Paris Olympics Tennis Day 2 Picks 2024 (Sunday 28th July)

It feels like we are back in the first week of the French Open in May when the rain lashed down in Paris and really messed things around for the organisers.

Two weeks were available to ensure that Grand Slam tournament finished on schedule, but only one week is allocated to the Olympic Games where the heavy, continuous rain of Friday moved into Saturday and decimated the order of play for the day.

At least two of the courts have roofs so there were some matches completed, but all will be hoping that the upturn in the weather forecast comes true.

Increase in temperature and a bright sky is expected from Sunday through the next week, or majority of next week, and that should mean the tennis at the Olympic Games is able to be completed on time. Sunday is going to be an incredibly busy day with almost the entirety of the First Round to be played with plenty of Doubles matches likely to be scheduled too.

Another tough day of finding good picks looks to be in the offing though and so there are only two selections on Day 2 of the tournament and both from the Women's event being played.

Elina Svitolina - 5.5 games v Moyuka Uchijima: The early Rounds of the Olympic Games can have unfamiliar names entering the draw thanks to the different qualification rules as we would expect for the Tennis Tour.

Moyuka Uchijima may not be a name too familiar to fans, but this is a player operating at a career high World Ranking mark of Number 66, which will see her compete in the First Round at the US Open next month. The Japanese representative has to be afforded plenty of respect having won twenty-two of the twenty-six matches played on the clay courts in 2024, while Uchijima was able to win three Qualifiers and a First Round match at the French Open.

Ultimately the run was ended by Aryna Sabalenka and there has to be a slight feeling that Moyuka Uchijima has an inflated Ranking mark having dominated at a level below the main WTA Tour. This is backed up by the fact that this will be just the seventh match against a top 100 Ranked opponent on the clay courts and Uchijima has been beaten in four of the last six in that situation, including at the French Open as mentioned.

There is more experience of facing top 100 Ranked opponents on the other surfaces, but it has proved to be a step too far for Moyuka Uchijima who has lost 84% of her matches played against those opponents.

Her opponent in the First Round of the Olympic Games will not be lacking for motivation- Elina Svitolina has been very vocal about the issues affecting her homeland in Ukraine and being able to wear the colours of her nation is only going to have Svitolina performing with that much more inspiration.

Elina Svitolina is very comfortable on the surface having reached the Quarter Final at the French Open in consecutive tournaments and she has won six of seven matches played on this surface against opponents Ranked outside the top 50. The style of her tennis means Svitolina can be dragged into tough battles even when winning matches, and that has to be a concern with this handicap mark.

However, there is that additional motivation behind her tennis in Paris this week and Elina Svitolina is already much loved in France having married one of their top players from recent times. That support and the colours should inspire Svitolina and the feeling is that this could be the start of a very big week for the Ukrainian.

Barbora Krejcikova - 4.5 games v Sara Sorribes Tormo: When it comes to the Ladies tournament, Wimbledon has continued to throw up a surprise Champion and 2024 has proved to be no different from recent seasons.

This time it is Barbora Krejcikova who will spend the next twelve months being referred to as the Wimbledon Champion and a second Grand Slam Singles title for the Czech player has to be respected. She endured a really poor clay court campaign and Krejcikova would not have had too many backers outside of friends and family when arriving at SW19, but the win should have restored a lot of the lost confidence that injury will bring to the table.

She had been slipping down the World Rankings, but Barbora Krejcikova will arrive in Paris as the World Number 10 after winning the title at Wimbledon earlier this month. It has been a couple of weeks of rest and recovery for Krejcikova as she looks to secure a first clay court win in 2024.

It is remarkable to think Barbora Krejcikova was beaten in all four clay court matches after suffering opening defeats in Stuttgart, Madrid, Strasbourg and then at the French Open. That run is even more surprising considering Krejcikova was the 2021 French Open Champion and she will arrive back on these grounds with a bit more belief about her all around game.

All of that will be needed against Sara Sorribes Tormo who is very comfortable on the clay courts, but who has been enduring a tough twelve months filled with inconsistent results. It has pushed the Spaniard down to World Number 71 ahead of the Olympic Games, while wins have been hard to come by of late.

Sara Sorribes Tormo has lost seven of her last eight matches, which includes an opening Round defeat in Paris at the French Open and also in a tournament played below the main WTA Tour level on the clay.

Over the last couple of seasons, Sara Sorribes Tormo continues to produce the majority of her wins on the clay courts and that does make her dangerous. She had decent runs in Madrid and Rome, while reaching the Quarter Final in Rabat before the disappointing defeat at the French Open.

However, this has been a tough match up for Sorribes Tormo having lost all three sets completed against Barbora Krejcikova and failing to win more than three games in any of those. The defensive skills on a clay court might be a little tougher to produce if the expected warmer temperatures arrive in Paris and Barbora Krejcikova is much better on the clay courts than her results from earlier this season indicate.

There can be some uncertainty as to how a player will respond to winning a Grand Slam title, especially an unexpected success, but Barbora Krejcikova has taken some time off to just settle down. The same happened after her win at the French Open in 2021 and Krejcikova managed to reach the Wimbledon Fourth Round that year.

As long as she is not thinking ahead to the hard court season, Barbora Krejcikova may have the tennis to wear down Sara Sorribes Tormo and cover this handicap line set in the First Round.

MY PICKS: Elina Svitolina - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Barbora Krejcikova - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Olympic Games Update: 0-2, - 4 Units (4 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2023 (July 28th)

The Quarter Finals take centre stage on Friday at the various tournaments being played this week, although the WTA Hamburg event is already into the Semi Final Round.

Any selections from the ATP Atlanta Quarter Finals will be added to this thread on Friday, but the four Picks from the other events can be seen below.

Alexander Zverev - 4.5 games v Luca Van Assche: It sounds like Alexander Zverev is going to deal with the latest allegations made against him very much in the same manner as he did the first and it has seemingly made little effect on his tennis.

He was beaten in the Quarter Final in Bastad last week, but that was against a quality player in Andrey Rublev and it is the kind of result that may have happened at any time. If there was an impact from the latest news headlines, that has not been backed up by Alexander Zverev's performances in Hamburg this week as he has produced two solid wins and the fans have not really been on his back.

