the run has been one of the weaknesses of the Green Bay Defensive unit which has played pretty well all season. In the Divisional Round Cam Akers led the Los Angeles Rams to over 5 yards per carry against this Green Bay Defensive Line and it will be important for the Buccaneers to not only keep their own team in third and manageable spots, but also keep Aaron Rodgers freezing on the sidelines by extending drives and controlling the time of possession.

I expect the Buccaneers will have some success with the two Running Backs they will trot out onto the field, but ultimately this game will still come down to Tom Brady and the vast amount of weapons he is working with these days. Antonio Brown looks set to be ruled out which is a blow, but Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Rob Gronkowski are viable threats down the field and will give Tom Brady an opportunity to reach yet another Super Bowl.

They will be facing the power of the Green Bay Defense though with an ever improving Secondary and a decent pass rush up front that may be able to at least rattle the Quarter Back. It won't be easy to get to Brady, but injuries on the Tampa Bay Offensive Line have not cleared up and so the likes of Preston Smith and Za'Darious Smith should be able to at least get Tom Brady to throw the ball quicker than he likes when he is in obvious passing downs.

And then that will be Tom Brady throwing into the Green Bay Secondary which has some serious talent and an ability to at least slow some of the top Receiving options for the veteran Quarter Back. Stopping Tampa Bay completely looks out of the question with the experience they have at Head Coach and Quarter Back, but Green Bay will certainly feel they can do enough on both sides of the ball to eventually earn their place in the Super Bowl.

The elephant in the room has to be that Week 6 game between these teams which saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers score thirty-eight points in a row to erase an early deficit and beat the Green Bay Packers 38-10 at home. The Packers were undone by turnovers that day, but over the years we have seen a number of occasions where the team hosting the Championship Game was beaten in the regular season by their opponent and on the road.

Those teams are 14-8 outright and they are 4-3 against the spread in the last seven after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Tennessee Titans in that spot last season. Even those that have been blown out (loss by ten or more points) in the regular season game have recovered for a 5-3 against the spread in the Championship Game and that should encourage the Green Bay Packers.

I have to respect Tom Brady and his ability, while Tampa Bay have a decent record as an underdog in recent games in that spot including winning outright last week at the New Orleans Saints. However, the Green Bay Packers are a strong home favourite and they have been a very good team to back in recent PlayOff Games even though Aaron Rodgers is just 2-2 against the spread in his four previous NFC Championship Games.

Two of those losses for Aaron Rodgers have come on the road though and he is a much better Quarter Back at home and I think his Packers team will find the balance to have the edge. Tom Brady is just 6-7 against the spread in his thirteen previous Championship Games with the New England Patriots and I think the Green Bay Packers will find the plays to edge to the win here, although it should be a really good game to watch.

In recent years the team that have won the regular season game have tended to do the same in the Championship Game rematch, but I think there are enough factors to believe the Green Bay Packers can overcome that. The conditions should suit the home team, they should have the superior balance Offensively even with the likely improvement in the Tampa Bay Defensive Line and I think Aaron Rodgers will play well enough at home to avoid the turnovers which have fuelled the Buccaneers in their win the regular season as well as the one over the New Orleans Saints in the SuperDome in the Divisional Round.

Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs Pick: The top two Seeds in the AFC have long looked the best teams in this Conference and I think this Championship Game was the more predictable of the two we are going to see on Sunday.

The Kansas City Chiefs were able to hold on to beat the upstart Cleveland Browns in the Divisional Round and it was a case of holding on when Patrick Mahomes went down with an injury. That saw the Quarter Back entering the concussion protocol, but Mahomes has been on the practice field all week and he is set to go on Sunday.

That win came after the Chiefs received the one and only Bye Week in the PlayOffs on the AFC side of the bracket towards the Super Bowl. The Chiefs did what they needed to, but the Buffalo Bills have arguably looked more impressive in their wins over the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens, especially the latter victory, although both games were played at home and it is a different ask having to travel to Arrowhead Stadium to earn a big result.

Those wins have been well deserved and the Buffalo Bills have won eight in a row which will give them a confidence boost. They will need all of that to beat the Kansas City Chiefs who may not be dominating teams, but the Super Bowl Champions have won eleven of their last twelve games and the sole loss came in Week 17 of the regular season when they rested key starters.

It will not be the case on Sunday in the Championship Game and there is a hope that important skill players like Sammy Watkins and Clyde Edwards-Helaire could be available with both being limited in practice. Those two players will be important to give the Chiefs a bit more balance Offensively, but the Offensive Line may also be back to full health which is very important to Patrick Mahomes and the entire Chiefs team.

A fully functioning Offensive Line will give the Chiefs an opportunity to establish the run and especially if Edwards-Helaire and Le'Veon Bell are ready to play. With Patrick Mahomes at Quarter Back you know the Bills will concentrating on shutting down the passing lanes, but that did not work out very well for them when these teams met in the regular season and the Defensive Line have not really been able to contain the run as well as they would have liked in recent games.

The Bills will point out the successes they had against the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round, but they did not respect Lamar Jackson's passing ability as much as they will have to respect what Patrick Mahomes can do and that is a vital difference. It should mean Andy Reid is able to scheme up plays to move the ball on the ground, although I imagine Mahomes is not going to be keeping too often in this one to avoid any more unnecessary hits that could see him knocked out of this game.

Buffalo have a strong Secondary in terms of the pure talent on the roster and a Head Coach who is Defensive minded, but there have been holes in this unit which are sure to be exposed by Patrick Mahomes. If the Bills do decide to contain the run, Mahomes should have a big game and this really is a 'pick your poison' kind of day for Buffalo.

