Wimbledon Tennis Day 1 Picks 2024 (Monday 1st July)

Compared to the clay courts and the hard courts swings, the grass court season is relatively short and will be concluded over the next couple of weeks at Wimbledon (the ATP event in Newport officially concludes the grass court season, but that's another matter).

It has only been a little over three weeks since the second Grand Slam of the season was handed out to Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz.

There is still a demand for the grass court season to be expanded to put a little more distance between the French Open and Wimbledon, but we are where we are and Carlos Alcaraz will have the privilege of opening Centre Court on Day 1 having edged out Novak Djokovic for the title twelve months ago.

After winning in Paris, Carlos Alcaraz will be plenty confident in his chances of defending his title at Wimbledon, although there are still some vulnerabilities about this player on the grass.

Being the Number 3 Seed at Wimbledon means Carlos Alcaraz has been drawn in the same half of the draw as the World Number 1 Jannik Sinner and the Italian will certainly feel he has the grass court pedigree to have another deep run here. He was beaten in the Semi Final by Novak Djokovic last year and the Serb has recovered in time from the injury that forced a withdrawal at the French Open and will be in the bottom half of the draw.

These three players head the outright market in the Men's tournament and it is hard to find an easy player to oppose Alcaraz, Sinner and Djokovic when it comes to picking a winner on July 14th.

Out of the top three, the potential Matteo Berrettini Italian derby for Jannik Sinner looks a very dangerous early opponent and an upset in that one cannot be ruled out. They are due to meet in the Second Round if both win and that would be a very tough challenge for Sinner considering the grass court performances Matteo Berrettini continues to put on the board, even through injury issues.

Novak Djokovic's injury would raise concerns for those backing him, and the price is influenced by those concerns, but the draw could not have worked out much better.

He will be able to work his way into the tournament and Djokovic's grass court experience will make him very difficult to beat.

However, if you are looking for a surprise Finalist from the bottom half, someone like Hubert Hurkacz may offer a decent run for your money at 16-1, while the likes of Sebastian Korda (40-1) and Lorenzo Musetti (100-1) would also benefit from any early defeat or withdrawal for Novak Djokovic.

The French Open Champion, and defending Champion here, will have an impact in the Men's draw, but it feels different in the Ladies tournament.

Iga Swiatek has struggled to really get to grips with the grass and she is going to have to be at her very best from the opening ball with Sofia Kenin up first and challengers likely to line up behind the American.

It certainly makes it feel like the World Number 1 is a vulnerable second favourite to win the title in SW19, and the likes of Elena Rybakina, Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula may all believe they have the grass court capabilities to earn a spot in the Final from the top half of the draw.

Defending Champion Marketa Vondrousova is also in this half, but she was an unexpected winner in 2023 and it would be arguably a bigger surprise if she was able to retain the title.

If Jessica Pegula had not come up short in the business end of Grand Slam tournaments as often as she has, her 20-1 quotes would look incredibly big. The two time Runner Up Ons Jabeur is perhaps more appealing at 14-1 having overcome poor form to reach the Final here twelve months ago and her appreciation of the grass is unmatched by many others.

The favourite this week is Aryna Sabalenka in the bottom half of the draw, but it is hard to back a player who has won both Grand Slam titles in Melbourne and regular come up short in Quarter and Semi Finals at the other Slams.

There is no doubting the qualities of Sabalenka, and a potential Second Round match against Donna Vekic could be incredibly tough to negotiate.

Coco Gauff is the top Seed in the bottom half of the Ladies draw, but she has not been able to produce at Wimbledon since her breakthrough run in her first appearance here. The American will be grateful for a good looking draw early on, but she could face any of a number of tough opponents as we move into the second week and one who will be battle hardened.

You could argue that four of the last five Ladies Champions at Wimbledon have been surprising with the exception being top Seed Ashleigh Barty in 2021.

This year is another wide open draw and one that could produce another unexpected winner, but the layers are taking no real chances with the prices on offer.

Can Jasmine Paolini make 66-1 prices look too big in her bid to reach back to back Grand Slam Finals? She is in a good portion of the draw in what looks another intriguing Grand Slam for the WTA players after Iga Swiatek won the French Open as a very strong favourite.

Day 1 at Wimbledon is on Monday, unlike the Australian Open and French Open, and it is an honour for the defending Men's Champion to open Centre Court.

The Ladies Champion gets that privilege on Day 2 and so we know the top half of the Men's draw and the bottom half of the Ladies draw will be playing on the odd days.

Of course we no longer have Manic Monday next week and will have Day 7 tennis on Sunday, but the hope is that it will be another good tournament to steal some of the headlines from the Euro 2024 Finals.

The Australian Open was a really poor tournament for the Tennis Picks, but the French Open provided a solid return and backing that up is the key over the next two weeks.

Grigor Dimitrov - 7.5 games v Dusan Lajovic: Only three players in the Men's draw will begin as single digit prices at Wimbledon this week, but it is hard to overlook the current top three players in the World Rankings.

Others will be hoping for some upsets, although the top half of the draw looks stronger than the bottom half and that is where Grigor Dimitrov has landed.

It has felt his best chance to win a Grand Slam has passed some time ago, but the Bulgarian is inside the top nine places in the Outright Winner market. That looks plenty short to be perfectly honest, but Grigor Dimitrov can be backed to earn a place in the Second Round without having too many issues.

Covering big numbers on the grass courts is always a challenge, especially early in the tournament when the slickness of the surface is still being managed by the players. Big servers will certainly be able to rattle through the service games, but it really does feel like Dusan Lajovic is arriving in SW19 to pick up his cheque and will then turn this attention to the clay court summer.

This may be a harsh assessment, but Dusan Lajovic's lack of any grass court preparation does not make for good reading. Add in the fact that this Serb has barely won matches on the grass in recent years and the poor numbers he has produced, and you have to believe Grigor Dimitrov will have a considerable edge.

It has not been the most productive preparation for Wimbledon having won one match and lost another at Queen's Club, but Dimitrov has produced some strong tennis on the grass prior to that. A small sample cannot be something that you read too much into, while Grigor Dimitrov reached the Fourth Round here twelve months ago and just may have a bit too much know-how for his opponent when it comes to the surface.

Grigor Dimitrov has won two of the three previous matches against Dusan Lajovic, although none of those have been on a grass court. The World Number 10 has been much stronger behind serve on the head to head and the feeling is that Grigor Dimitrov will be able to do the same in this First Round match, while being able to move through the gears and ensure a relatively safe passage through to the next Round on Wednesday.

Stan Wawrinka - 1.5 sets v Charles Broom: There are going to be a lot of headlines written for Andy Murray if he is able to play his Singles match at what is likely to be his last ever Wimbledon. During an era dominated by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Murray won multiple Grand Slams and deserves respect.

Another veteran who was able to do the same is Stan Wawrinka who won Grand Slam titles in three of the four Slams played during the course of the year. The exception has been at Wimbledon where Wawrinka's best efforts came in consecutive years in 2014 and 2015 when reaching the Quarter Final.

Much like others of a wonderful era of tennis, Stan Wawrinka's time is coming to a close, although he continues to fight against Father Time and injury. These days he is close to slipping out of the top 100 of the World Rankings, which would mean needing Wild Cards or having to go through Qualifiers to reach the biggest events and you would wonder if Stan Wawrinka would be willing to keep going through that grind.

He might not leave Wimbledon with the same fanfare as Murray, but Stan Wawrinka deserves a lot of respect for his own achievements in the sport.