This looks like another very winnable match up for him when taking on Frenchman Luca Van Assche, who was perhaps a little fortunate to come from a set behind to beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Second Round.

Luca Van Assche has proven to have a pretty effective return on the clay courts, but he is facing a big serving Alexander Zverev who has faced just three Break Points in his two wins in Hamburg. The second serve is where Van Assche has to expect to get some joy, but Alexander Zverev is getting in a high percentage of first serves and you have to believe that he will largely contain the threat from the other end of the court if Zverev can continue to make 70% plus of his first serves.

If he can do that, Alexander Zverev will certainly have a lot of faith in his own returning ability having won 43% of return points played on the clay courts this season when facing opponents outside of the top 20 in the World Rankings. Those have come in eighteen matches, so far from a small sample, while the German has broken four times in both wins in this tournament.

There are plenty of positives for the 19 year old Van Assche to take, but he is still growing into his body and the serve is likely to be improved once he does so. He is only winning 58% of service points against top 100 Ranked opponents on the clay this season and Luca Van Assche has been broken in 29% of his service games played against those stronger players.

Alexander Zverev will feel his serving can be one that builds pressure on the scoreboard too and this is a match that the German can win and cover this handicap as long as he remains focused.

Casper Ruud - 4.5 games v Arthur Fils: There have been criticisms of the kind of schedule that Casper Ruud is willing to play, but it was still a surprise to hear him speak about it in his press conference in Hamburg.

Some believe his World Ranking is not justified as he plays, and wins, a lot of the ATP 250 tournaments, but Ruud is more than a flat track bully. Any player that has reached two French Open Finals and a US Open Final deserves more respect, especially as Casper Ruud has been unfortunate to lose those three Grand Slam Finals to Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.

He has not enjoyed his time too much in Hamburg this week and had criticisms of the court, while the indoor conditions might be something Ruud has to face again.

Two tough wins over Sebastian Baez and Cristian Garin might have just hardened Casper Ruud and this should be a little more comfortable as a match up.

That is not being disrespectful to young Frenchman Arthur Fils, but he is still learning at this level even if he won the title in Lyon before the French Open. A win over Francisco Cerundolo to take the title home is one that has to be given credit, but Arthur Fils is just 1-3 against top 50 Ranked opponents on the clay courts and his serve has proven to be a vulnerable one in those matches.

He has played well this week to win his two matches, but Fils will know this is a significant increase in level of opponent and the suggestion is that his returning may not be up to the level that may be needed to stay with Casper Ruud.

Stan Wawrinka - 3.5 games v Roberto Carballes Baena: These two met last week in Gstaad and the match ended prematurely when Roberto Carballes Baena had to withdraw midway through the second set.

He looks like he is better this week after winning his Second Round match while dropping four games, but Roberto Carballes Baena has had a slightly disappointing season on the clay courts, which are usually where he is considered a specialist.

Of course he is facing a former French Open Champion, but one who is not the same player he was at his best. Stan Wawrinka has struggled to find the consistency to get back towards the very top of the Tour and at 38 years old it is very difficult to imagine he will have enough of an Indian summer to at least have another strong Grand Slam run.

Improving his World Ranking would help, but that has been tough for Wawrinka who is just 27-22 over the last twelve months.

Two wins in Umag will have given Stan Wawrinka confidence and he could be tough to stop if he serves as well as he can- he is holding 83% of his service games played on the clay courts this season and Wawrinka has only dropped serve three times in his two wins here. He has broken nine times in those victories over Filip Misolic and Federico Coria and Stan Wawrinka should have success against this Carballes Baena serve.

I would not put too much stock into the match in Gstaad considering Roberto Carballes Baena had to pull out, but Stan Wawrinka should have the Break Points to win this match. That hasn't always mattered this month, but creating the chances should put Wawrinka in a position to win this match against the higher Ranked player who only won 58% of his service points against Taro Daniel in the Second Round on Thursday.

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Casper Ruud - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Stan Wawrinka - 3.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Elisabetta Cocciaretto - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

JJ Wolf - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 7-9, - 6.26 Units (32 Units Staked, - 19.56% Yield)

Olympic Tennis Day 5 Picks 2021 (July 28th)

There has been a lot going on today and that has meant I have not had the time to write out a longer post for Day 5 at the Olympic Games than I have previously this week.

We have the entirety of the Men's Third Round to be completed today and also the Women's Quarter Final matches as I look to bounce back from a sub-par Day 4.

MY PICKS: Fabio Fognini + 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Kei Nishikori - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Nikoloz Basilashvili + 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Pablo Carreno Busta - 3.5 Games @ 1.70 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Diego Sebastian Schwartzman @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jeremy Chardy - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Elina Svitolina - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Garbine Muguruza - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Paula Badosa - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Olympic Games: 13-12, - 2.44 Units (50 Units Staked, - 4.88% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2019 (July 28th)

A really poor start to the week with some poor luck afflicting the selections was a bit of a blow, but a strong Saturday has turned things around and put the Tennis Picks in a position to return another profitable week on the Tour.

All three selections made on Saturday returned winners and on Sunday we conclude the tournaments played with all of the Finals scheduled to be completed. On Monday the Tour moves further into the US Open Hard Court Series with stops in Washington and San Jose, while there is one more clay court event to go for those who like to take in the red dirt between Wimbledon and the final Grand Slam of the season being played.


My focus in this thread is from the Final being played in Hamburg. Any selection from Atlanta will be made on Sunday once the two Semi Final matches and market for the Final have been formulated, while I have also updated the totals from this week below.


Andrey Rublev v Nikoloz Basilashvili: There has not been a player that has been able to defend the Hamburg title since 2005 when Roger Federer was able to do that before the tournament lost its status as a Masters event. That run might come to an end on Sunday when Nikoloz Basilashvili looks to defend the title he won twelve months ago.

The Georgian was able to beat home favourite Alexander Zverev in the Semi Final, although Basilashvili needed a final set tie-breaker to overcome his opponent. In fact Basilashvili was arguably the inferior player on the day, but he was able to win the big points much more effectively than Zverev who had 12 more break points on the day, but both players were able to earn four breaks of serve each.

This week we have seen Nikoloz Basilashvili produce much better numbers than he has been able to generate on the clay courts throughout his career. The serve has been important for Basilashvili who has won 64% of points played behind serve and held 83% of the service games, but it is the performance on the big points against the serve which have proved to be key for him.