It will mean there is a pressure on the Buffalo Bills Offensive unit to potentially have to keep up in a shoot out and for Josh Allen to show he belongs with the elite Quarter Backs in the NFL. I have to admit I have been largely impressed with the development of Josh Allen in the 2020 season, but he has also been helped by the moves made by the Buffalo Bills which have improved the Receiving options considerably for the young Quarter Back.

Gabriel Davis is not expected to suit up for the Bills, but Stefon Diggs has been huge for them since being traded from the Minnesota Vikings. Cole Beasley, John Brown and Dawson Knox do offer Josh Allen some serious Receiving threats, but Josh Allen will know it will be far from easy against this Kansas City Secondary and he will have to show what he has learned from the regular season game against the Chiefs when Buffalo were held to 206 yards and Allen has just 122 passing yards.

Most of the problems come from the fact that Buffalo have not really run the ball as effectively as they would have liked and that can be a big problem when we get to January. It hasn't cost them so far and Buffalo have looked good, but Josh Allen will need his team to keep him in front of the sticks and his legs will be as important as his arm in this one.

There are some holes on the Kansas City Defensive Line which does allow teams to establish the run, but Buffalo have schemed away from that and it will aid the Chiefs. I still expect Josh Allen to lead some nice drives, but he will be under pressure from the Kansas City pass rush and this is a Chiefs Secondary that are capable of making some big plays when necessary as they showed when stopping the Cleveland Browns on the goal-line before half time in the Divisional Round win.

The feeling is that we are going to get a close game here, but Kansas City have the mental edge having deservedly beaten the Buffalo Bills in the regular season. Now they get to host the AFC Championship Game and they will certainly believe they can build on the 7-2 record teams who won the regular season match up have built in the Championship Game rematch.

On the scoreboard the regular season game was competitive, but Kansas City had over double the total yards of the Buffalo Bills and I still think they have the superior team.

The key is Patrick Mahomes- he has stated he is out of the concussion protocol and will play on Sunday, but if the Chiefs have to go with Chad Henne I am not at all convinced about their chances of winning this game. With Mahomes at Quarter Back I think they will have too much scoring power and especially if the Offensive Line is intact after injuries over the last few weeks.

Buffalo are 7-1-2 against the spread in their last ten as the road underdog and they are 9-1 against the spread in their last ten overall which are numbers that have to be massively respected.

At the same time Kansas City have been failing to perform to the level of 'good teams win, great teams cover' as they have not managed to do that in their last four as the home favourite and are just 1-8 against the spread in the last nine overall. That includes failing to cover against the Cleveland Browns in the Divisional Round, but they may have felt their options were greater if Patrick Mahomes had played the whole game.

Even then the Chiefs have not been covering which is a concern, but I think this spread is low enough to be a manageable one for them. Not many teams have gotten the better of the Bills in the 2020 season, but Kansas City handled them really well on the road and I think they are looking pretty healthy right now which will give them the edge.

Buffalo can come again in 2021 with Josh Allen having another year under his belt, but for me the defending Super Bowl Champions will be able to make it repeat, not revenge, in this AFC Championship Game after beating the Bills in the regular season.

Covering small spreads as favourites has not been a winning formula in the last ten seasons with none of the three favourites of less than 3.5 points being able to do that. However I think Patrick Mahoms is an elite Quarter Back which is underlined by his 26-14 record against the spread when favoured by less than double digits and I expect him to come out and dominate this game against a challenger to his throne in Josh Allen.

The team which won the regular season meeting is 5-2 against the spread in Championship Game rematches and I think Kansas City will extend that after the Green Bay Packers get the better of that trend.

MY PICKS: Green Bay Packers - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Kansas City Chiefs - 3 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Divisional Round: 3-1, + 3.36 Units (8 Units Staked, + 42% Yield)

Wild Card Round: 1-5, - 8.18 Units (12 Units Staked, - 68.17% Yield)

Week 17: 4-5, - 3.10 Units (18 Units Staked, - 17.22% Yield)

Week 16: 5-5, - 0.88 Units (20 Units Staked, - 4.40% Yield)

Week 15: 3-4-1, - 2.38 Units (16 Units Staked, - 14.88% Yield)

Week 14: 5-3, + 3 Units (16 Units Staked, + 18.75% Yield)

Week 13: 5-5, - 0.82 Units (20 Units Staked, - 4.10% Yield)

Week 12: 5-4, + 0.86 Units (18 Units Staked, + 4.78% Yield)

Week 11: 4-5, - 2.72 Units (18 Units Staked, - 15.11% Yield)

Week 10: 4-3-1, + 1.46 Units (16 Units Staked, + 9.13% Yield)

Week 9: 2-6, - 8.36 Units (16 Units Staked, - 52.25% Yield)

Week 8: 6-2, + 6.60 Units (16 Units Staked, + 41.25% Yield)

Week 7: 4-3-1, + 1.26 Units (16 Units Staked, + 7.87% Yield)

Week 6: 6-4, + 3 Units (20 Units Staked, + 15% Yield)

Week 3: 8-3, + 8.64 Units (22 Units Staked, + 39.27% Yield)

Week 2: 7-3, + 7.10 Units (20 Units Staked, + 35.50% Yield)

Week 1: 6-3-1, + 4.62 Units (20 Units Staked, + 23.10% Yield)

Season 2020: 78-63-4, + 13.46 Units (292 Units Staked, + 4.61% Yield)