A First Round exit will not be the plan for the Swiss player, although he will have to deal with the home crowd as he prepares to face Charles Broom.

The twenty-six year old was given a Wild Card into the main draw at Wimbledon having produced some solid tennis during the grass court swing. The majority of the stronger results have been on the Challenger Tour, but that experience will certainly give Charles Broom hope, especially as Stan Wawrinka has decided to skip tournaments on the grass this summer.

However, in saying that, Charles Broom is Ranked outside the top 200 and that just underlines the tough nature of this match, even if the odds are much closer than anticipated.

It is a big show court on which this match has been placed and the feeling is that Stan Wawrinka still has enough motivation and ambition to win a match like this one. He reached the Third Round at Wimbledon twelve months ago without playing any grass court warm up events and Wawrinka was eventually undone by Novak Djokovic, which has no shame attached to it.

Stan Wawrinka may not be operating at the level that took him to three Grand Slam titles and World Number 3, but he is still consistent enough on the Tour to believe he can win this kind of match in three or four sets.

Lloyd Harris-Alex Michelsen Over 40.5 games: There are plenty of big names playing throughout the grounds at Wimbledon on Day 1 of the tournament with half of the First Round matches set to be completed.

Two unseeded players clash in this match, but it could be a back and forth tussle between Lloyd Harris and Alex Michelsen with both having the tools to feel they can win this kind of battle. They have also landed in a very appealing part of the draw, despite being in the same half as both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, and the winner of this match may very much battle their way through to the second week with a couple of vulnerable looking Seeds around them.

Lloyd Harris has played big matches at Wimbledon in the past and he has won three Qualifiers to earn his spot in the main draw. It has been a productive month on the grass during which time Harris has won a title, albeit at the Challenger level, and the confidence will certainly be there having won three matches last week.

There is not nearly the same amount of experience on this surface under Alex Michelsen's belt, but he is the higher Ranked of the two players which underlines the overall improvements being made. A couple of wins at Wimbledon may see the American set a new career high World Ranking mark for himself, and he will certainly feel a little better about the grass having put some wins on the board over the last couple of weeks.

Last year, Alex Michelsen did not play at Wimbledon, but was able to reach the Final in Newport in the week after the third Grand Slam of the season was played. The numbers have remained steady when comparing 2023 with 2024 as Michelsen has found a way to get his serve producing very well, although also struggling to cope with the kind of returning you need to put together on grass compared with the favoured hard courts.

Winning two Qualifying matches in Halle and then reaching the Quarter Final in Mallorca would have done Alex Michelsen the world of good, but he will also recognise the challenges that Lloyd Harris will set.

In their sole previous meeting, the South African was able to come from a set down to beat Michelsen on the grass courts of Mallorca in 2023 and Lloyd Harris enjoyed a huge edge in the serving numbers on the day.

He has held 89% of the service games played on the grass this season before entering the Wimbledon Qualifiers and Harris dropped just a single set in three wins there.

Much of this match is expected to be founded on the serving stats of the two players and the feeling is that we could see at least four sets shared out with tie-breakers potentially key. With that in mind, there is a feeling that Lloyd Harris and Alex Michelsen can combine to cover this number of total games line and that is the angle to approach.

The lower Ranked player is favoured to win, which looks about right, but Alex Michelsen can play his part in dragging this First Round match out.

MY PICKS: Grigor Dimitrov - 7.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Stan Wawrinka - 1.5 Sets @ 2.20 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Lloyd Harris-Alex Michelsen Over 40.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Alexander Bublik - 1.5 Sets @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Bianca Andreescu - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2023- Dalton Smith vs Sam Maxwell (July 1st)

There have been a couple of solid weeks of action on the Boxing circuit, but I am very surprised that we have not had more news from the Heavyweight Division since my last selections were made in early June.

To be honest there is nothing I can add to the frustrations that you would not have been able to read elsewhere, but I am confident that both Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk will be out in August. Frank Warren has spoken about a 'game changing' announcement for Tyson Fury and this should all hopefully get the big men moving and follow the lead set out by those in the lower weight.

As we enter July, it is those in the lower weight Divisions that are set to take the sport forward and we have two exceptional fights later in the month.

The return of some of the leading contenders in the Welterweight Division will also spark talk ahead of the Errol Spence Jr vs Terence Crawford Undisputed fight in the 147 pound Division on July 29th.

It is a good time to be a Boxing fan with some of the upcoming fights rumoured, although I can never be sure we are going to see all of those until fighters are in press conferences and making things official.

Boxing is a crazy sport at times, but this has been a positive first half of the 2023 season as far as the fights being made are concerned. However, you are never that far away from the kind of announcement that can take you completely by surprise as was the case on Friday when the rumoured Canelo-Charlo Super Middleweight bout was confirmed... Except it was Jermell and not Jermall that will be getting in the ring as he moves up two Divisions to take on one of the pound for pound best fighters in the world.

We have some very good fights to look forward to later this month and those cannot come around quickly enough, but this weekend the focus is on fighters that are hoping to move into world title contention sooner than later.

The main event in Manchester is an Undisputed Super Middleweight bout in the women's side of the sport and that should be plenty of fun to watch, while the likes of Dalton Smith and Jared Anderson are looking to make big statements.

Dalton Smith vs Sam Maxwell

Winning the British Title continued the rise of Dalton Smith in the Light Welterweight Division, but a couple of defences have been tougher than expected.

This has perhaps slowed some of the hype behind Dalton Smith, but the Champion has suggested that his focus has not been there to really put on a massive display in beating opponents that were little known outside of Boxing circles.

Neither of the two defences have been at home, but Dalton Smith is fighting in front of his Sheffield fans this weekend and this is where he won the British Title in the first place with a Sixth Round stoppage.

The British Title was vacant because Sam Maxwell decided to try and build further towards World level by winning the IBO World Title, but he suffered his sole loss in a Ninth Round stoppage in an upset. We have seen Maxwell hurt before when Sabri Sediri had the London born fighter in real trouble very early on and I do think this is a match up that will get the best out of Dalton Smith.

It could be something of a firefight at times, but Dalton Smith has shown he carries plenty of power and I think he is going to break down Sam Maxwell. The latter will have his moments, but his style might see him become easy to find for Smith who will be looking to move through the gears and really show that he is beyond domestic level opponents.

This is the last big Matchroom show until August and the undercard is filled with some of the younger talent they have on the books.

Beatriz Ferreira is only in her third professional fight, but the expectation is that she will be fast-tracked up the Rankings in what remains a thin side of the sport. She has shown she carries power and can earn a stoppage in her first Eight Rounder.

I also think Junaid Boston can make it six stoppages in six fights by taking away Ryan Amos' unbeaten record.

Pat McCormack is another with a big reputation and he can have a relatively early night when he faces Tony Dixon in a Ten Rounder. Tony Dixon has lost four times and been stopped twice, while the two previous fighters defeated by McCormack have perhaps showed a bit more resiliency to last into the Sixth and Eighth Round.

In Manchester we have a returning Savannah Marshall for the first time since losing her unbeaten record against Claressa Shields. She isn't taking an easier fight as Marshall moves up to Super Middleweight to try and win the Undisputed Title from Franchon Crews-Dezurn and the British fighter is a pretty strong favourite to do that.

The Undisputed Champion has only been beaten once before in her debut against Shields, but the American has won eight in a row since.

However, Franchon Crews-Dezurn has been out of the ring for around fourteen months and you have to believe her come forward, aggressive style might actually suit Savannah Marshall who has the reach and height advantage.