Nikoloz Basilashvili has broken in 31% of return games played this week, but it will be a test to get the better out Andrey Rublev who is another player that has perhaps produced the best possible clay court tennis he can. The youngster has won 66% of the points he has played behind serve and backed that up with 41% of return points also being won and I think I am giving him the slight edge in this match, although the layers are of the same opinion too.

It could be argued that Rublev has not been as strong on the big points as Basilashvili considering he has held in 79% of service games and broken in 29% of return games compared with the 83% and 31% numbers in the same category his opponent has managed. Those are numbers that surprise considering Rublev is winning a higher percentage of points on both the serve and return.

I could say Basilashvili may also hold a slight mental edge having beaten Andrey Rublev on the hard courts in the very first week of the 2019 season. Both are off emotional wins in the Semi Final, but I think Andrey Rublev might be in a better place mentally having pulled away from Pablo Carreno Busta compared with Basilashvili needing a final set tie-breaker to get into the Final.

This Final could be a good one and I won't be surprised if we need to see three sets to determine a winner. However my edge is with Andrey Rublev as he perhaps sees Nikoloz Basilasvili fade following his Semi Final win which lasted over three hours on Saturday and I will back the young Russian to win his second career title at the main ATP level.

MY PICKS: Andrey Rublev @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 10-7, + 3.32 Units (34 Units Staked, + 9.76% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2018- Dillian Whyte vs Joseph Parker (July 28th)

For the second time in a couple of months I will be heading down to the O2 Arena to watch another big Heavyweight Fight with long-term implications.

Two months ago Tony Bellew was ending David Haye's career in that Arena and he has now set himself up to potentially take on Oleksandr Usyk who won the World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight tournament last weekend. That would most definitely be a fight the wider Boxing circle would appreciate and one I would circle as a 'must see' fight to round out 2018.

This weekend it is Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker who headline the O2 Arena and I very much believe the winner of this fight will take on Anthony Joshua, assuming he wins his next fight against Alexander Povetkin, next April.

I've always doubted that Deontay Wilder-Joshua fight would be made for this year and I have a feeling they may still be around fifteen months from getting in the ring together which means the April Wembley date announced by Matchroom would need to be filled. Of course Eddie Hearn will be hoping his home fighter wins this one, but a stunning Joseph Parker performance may just get some momentum behind him which could see fans looking to see Joshua-Parker II despite the poor first fight between them.

Neither Whyte or Parker can look beyond a tough challenge that has been laid out in front of them though and the Heavyweight Division will also see the return of the likes of Carlos Takam, who takes on Dereck Chisora on the undercard, and Luis Ortiz who fights on the Mikey Garcia-Robert Easter undercard.

Garcia-Easter is the big offering from the United States this weekend in a Unification fight, but at the time of writing I am stunned to see no UK broadcaster has picked up that fight.


Last weekend I went 1-2 for the Boxing Picks but the main pick of Oleksandr Usyk beating Murat Gassiev prevented any losses from taking place. It would be good to get on a run of winners to really start improving the season totals, but a winning number is always better than a losing one and I have a positive number to build upon.

Onto the Picks from a busy Saturday of Boxing.

Anthony Fowler vs Craig O'Brien

It is hard to really know how to judge a fighter like Anthony Fowler until he begins to step up his opposition and that is what he is going to be doing in the next few months.

Facing off against an unbeaten fighter with more fights under his belt will be a new test for Fowler and there has been an edge to this one thanks to comments made by Craig O'Brien in the build up to the contest.

O'Brien has to be feeling confident having won all eight fights he has had, but I think there are levels to this fight and Fowler looks to be above him.

The Liverpudlian will hit harder than O'Brien and I can only see another stoppage being added to the ledger as Fowler then moves on to take on someone like Scott Fitzgerald who is another unbeaten fighter.

The bigger question is when Fowler will get to O'Brien and I am leaning towards sooner rather than later. There is obvious power in the Fowler gloves as he has managed to prevent four of his six previous opponents from hearing the bell for the Fifth Round and I do think he will prove to be a step above O'Brien as well as being heavily motivated to ram some taunts back down O'Brien's throat.

O'Brien may be a boxer who will look to move and frustrate Fowler, but the suggestion is he will fight fire with fire and I think that may lead to an early end to this one and I will back Fowler to win in the first half of the fight.

Joshua Buatsi vs Andrejs Pokumeiko

If everything had gone to plan Joshua Buatsi would have been taking a major step up in terms of competition on the undercard of the Dillian Whyte-Joseph Parker card.

The fight with Ricky Summers fell through because of an injury suffered by Summers and the rumour mill went into overdrive that he would potentially be facing a former Light Heavyweight World Champion in Igor Mikhalkin who was last seen being beaten by the imposing figure of Sergey Kovalev.

Both of those fights would have been much bigger than the step in opponent Andrejs Pokumeiko who was only announced earlier this week. Pokumeiko was last seen six weeks ago losing a Decision, but this really has the feel of a fight that is there to keep Buatsi ticking along before tougher tests are put together for him later in 2018.

Anything other than a Buatsi win would be a huge upset and in all likelihood he is going to become just the third fighter to stop Pokumeiko.

You can't underestimate the toughness of a fighter coming out of Latvia so I don't think Pokumeiko will roll over for Buatsi, while the British fighter has to make sure he is fully focused knowing it should have been a fight with a much bigger profile that he should be going into.

It can make it tough, but I think Buatsi will be coming out to make a statement and keep the wins ticking along. Even then it could take a few Rounds to really see Buatsi begin to exert the kind of pressure he will need to if he wants to earn the stoppage of the rugged opponent in front of him and it does feel like this could be a fight where Buatsi is in the ring for the longest time.

However I think that will come up just short and I will back Buatsi to finish this somewhere between Five and Six Rounds once he has got into a groove.

Nick Webb vs David Allen

I will probably feel like a right idiot on Saturday evening at the end of this fight, but I just can't have David Allen as a 4-1 shot to win this one.

Allen will be the first to tell you that he isn't at world level and some of the comments which suggest he is ready to walk away from boxing could be a worry, but this is a fighter that won't give up and is a tough fella to crack.

