Tennis Picks 2023 (July 22nd)

The day started off perfectly, but a poor run in Gstaad hurt the Tennis Picks in the Quarter Final Round on Friday and it looks like a week in which I am not going to recover from a miserable opening day.

Some of the manner of a few of the losses this week have been frustrating, but the majority of Break Points are being created by those players being backed and that is about all I can do.

With the Semi Final matches set for Saturday, you can see my Picks below.

MY PICKS: Casper Ruud - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Pedro Cachin - 1.5 Games @ 1.95 Coral (2 Units)

Nadia Podoroska - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Coral (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 11-14, - 7.36 Units (50 Units Staked, - 14.72% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (July 18-22)

The FA Cup Semi Final matches are to be played on Saturday and Sunday this week, but the Premier League is also entering its penultimate round of the season as GW37 begins on Saturday afternoon.

The four teams involved in the Semi Final have had their League matches pushed back to Tuesday and Wednesday and then the final games of the 2019/20 season will be played at the same time on Sunday. There is still plenty to play for at both the top and bottom of the table, but the tight window to fit in all the football needed to complete the season does mean that there is more thinking time for players to analyse what kind of results they need to achieve their ambitions for the campaign.

I am not sure that is helping or hindering, but teams are responding to the pressure in a better way than I may have imagined. That also goes for the Championship where Leeds United are a point away from securing their place back in the Premier League after a long absence and both West Brom and Brentford are still fighting to join them.


This week the top four race in the Premier League will see Leicester City try and set the standard for the results when they play on the same day Manchester United face Chelsea in the FA Cup Semi Final. A win for Leicester City will mean a draw on the final day is likely to be enough to earn a Champions League spot, but they face Tottenham Hotspur who are desperately trying to earn their spot in the Europa League.

Later this week Manchester United and Chelsea have big Premier League games to try and put themselves in commanding spots for the top four places too and there is a feeling the Cup Semi Final may give the winning team the momentum and the losing team in a poor spot going into the final week of the Premier League season.


Down the bottom both Bournemouth and Aston Villa may look at their remaining fixture list and believe the 'great escape' is still on. They've both earned big points over the last week and in their final home games they will be chasing wins that will put some serious pressure on the loser of the big West Ham United versus Watford game which is played on Friday night.

Watford need the win more on that evening with Manchester City and Arsenal to round out the season and that would also potentially leave a huge West Ham United versus Aston Villa clash to come on the final day of the season.


Things will definitely be a lot, lot clearer by the time this penultimate round of fixtures are completed- it is also a big round for those chasing points in the Fantasy Football game and I will have more thoughts on that below.

Before that you can read my thoughts on the upcoming Premier League games and the two FA Cup Semi Final matches below.


Arsenal v Manchester City Pick: Mikel Arteta has some inside knowledge of Manchester City, but passing that on to players that are clearly not as good as those that Pep Guardiola can call upon doesn't mean an awful lot.

Arteta's Arsenal team did start brightly when these teams met last month, but Manchester City ended up warming up to the task and were comfortable 3-0 winners at the Etihad Stadium. They were aided massively that day by David Luiz who made a mistake to allow Raheem Sterling in for the opener and was then sent off while giving away a penalty early in the second half.

Since the opening two games of the resumption, Arsenal have won 5 of 7 games in all competitions. However you do have to worry about the amount of chances they have given up in the last couple of games and I am not going to read too much into a very fortunate win over a Liverpool team that have seemingly come off the boil since winning the title.

The Gunners can't rely on that this weekend when facing Manchester City who have rested some key players and have been creating chances for fun. They were not at their best in the 2-1 win over Bournemouth on Wednesday, but Manchester City should have the confidence of Aymeric Laporte back in the team, while a fully rested Kevin De Bruyne is a real threat to Arsenal.

Kevin De Bruyne has already scored three times against Arsenal this season and I do think Manchester City are going to have large periods of control in this one.

Arsenal have been clinical in front of goal and have players who can produce the stunning finish, but defensively there are holes. They are going to need Manchester City to be as wasteful in front of goal as Liverpool were to have any chance, but I think that is a long shot.

Manchester City have beaten Arsenal 7 times in a row and I simply can't see that run ending here. All of those wins have come by two or more goal margins including a 3-0 win in the League Cup Final in 2018 and I do think the defending FA Cup Winners will have too much on the day.

I have to respect the fact that Arsenal have managed to stay in games where they have been put under intense pressure, but this Manchester City have been blowing past teams when they get the wind in their sails. I would worry for Arsenal if they concede first and I will back Manchester City to win by two or more goals in the first of the FA Cup Semi Finals to be played this weekend.


Manchester United v Chelsea Pick: The second Semi Final in the FA Cup this weekend looks to be a very competitive affair, although you can understand the reasons Manchester United are favourites to win this one.

They have beaten Chelsea in all 3 meetings in 2019/20 and Manchester United have found goals fairly easy to come by in those wins. They are also unbeaten in 6 against Chelsea since losing to them in the FA Cup Final at the end of the 2017/18 season, while Manchester United are unbeaten in 19 in all competitions and their last 12 away from Old Trafford.

Chelsea have been in anything but poor form having won 8 of their last 10 in all competitions, but they have lost 2 of their last 3 away from Stamford Bridge. A bigger worry is the amount of goals conceded in those games (8) and if the recovery time between games was the same for both clubs I would really like Manchester United to win this one.

I still give the favourites the edge, but I don't think it should be underestimated the advantage Chelsea potentially have with the way the schedule has worked out.

The Blues played at home on Tuesday, but Manchester United have had to travel down to London on Thursday and then return to Manchester before making another long journey down to the capital on Sunday. This comes at the end of a week when Manchester United also played on Monday night and there have been one or two signs of fatigue in a squad that has been heavily relying on their starting eleven.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can't really freshen up the team in the way he would like without weakening the starting eleven, but he will be confident his attacking players are performing well enough to expose Chelsea's soft underbelly.

However, it has to be noted that Chelsea are playing well going forward themselves and they managed to give some key players a bit of rest in their 1-0 win over Norwich City.

Neither manager is likely to play a cautious style and I do think the amount of football being played over the last month will have an affect in this one. The key for Manchester United is to get on the front foot early and make Chelsea open up, while Frank Lampard may want to ride out the early storm with the expectation that his team will likely have more in the legs the longer this game goes.