There were times in the defeat to Claressa Shields when Marshall looked to be struggling with the punches coming her way and Crews-Dezurn will connect.

I just don't think she is as good all around as her compatriot and Savannah Marshall did find some big shots against a slick fighter like Shields. She has been much more comfortable when being able to punch into a target that perhaps will not move as much and I think there is every chance the Champion walks into a huge shot that begins the end of her reign for now.

There are some decent fighters on this Boxxer undercard too, but like the Matchroom card on the same night, many are still building up to the level that the promoter believes they will reach. Ben Whittaker is back having fought in May and the team do want to get his career moving after a pretty long injury lay-off between his second and third professional fight and he should find another stoppage, although perhaps needing a few more Rounds before getting Vladimir Belujsky out of there.

Callum Simpson is taking a step up in level when facing Boris Crighton, who went the distance with Lyndon Arthur on short notice.

I thought Arthur was unmotivated that day, but Simpson brings a strong following with him and can make another big statement by putting Crighton away before the second half of the fight.

Mark Jeffers is going to receive plenty of local support, but the short notice is not ideal for him as he steps up several levels when facing Zak Chelli who has some momentum in what has been a stop-start career. The Londoner has been putting the wins together, but most impressive is that Chelli has won three in a row against fighters that had a combined 46-1 record.

Those opponents have been at a higher level than Jeffers and Zak Chelli can show that he deserves his career pushing forward by earning a stoppage.

And Natasha Jonas can keep the Indian Summer of her career moving as she moves down a Division to try and win a vacant World Title. She is facing Kandi Wyatt who has tried and failed to win World Titles before and who has been stopped twice in four losses, including against Jessika McCaskill in December 2021.

It might take a bit of time, but Jonas can go through the gears to earn a first stoppage win since February 2022.

Throughout the history of Boxing, the Middleweight Division has been one of the premier ones in the sport, but we are going through a pretty poor period at 160 pounds.

Fighters have moved out of the Division or have been inactive and Gennady Golovkin decided to drop his World Titles rather than go through mandatory defences that have not gotten him motivated.

It has allowed a 40 year old Erislandy Lara to become a full World Champion, while the WBC Champion Jermall Charlo has not fought in two years and has managed to hold onto the belt. Zhanibek Alimkhanuly is another Champion, but the contenders are not exactly a hot list.

Things can change quickly and unbeaten Esquiva Falcao takes on unbeaten German Vincenzo Gualtieiri on the road.

Earning a Decision in Germany has long been tough for a road fighter, but Falcao has the power to force a stoppage having a bit more experience and a tougher resume to fall back upon.

The Heavyweight Division has barely moved over the course of 2023, but the hope is that more is to come as we enter the second half of the year.

In America we do have a couple of up and coming contenders in action on Saturday evening, although the unbeaten fighters are still some way away from challenging for a World Title.

Jared Anderson is looking to make it fifteen wins and fifteen stoppages when he takes on former Heavyweight Champion Charles Martin, who is fighting on short notice.

Big Baby has only been past the Third Round twice in his fourteen previous wins, but there is still some work for Anderson to do before he can take on the very best. He does take one to give one, but that spells danger in the Heavyweight Division and Charles Martin showed against Luis Ortiz that he still carries plenty of pop.

However, Martin was eventually stopped on that day and Jared Anderson is younger and stronger than the veteran Cuban. The manner of the defeat that Prince Charles had against Anthony Joshua will always cast a cloud over his career, but he has shown a bit more resiliency than that in recent fights, although he has not really faced anyone with the power that his compatriot possesses.

An early firefight is expected and this fight is unlikely to hear the bell to signal the Fifth Round.

Two big hitting Heavyweights Arslanbek Makhmudov and Raphael Akpejiori put their unbeaten records on the line in a fight where the winner may eventually be pushed on to take on Jared Anderson.

They have won thirty-one fights between them and twenty-nine have been in stoppages, while neither has waited too long to throw big bombs.

There is little doubt that Arslanbek Makhmudov has taken on tougher opponents and this is another fight that is unlikely to take long to spark and could be over before the Fifth Round begins.

MY PICKS: Dalton Smith to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Beatriz Ferreira to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Junaid Boston to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)

Pat McCormack to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.10 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Savannah Marshall to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 6.50 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Ben Whittaker to Win Between 6-10 @ 3.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Callum Simpson to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Zak Chelli to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.62 William Hill (2 Units)

Natasha Jonas to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Esquiva Falcao to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Jared Anderson-Charles Martin Within 4 Rounds @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)

Arslanbek Makhmudov-Raphael Akpejiori Within 4 Rounds @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)

Boxing 2023: 28-53, - 23 Units (152 Units Staked, - 15.13% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 5 Picks 2022 (July 1st)

It looked like the start of another really good day for the Tennis Picks, but all changed when Diego Sebastian Schwartzman blew a 3-0 lead in the Fourth Set and the remainder of the day was tough to absorb.

I am still hopeful that there is a way for Maxime Cressy to force his match into the fourth set when play resumes on Friday, which would at least prevent Thursday from being a really bad day, but it has been a solid week and I am hoping the Third Round will turn the fortunes around.

It looks a busier day for the Tennis Picks with the selections you can see below.

John Isner v Jannik Sinner: Any time you win a big Grand Slam match, all eyes are on the player to see how they handle the experience. A first win over Andy Murray is a big achievement for John Isner, and I do think this is a very experienced player on the Tour who should be able to cope with the extra attention around his tennis in the day between matches.

Recent seasons have seen the 37 year old American fall away from the level he once was able to produce, but John Isner remains the owner of one of the very best serves and on the grass courts it is a huge weapon for him. If he can continue to hit his spots and make as many first serves as he did in his Second Round win over Andy Murray, John Isner has to be looking at his best run at any Grand Slam since the 2018 US Open when he reached the Quarter Final having made the Semi Final at Wimbledon that same year.

That Semi Final run is the best ever performance John Isner has produced in a Grand Slam, but his overall record at Wimbledon is perhaps a little disappointing. In fact, John Isner may be the first to admit that he should have made more than the three career Grand Slam Quarter Finals considering the serve he has, but the win over Andy Murray should open this draw up for him.

Confidence won't be an issue, but the challenges continue to come for John Isner with the Third Round opponent being Jannik Sinner.

The Italian has limited grass court experience and had to withdraw during the French Open with an injury, but Jannik Sinner has earned his way into the Third Round at Wimbledon behind back to back four set wins. The victory over Stan Wawrinka will have given Jannik Sinner confidence in his game, but I do have to wonder if the lack of grass court experience and the defeat to Tommy Paul prior to the tournament beginning leaves him as a vulnerable favourite in this Third Round match.

Jannik Sinner does have a serve that can contain John Isner, but the big question is whether he can find enough effective returns to handle the scoreboard pressure that can be built by the American. He was a dominant winner when these two met in the Davis Cup last November on a hard court, but Isner may feel his serve is working very efficiently at the moment and is enough to keep Jannik Sinner feeling the pressure more than it did on that day.

Before the two wins at Wimbledon, Jannik Sinner had lost six straight grass court matches and I do think John Isner can be aggressive enough against the second serve to at least give himself a chance of backing up the big win on Centre Court a couple of days ago.

You cannot ignore the limitations of the John Isner return, but he has long been a player that will push players all the way on a grass court and I think it could be a significant test for Jannik Sinner with some injury issues in recent months.