He has been in the ring with fighters that have to be considered some way superior to Nick Webb and it took the likes of Luis Ortiz and Tony Yoka time to break down Allen and stop him late in those fights. Dillian Whyte didn't even get to that point and had to settle for a points win over Allen and I am not convinced Webb has the power to put him away.

The big question for Webb is whether he has the fitness to go the full Ten Rounds here and keep Allen off of him. The latter is not a big puncher, but he will come forward and pressure Webb and if tiredness comes into play then it could be a really tough evening for the unbeaten Heavyweight.

A look at Webb's record and it could be argued that Allen is the toughest fighter he has been in the ring with and that is clearly not a mutual factor in this one.

Maybe Allen gets caught early and Webb can finish this off, but I am going to have faith in the chin holding up and I can see Allen being the stronger fighter at the final bell. Earning a decision won't be easy for Allen who is not the best boxer out there, but he will give everything and if Webb does tire as he is prone to doing, maybe Allen will have his big day in the sun that he has been craving.

Either way the price is not justified here and I will have a small interest in Allen getting the win and then being lined up for a British Title tilt.

Conor Benn vs Cedrick Peynaud

It was supposed to be another routine evening for Conor Benn who is still very much in the early stages of his career, but it proved to be anything but as he was dropped twice by Cedrink Peynaud in the opening Round of their first fight back in December.

Benn did come back to drop Peynaud in the Fifth and Sixth Round and almost had the Frenchman out on his feet, but even then there was some controversy when he was given what looked a fairly wide win on the scorecards.

Now Nigel's son is back to show the fans that it was a one off back in December and he is ready to take on the challenge of Peynaud for a second time.

And this time I am not expecting any mistakes from Benn.

I expect him to be cautious at first and really get behind his boxing, especially knowing he has the power to hurt Peynaud and also has four more Rounds to go in this one compared to the Six Rounder they fought in the first fight.

Cedrink Peynaud had a stunning night back in December, but I think he would have been stopped if the fight was scheduled for Eight instead of Six Rounds and he should have finished Benn in the First Round when knocking him down twice. That will be a missed opportunity as far as I am concerned and I expect Benn to be a lot better and showcase what he learnt from the first fight.

The cautious approach will likely be set aside once Peynaud starts to tire as he did last time and I think that is when Benn will put down the pressure to stop this opponent. Peynaud does have the experience of fighting a Ten Rounder before, but he was the one looking tired when he fought Benn last time out and I think The Destroyer will re-write the story about this fight with a stoppage in the second half of the fight.

Carlos Takam vs Dereck Chisora

There are many similarities with the way both Carlos Takam and Dereck Chisora choose to carry themselves in the ring, but I would be surprised if Takam is not able to win this fight.

You can't always be sure what you are going to get from Chisora who has produced some big performances in his career, although I do think the best days are now behind him. The style won't change as Chisora will look to get forward and bully opponents, but this feels like it will be similar to when he faced Dillian Whyte and found the latter a little too good in a Split Decision defeat.

I expect the two fighters to make this a rough fight for the other, but I think Carlos Takam can make use of the longer reach and the better boxing skills he possesses. That is especially the case at this stage of their respective careers although there is a slight question mark around Takam who has not been in the ring since his defeat to Anthony Joshua last October.

That loss was only the fourth suffered by Takam and the previous two before the loss to Joshua came against Alexander Povetkin and Joseph Parker. That is some elite company that Takam has been operating in compared with Chisora who has lost a fight that would have been considered domestic level and another at European level.

Chisora is a tough man though so I can't imagine him rolling over and he has only ever been stopped twice against Tyson Fury and David Haye. Takam has displayed some punching power, but I am not sure he will have enough to stop Chisora too and the same can be said the other way around so the scorecards being needed looks the most likely outcome of the fight.

I just feel Chisora doesn't have a lot left in the tank and that was evident in his defeat to Agit Kabayel last year and this looks like the kind of fight where Takam can keep his Ranking moving forward with a solid win. Carlos Takam might be able to get the better of the exchanges when they occur, but I expect the longer reach to be key for him and I do think he can win this one on the cards.

There is plenty on the line for both fighters when you think of where the losing fighter would go, but I think Dereck Chisora's time at this level has already passed and I will back Takam to win this one on points.

Dillian Whyte vs Joseph Parker

The main event at the O2 Arena really does look a crossroads fight for Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker with the winning fighter heading towards a World Title fight and the losing fighter perhaps wondering where their career is heading.

Both Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker have had the one loss on their ledger and both by the same man in Anthony Joshua although Whyte was stopped and Parker was beating by a Unanimous Decision.

I don't think the way either fight ended has much influence on this one, but the bigger factor may be how Parker has dealt with a first professional loss and whether he truly believes he should be alongside the very best in the Heavyweight Division.

Parker knows he should have performed better in the loss to Joshua but he is straight back on the horse when so many others would have taken a much more comfortable fight to get back to winning ways.

The Kiwi does have something to prove having underwhelmed since getting to World level fights, even if he has narrowly found a way to win those fights before running into Joshua. Some will say he should not have received the Decision against Andy Ruiz or Hughie Fury so Parker has plenty to prove when he steps in with Dillian Whyte.

Whyte has bounced back from his loss to Joshua by winning seven straight fights and it is the highlight reel Knock Out of Lucas Browne which is going to be fresh in the memory. However this is a much different fight than the one against Browne, who stood in front of Whyte and didn't have anything like the movement Parker will bring to the table.

The win over Dereck Chisora was controversial too with many believing Whyte did not do enough to win that fight, while he has needed points to beat David Allen and Robert Helenius. So while I think Whyte has plenty of power, I am not convinced he has enough to dent a man like Parker who has proved to have a very solid chin throughout his career.

Movement and boxing skills are with Parker as is the speed and I don't think he was that poor against Joshua, or certainly not as poor as some think. He does have the inferior reach, but Parker will believe he can get his punches off first with the speed he has and I think the New Zealander may just nick this 50-50 contest.

I think the speed and superior boxing skills will see Parker build up a lead and then begin to counter Whyte as he chases the big Knock Out punch. It does point to Parker working his way to a Decision win, although I would not rule out controversial scoring and the potential for a Split or Majority Decision or perhaps even the Draw.