You can't ignore how well Manchester United have seemingly matched up with Chelsea this season, although the results have perhaps been a little harsh on the West London club. 10 of the last 16 FA Cup Semi Finals have ended with at least three goals shared out and both Manchester United and Chelsea have produced plenty of positive attacking football over the last month coupled with some iffy performances at the back to believe this could be the latest Semi Final to trend in the goals direction.

I still give Manchester United a narrow lean, but the scheduling alarms me and instead I will back goals to be the outcome of the second Semi Final.


Norwich City v Burnley Pick: It has been a hard month for Norwich City who have shown very little fight to avoid the drop.

This isn't down to a lack of effort, but Norwich City have simply been short of quality at either ends of the pitch at this level. They don't create enough chances and they don't defend well enough and ultimately that is not a recipe that will enable a team to avoid relegation.

Norwich City have lost all 4 Premier League games played here since the three month break and they have not scored in any of those. There haven't been a lot of chances for them, although they are facing a Burnley team who have been giving up some big opportunities without being punished.

Confidence is flowing in the away dressing room as they have battled through difficult moments to find big results. Burnley are unbeaten in 3 away Premier League games and have kept 2 clean sheets in that time so the feeling is that they will be a little too good for Norwich City in this one too.

Burnley have recently won at Crystal Palace and West Ham United and in the last three seasons they do have a 3-4-2 record away from home against those clubs that have been relegated. This season they have won at three of the five clubs that are sitting immediately above Norwich City and been unbeaten in the other League games.

The squad is stretched by injury, but I still think there is enough quality from set pieces that could give Burnley the edge here. I would expect Norwich City to put in a huge effort to end their losing run in the League in their final home game, but they have simply not been up to task of late and Burnley securing a narrow win looks the most likely outcome of this one.


Bournemouth v Southampton Pick: There is plenty more on the line for Bournemouth compared with Southampton in this South Coast derby, but the home team are going to get anything but an easy ride.

Despite having little to play for, Southampton have been playing with verve and attacking intent and that has helped produce a 5 game unbeaten run. They are also unbeaten in 4 away from St Mary's and have played their best football away from their own Stadium, while Southampton look to be creating chances for fun at the moment.

An injury hit Bournemouth defence is going to struggle to contain them if Southampton are anything near the standards they set in draws at Everton and Manchester United. With Danny Ings still hoping to chase down the Golden Boot I do think Southampton are going to provide plenty of threat here.

However, Southampton are far from watertight at the back and that has to be encouragement for Bournemouth who likely need two wins from their remaining two Premier League games if they are going to avoid the drop.

Eddie Howe will feel there is every chance Bournemouth can do that having seen his team impress against Leicester City and Manchester City over the last eight days. The team look to have suddenly have been given a huge shot of confidence and Bournemouth are producing the kind of attacking threat which had seemingly disappeared down the stretch.

A bit of good fortune helped on their way to the win over Leicester City last weekend, but that has encouraged the players and I do think Bournemouth will get forward and attack this game.

Everything is pointing to goals even though the South Coast derby at the Vitality Stadium has tended to be tighter affairs than the fixture played at St Mary's. Earlier this season four goals were shared out when these teams met at Southampton which means the last 3 at St Mary's have ended with three or more goals shared out, but the last 2 here have finished up with low-scoring draws being the outcome.

The situation should make this an open game and both teams have been creating plenty of chances to believe we will see goals here.


Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City Pick: This is a huge game for both Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City who are both aiming for European competition next season. At least Leicester City are secured of playing in the Europa League, but Brendan Rodgers and his team are hoping for a Champions League berth, while Tottenham Hotspur are desperate to at least be playing in the Europa League.

Both teams had impressive wins during the week against Newcastle United and Sheffield United respectively, but I think both Jose Mourinho and Brendan Rodgers know this will be a much more difficult outing for their teams.

Chances may not be flowing in this fixture, but I do have to give the edge to Tottenham Hotspur who are playing at home.

Tottenham Hotspur have won their last 3 games here and deservedly so and now host a Leicester City who have lost 4 of their last 7 away games in all competitions and failed to win any of those. The absence of James Maddison is a real blow for Leicester City, although Jamie Vardy will be confident his pace can hurt an ageing Tottenham Hotspur back line.

Ultimately Leicester City have not been creating a lot of chances away from home of late and if you take away the nine goals scored at Southampton you would note they have only scored 22 goals in 17 away games.

In recent matches this is a team struggling to create good chances in the final third and Tottenham Hotspur have defended well enough at home to believe they can at least contain their visitors.

Jose Mourinho's tactics can be difficult to watch at times, but Tottenham Hotspur have created decent chances in their last 3 home games. They have won all 3 and the win at Newcastle United will have continued the good feeling around the club who can put the pressure on those around them by winning on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur have won their last 2 home games against Leicester City and they might have a narrow edge in this one. I just think Spurs are creating the better chances of the two teams of late and having home advantage may be enough to secure a narrow win here.


Brighton v Newcastle United Pick: There isn't as much on the line in this fixture as the thinking may have been back in August, but both Brighton and Newcastle United have performed well enough to earn their spot in the Premier League.

Brighton are not mathematically safe just yet, but they have a vasty superior goal difference to Aston Villa and Bournemouth and it would be a stunning turn of events that would send them down now.

That should give the players some freedom and Graham Potter has refused to change the style with his team looking to get forward and play enterprising football. It has been effective at bringing more entertainment for the fans, but Brighton have not been as strong defensively as they were under Chris Hughton.

However, the attacking style will work well against a Newcastle United team who have achieved all they can and who have looked shaky at the back in the last couple of weeks. Injuries have been piling up and Steve Bruce may already be thinking about the improvements he will need to make for the squad to perhaps push on next season.

At least his team have still looked a threat going forward and they will likely find some spaces to exploit too in a game that could be more entertaining than most would believe. Newcastle United have scored goals aplenty since the restart (at least when they are not facing Manchester City) and they do have players who can make a big difference for them.

Both teams should find a way to hit the net so the attacking players could be interesting 'cheaper' choices for those playing the Fantasy game. I honestly would not be surprised if we see at least three goals produced with a 2-1 scoreline either way looking the most likely outcome of the fixture.