Nikoloz Basilashvili-Tim Van Rijthoven over 39.5 games: Anyone who follows the Tennis Picks here will long know that I have Nikoloz Basilashvili on my list of players that I cannot get a read on from week to week. The numbers are generally pretty average, but this is a player who can blow hot and cold within sets, let alone matches and I do find him very hard to trust if I back him to win, but an almighty dangerous opponent to oppose and never feel that comfortable doing that either.

There are moments when those worries are dampened by the layers and I do think this is one of those occasions.

First things first, I am surprised that Tim Van Rijthoven is as big a favourite as he is, even though he won the Hertogenbosch title and has looked strong through the first couple of Rounds. However, he was a little fortunate in a couple of matches in that run to the title and I do think the Dutchman has a relatively limited return game that could be put under pressure by Nikoloz Basilashvili.

The Georgian has a pretty effective serve on the grass courts, although his own return is one that cannot be expected to do a lot of damage consistently. He is very experienced though and that can be key in trying to get to the second week in Wimbledon, a tournament missing Ranking points which hurts Van Rijthoven much more than most.

I am expecting both of these players to serve well and largely contain the break points offered out to the opponent.

With that in mind, I do think this is a match that should be able to surpass the total games line as long as it goes four sets- only one of the four matches played by the two players at Wimbledon this year has ended in straight sets and I think tie-breakers will be a part of this match.

An upset here would not be a surprise to me, but I will look for the two to combine for enough games to cover this total games line set.

Cameron Norrie - 4.5 games v Steve Johnson: The five sets needed to beat Jaume Munar is a bit of a concern about the kind of level that Cameron Norrie is producing at Wimbledon so far this year. He had a mixed build up to the tournament with a couple of early losses, while the British Number 1 has beaten a couple of clay court experts on his run to the Third Round.

That makes it harder to know where Cameron Norrie is with his game right now, although he is going to be favoured to reach the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time. It is somewhat surprising that he has been able to crack the top ten of the World Rankings without doing that before, but Cameron Norrie has been an improving player on the Tour and will feel pretty good about his tennis ahead of a tough looking Third Round match.

Steve Johnson has long been someone who has enjoyed the faster surfaces with the extra pop it gives him behind serve, but the veteran American is not the player of old these days. That has been underlined by mixed results over the last twelve months and he is close to dropping out of the top 100 in the World Rankings.

A couple of mixed performances ahead of the Wimbledon tournament beginning underlines the slip, while Steve Johnson needed a Grigor Dimitrov injury to come through the First Round having looked the weaker player before the Bulgarian was forced to withdraw. although the Second Round crushing of Ryan Peniston is a reminder of the kind of player he can be on his best day.

I do think Steve Johnson is potentially dangerous with a serve giving him enough to get on the front foot, and also meaning he can take a few more swings on the return.

However, Cameron Norrie is someone who can be very effective on the grass courts with his lefty serve and I think that will be enough to keep Johnson on the back foot when it comes to the return.

While an underwhelming grass court season prior to Wimbledon, Cameron Norrie showed he can be an efficient return player on the surface in 2021. It feels like a match in which the fresher, younger legs can wear down his opponent and he may eventually crack through the Steve Johnson serve which is not as potent as it once was on this surface.

MY PICKS: John Isner @ 2.37 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Nikoloz Basilashvili-Tim Van Rijthoven Over 39.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Oscar Otte-Carlos Alcaraz Over 36.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

David Goffin - 1.5 Sets @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Jiri Vesely @ 2.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Cameron Norrie - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jelena Ostapenko - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Kaja Juvan - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Alison Riske - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Angelique Kerber - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Ons Jabeur - 6.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Wimbledon 2022: 29-24, + 4.84 Units (106 Units Staked, + 4.57% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 4 Picks 2021 (July 1st)

The early rain delays have meant there has been something of a backlog of matches early in the week at Wimbledon and it has also resulted in late markets being created for the Second Round matches expected to be completed by Thursday evening.

I have a few thoughts below with the rest of the Day 4 Picks added, but hopefully it will be easier to research the Third Round matches to be played on Friday and Saturday with another dry day expected at Wimbledon to get the tournament back on track.

Daniil Medvedev - 7.5 games v Carlos Alcarez: There is a bright future expected for Carlos Alcarez, although he is going to need some time to adjust to the grass courts. The 18 year old showed off all of his potential by Qualifying for the French Open and reaching the Third Round there, but the lack of grass court experience could be a hindrance to him here at Wimbledon.

The Spaniard has been compared to Rafael Nadal, which is not a surprise considering the expectations being placed on Carlos Alcarez, and he came through in five sets in the First Round to win his first ever grass court match. It is a confidence booster for Carlos Alcarez, but he will now be placed on one of top two courts at Wimbledon and is facing the Number 2 Seeded Daniil Medvedev who considers the grass courts a strong surface for himself.

A battling win in the First Round was perhaps more difficult than it looked like it was going to be for Daniil Medvedev, but he will be glad to get that victory under his belt as he backed up the title win from Mallorca. That will be encouraging for Daniil Medvedev and the Russian has shown he can be an effective return player on the grass to back up what is a powerful serve.

I think that will make the difference for Daniil Medvedev in this Second Round match, although I expect to see some solid rallies between the players. Carlos Alcarez has been a fun player to watch in his young career, but I think the overall play that is going to be coming at him from the other side of the net is going to be too much to handle and I would expect Daniil Medvedev to eventually underline his stronger ability on this surface.

You can't ignore the five sets that Carlos Alcarez had to play in the First Round and against an opponent who is far more limited than Daniil Medvedev on the grass. The serve was being attacked and I would expect the Number 2 Seed to be able to do that over the best of five set format, while Daniil Medvedev's own serve is one that can keep Carlos Alcarez under pressure.

This is a big spread on the face of things, but Daniil Medvedev was on the way to covering the line in the First Round before just losing his way somewhat. I am not sure Carlos Alcarez has the same kind of capacity as a big hitting Jan-Lennard Struff to turn momentum back in his favour if he falls behind Daniil Medvedev and the Russian should be able to move through to the Third Round with a good looking win on the board.

Roger Federer - 5.5 games v Richard Gasquet: An unfortunate injury suffered by Adrian Mannarino was the main reason an upset was avoided by Roger Federer in the First Round at Wimbledon and the eight time Champion at this Grand Slam almost admitted as much. While there was still time for Roger Federer to turn the match around having fallen 2-1 down in sets, the former World Number 1 was gracious enough to admit he got a little 'lucky' to earn his place in the Second Round.

A long-term injury and missing much of the last nineteen months of the Tour has hurt Roger Federer and at almost 40 years old it is hard to imagine him really getting back to his very best. He has overcome the odds before, but Roger Federer might find the very best players on the Tour too much to handle these days and you do have to wonder how long he will be prepared to be out there if he does not feel he can win any more Grand Slam titles.

Roger Federer will be back on Centre Court in this Second Round match and he will know he has to be better than he was a couple of days ago if he is going to progress. The match up with Adrian Mannarino looked a good one on paper, but this one may be even more comfortable for the Swiss superstar as he takes on a fellow veteran that has seen his best days behind him.

Richard Gasquet came through his First Round match in four sets and the Frenchman has always been very comfortable on the grass courts. Last month he was beaten at the French Open by Rafael Nadal and now Gasquet has to take on another old rival who has regularly gotten the better of him in the past.