My heart is actually with both fighters- I have a lot of time for both and I would have loved to have seen both Whyte and Parker take a different direction and work their way into mandatory spots to get their chance at a World Title. That is the the fan in me of both men that wants to see them rewarded, but I will be heading to the O2 Arena for this one because I do think it has the potential of being a very good fight between two genuine World contenders.

Coming back will be very difficult for the losing fighter with a long road to set up a shot at a World Title, but the winning fighter may just get a date with Anthony Joshua next April if the current three belt holder beats Alexander Povetkin in September. That is a lot on the line for both Parker and Whyte and my head is saying that the former World Champion will have a little bit more than the home fighter in this one.

I think it will be tough for either fighter to stop the other, although I would not be surprised if we see some solid countering which may put one or both on the floor in this one. However my head says Parker is quicker and will have the ability to get in and out of the punching zones in this one a little better than Whyte.

Parker has not been that impressive in his recent fights, but he does do enough to win fights and I think this match up is better for him as Whyte won't be hard to find. As much as Whyte has improved since his loss to Joshua, I think the Lucas Browne win is a little overrated considering the shape the Australian showed up in and the fights with Chisora and Helenius may point to a fighter who is not quite up to World level.

I hope it is a fun fight and I will be happy whoever wins, but my pick is going to back Joseph Parker to win this one on points. Some will consider a bit of a saver on the Draw, which could be a real player in a close fight where Whyte is likely to be the aggressor and Parker the fighter throwing the quick combinations and boxing on the back foot.

Some of the cards in recent British fights involving a home fighter have been 'interesting' to say the least so I am not ruling out a controversial call, but I think Parker will do just enough to nick this with a 116-112, 115-113 kind of card in his favour.

Mikey Garcia vs Robert Easter Jr

You have got to love the way Mikey Garcia is trying to build a lasting legacy for himself and this week he goes back down to Lightweight to enter into a Unification fight with Robert Easter Jr.

The oddsmakers think it is a foregone conclusion that Garcia is going to add another belt to his large collection, but I think Easter Jr is being underestimated somewhat. Much of that could be down to some poor performances in the last couple of fights he has had, but Easter Jr has a clear advantage in height and length and will have to make use of those attributes to win this one.

The question for Easter Jr is whether he can step up his level having had those tough outings and whether he can avoid getting involved in a real scrap with Garcia who has the edge when it comes to power.

Garcia has not stopped his last two opponents, but Adrien Broner has shown he has decent punch resistance and Sergey Lipinets was put down and that is despite Garcia going up the Divisions to take on those two fighters. Back down at Lightweight Garcia should be much more comfortable but Easter Jr has the talent to make this a much tougher fight for Garcia than the layers are anticipating.

Ultimately I think Garcia will make the better adjustments in the fight if Easter Jr is boxing well from the outside and keeping this at range. I also think the power is enough to hurt Easter Jr later in the fight and I would not be surprised if Easter Jr has to get off the floor.

He can still make Garcia work for things though and I think the scorecards will be needed and I think Easter Jr is going to have to be a dominant winner to get the Decision here. Anything close will likely lean in favour of Garcia, but I think the latter will get the better of the Championship Rounds and that can see him pull away for the win and Unifying the WBC and IBF belts here.

It is tough to oppose the obvious Mikey Garcia power, but Robert Easter Jr is an unbeaten fighter and a talented one who can force Garcia to dig deep for the win.

MY PICKS: Anthony Fowler to Win Between 1-4 @ 3.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Joshua Buatsi to Win Between 5-6 @ 4.50 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

David Allen @ 5.00 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Conor Benn to Win Between 6-10 @ 3.25 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Carlos Takam By Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.25 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Joseph Parker By Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.60 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Mikey Garcia By Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.37 Sporting Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2018 Update: 18-34, + 4.90 Units (79 Units Staked, + 6.20% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2017 (July 28th)

Thursday proved to be a busy day for me, and a long one, which means my focus is simply getting the picks out for the Friday Quarter Final matches that will be played.

Wet weather remains an issue for the organisers of the events in Europe, but the tournaments remain on schedule and there hasn't been the need for players having to win two matches in a single day to remain in the draw.

It has been a poor week for the picks with little fortune behind them as players have continued to blow winning positions and subsequently missed the cover I have been looking for.

Tough weeks are part and parcel of a long season, but it is still frustrating when so many winning positions have been blown and the manner in which they have been blown.


MY PICKS: Karen Khachanov @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Jiri Vesely - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Caroline Garcia - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Jack Sock - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Canadian Masters Tennis Picks 2016 (July 28th)

A couple of Second Round matches had been completed by Tuesday, but there were plenty of matches to get through on Wednesday in both Montreal and Toronto which has set up the Third Round to be played on Thursday.

It feels like the Canadian Masters is playing second fiddle to the Olympic Games this season as there are a number of big names missing in both draws this week, while the run up to the US Open feels like it won't really begin until August. Usually that is when the Canadian Masters is played, but the Olympic Games have changed that schedule this season which has had an affect on the tournament in Canada.

For some players this is the first of a number of Ranking tournaments they will take in ahead of the US Open, but for many others it is the week before they travel to Rio de Janeiro to win a Gold Medal.

On Thursday it is the time for the Third Round matches to be played and I am hoping to get back to winning ways with the picks which went 3-3 on Wednesday. I will add the picks once the markets have been placed, most likely in the next twelve hours when I find some time to put my thoughts down on those matches which have the best angles on Thursday.

That is the way it goes with the North American picks over the next few weeks as matches are set one day and played the next before the US Open which also means waiting for the markets to be released.


Bernard Tomic - 1.5 games v Kevin Anderson: You never know what side of bed Bernard Tomic is going to get out of on any given day and that makes him a difficult player to back to win any match. However I tend to find Tomic is much harder to trust as a big favourite when he is as inconsistent as he is, but this is a number he should be able to control against Kevin Anderson.

It is Bernard Tomic who has won the majority of matches when facing Kevin Anderson and he has won four in a row agains the South African including in Queens last month.

The hard courts do suit both players, but Anderson has struggled for consistency coming off an injury and that has seen him suffer some disappointing losses. A win over Victor Troicki and Dominic Thiem's retirement does not prove Anderson is back to his best and the next few weeks will be tough for his World Ranking due to the huge amount of points he needs to defend.