Sheffield United v Everton Pick: It might have been a disappointing 2-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium for Sheffield United, but Chris Wilder and the squad know it is not one that has ended their chances of playing European Football for the first time. They have to respond on Monday when they host Everton, but there is every chance they can do that when you consider some of the levels produced by Carlo Ancelotti's men over the last couple of weeks.

Reaching acceptable standards is the minimum Chris Wilder accepts at Sheffield United and I do expect a reaction from his team to their defeat at Leicester City.

The Blades will work hard and they might have too much intensity for Everton, especially at home. Sheffield United had won 3 of their previous 4 Premier League games before the loss to Leicester City, while they have won 4 home League games in succession and have looked very good in doing that.

I expect Sheffield United will have the better of the chances in this one and their visitors have just had a few issues at the back which have been exposed since their win over Leicester City. Everton have been conceding far too many chances and I do think the home team can expose those problems.

To make matters tougher for Everton, they have lost some consistency going forward and breaking down Sheffield United has been a tough task for many this season. The side have lost 4 of their last 5 away Premier League games and Everton have not scored in their last 2 on their travels.

The one concern for Sheffield United is that they have not always been clinical in the final third- the first goal will be huge in this fixture, but I do think Chris Wilder will have his team coming out with a lot more intensity than Everton and that can see them control the fixture and produce a big win.

All signs are pointing towards the home team being the more likely winner, although the last few games in any Premier League season can produce some surprising results. The pressure is on Sheffield United to win the game if they want to earn a place in the Europa League, but I think Chris Wilder will have them ready to produce.


Wolves v Crystal Palace Pick: Roy Hodgson will not want his Crystal Palace team to end the season with eight straight Premier League losses, but injuries are piling up at the back and this is a team who do not score a lot of goals to make up for that.

In their last 6 defeats, Crystal Palace have conceded at least twice in 5 of those. Their last 3 away defeats have all come by two or more goal margins at Liverpool, Leicester City and Aston Villa and the squad is stretched.

This should be the kind of game that Wolves take advantage of, although it does have to be said that Nuno Espirito Santo's team can be one that works hard and doesn't really blow teams away. They dropped two points last week at Burnley, but Wolves have had time to prepare for this fixture and they have won 4 of their last 6 at home.

The 3-0 win over Everton was helped by goals either side of half time, but Wolves will be confident they can create chances against a Crystal Palace team who have struggled at the back. Crystal Palace have been giving up some big chances through the last month and away from home they have really been struggling which can be exposed by Wolves.

The home team will have to bare their teeth and make sure they don't allow Crystal Palace to hang around when they can become very dangerous with nothing to lose.

I do believe Wolves can do that though with Raul Jimenez back amongst the goals and Crystal Palace slumping towards the end of the season. Wolves have kept clean sheets in 6 of their last 7 at home in all competitions and they have largely been able to contain their opponents.

Now they face a Crystal Palace team who have failed to score in 5 of their last 6 Premier League games including in each of the last 3 away from home. You can never discount the likes of Wilfried Zaha or Andros Townsend doing something special to change that, but Wolves have largely defended very well and I think they are more likely to win this game with a clean sheet to boot.


Watford v Manchester City Pick: After winning the domestic treble last season, Manchester City are 'only' going to win one of the three trophies they compete for in England this time around. It is a hugely disappointing season, but Pep Guardiola will be reminding his players that there is still the huge prize of the Champions League on offer.

The defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup Semi Final is a huge blow for Manchester City and the final two Premier League games is a chance to earn some momentum before the Champions League resumes. They didn't play badly against Arsenal, but the attacking play was largely predictable and defensively Manchester City continue to offer out chances to opponents.

Away from home they have really begun to struggle with 4 losses in their last 6 games played away from the Etihad Stadium.

However no one can take anything for granted against Manchester City who have been creating plenty of chances and who thumped Brighton 0-5 at the Amex Stadium in their last away Premier League game.

Watford know all about the kind of devastating attacking football Manchester City can play having lost 4 of the last 7 against them by five or more goal margins. Even hosting the game at Vicarage Road hasn't helped much with 4 losses in a row to Manchester City and those coming by a 2-15 margin.

The home team have won back to back games here, but they were behind to both Norwich City and Newcastle United and recovering from a goal down against Manchester City is a completely different kettle of fish. Nigel Pearson will also have been disgusted to see the level produced in Watford's 3-1 loss at West Ham United on Friday evening and will know that it simply is not going to be good enough against a team as powerful as Manchester City.

Nigel Pearson may get a break if Manchester City make big changes to the starting eleven, but I expect a strong team to be selected as Pep Guardiola looks for a big response to the Cup defeat. They should be able to expose the issues Watford have had at the back, although the home team could play their part with the pace they have in the final third and with Troy Deeney up front.

Even then it is a big ask for Watford to contain Manchester City and I think they will be too good on the day. They have responded to their last 4 defeats by winning the next game by at least two goals and I would expect the visitors to be a little more clinical in the final third which can set them on the way to a comfortable win here.


[UPDATE] Since writing this preview the surprising news out of Vicarage Road was that Nigel Pearson was being sacked with two games left. It is very difficult to know how the players will respond over the last week of the season, while most fans and neutrals will feel the decision is very harsh on Pearson.

Ultimately Watford have usually made the right choices when it comes to changing direction with their manager, but this is going to be a tight finish. There was clearly some real disappointment in the performance at at West Ham United and Watford may need help to survive the drop considering which two opponents they have left.

We may see a big reaction from the home team with a new voice to listen to, but even now I would be surprised if Manchester City don't dominate the game and prove too strong when all is said and done.


Aston Villa v Arsenal Pick: This is not an easy game to get a read on, but it looks like being one that is arguably more important for Aston Villa than Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta's men are desperate to return to European competition, but results have gone against them over the last two weeks and they may effectively be out of contention by the time this fixture kicks off. That would mean the focus is on the FA Cup and it is not out of the question that Arteta will rotate his first eleven who have put in a huge effort to see off Liverpool and Manchester City in back to back games.

Those are impressive wins at any time of the season, but Arsenal have not been dominant and perhaps been fortunate to have won both games. In terms of chances they have been dominated, but Arsenal do have clinical attacking players who have to be respected.