The match up won't be one that intimidates Roger Federer, although he will be challenged by Richard Gasquet if the latter is anywhere near his top level. The Frenchman is a former Semi Finalist at Wimbledon and he has a decent serve that can see him move through the gears,

However, the main factor in this match is going to be the Roger Federer serve- if he can put up the strong numbers behind the serve, Roger Federer should be able to keep the pressure on the limited Richard Gasquet return game. That will be key to keeping the scoreboard pressure on his old rival and in their past meetings Roger Federer has been able to hold serve very efficiently against Richard Gasquet in their Grand Slam and grass court meetings.

In their four previous Grand Slam meetings, two at Wimbledon, Richard Gasquet has never won a set against Roger Federer. That could change in the Second Round here on their current form, but Roger Federer should have a bit too much for Gasquet over two, two and a half hours, and I think he will be in a position to cover this line after the scare of the First Round.

Cameron Norrie - 1.5 sets v Alex Bolt: Two players who have put a strong grass court preparation tournament under their belt before the start of Wimbledon will be meeting in the Second Round here. Both Alex Bolt and Cameron Norrie have kept the momentum behind them having won their opening matches at Wimbledon and they will be given an unfamiliar spot by opening up Court One on Thursday.

That can be a pressurised situation, but Queens Club Runner Up Cameron Norrie will receive plenty of support from the home crowd as he continues showing improvement on a weekly basis on the Tour. He has not had much grass court success in the past, but the run at Queens was impressive and Norrie has really shown development across the surfaces as he continues to mature as a top 40 Ranked player on the Tour.

I do expect Cameron Norrie to move further up the World Rankings in the weeks ahead of the US Open and having a strong Wimbledon will just add to the points. His win over Lucas Pouille was a solid one in the First Round and Norrie entered Wimbledon with strong numbers behind his serve and return despite playing four top 40 Ranked players at Queens.

His opponent Alex Bolt may also receive some support with a strong Australian presence in London, although it won't be like previous seasons. After winning a Challenger in Nottingham, Alex Bolt beat a higher Ranked player in the First Round, although he was the favourite to progress and did not disappoint the oddsmakers.

Winning a title will give the Australian plenty of confidence, but he only beat one player Ranked in the top 100 in Nottingham and I do think this is a different test for Bolt considering how well Cameron Norrie is playing.

The Alex Bolt numbers in the grass court matches played prior to Wimbledon were very impressive, but you can't ignore the level of opponent. His return numbers have been slightly better than the ones that Cameron Norrie has produced, but you have to appreciate the difference in level of opponent and I expect that to show up in this Second Round match where the prize for the winner may be a meeting with Roger Federer in the Third Round if the former World Number 1 can win his own match.

I expect some long sets to be played out, but Cameron Norrie is playing with a real intensity at the moment and has built a winning mentality which could be key for him here. The home support can only help and I think Cameron Norrie will serve well enough to earn his place in the Third Round in a three or four set win.

Felix Auger-Aliassime - 5.5 games v Mikael Ymer: There is so much to like about some of the young players being produced by Canada on both the ATP and WTA Tours and one of the leading names is Felix Auger-Aliassime. The 20 year old has made the second week at both the US Open and Australian Open and he looks to have a game that should be very effective on the grass courts.

Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the Final in Stuttgart and the Semi Final in Halle in preparation for Wimbledon and he was a very comfortable winner in the First Round. That will give him some confidence to surpass the Third Round run at Wimbledon two years ago, although Felix Auger-Aliassime is still largely a developing prospect who can throw in a shocking performance from time to time.

He does hold a win over Roger Federer on the grass this season though and Auger-Aliassime has held 92% of the service games he has played on the surface over the last month before Wimbledon began. That is a highly encouraging number, but it is the return of serve that will need to be improved if Felix Auger-Aliassime is ready to take the next step in his career.

While I think the return is still a tool that needs to be developed, Felix Auger-Aliassime may have some successes against Mikael Ymer who beat former Wimbledon Semi Finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in five sets in the First Round. It wasn't a massive upset if considered one at all, but Mikael Ymer has not really shown much on the grass courts in his young career and this is a completely different level of opponent in the Second Round.

There is very little experience than an improving Mikael Ymer can call upon on the grass courts and the win over Tsonga was only the second one he has managed against someone Ranked inside the top 100 on this surface. Before Wimbledon began, Ymer was only 2-2 on the grass courts and had held just 60% of service games played despite playing three players Ranked 94 or lower in those four matches.

The Swedish prospect is a strong returner though and that is where he could at least keep things interesting in this Second Round match against a superior grass court player. However, it is hard to imagine Mikael Ymer having a lot of consistent success in this match and I think that is where Felix Auger-Aliassime should be able to take some swings on the return to shift the pressure onto his opponent.

This is a fairly big spread for someone who has some limitations on the return like Felix Auger-Aliassime, but I think the Canadian should have enough chances to attack Mikael Ymer here to get into a position to find the breaks of serve to cover the line. The difference in the service numbers on the grass courts is telling and Felix Auger-Aliassime can find the big shots to move through to the Third Round with a good looking win behind him.

MY PICKS: Daniil Medvedev - 7.5 Games @ 1.95 Coral (2 Units)

Roger Federer - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Cameron Norrie - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Felix Auger-Aliassime - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Aljaz Bedene - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Sam Querrey - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Kei Nishikori - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Lorenzo Sonego - 6.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Marin Cilic - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jeremy Chardy-Ilya Ivashka Over 39.5 Games @ 1.85 Coral (2 Units)

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Barbora Krejcikova - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Anastasija Sevastova - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Katerina Siniakova - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Darya Kasatkina + 3.5 Games @ 1.85 Coral (2 Units)

Angelique Kerber - 4.5 Games @ 1.90 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Ashleigh Barty - 6.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Victoria Azarenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 27-15, + 17.48 Units (84 Units Staked, + 20.81% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 1 Picks 2019 (July 1st)

And so here we go.

Two weeks of Grand Slam Tennis at the third Slam of the 2019 season begins in SW19 on Monday and the sun looks to be shining in London at just the right time. Getting through the first week will make the weather almost irrelevant in the second week as two of the main show courts at Wimbledon will now have roofs to ensure play can continue even in the event of wet conditions to come around.

As I said a couple of days ago, Wimbledon looks a really open tournament as far as the women's event is concerned. That has been the case in the last two years of the major tournaments played on the WTA Tour and I would be surprised if the top Seeds all make their way through to the second week.

Instead I am expecting similar to recent tournaments and Slams where the final four and final eight have a number of surprise names in Slams over the last eighteen months. One or two names which have stood out to me are Karolina Pliskova and Venus Williams who are in the weaker bottom half of the draw and who are both big looking prices considering form and the games they have for the grass.

I have to be expecting shocks in the women's draw and I think there will be one or two unfamiliar faces in the final eight in eight days time, but that should not be the case for the men's draw where the top three players in the world have to be short odds on favourites to have one of them pick up the title in two weeks time. Novak Djokovic looks the right favourite with the way the draw has panned out too, although I think both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will head to SW19 with plenty of confidence too.

Anything else would be a real surprise, although there are some talented youngsters who don't feel that far away from making a big impact at this level.


It wasn't a great week for the Tennis Picks in the last week prior to the beginning of Wimbledon, but the draw for the tournament has provided a few options from Day 1 of the tournament as I look to get the third Slam off to a positive start.

Day 1 looks to be a very good day for the players with warm, but not hot conditions expected in London. It might be a bit breezy too which will help players remain cool and focus on what they want to do on the courts.

As I have done for the early Rounds at the French Open, I will write out analysis for a few of the Tennis Picks and add the rest to the 'MY PICKS' section below. Let's hope for a strong two weeks at the third Grand Slam of 2019.