Anderson's serve is still a big weapon and he is pretty effective from the back of the court too. However I think Tomic will thrive in trying to take Anderson into the long rallies with his variation and the Australian will have the edge if he is serving as well as he can. As much as I do say he is difficult to trust at times, this is a match up Tomic has enjoyed and he has pulled out of the Olympic Games in a bid to improve his World Ranking so motivation should be high enough to see him come through 46, 63, 75.


Kei Nishikori - 4.5 games v Rajeev Ram: One of the reasons that I struggle to see Kei Nishikori win a Grand Slam is the physical issues he has had throughout his career. This week he is returning to the court after pulling out of his Wimbledon Fourth Round match against Marin Cilic, but he played well enough in the Second Round win over Dennis Novikov.

Another problem for Nishikori is the vulnerable serve he possesses which puts additional pressure on him to make sure he is returning serve to the best of his ability. There are times when Nishikori can run through service games, but many times he is being forced to win the points in long rallies which can lead to mistakes and offering up break point chances for his opponents.

Nishikori was broken three times in his win over Novikov, but he is facing a limited returner in Rajeev Ram in the Third Round. The American is a threat having come through two Rounds as the underdog, but Ram doesn't have the strongest record on the hard courts and his serve can be attacked by someone as strong in the return department as Nishikori.

Over the last twelve months, Nishikori has been favoured by this price or lower five times on the hard courts and he has covered this number four times in those matches. His inability to hold serve consistently is a concern, but I think Nishikori will fashion enough break point chances to come through with a 64, 63 win.


Gael Monfils - 1.5 games v David Goffin: After avoiding backing Gael Monfils last week in Washington until he reached the Semi Final, I have backed him twice this week in Toronto and he has come through for me both times. Now I am looking for him to complete the hat-trick as I look for him to get past the dangerous David Goffin in this Third Round encounter.

The concern continues to be how much energy Monfils has left in the tank after winning the title in Washington and having a single day of rest before playing on back to back days to get into the Third Round. Now he is playing for a third straight day against someone who is capable of extending rallies and wearing down opponents.

David Goffin should be physically ready to compete having been the beneficiary of a retirement in the Second Round, but he might not be fully match sharp having not played since Wimbledon before that. The Belgian is very comfortable on the hard courts and he is a steady character who won't give too much away.

One issue Goffin is yet to resolve is getting more out of the serve, but that might be something that is a blight on him through his career. On that front, Monfils should get plenty more free points and that can ease the pressure in what is a close match on paper thanks to the physical concerns the Frenchman has to have.

It might need three sets to separate these players, but I like Monfils to come through with a 63, 36, 64 win.


Stan Wawrinka - 2.5 games v Jack Sock: This looks a really good Third Round match between a two time Grand Slam winner and an in-form North American player who will favour the hard courts. Both Stan Wawrinka and Jack Sock will be feeling good going into this part of the season in the lead up to the US Open, while both will also be playing in the Olympic Games next week.

I have to like the way Sock has been going about his business since Wimbledon with the stand out result being the come from behind win over Marin Cilic in the Davis Cup. His later defeat to Borna Coric which cost the United States their place in the Davis Cup Semi Final might have had a negative impact on many, but Sock has played very well in Washington and here in Toronto.

His wins have been relatively easy and his one loss to Ivo Karlovic came in two tie-breakers despite Sock winning more points in the match. Sock has been serving well and following that up with a heavy forehand, although he is going to be given the toughest test since the Davis Cup when coming up against Stan Wawrinka.

The Swiss player has heavy groundstrokes of his own, but he will need to serve well to keep Sock from picking up momentum. I do think Wawrinka is the stronger player off the ground, especially when we get into backhand to backhand rallies, and I think this handicap is slightly lower than I expected. A strong serving display could see Wawrinka build up enough pressure to eventually see off Sock 76, 64 in this Third Round match.


Tomas Berdych - 4.5 games v Ryan Harrison: It has already been a strong week for Ryan Harrison having won four matches in Toronto to reach the Third Round and these Ranking points will be really important for him. The American is trying to get back inside the top 100 in the World Rankings so a decent run at Masters level can be a huge help, although his win over John Isner could have been reversed if his opponent had taken the break points that came his way.

Now Harrison will be facing an opponent in Tomas Berdych that can match the Isner firepower, but is also a much more effective returner and more consistent when it comes to maintaining rallies. Berdych was an impressive Second Round winner over Borna Coric having dropped the first set and he will be confident in winning this match up.

As well as Harrison has played this week, he will give chances up to break his serve as he perhaps pushes a little too much off the ground. Where Isner failed to take advantage I think Berdych will have more success and the latter is capable of producing at least a couple of breaks of serve in this one.

The hard courts clearly suit the Berdych game and he is a player that has been successful covering this number on this surface when favoured by this price or lower. Berdych is capable of throwing in a stinker from time to time, but that is usually in his first match in a tournament rather than after putting at least one win on the board and I think he will break down Harrison in a 75, 63 win.


Daria Kasatkina - 2.5 games v Roberta Vinci: When these two players met in Doha earlier this season, Daria Kasatkina was left rueing the break point chances she missed as she fell to Roberta Vinci in a third set tie-breaker. It was a close match that was decided by just four points, but Kasatkina had been 5/15 on break points converted compared with Vinci's 4/6 conversion.

It was a failure to take her break point chances that forced Kasatkina to go the distance to beat Misaki Doi in the First Round here in Toronto, but her win over Samantha Stosur was impressive. Roberta Vinci was no less impressive in her come from behind win over Camila Giorgi and this looks to be a really good Third Round match in the making.

I am giving the edge to Kasatkina who I think is an improving presence on the WTA Tour and who should have the majority of break points again in this one. She is still a little inconsistent within matches though which is shown as one of the leading players on the WTA Tour who has had to play three setters and I am not too worried about her poor conversion rate in two WTA matches I have spoken about when looking at her overall success on that front during the course of 2016.

You have to give Vinci plenty of respect as a tough veteran who will believe in this time of the year having reached the US Open Final in 2015. However I also think that run makes the Italian a little over-rated on the surface and she hasn't had a lot of success on the hard courts in 2016 and I will back Kasatkina to find her way to a 63, 46, 64 win.