They are players who can cause a host of problems for Aston Villa, although I do think Dean Smith's team have defended much better this side of the three month break. 4 points from the last 6 available has given Aston Villa a shot in the arm in their fight against relegation and this is a team who have been creating chances and perhaps deserved more points than they have earned.

A part of the problem is that Aston Villa do not have a striker who can be relied upon to score the chances that do come their way, but I think they have players who can give Arsenal something to think about.

If Arsenal are perhaps just a little fatigued from the efforts put into the last two games, Aston Villa can take advantage here. They should be rested having last played on Thursday and Aston Villa have created chances against opponents at Villa Park while getting ready to face an Arsenal team who have looked vulnerable at the back despite the positive results earned.

Arsenal did win 3 away games in a row before the defeat at Tottenham Hotspur and they are a team who have world class talents in the final third that don't need too many good looks to score goals. That is a concern for Aston Villa, but I think the home team have been playing well down the stretch and can at least earn a point which should give themselves every chance of avoiding the drop as we enter the final weekend of the 2019/20 season.


Manchester United v West Ham United Pick: There were a couple of changes made to the Manchester United team to try and freshen things up, but tactically Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looked to have got things wrong in their FA Cup Semi Final defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.

A change in system simply removed some of the attacking intent we have seen from Manchester United in recent weeks, but the defeat will be put to the back of the fans' minds if they can win this fixture. A win would put Manchester United in command of a top four place with a single game left to play and a big win would really put the side in a very strong spot ahead of the final game at Leicester City.

The first port of call for Manchester United will be making sure they win the game though and not to worry about the margin of victory. At Old Trafford Manchester United have scored plenty of goals in recent weeks and that has to be encouraging for the players as they look to bounce back from a poor performance.

David De Gea will be hoping to be given a chance to redeem himself after being to blame for the first two Chelsea goals on Sunday, but the attacking players should all be restored to the starting eleven. That is important for Manchester United who have to take the game to a West Ham United team whose back to back wins might have kept them in the Premier League.

The Premier League status could be officially confirmed without West Ham United needing to kick another ball if Aston Villa fail to beat Arsenal, but regardless David Moyes looks to have guided the team out of trouble.

In recent games West Ham United have looked menacing going forward, but there are still holes defensively which should be exposed by Manchester United. The Hammers may have nothing to lose, but that may also mean a slight drop in intensity and they are a team who do allow teams to build up some steam and create important chances against them.

Manchester United have won 3 in a row at home against West Ham United and I think they will be grateful for having this game on Wednesday. There have been one or two signs of some fatigue as the run of games might have taken a toll on what has been a small squad that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to trust, but I do think there is enough in the final third for Manchester United to win this game well.

I think it is fair to believe West Ham United will cause some problems with their own talented threat in the final third, but ultimately I think Manchester United bounce back from the defeat on Sunday. The home team might have too many goals for West Ham United and I think Manchester United win by at least two goals.


Liverpool v Chelsea Pick: There has been a slight drop in intensity in the Liverpool team since they won the Premier League title, but I do think some of the results have been a little harsh on them. They have dominated both Burnley and Arsenal in their last two League games, but a combination of poor finishing and strong goalkeeping has restricted the amount of goals Liverpool have been able to score.

To make matters worse, Liverpool have not defended very well with mistakes being punished at the back.

However, Jurgen Klopp has to believe his team are still playing at a good enough level to win a game like this one. He will be looking for his players to produce a performance fitting of a day on which Liverpool will pick up the top flight League trophy for the first time in thirty years and the players are well rested compared with Chelsea.

Liverpool last played a week ago and Chelsea just had a tough FA Cup Semi Final to complete on Sunday, although the win will have given Frank Lampard's team a spring in their step.

With Leicester City crushed just down the road at Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea are now one win from securing their Champions League spot for the 2020/21 season. Frank Lampard would love to ease the tension on the final day by winning this fixture, and Chelsea have long had a decent record at Anfield before being beaten here last season.

Chelsea do produce an attacking threat away from home which will have to be respected, but they have been struggling defensively and that has to encourage Liverpool here.

The first goal feels like it would be very important on the day and I do think Liverpool are playing better than their results suggest. They are creating chances and I would expect the home team to do that against this vulnerable Chelsea defence, while the occasion should be one that Liverpool enjoy with their trophy presentation coming at the end of the fixture.

It should be a decent game, but I think Liverpool will have the edge and can end their 2019/20 season at Anfield in a manner fitting the rest of the campaign.

MY PICKS: Manchester City - 1.5 Asian Handicap
Manchester United-Chelsea Over 2.5 Goals
Burnley - 0.25 Asian Handicap
Bournemouth-Southampton Over 2.5 Goals
Tottenham Hotspur - 0.25 Asian Handicap
Brighton-Newcastle United Over 2.5 Goals
Sheffield United - 0.25 Asian Handicap
Wolves Win to Nil
Manchester City - 1.5 Asian Handicap
Aston Villa + 0.5 Asian Handicap
Manchester United - 1.5 Asian Handicap
Liverpool - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 37+

Every week I make a transfer I do look back and wonder if it was the right decision and the two made last week have turned out to be the correct choices.

Raul Jimenez did indeed get on the scoresheet as I was concerned about, but Roberto Firmino continues to be well off the pace. Replacing both with Danny Ings and Gabriel Jesus turned out to be good moves as both scored and combined for 15 points, while Captaining Anthony Martial continues to give me good returns.

It was another decent enough week for the Fantasy team selected, although I did miss out on Manchester United's clean sheet at Crystal Palace which hurt. I can't complain too much though and I have a team that looks capable going into GW37+ and knowing I have the Free Hit Chip to come in the final week of the season.

I already have some ideas as to who I am going to target in the final GW, but that will come in the next post.

My one transfer in GW37+ will be used and one of the two players I am likely to drop are either Michail Antonio or Christian Pulisic despite both being in good form.

It will mean losing out on some money if I want to bring them back for GW38+, but I am not overly concerned about that and those are two high priced investments played at Old Trafford and Anfield respectively. Instead I am looking to make sure I upgrade the spot with some names already in the reckoning.

Jack Grealish intrigued me in a home game against Arsenal who will have played a big Cup game on Saturday while Aston Villa were resting. He has looked threatening in recent games and is close to breaking his run without a goal, while Arsenal might already be out of Europa League contention if results have gone against them.