Roberto Bautista Agut - 7.5 games v Peter Gojowczyk: An injury prevented Roberto Bautista Agut from competing at Wimbledon twelve months ago. He has dropped down to World Number 22 in the Rankings, but he has reached the Third Round in his last four appearances at Wimbledon and twice gone on to make the second week so there is a real chance he can reverse his slide down the Rankings here.

The Spaniard is definitely someone who has gotten as much out of his ability as he could and Bautista Agut has played well enough on the grass to take advantage of the draw in front of him. There are one or two dangerous players in his section of the draw if Bautista Agut is going to make the second week of Wimbledon, but he should be good enough to make hay in this First Round match.

Roberto Bautista Agut did reach the Quarter Final in Halle in his sole grass court tournament building into Wimbledon and a three set defeat to Roger Federer is not anything to be ashamed of. He did hold 90% of his service games across the three matches played there and the 22% break percentage is a decent return frm a small sample on the grass considering who Bautista Agut faced in Halle.

He should not be playing someone of the level of Taylor Fritz (Eastbourne Champion), or Roger Federer (Halle Champion) in the First Round here where Bautista Agut has been drawn against Peter Gojowczyk. This will be the fifth time these two players have met on the Tour and Bautista Agut has some very strong numbers against him with four straight wins including a pretty comfortable victory at Wimbledon two years ago.

The last two years have been difficult for Gojowcyzk on the grass courts as he has lost all four matches played in 2018 and 2019 and three of those have come in the last month. The German has been holding 82% of his service games played in those three grass court matches, but his returning has been struggling and now he faces someone who has dominated his serve in the matches between them.

Roberto Bautista Agut has broken in 51% of the return games played against Peter Gojowcyzk in their four previous matches and that number only slipped to 50% in ther match at Wimbledon in 2017. There has been some success Gojowcyzk has enjoyed against the Bautista Agut serve, but this looks like a match that Bautista Agut should be pretty comfortable in and I am going to look for him to use the superior returning to cover what is a large handicap in front of him.


Denis Kudla - 6.5 games v Malek Jaziri: In recent years Denis Kudla has produced some decent tennis on the grass courts, although he has been a player that is happy to take in the Challenger events around this time of the season. Qualifiers are also something Kudla has had to deal with with his World Ranking dropping out of the top 100, but the American has reached the Semi Final in a big Challenger down in Surbiton and the Quarter Final of an ATP 250 event in Stuttgart which should give him some belief.

What has become clear is that Kudla has been comfortable taking on players of a certain level on this surface and he is someone who has had some decent numbers in 2019. If you only consider players Ranked outside the top 50 of the World Rankings, Denis Kudla has held 82% of his service games and broken in 26% of return games played across nine matches over the last month.

In the First Round at Wimbledon Denis Kudla has been drawn to face Malek Jaziri who has yet to play a grass court match over the last month as he has instead focused on reversing his own slide down the World Rankings with Challenger events held on the clay courts. The Tunisian is just 1-6 in his last seven grass court matches with the last of those coming in a straight sets defeat to Jared Donaldson here at SW19 twelve months ago.

Malek Jaziri has simply not produced the same level on serve or return as his opponent in the First Round, while the head to head between these two players reads 2-0 in favour of Denis Kudla.

One of those matches came on the grass in 2015, while the last match came in Cincinnati last year in a Qualifier. Both wins for Kudla have come on fast surfaces and I think that is going to give him the confidence to see off Jaziri in the First Round.

There is little reason to suggest this is anything but a big number on the handicap, but I am not sure Jaziri will have a lot of belief coming into the match. His two losses to Denis Kudla have been one-sided and the last two years on the grass courts have not been much fun for the Tunisian who has held just 70% of the service games he has played on this surface across his last seven matches. Malek Jaziri has broken in 15% of return games in that time too and I think Denis Kudla can find the breaks of serve to enable pretty comfortable passage through to the Second Round.


Novak Djokovic - 7.5 games v Philipp Kohlschreiber: The World Number 1 is going into Wimbledon to defend the title he won in 2018 and he is the favourite to win the title here having been the beneficiary of a good looking draw. The two main rivals to Novak Djokovic have been placed in the opposite half of the draw and I do think it is going to beat the Serb before the Final in a little under two weeks time.

Things were so different twelve months ago as Novak Djokovic had come into Wimbledon after being upset at the French Open by Marco Cecchinato. Frustration was getting the better of Djokovic who had even thought about missing the third Grand Slam of the 2018 season, but it turned out a fantastic decision as the tournament sparked a very strong run.

Novak Djokovic didn't just win the title at Wimbledon, but it propelled him to win the US Open and Australian Open and only a tight Semi Final loss to Dominic Thiem at the French Open has ended his winning streak at the Slams. Now he will be looking to get a new run started as he opens Centre Court on the first day of Wimbledon as is the honour afforded to the defending men's Champion.

He might have hoped for an easier draw than facing Philipp Kohlschreiber who has been a comfortable grass court player throughout his career and who beat Djokovic at Indian Wells in March for his first win over this opponent in seven years. Since then Djokovic has earned some revenge by beating the German in Monte Carlo and Rome on the clay courts and I do think the match up is one that the World Number 1 should be relatively comfortable with.

While there have been times when Kohlschreiber has had success against the Djokovic serve, the latter has broken in 33% of return games played and should be able to put this opponent under pressure. The fact that Kohlschreiber has lost both grass court matches played in the last three weeks and his continuing declining numbers as far as the return of serve goes should give Djokovic the edge even in his first competitive match on the surface in 2019.

In both 2017 and 2018 Djokovic has been very strong behind serve on the grass, but it is the returning where he has really impressed and been a big part of the reason he has compiled a combined 19-2 run on the surface across that time. He will feel he can capitalise on Kohlschreiber's serve if the latter is unable to improve on the 75% of service games held across his two matches this year on the grass courts and I do give Novak Djokovic a considerable edge.

A first match on the grass can mean some players take time to acclimatise with their surroundings and their sole match at Wimbledon saw Djokovic win 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. This time I think he can cover a big number on the handicap by finding at least one or two more breaks of serve than he did in 2015 and I also think Djokovic will be a little tougher to break for the German which can see him produce a slightly wider margin of victory.


Andrea Arnaboldi-Ivo Karlovic over 39.5 games: Arguably the most famous win in Ivo Karlovic's career came at Wimbledon back in 2003 when he defeated Lleyton Hewitt in the First Round. That win came at a time when Karlovic was considering his future in the sport, but he Qualified for the tournament and then became only the second player to beat the defending Champion in the First Round at Wimbledon.

Ever since the Croatian has made a very good career for himself despite the limitations on the return of serve. However the huge serve possessed by the big man has made Ivo Karlovic a dangerous opponent for every player on the Tour and a peak Ranking of Number 14 is not to be disrespected.

It is something of a surprise to see a 40 year old Ivo Karlovic still out on the Tour competing, although there are signs this could be the final year for him. He is slipping down the World Rankings and Karlovic is just 4-3 on the grass courts over the last month as he continues to serve big, but the return has declined a little more.

Ivo Karlovic is still not going to be an easy out and he is favoured to beat Andrea Arnaboldi who has come through three tough Qualifiers to make the First Round at Wimbledon. This is actually the first time the Italian is going to be playing in the main draw at this Grand Slam, but he will be feeling good for the three wins he has produced in the Qualifiers even if Arnaboldi does not have a deep grass court pedigree to say the least.