Petra Kvitova - 2.5 games v Svetlana Kuznetsova: 2016 has been a difficult season for Petra Kvitova and could be one where she has her fewest wins on the Tour since 2010. Inconsistency has been a feature of Kvitova's career even as a two time Wimbledon Champion, and a poor grass court season would not have helped her confidence.

However Kvitova has won back to back matches this week in Montreal which is only the fifth time in fourteen tournaments she has managed that in 2016. Only twice before has Kvitova gone on to win a third consecutive match though and she is going to be tested to the fullest by Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The former US Open Champion was a dominant winner in her Second Round match and Kuznetsova also reached the Final at the Miami Masters earlier this year. Kuznetsova has had a very strong season in terms of wins and has won a title this year in Sydney, while she is in line for her most wins in a single season since 2009.

While she has played very well in recent weeks, Kuznetsova is perhaps overmatched when it comes to the power being produced in this match. Considering that is where the Russian has thrived in her career, it can be tough for her to stay with Kvitova when the latter is in form and her two wins this week suggests she is ready for a deep run in Montreal.

Kvitova has gotten the better of Kuznetsova more often than not when they have faced each other, although this might be the most confident the latter has been going into the match. I just feel Kvitova can earn the cheaper points behind the serve which can make all the difference in a close match and I believe she has been serving well enough in Montreal to keep the pressure on Kuznetsova and eventually break her down in a 63, 46, 64 win.


Angelique Kerber - 3.5 games v Elina Svitolina: Reaching two Grand Slam Finals has made 2016 a special year for Angelique Kerber and she is certainly getting comfortable as a Grand Slam winner. An elbow injury did force her to exit the Bastad tournament earlier than she would have liked last week, but Kerber looked better in her win in the Second Round here in Montreal.

It is a concern that she is carrying an injury considering the importance of the Olympic Games for many of the players that will be travelling to Rio de Janeiro. That might be playing on the mind a little for Kerber, but the World Number 1 Ranking is also within reach which makes these Premier Events very important, especially with Serena Williams deciding to skip the Montreal tournament.

Kerber does have a difficult Third Round match against Elina Svitolina on Thursday, but the latter is still trying to find her consistency on the Tour. There are times when Svitolina looks very strong, but she can struggle to protect the serve and that is going to be an issue against a returner and strong mover like Kerber.

There has been a title win for Svitolina on the hard courts and also reached the Semi Final of another event, but she is still only 14-6 on the surface in 2016 thanks to a number of early losses too. Svitolina has failed to get within this number in all 6 defeats on the hard courts this season and going back to last season shows she was 4-14 when getting within this number in a hard court loss.

It is Kerber who has won four of six against Svitolina too and covered this number in each of those wins and I am backing the German to keep her run going this week.


Johanna Konta - 4.5 games v Varvara Lepchenko: I have to say I have been impressed with the way Johanna Konta has put aside the emotions of winning her first WTA event in Stanford last week. She has won both her matches in Montreal impressively after a difficult first set and Konta is a strong favourite to beat Varvara Lepchenko who is in the draw as a Lucky Loser.

There have been question marks surrounding Lepchenko all season having missed a portion of it with suggestions she served a ban for failing a drugs test. While she hasn't responded to those allegations, Lepchenko has struggled for consistency back on the Tour and has already been beaten in the Qualifiers before being handed a reprieve thanks to Serena Williams' late decision to miss this event.

Lepchenko certainly has a dangerous game with her lefty serve a weapon on the hard courts and Konta will have to be aware of that. However there is no doubting the confidence with which Konta is playing and she has a pretty solid game of her own which can expose the lack of consistency her opponent has.

Like the first two matches this week, I think Konta will have to battle through a first set before pulling away in the second. There has been plenty of tennis played by Konta over the last two weeks which might eventually catch up with her, but mentally she is strong and looks like someone who is confident she can back up that success in Stanford and I will back her to come through with a 75, 63 win.

MY PICKS: Bernard Tomic - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Kei Nishikori - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Gael Monfils - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)
Stan Wawrinka - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Tomas Berdych - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Daria Kasatkina - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Petra Kvitova - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Angelique Kerber - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Johanna Konta - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 12-7, + 6.94 Units (38 Units Staked, + 18.26% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2015 (July 28th)

There wasn't a lot of tennis being played at the various tournaments in the main draws on Monday, but that only means a full schedule is set for the Tuesday as the First Round matches are completed.

Hamburg has the roof which means they will definitely have tennis played all through the day, but there is plenty of rain around the other events and it could be either a delayed day or one where the schedule is moved around to accommodate all of the matches and keep the tournaments on track.


Aljaz Bedene - 2.5 games v Daniel Gimeno-Traver: The British Number 2 has only recently began to represent Great Britain, but it has sparked Aljaz Bedene to a career high Ranking.

He hasn't quite been able to bring his form onto the main Tour, but Bedene has won a couple of Challenger events on the clay and will feel he can get the better of Daniel Gimeno-Traver. As suited as the Spaniard is to the clay courts, Gimeno-Traver is on a six game losing run on the Singles Tour since the French Open and that will have reduced his confidence.

Gimeno-Traver did have some success earlier this season on the clay courts, but recent weeks have been much more of a struggle and losses to Salvatore Caruso and Steve Darcis are disappointing to say the least.

It won't be an easy match for Aljaz Bedene despite his improved results compared with Gimeno-Traver, especially as he is yet to really produce at this level. His opponent has reached a Final of a main Tour event on the clay courts this season and there should be some long rallies between the players, but I think the confidence Bedene has makes the difference and helps him move through and cover.


Juan Monaco - 2.5 games v Ernests Gulbis: Juan Monaco was a disappointing early loser in Bastad last week on his return to the Tour for the first time since Wimbledon, but Ernests Gulbis has had a disappointing 2015 in general. There have been little signs that the Latvian is about to turn a corner and this is a difficult match to try and turn things around considering Monaco has won 4 of 6 matches between the players.

As poor as Monaco played last week, this has actually be something of a revival season for him and he is on course for his best record in recent years. The clay courts remain his most productive surface despite the early loss last week and his confidence will still be in a much stronger place than Gulbis'.

Gulbis had won 73 matches in 2013 and 2014, but he looks set for his lowest match wins on the main Tour since 2007 which came very early in his career. He has failed to win back to back matches throughout 2015 and he has been beaten on the clay courts by players much less comfortable on this surface than Monaco.