Another young Englishman who could pay off is Phil Foden, although I am a touch concerned that the majority of his recent minutes have come in home games. He hasn't made a big impact in the last two of those compared with the early games out of the restart, so instead an additional Manchester City threat could come from David Silva.

The veteran Spaniard has started three of the last four Premier League games, but second guessing Pep Guardiola is hard enough from his press conferences the day before matches, let alone after a FA Cup Semi Final ahead of which the deadline for GW37+ has already closed.

Looking at my thoughts for the weekend games, David Brooks could provide a telling difference- as well as Southampton have been playing, they are vulnerable at the back and you would have to think Bournemouth are going to be forced into going all out for the win regardless of the result on Friday between West Ham United and Watford. Brooks scored against Manchester City as a substitute and has to be given a start here, although the better option from that team could be Junior Stanislas who is a potential penalty taker if Josh King is not on the pitch.

Junior Stanislas has looked a more consistent attacking threat in the minutes he has been getting for Bournemouth and might be a decent option in the hope the game with Southampton develops into the attacking one expected on paper.

Another game which has the potential for an attacking fixture is the Brighton versus Newcastle United fixture on Monday evening- both look to be safe and neither have defended well, while offering a decent threat in the final third.

I have Dwight Gayle starting this week with that in mind, but Leandro Trossard could be a major threat for the home team in that one.

As you can see, I am targeting these mid-range midfielders because I don't have the funds to go big, but I do think those all have chances of decent returns and certainly more than I expect from Pulisic or Antonio. If I don't pick David Silva, I can keep Christian Pulisic in the squad and have him down as my first sub against a Liverpool team who have not looked completely focused in their last few Premier League games.

It will mean a strong looking eleven on paper and once again I will stick with the Manchester United options in the Captaincy and Vice-Captaincy positions. The risk is that they play the Cup Semi Final first, but it would be a huge disappointment if both Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes are missing on Wednesday.

The importance of the top four race should mean both start if they are to play any part in the fixture against a West Ham United team who might have secured Premier League Football before the game kicks off. David Moyes' team have been looking a little better defensively, but this is a very good Manchester United attack being faced and Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Newcastle United have all managed at least two goals against The Hammers.

Manchester United have scored at least twice in their last 6 Premier League games since the draw at Tottenham Hotspur and their attacking options look much more secure as starters than the Manchester City players selected, even though they love demolishing Watford.

My starting eleven for GW37+ is likely to be this one:

Alisson (Liverpool v Chelsea)

Harry Maguire (Manchester United v West Ham United)

Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool v Chelsea)

Willy Boly (Wolves v Crystal Palace)

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City v Watford)

Anthony Martial (Manchester United v West Ham United)
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United v West Ham United)
*Midfielder- lean is towards Bournemouth, but there is time until the deadline and I will have that final choice up on Twitter*

Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United v Brighton)

Danny Ings (Southampton v Bournemouth)

Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City v Watford)

Bench: Emiliano Martinez, Christian Pulisic, James Justin, Federico Fernandez

Tennis Picks 2019 (July 22nd)

Last week was a decent one with the Tennis Picks producing a profit from the three days of selections being made.

This week we move onto a new week with another five tournaments being played including a big ATP 500 event in Hamburg on the clay courts there. The US Open hard court series begins this week too with the first of those events being played on the ATP Tour in Atlanta and the run to the US Open really does begin from here.

Over the next month we have some huge events in Washington, Canada, Cincinnati before the final Grand Slam of the 2019 season begins. The top names on the ATP Tour won't be back until the Masters tournaments next month, but the WTA Tour also has a significant stop in San Jose which is going to bring together a strong line up.


The First Round matches begin at the five tournaments on Monday and I have a couple of selections from those scheduled which can be read below.

I have also updated the season totals which are at the bottom of this thread.


Philipp Kohlschreiber - 1.5 games v Marton Fucsovics: It might be a tournament played on home soil, but Philipp Kohlschreiber has rarely been able to make the impact that he would have liked in Hamburg. His 15-14 record here is average at best, although his better results have come since the tournament lost Masters status and moved to July after Wimbledon was played.

Last year he was beaten in the First Round in Hamburg, but Kohlschreiber has a decent chance to put a win on the board when he faces Marton Fucsovics on Monday. I like the latter as a player who is getting the best out of his potential, but at this stage of their careers it still feels like Kohlschreiber is the superior player on the clay courts.

The home player has a winning record on the clay courts in 2019, while Fucsovics is only 5-7 on the surface. Part of the reason for the negative record for Fucsovics has been the struggles on the serve with less than 60% of points won behind that shot on the clay courts in 2019. It means there is plenty of pressure on him to find the breaks of serve to remain competitive and, while he has been successful to some extent doing that, it is a different kind of task against someone like Kohlschreiber.

Philipp Kohlschreiber has won 60% of points played behind serve, but he has been strong enough to hold in 81% of service games played on the surface compared with Marton Fucsovics' number of 72%. The Kohlschreiber return has perhaps been a weakening part of his game, but he has still managed to break serve in 24% of return games compared with Fucsovics being at 22% and I do think the German can use his superior serve to earn the victory in this one.

The layers do think this will be a close match and I tend to think that is down to the decline we have seen from Kohlschreiber over the last few years. He is still capable of winning matches like this one, but the performances are more inconsistent these days and that does make this a slightly risky selection.

However the numbers are pointing to the narrow favourite and he has had a couple of solid runs in Hamburg since the tournament was moved to July. The tournament is not as familiar to Fucsovics as it is to Kohlschreiber and the Hungarian was beaten in the First Round twelve months ago in his only other appearance in Hamburg.

With Kohlschreiber holding a slight edge on both serve and return, I will back him to earn the win in this First Round match and also cover the handicap set for it.


Leonardo Mayer - 3.5 games v Rudolf Molleker: For the majority of his career Leonardo Mayer has been very comfortable on the clay courts and this remains the favourite surface of the Argentinian. His best event may be the ATP tournament in Hamburg having produced significant results in his previous visits to Germany and Mayer has a number of Ranking points to defend again in 2019.

Leonardo Mayer lost his first match here in 2013, but since then he has won the title in 2014 followed by another First Round exit in 2016. The last two years has seen Mayer reach the Final in both appearances in Hamburg and he has won the title once more and Mayer's numbers at this tournament are significantly higher than his overall career on the clay to underline the point about this perhaps being his favoured event.