He has tried to Qualify for Wimbledon before but fallen short, although I do think Arnaboldi can feel good about his performances to get into the First Round. It will be a boost to the World Ranking, but a really big one if he can upset Karlovic even if this is going to be a challenge for him.

Andrea Arnaboldi is going to have to have a very big serving day to have a chance because I am not sure he is going to have a lot of joy out of the Ivo Karlovic serve. The Croatian can be vulnerable early in the Wimbledon tournament with a number of early exits here and I do think Arnaboldi can perhaps steal a set at the very least which is the reason for this selection.

Ivo Karlovic is rightly the favourite, but he is someone who is going to rely on a single break of serve to try and win sets. Three of his last four First Round matches at Wimbledon have gone at least four sets and this is a match that could feature at least two tie-breakers. I can't really see Andrea Arnaboldi winning this in straight sets, but the Italian is capable of stealing a tie-breaker at the least and I will look for the total games mark to be surpassed.


Stefanos Tsitsipas - 6.5 games v Thomas Fabbiano: An arm injury was perhaps slowing Stefanos Tsitsipas down when he played at Queens last month, but he was back in action in exhibition matches last week and should be ready to compete at Wimbledon. The young Greek superstar is going to have plenty of fans backing him in the third Grand Slam of the season, although I do think the return is going to continue to hold him back at this stage of his career.

It makes it difficult to back Tsitsipas when it comes to covering big spreads like we see in the First Round on Monday, but this is the second year in a row he will be facing Thomas Fabbiano at this Grand Slam. Twelve months ago Stefanos Tsitsipas beat the Italian pretty comfortably in a Third Round match and I do think the match up is one that should not tax the higher Ranked player from a mental or physical standpoint.

I do like Thomas Fabbiano who gives plenty of himself on the court, and this is a player that should be respected having reached the Semi Final in Eastbourne last week. However he had a couple of early defeats on the grass prior to that tournament and it was a long week for the Italian having started in the Qualifiers in Eastbourne before the improbable run to the final four.

Even with that run behind him, Thomas Fabbiano is holding just 76% of his service games played on the grass and I do think his is a vulnerable shot. That will help someone like Tsitsipas get his teeth into the return games and improve his own numbers, and I do think that is a difference maker in the match.

Like a lot of players who can be vulnerable on the serve, Fabbiano is someone that does get the most out of his return. Even that side of his game will be challenged by someone like Tsitsipas who has held 82% of his service games played on the grass in 2019 and who had been up at 89% in 2018.

In their match last year at Wimbledon Tsitsipas was breaking the Italian's serve for fun and while I can't expect those numbers again, I do think the top ten Ranked player can have plenty of success in this one too. It should give Tsitsipas the chance to be in a position to cover this handicap mark, although I do think Thomas Fabbiano has been playing well enough over the last ten days to be afforded plenty of respect.

I would not be surprised if one of the sets is very competitive, but Stefanos Tsitsipas should be able to secure at least one set with a double break of serve. That should be enough to put him in a position to cover the mark and I will look for him to do that in the First Round.


Kyle Edmund - 5.5 games v Jaume Munar: There was some very good news for fans of British tennis that Andy Murray looks to have come through his surgery which could mean a return to the Singles Tour in the coming months. However he is only able to play Doubles at Wimbledon this summer which means there is more pressure on the other big names to find their best tennis at the tournament which garners the most headlines from the sport in the United Kingdom.

The British Number 1 going into Wimbledon is Kyle Edmund, although a poor 2019 has seen him slip down the World Rankings. His place as the top rated British player is going to be threatened by Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans over the next few months, but a strong performance at SW19 will keep those players at arm's length for Edmund.

Having a big tournament is no guarantee for Edmund though as he has yet to find his most consistent tennis on the surface. A strong run to the Semi Final in Eastbourne last week will have given Edmund some confidence, while the draw for the First Round looks a good one against an opponent who has yet to win a grass court match on the pro Tour in his career.

For Edmund to have a very good Wimbledon he will have to pick up his play as far as the returning goes on the surface. His serve is a big weapon for him though and I expect that can keep Jaume Munar under some element of control in this match, especially as the Spaniard has won just 9% of return games played in his two losses on the grass this past month.

The Spaniard has found some decent serving of his own as he has been able to hold 81% of the service games played in his two matches with Marton Fucsovics and Borna Coric. That isn't that surprising a number considering the surface and the fact he has played Coric at a time when he was not at his best and eventually pulling out of the tournament in Halle and Wimbledon with an injury.

I do think Munar will have some joy against Edmund considering the latter has not managed to get higher than an 18% break percentage in each of 2017, 2018 and 2019. That should give the inexperienced grass courter an opportunity to get into a couple of the sets and perhaps even edge one, but Edmund should have the superior serve on the numbers and that will build pressure.

Covering the number is no forgone conclusion, but I do think that pressure will see Munar perhaps slip away in one set in the longest format of the sport. As long as Kyle Edmund can cope with being the British Number 1 at Wimbledon, like he was last year, I think he should have enough to win this First Round match and get over the line set by the layers.


Venus Williams - 4.5 games v Cori Gauff: I wanted to write down a few words about the match that should earn plenty of headlines on Monday on the first day of the Championships. Cori 'Coco' Gauff has become the youngest Qualifier to reach the Wimbledon main draw and at 15 years old there is a bright future in front of her.

There have been the inevitable comparisons with the Williams Sisters already, and the early successes in her career certainly suggest Gauff is capable of making it as far as she wants in the sport.

It may have come out of a Hollywood script, but the draw pitting Gauff against Venus Williams has really raised the whole expectation around her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon. Winning three matches as comfortably as she did to get here will also mean there will be plenty of expectation on the shoulders of the young American against a veteran who is looking for one more big run at SW19.

This is by far the biggest match of Gauff's young career and I think it is a situation in which most expect her to thrive rather than freeze on the big stage. Playing on Court One is a big ask of anyone though, no matter how level headed you are, and I think Venus Williams is going to have too much for her on a surface on which Williams is still able to play some of her best tennis.

The key for Venus Williams is that I think she is going to have plenty of joy on the return of serve and her own serve is still producing enough free points to offer a real challenge for Gauff. I would not be surprised if one set is quite competitive as I can see a situation where Venus Williams perhaps is not motivated enough to want to embarrass someone she will look at and perhaps see similarities with her own experiences.

However Venus Williams is here to win the title over the next two weeks and the veteran should be able to record a comfortable enough win on the day. The future for Cori Gauff will still be very bright regardless as she joins a number of teenagers that look to be the future of women's tennis.


Victoria Azarenka - 3.5 games v Alize Cornet: A strong run to the Eastbourne Quarter Final will have given Alize Cornet a shot of confidence going into Wimbledon, but she is still yet to show any real consistency on the grass courts. Her First Round draw is far from easy too as she faces former World Number 1 Victoria Azarenka who is also searching for consistency on the Tour, but who has dominated the Frenchwoman when they have met.

The last of those matches was back in 2016 so it is largely irrelevant, although I do think Alize Cornet can be susceptible to feeling things mentally and emotionally and that record won't be far from her mind.

I have to respect some of the performances Cornet has put together on the grass courts over the last month, and her numbers have backed that up, but the relatively small sample of matches can't always be taken at face value. In recent years Cornet has not been nearly as successful as she has over the last couple of weeks and I do think this is a difficult match up for her if Azarenka is anything near her best.