My biggest concern for this pick is the sometimes erratic play that both players can produce which could blow this one up for me. However, I think Monaco is the better player at this moment on his favourite surface and can wear down Gulbis as long as he isn't as generous with his mistakes as he was in Bastad.


Fabio Fognini - 2.5 games v Jeremy Chardy: There is no doubt that Fabio Fognini is one of the hardest players to really know what he is going to give you on any given day. One day he can be so good that he would give almost any player on the Tour trouble, but on another Fognini will look disinterested and barely put in a concerted effort to win matches.

It does surprise me that he has got the better of Jeremy Chardy in all four previous matches including three times on the clay although the first two of those were almost a decade ago and perhaps irrelevant now.

Fognini might be a little disappointed he only reached the Quarter Final last week in Umag after this portion of the season proved to be so effective for him in 2013. The Italian has reached a Final on the clay earlier this season, but his most impressive results have come on the Doubles Tour and Fognini will be looking to have a big week in Hamburg.

He is playing Jeremy Chardy who reached the Fourth Round at the French Open, but has lost four Singles matches in a row heading into this match. The run at the French Open has been a rare success for Chardy who looks like he will have his worst record on the Tour over the last four seasons.

I like the talent Chardy possesses, but he is very inconsistent and this season the results haven't been there. It should be in Fognini's ability to win this match and I will back him to cover the games too.


Fernando Verdasco + 4.5 games v Rafael Nadal: I am hoping this is going to be a big week for Rafael Nadal because I would love to see him get back competing for the top prizes in tennis. He took a Wild Card into Hamburg which was the right move as far as I was concerned, but he would have absolutely have liked to have an easier First Round match than against Fernando Verdasco.

This was usually a match that up that Nadal loved as he won the first fourteen matches in a row, but it is Fernando Verdasco who has won the last two including earlier this season. Even Nadal's huge success on the clay should not intimidate Verdasco as the other win he has had over his compatriot came on the clay courts of Madrid.

I will point out that the conditions in both Madrid and Miami would give Verdasco a chance, but I also think Nadal is perhaps not as quick around the court as he used to be and so Verdasco's big shots have more penetration. Nadal's serve has been more vulnerable than he would have liked this season and Verdasco has the big game to really push the Number 1 Seed in this one.

I do think Nadal is still trying to build confidence and that should give Verdasco a chance to get close to a third straight win over Nadal. Recent matches between the two players have been very competitive and backing Verdasco with the games at odds against looks a big price.


Tommy Robredo - 3.5 games v Alexander Zverev: Tommy Robredo got the better of Alexander Zverev in Bastad last week in the Semi Final and it will be interesting if the youngster has learned much from the experience. He will have the home crowd firmly behind him in this First Round match, but I think Robredo has the edge with the surface to his liking and I believe he wears down the German for the second time in less than a week.

There is plenty of talent that Zverev possesses, but any young player on the Tour experiences some ups and downs and he hasn't had the best results on the clay. However, Zverev did reach the Semi Final in Hamburg last season and the conditions here are clearly some he should appreciate.

He will also look to take advantage of any disappointment that Robredo may have after failing to win the title in Bastad on Sunday. An early loss for Robredo will mean that he is likely to have his lowest number of wins on the clay courts since his injury affected season in 2012.

Robredo can be vulnerable at times if a player gets hot and begins to hit through him, but he will look to use all of his veteran experience to keep Zverev at bay. The Spaniard will be happy with the longer rallies that tend to come out on the clay courts and he'll be looking to protect serve as he did when these players met in the Semi Final last week. If he can do that, Robredo can win this match 75, 64 and move into the Second Round.


Santiago Giraldo - 3.5 games v Paolo Lorenzi: This has not been the season that Santiago Giraldo may have wanted mainly because of his lack of consistency on the clay courts. That is compared to the 18 wins he had last season as Giraldo is yet to reach double digit wins on the surface in 2015.

Giraldo has had some disappointing defeats on clay this season, but the Colombian is still likely to be too strong for Paolo Lorenzi as the Italian has really had a hard time on the main Tour. Lorenzi plays a lot of his tournaments on the clay courts and that includes Challenger events but he has had only 13 total wins on the clay this season compared with the 38 he had last year in main Tour and Challenger events combined.

The expectation has to be that Giraldo will have a little more power than Lorenzi and I think he has the more consistent serve which should set him up in points a little better. Those small things can make all the differences in matches and might be enough to ensure Giraldo earns a break more in each set to win this match.

I doubt Giraldo makes anything straight-forward though on current form, but I am still expecting him to win this one 75, 64.


Lukas Lacko + 4.5 games v Steve Johnson: When these players met at Wimbledon last month, Steve Johnson was expected to dismiss Lukas Lacko easily but found himself 2-1 down in sets. He rallied to win in five sets which will give the American the edge back on the courts he would be familiar with in North America, but not enough for him to be giving up this many games as far as I am concerned.

Lacko has plenty of strong shots in his arsenal, but nothing spectacular and that makes him a very inconsistent player. I am sure there is more about him that should see him far higher than outside of the top 100 in the World Rankings, but he is inconsistent and is just as likely to win a match as he is to lose to that same opponent 61, 61.

It is a bit of a risk backing someone who has that kind of performance in him, but Steve Johnson is another who is never too far away from throwing in a real dud of a performance. That can be highlighted by his defeats over the last six weeks to the likes of Florian Mayer, Sergiy Stakhovsky and Tatsuma Ito, all when Johnson was going in as the favourite.

The American has only had two previous visits to Atlanta and was beaten in the Second Round after coming through against Donald Young in three sets the first time before a First Round loss to Sam Querrey last year. This has been a tournament that Lacko has enjoyed in contrast to Johnson as he does have two Quarter Final appearances in three visits to Atlanta and the feeling is that he keeps this close even if he eventually is beaten.

MY PICKS: Aljaz Bedene - 2.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Juan Monaco - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Fabio Fognini - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Fernando Verdasco + 4.5 Games @ 2.20 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Tommy Robredo - 3.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Santiago Giraldo - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Lukas Lacko + 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Sporting Bet (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-1, - 0.34 Units (4 Units Staked, - 8.5% Yield)