It has not been a great season for Mayer, but he was a Quarter Finalist in Umag last week which may give him a boost going into this event. The service numbers have remained strong, but the Argentinian has struggled when it comes to the return of serve with breaks of serve in only 16% of return games played on the clay courts.

Despite winning a higher percentage of return points compared with 2018, the break percentage is somewhat down for Mayer and is an area he will want to improve if he is going to have another strong run in Hamburg. He may have an opportunity to do that in this First Round match against Rudolf Molleker who has been given a Wild Card into his home tournament.

The 18 year old is yet to make a real breakthrough on the ATP Tour and Molleker has yet to crack into the top 100 of the World Rankings. It has been difficult for Molleker to really compete in his main Tour matches when you think he has won less than 60% of points on serve and broken in just 12% of return games in the three matches played on the clay courts at this level in 2019.

He has found more joy in the Challenger matches he has played, but Molleker is going to be given a thorough examination from the veteran Leonardo Mayer. The youngster is going to have to reach a level he has yet to show in his career to compete with Mayer and I would back the veteran to win this one with at least a break more in each set played.

It is a big handicap when you think of the overall performances produced by Leonardo Mayer, but the opponent and the tournament look to give him every chance of doing that.

MY PICKS: Philipp Kohlschreiber - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Leonardo Mayer - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Thomas Fabbiano - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Season 2019: + 116.23 Units (1353 Units Staked, + 8.59% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2017 (July 22nd)

The five tournaments being played this week have moved into the Semi Final Round and it has been an inconsistent week for the Tennis Picks.

It can still be concluded as a winning week though, and that is the most important factor, as I try and get 2017 turned around after a miserable time between February and April.

The build up to the next Grand Slam at the US Open will begin next week with the first hard court event in North America being played in Atalanta, and I am looking for a strong six weeks to lead into the US Open and build some real momentum.


Fernando Verdasco - 2.5 games v David Ferrer: It is David Ferrer who has the lead in the head to head between these players, but this is the first time Ferrer will play Fernando Verdasco since May 2015. In that time there is no doubt that Ferrer has declined as a player while Verdasco is perhaps a little more steady with his play these days.

You can't completely ignore the head to head because Ferrer may feel he still owns the mental advantage between himself and Verdasco. That can be a tough obstacle for players to overcome, but Verdasco has beaten him seven times in the past so wins over Ferrer won't feel so alien to him to see Verdasco struggle to cope.

There definitely seems to be a real edge in the numbers Verdasco is producing compared with Ferrer who is struggling to hold serve as effectively. His return numbers used to be a strength for Ferrer, but he has had his difficulties when playing the better players on the Tour and I think the Verdasco serve has certainly been offering up the chance for Verdasco to dictate the points.

The Verdasco return has been a key part of his game in 2017 and I do think he can put Ferrer under pressure in this Semi Final. The latter Spaniard had a long match in his Quarter Final too and these factors can come together in what could be a surprisingly comfortable win for Verdasco.

I expect Verdasco to have the better of the break point chances and he can win this one 6-4, 6-4.


Added one pick from Umag below. Am out for the day so can't do a full breakdown of the pick.

MY PICKS: Fernando Verdasco - 2.5 Games @ 1.85 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Paolo Lorenzo - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 @BetFred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 7-6, + 1.18 Units (26 Units Staked, + 4.54% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (July 22nd)

The first couple of days of this week were pretty poor, but there has been some kind of recovery in the last couple of days.

At the time of writing this post, I still have two picks running from Washington and Stanford and if both of those come in I should be very close to getting this week back into the positive.

In the mean time I have started making my picks from the matches to be played on Friday when the Quarter Finals take over in the majority of the tournaments, although Kitzbuhel has already gotten to the Semi Final Round of that event.


Fabio Fognini - 3.5 games v Damir Dzumhur: Damir Dzumhur has beaten one Italian already this week, but now he takes on the best player from that nation on the ATP Tour in Fabio Fognini. There will be a revenge element in play for Dzumhur who was beaten in straight sets by Fognini last year in Umag in a Second Round match, although there is more on the line this time around with a Semi Final berth awaiting the winner.

I wasn't sure how Fognini was going to react to losing Rubber 4 in the Davis Cup Quarter Final on Sunday, although it has to be noted he looked the better player for much of that defeat to Federico Delbonis. I think he was struggling physically, but he should be well rested by Friday having needed to win just one match to get to this Quarter Final.

It has been a disappointing season for Fognini on the clay courts and he still has a losing record on the surface going into this match. That is in contrast to Dzumhur who has a winning record even though he has had to come through Qualifiers in a number of big tournaments. However he had lost four in a row on the clay prior to his win here earlier in the week and Dzumhur is not going to overpower Fognini in this one.

There should be some long rallies in this one as both players are capable of producing strong defensive tennis, but I think Fognini is the better player and that should eventually show. Last year he was a fairly comfortable winner, but this year it might be a closer 75, 64 kind of win for the Italian as he gets through to a rare Semi Final in 2016.


Laura Siegemund - 3.5 games v Lara Arruabarrena: It was a withdrawal from Angelique Kerber which allowed Lara Arruabarrena through to the Quarter Final, but she faces another German if she wants to go any further in the draw. Laura Siegemund reached the Semi Final in Bucharest last week and she has had her best results on the clay courts this season which makes her the favourite.

This has already been a career year for Siegemund and she has played some solid tennis to get through to the Quarter Final. Both of her wins have come in straight sets and I think Siegemund has the kind of game that will give Arruabarrena a lot to deal with.

The last seven losses Arruabarrena has had on the clay courts has seen her fail to get within this number and someone like Siegemund can get the better of her here. The Spaniard did reach the Semi Final in Bastad last season which would suggest she is comfortable in the conditions at this tournament, but Arruabarrena is not in really strong form at the moment.

Missing a match might keep her physically ready for this match, but it isn't enough against someone who will be battle hardened and I expect Siegemund to come through 64, 64.


Johanna Larsson - 1.5 games v Annika Beck: This has been a tournament that Johanna Larsson has loved playing at throughout her career with three Final appearances here. The defending Champion plays well in front of her own supporters and I think she can get the better of Annika Beck in what could be a very competitive Quarter Final.