You can't really count on that as you once could when Victoria Azarenka would go into Slams amongst the favourites to win the title. Her sole grass court match in 2019 resulted in a defeat to Caroline Garcia, the Nottingham Champion, while Azarenka will also expect to show better on her return if she is really going to start moving up the World Rankings again.

I would expect the Victoria Azarenka first serve to be the more effective shot on the day and that should give her the platform to win this match. She should also have the slight edge when it comes to the second serve, but I will say it can be difficult to back Azarenka on her current form.

The key factor will be how Cornet copes if things start going against her- she is a player that can just crumble all around when things go wrong and that could see Azarenka pull away for a good looking win. It is enough coupled with their recent history on the grass to want to back Azarenka here and I will look for her to cover the number on the handicap.

MY PICKS: Roberto Bautista Agut - 7.5 Games @ 2.20 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Denis Kudla - 6.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Novak Djokovic - 7.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Andrea Arnaboldi-Ivo Karlovic Over 39.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Stefanos Tsitsipas - 6.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Kyle Edmund - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Venus Williams - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Victoria Azarenka - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Sofia Kenin - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Polona Hercog - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Petra Martic - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Kevin Anderson - 1.5 Sets @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Fernando Verdasco @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Season 2019: + 89.11 Units (1144 Units Staked, + 7.79% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2017- Manny Pacquiao vs Jeff Horn (July 1st)

Over the next couple of months we are going to see two of the better fighters of this generation return to the ring and both look to be facing opponents they should deal with relatively comfortably.

At least Manny Pacquiao will say his opponent is an unbeaten fighter who has boxed numerous times before compared with Floyd Mayweather taking on a novice in Conor McGregor, but the latter is clearly the bigger event.

That has been underlined by the fact this is the first free fight Pacquiao will have fought in the United States in a long, long time, while the Mayweather fight is expected to top the PPV sales of any fight before.

The Pacquiao vs Jeff Horn fight takes place in Australia, but they have timed it to hit the Eastern Coast of the the United States at 9pm which means it is another early fight for those of us in the United Kingdom. However, fight fans in the UK will have an event taking place in the O2 Arena to enjoy beforehand with a few of the younger faces in the boxing scene expected to be on the undercard before Frank Buglioni takes on Ricky Summers.

I'll be making picks from the Buglioni and Pacquiao fights below.


2017 has been a great year for boxing so far and it looks like it will continue through the second half of the year. It feels like promoters are no longer shying away from pitting the best with the best and some top events look to be ahead.

At the top of the pile may be the Anthony Joshua rematch with Wladimir Klitschko, although the latter has yet to confirm he is going to exercise that option. Eddie Hearn has kicked on with the event in anticipation that Klitschko will accept the rematch and all signs seem to be pointing to AJ having his first fight in the United States later this year.

That will be huge, while other top names on the British scene could be in line for some major fights themselves. Hughie Fury, Tyson's cousin, has his shot at the World Title held by Joseph Parker, Tony Bellew could potentially face Andre Ward or David Haye, and Kell Brook is also expected to return from a second eye socket injury and all before the year is out.

Hopefully the rumours about the Anthony Dirrell and Callum Smith fight being in doubt is only a rumour and the World Series of Boxing tournament for the Muhammad Ali trophy will also get underway before the year is out.

You can only be excited about the months ahead.

Frank Buglioni vs Ricky Summers

There has been a lot of talk from Frank Buglioni about what he wants to do in the future, but that will all be a waste of time if he is unable to beat unbeaten Ricky Summers on Saturday.

This does feel like a huge step up for Summers though who has only fought one previous opponent that has had a winning record when they have met. That raises some real questions about his unbeaten run especially as Buglioni has been in with some tough, tough men in his time in the professional ranks.

No one can doubt that 'Wise Guy' can punch having won fifteen of his nineteen professional wins inside the distance. The victory over the previously unbeaten Hosea Burton looks like one that is a step above Ricky Summers and I think it is a big ask of the latter to secure the upset.

The prices indicate that and I don't think Summers has the kind of power that will get the respect of Buglioni which makes it an all round tougher day in the office for the former.

Summers has spoken very positively of his chances for the upset, but I think the underlying tone is that he is using this as a chance to gain experience. Ultimately I think that indicates he is not fully convinced of his own chances and I do think this is an opportunity for Buglioni to produce a statement win and move on to bigger and better things.

It has been a little bit of time since Buglioni has been in the ring so there is a feeling it may take a couple of Rounds to find his range against the taller man. However I do think once Summers feels the power of Buglioni it will only be a matter of time before he falls and I am looking for a mid-Round stoppage for the British Light-Heavyweight Champion.

Backing Buglioni to win between 4-6 Rounds looks about the place where I would expect this fight to be concluded as the Champion shows why he is ready to take on someone like Nathan Cleverley. After finding his range, I expect he will hit Summers like the latter has not been able to experience in the professional ranks before and I believe Buglioni may get a couple of Knock Downs before the referee comes in to wave things off.

Manny Pacquiao vs Jeff Horn

When this fight was first rumoured to be happening, the reaction most people would have had was Jeff Horn who?

The schoolteacher from Australia is unbeaten in his professional career and is adamant he is going to end the storied career of Manny Pacquiao this weekend. That will open the doors for Horn to move across to the United States for some huge fights, and paydays, in the tough Welterweight Division.

An unbeaten record it is, but it is not exactly one littered with the big names of boxing. At least not the current big names.

Randall Bailey and Ali Funeka have both fought for World Titles before, but that was some time before Horn met them and stopped both. While they were both past their prime, both landed a shot that was able to put Horn on the floor before the Australian recovered for the stoppage and that has to be a concern.

Not many will say Manny Pacquiao is at the peak of his powers these days, but he still seems to be performing at a high enough level to win a fight of this quality. There is the chance that Pacquiao has suddenly gotten old, especially having been out of the ring in the last eight months, but he has shown in his two fights since the loss to Floyd Mayweather that he has still got something in the tank.

Being able to Knock Down both Tim Bradley and Jessie Vargas shows there is still some pop off the punches and those helped lead to a wide Decision win over both. It has been a long time since Pacquiao has been able to stop someone and that seems to be the biggest question mark over this fight.

Has Pacquiao got the killer instinct back or is he going to coast to a pretty comprehensive win on the scorecards?

The layers have priced up both outcomes very evenly, but I do think Horn could be overmatched and potentially pulled out of this one. I don't buy into Freddie Roach's statements about how fearsome Pacquiao has looked in training because he has been saying that for years, but I do think the Filipino warrior understands that he can line himself back up for a potential crack at Mayweather by winning this one with style.

While Pacquiao has perhaps come off the gas when opponents have been in trouble over the years, I do think he will put enough combinations together to hurt Horn in this one. That may see the referee or the corner step in and I have little doubt Pacquiao could put Horn down a couple of times if the likes of Bailey and Funeka still had the pop to do the same.

Who would have guessed the last time Pacquiao would get a stoppage would be 2009? He has had chances to do that since then, but just has lost some of that 'killer instinct' although Pacquiao has come close. I think he may be aided by the referee or the Horn corner in this one, but the Australian may find out he is quite overmatched fairly early in this one and potentially go into survival mode.

At home that shouldn't be the case though and Horn won't get any credit from the locals if he is looking to stay away from Pac Man. Instead I think Horn will try and fight fire with fire and that might be his undoing as Pacquiao earns his first stoppage in almost a decade.

MY PICKS: Frank Buglioni Win Between 4-6 Rounds @ 5.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Manny Pacquiao to Win by KO, TKO or Disqualification @ 2.38 Ladbrokes (2 Units)