I have to respect what Beck will bring to the table which can cause Larsson some problems. We saw Sara Sorribes Tormo give Larsson a hard time by making a few more balls back in play and Beck will be looking to do that throughout this match and try and break down the home favourite mentally as well as physically.

One difference between the players is that Larsson has a much bigger serve than her opponent and I expect her to get a few more free points in this one. Larsson broke the Sorribes Tormo serve every time on Thursday and she will have a chance to play first strike tennis against the Beck serve in this Quarter Final with much of the match on her racquet.

Larsson has been a dominant force in her home tournament over the seasons and she doesn't drop a lot of sets here in winning efforts. I expect her to win this match and so I will back her to cover this number in a three set win.


Samantha Stosur - 5.5 games v Jessica Pegula: There was an element of fortune about Samantha Stosur's Second Round win over Caroline Wozniacki as the latter had to retire with an injury while leading by a set. Now it is up to the Australian to make use of her reprieve in the draw and look to push on for another title on the hard courts in North America.

She looks to have been given a favourable draw against Jessica Pegula of the United States, even if the latter has produced two quality wins so far this week. This has been the first main Tour hard court tournament that the young American has entered this year and wins over Aleksandra Wozniak and Christine McHale, both in straight sets, are decent results to move forward with.

Some of the other results on the hard courts have been less impressive from Pegula this season but Stosur should give her respect considering she pushed Dominika Cibulkova to three sets last year at the US Open. The difference between Cibulkova and Stosur is the latter will produce some big time serving which will increase the pressure on Pegula who is trying to back up a huge upset win over McHale.

Stosur isn't at the same level that saw her win the US Open and the backhand remains a weakness, while she hasn't been blowing players off court too often on the hard courts. However she does save her best tennis for the US hard court swing and I am going to back her to cover a very big number at odds against.


Johanna Konta - 4.5 games v Saisai Zheng: It has been a spectacular twelve months for Johanna Konta who will be amongst the Seeds at the US Open but I think the British Number 1 will be the first to admit to her disappointment with the way the grass court season went for her. A run to the Semi Final in Eastbourne was a solid result, but she was beaten in the Second Round in each of her other three events, including at Wimbledon.

One of the more disappointing defeats had to be the one suffered at the hands of Saisai Zheng, a player Konta had beaten fairly comfortably the previous two times they had met. I am not sure if there was a physical issue there, or whether the mental pressure of playing at home was the reason for that loss, but Konta looked good in her opening win in Stanford.

Both of Zheng's wins this week have looked good too, particularly the way she dismissed Alize Cornet in the last Round. However her game is one that Konta won't be overawed by and the latter has to feel she can get into those service games and earn break points through the contest.

The issue for Konta in Nottingham was that she simply did not serve well enough to keep Zheng under pressure and made too many mistakes through the match. That won't get it done against a solid, if unspectacular, opponent and Konta will know she has to be a little cleverer at the big moments to make this an easier day in the office.

The first serve is the key for Konta- if she can dominate behind that shot, I would expect she will have enough chances to record a 64, 63 win in this one and that is what I will be backing.


Dominika Cibulkova - 4.5 games v Misaki Doi: A strong end to the tournament in Washington will give Dominika Cibulkova every chance to work her way back into the top 10 of the World Rankings. Cibulkova is now a married player on the Tour and that has worked out well for some of the ATP players over the last couple of years and it will be interesting to see how it works out for her.

She played well in her first win in Washington, but Cibulkova's issue will always be protecting the serve well enough to come through matches on the faster hard courts. Her run to the Australian Open Final suggests she can do that, but the North American hard courts tend to play a little faster than the ones 'Down Under'.

Being overpowered shouldn't be a concern for Cibulkova in this Quarter Final as she meets Misaki Doi for the first time in their careers. Doi has won two matches as a strong favourite, but the First Round was far from straight forward and this is a player that has plenty of issues with her own serve.

The key for Doi is to try and stay in the rallies and look for an aggressive Cibulkova to make a lot of unforced errors as she starts chasing the lines. However I do think Cibulkova will have success on the return against a weak serve and I believe the Slovakian can move through to the Semi Final behind a 76, 62 win.


Coco Vandeweghe - 2.5 games v Alison Riske: There is no doubt that Coco Vandeweghe is still a very erratic player capable of mixing the sublime with the ridiculous, but she needs to find a little more consistency if she is going to be Seeded at the US Open. Her come from behind win over Nicole Gibbs would have given her confidence, but Vandeweghe will have to be a lot stronger in a lot of departments if she is going to see off compatriot Alison Riske in this Quarter Final.

It has been a difficult season for Riske when it comes to trying to find the consistency to improve her own World Ranking, but she does have a few Finals to call upon. Coming off a decent grass court season, although one that saw her disappointingly beaten early at Wimbledon, should have raised the confidence levels backed up by two come from behind wins in Stanford.

However I do wonder if that is going to have a physical effect on Riske having played six sets compared with three Vandeweghe has played. She hasn't played a lot of tennis in recent weeks which should help, but there is only so many times you can go to the well and recover from a set down, with the mental fatigue also a potential factor.

My concern whenever I back Vandeweghe is that her aggressive style will lead to a lot of unforced errors which gifts breaks of serve away. The actual serve is a big weapon, but you have to follow that up correctly and failure to do that will give Riske a way into this match. In saying that, I think the latter has played a lot of tennis already this week and I don't think it will be possible for her to come back from a set behind again and I like Vandeweghe to move through behind a 64, 64 win.

MY PICKS: Fabio Fognini - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Laura Siegemund - 3.5 Games @ 1.73 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Johanna Larsson - 1.5 Games @ 2.10 William Hill (2 Units)
Samantha Stosur - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Johanna Konta - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Dominika Cibulkova - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Coco Vandeweghe - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 12-11, - 1.84 Units (46 Units Staked, - 4% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2015 (July 22nd)

That was a very frustrating Tuesday... I can hold my hands up and say the pick on Lukas Rosol to win his match was a poor one, and one that I won't be replicating again any time soon as I have moved Rosol onto my black list.

For as big as his game is, I am not convinced Rosol will ever get things right between the ears and anyone who is handed as many bagels as he is with the serve he possesses has to be criticised for mentally checking out of matches. At least Croatia is a nice place to spend part of a honeymoon that Rosol and his new wife can enjoy in the time they have remaining in Umag.


While I will be quick to hold my hands up to that pick, I was frustrated by the other picks coming close, but not quite getting into the winner's enclosure. Santiago Giraldo looks to have suffered a big defeat, but he had chances to break the Philipp Kohlschreiber serve in the same number of games as the German in the middle of that match... Giraldo was 0/2, Kohlschreiber was 2/2 and that was easily a match that could have gone my way.

The bigger disappointments have to be both Fernando Verdasco and Matthew Ebden who had small numbers to cover and both won a set 61.

The problem is neither could actually win their match while Verdasco was broken serving to take the third set into a tie-break which would have been enough for a cover whether he had won it or lost it.


So frustrating is about right to describe my mood going into Wednesday as the Second Round begins for the most part with a few First Round matches to be completed. Hopefully I will have a little more luck on my side in the coming days to recover a really poor start to this week, but I surely can't have players playing as poorly as they did on Tuesday.


Federico Delbonis - 3.5 games v Rogerio Dutra Silva: One big concern for Federico Delbonis backers in his opening match in Bastad has to be the travel that the Argentinian has had to do in recent days as he returns to Europe from home Davis Cup duty. However, Delbonis has to have picked up a lot of confidence by helping Argentina reach the Davis Cup Semi Final after coming from 0-2 down in sets to beat Victor Troicki in the second rubber.

Having to travel from Argentina to Sweden is going to be tough, but Delbonis has at least had the benefit of being given an extra day of recovery before his First Round match. And he is playing Rogerio Dutra Silva who had to fight through the qualifiers, although the Brazilian will be more settled with the current conditions in this part of Sweden.

These players only met a month ago in the Final of a Milan Challenger on clay and it was Federico Delbonis who had more success behind the serve which helped him win the title.

Dutra Silva has been winning a few matches since then at the lower level than the main Tour and that will have boosted his confidence for this rematch. However, I do believe there is more upside in the Delbonis game and I am expecting him to win this 64, 64 as long as the Davis Cup hasn't left him emotionally spent less than a week after a huge win in front of his own fans.


Thomaz Bellucci - 5.5 games v Christian Lindell: Both of these players were involved in Brazil versus Sweden First Round matches in Bastad, but the clear advantage in the Second Round has to be with Thomaz Bellucci.

A lot of people out there were of the belief that Elias Ymer could go all the way in Bastad this week, but Bellucci dominated the match against the youngster and will be looking to make it three South American Champions in a row at this tournament. Bellucci played really well on Tuesday as he backed up his serve impressively while keeping Ymer under pressure and I expect he will be able to employ a similar game against Christian Lindell.

Don't take anything away from Lindell who beat Joao Souza in the First Round as a fairly big underdog, but the Swede generally plays at a lower level than Bellucci. He has also suffered some big defeats in recent weeks and is facing a player that has seen his game before when Bellucci beat Lindell in three sets in Sao Paolo five seasons ago.

That match shouldn't have an affect on how this one is played, but I do think Bellucci is going to put Lindell under some pressure as he did to the talented Ymer. If the Brazilian can just look after his serve the same way he did in the First Round, another 64, 62 win for Bellucci over a home hope looks to be in the making.


Juan Monaco - 3.5 games v Alexander Zverev: Big things are expected of Alexander Zverev in the future, but it would be a big ask for the German to beat a clay courter like Juan Monaco on his favourite surface. Zverev had to dig deep to come from a set down to win his First Round match against Julian Reister, but the expectation is that Monaco will pose a lot more of a consistent threat in this one.

The one concern in backing Monaco has to be the fact that he hasn't played much tennis of late, although it does look like the Argentine is going to have his best year on the Tour since 2012. In all honesty I thought Monaco might be coming to the end of his career over the last couple of years, but he has come back impressively this year and plays at a higher level on the Tour when it comes to clay courts compared with Zverev.

I do respect the talent that Zverev has, but he is young and inconsistent and that is shown up on the clay courts where the extended rallies don't suit him.

Monaco will look to exploit those inconsistencies and I think he will find a way to break down his young opponent, although has to control his nerves to make sure he doesn't allow Zverev to get back in. With some twists and turns, I think Monaco finds a way to win this one 64, 64.


Andrey Rublev v Blaz Kavcic: Another player coming back from successful Davis Cup duty and returning to the normal Tour is Andrey Rublev. The 17 year old Russian helped his nation come from 0-2 down against Spain to win that tie over the weekend and has admitted that he has found it hard to contain the joy of doing that.

However, this is also a kid that seems to be very, very confident and Rublev has shown enough through the course of the season to think he can get the better of Blaz Kavcic. I am just surprised the layers have picked Rublev as the slight underdog in this match, especially as the clay courts seem to be favoured by the youngster more than Kavcic.

The biggest concern has to be the effort Rublev had to make over the weekend when representing Russia, but I do think he is the better player in this contest with much more upside. Of course any youngster is going to be inconsistent at times, but I think the clay is also a surface that Rublev will be able to work through the rallies better than Kavcic.

It might need three sets, but I will pick Rublev to win this match with the extra day off since the Davis Cup tie on Sunday.


Sam Stosur - 5.5 games v Klara Koukalova: Klara Koukalova has to feel like she is playing with house money after looking like she was going to be hammered in the First Round before her opponent retired. Koukalova was down 16, 04 before Anna-Lena Friedsam had to pull out, but I don't believe the veteran is going to have enough to see off Sam Stosur in this Second Round.

The Australian is another veteran who looks to be past her best days when she won a Grand Slam and reached the Final of another but Stosur should still be too good for Koukalova. I expect Stosur to use her serve to keep Koukalova from really getting a grip on this match, while the Czech player doesn't have a big serve of her own which means having to work hard to protect that side of her game.

It is no surprise that as she has got older, the movement is perhaps not as quick as it used to be and that has seen Koukalova take some very one-sided losses.

If she feels she has nothing to lose after the manner she got through in the First Round, Koukalova could potentially be dangerous. However, Stosur has the serve to keep her at bay for the most part and I expect her to win this one 64, 62.

MY PICKS: Federico Delbonis - 3.5 Games @ 1.73 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Thomaz Bellucci - 5.5 Games @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)
Juan Monaco - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Andrey Rublev @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Sam Stosur - 5.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 0-4, - 8 Units (8 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)