Wimbledon Tennis Day 2 Picks 2024 (Tuesday 2nd July)

We are moving into Day 2 and another day of tennis friendly conditions, although wetter weather could hit London in the Second Round.

Before that, the top half of the Ladies draw and the bottom half of the Men's draw will both be completed with the selections below.

Jessica Pegula - 5.5 games v Ashlyn Krueger: The top four players on the WTA Tour have separated themselves from the rest of the field, but they have not dominated the winner's circle at Wimbledon. That will give others hope in the third Grand Slam of the season, although the draw does have a very lopsided feel to it after events outside of the control of the organisers.

Aryna Sabalenka's late withdrawal has really opened the bottom half of the draw for Coco Gauff, but it is the top half that will be playing on Day 2 and there are plenty of obstacles around.

The World Number 5 may feel she deserves higher billing than being a potential 'spoiler', but Jessica Pegula has only recently returned from injury and she has regularly fallen short when in strong positions within Grand Slam tournaments. The American has reached the Quarter Final at every Grand Slam, including at Wimbledon twelve months ago, but Pegula has never reached a Semi Final at a major and that makes it hard to believe in her ability to come through a loaded half of the draw.

Playing on the grass is a positive for Jessica Pegula who returned to the Tour and won a big event in Berlin last month. A relatively early defeat in Eastbourne will not be a massive concern and Jessica Pegula is expected to get the better of her compatriot in this First Round match at SW19.

Ashlyn Krueger should be respected as a player that has won a grass court title in 2023, although she will have been massively disappointed to have lost in Wimbledon Qualifiers. She has moved into the top 100 of the World Rankings since then, but this last month has been tougher for Krueger on the grass courts and this is a significant step up for her.

The only time these players have met on the Tour ended with Jessica Pegula securing a solid win and the feeling is that the higher Ranked player is still going to have an edge. It will not be easy if Ashlyn Krueger comes out and plays her absolute best tennis, but Jessica Pegula has all of the know-how on a grass court to secure her place in the Second Round with a win and a cover.

Andrey Rublev - 8.5 games v Francisco Comesana: The last couple of months have been very difficult for Andrey Rublev and he has perhaps been struggling mentally more than physically.

Getting down on himself, Andrey Rublev has capitulated at times and this has to be a real concern for his supporters ahead of the next Grand Slam. He was extremely upset with his Third Round defeat in Paris at the French Open and Andrey Rublev has only played one match on grass in the build up to Wimbledon.

That was another losing effort against Marcos Giron, but Andrey Rublev did reach the Quarter Final at Wimbledon last year and this opening match looks a very good one for him to work his way into the tournament.

Francisco Comesana had moved into the top 100 of the World Rankings when the Wimbledon cutoff point came around, but he has fallen back down to World Number 127. That alone is not the issue for Francisco Comesana, but this is a player who has never played a professional grass court match and that is going to be tough to overcome against a top 10 Ranked opponent.

The Argentine also missed a month of the Tour in May and his sole match since returning has been a defeat on a clay court in Perugia in a Challenger event. With further clay court events likely to be on the mind of Francisco Comesana in the weeks ahead, it is very tough to believe he will be putting in the kind of effort to stay in the tournament at Wimbledon if things begin to get out of control.

Over the last twelve months, all but six of the matches played by Comesana have been on a clay court and Andrey Rublev should have the knowledge of playing on a grass court that he can exert on this match.

This is a very big spread when you think of how quickly service games can be dominated on a grass court, but the Francisco Comesana serve may not be as effective as Rublev's and that should show up on Day 2.

Alejandro Tabilo - 1.5 sets v Daniel Evans: Previous form on the grass courts had not indicated that Alejandro Tabilo was ready to win a title on the surface, but the Chilean managed that on Saturday in Mallorca.

It underlines the kind of confidence that Alejandro Tabilo has put together on the Tour and he is playing at a career high World Ranking with perhaps more to come.

Last year Alejandro Tabilo was beaten in the First Round of Qualifying at Wimbledon, but he is now one of two players who have reached the Final in a tournament played on hard courts, clay courts and grass courts. His performances in Mallorca will have really boosted the confidence of the player, while the loss at Queen's Club to Tommy Paul does not look too bad when considering the American went on to win the tournament.

The biggest challenge in this First Round contest may be facing the home crowd who will be firmly behind Daniel Evans, even on a day when the Wimbledon headlines may be focusing on Andy Murray.

Daniel Evans has been struggling for form and had to withdraw mid-match at Queen's Club and has not played since then. He has dropped down to World Number 61, but the Evans form over the last twelve months is highlighted by the fact he was World Number 21 in August last year.

He was not playing too badly before the injury issue at Queen's Club, but the overall Daniel Evans performances on the grass over the last month have been disappointing. There is little doubt that Evans has lost some confidence and the defeats to players Ranked at 123 and 283 is a real concern for the British player.

In his last appearance at Wimbledon, Daniel Evans was beaten in four sets in the First Round and there is every chance Alejandro Tabilo will have too much for him in 2024.

This would actually be his third straight First Round loss at Wimbledon and Alejandro Tabilo's confidence can see him work his way through in three or four sets on Tuesday.

MY PICKS: Jessica Pegula - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 8.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alejandro Tabilo - 1.5 Sets @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Ricky Hijikata @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 3-2, + 1.50 Units (10 Units Staked, + 15% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 6 Picks 2022 (July 2nd)

The last couple of days have been extremely disappointing for the Tennis Picks, but I am hoping to end the first week of the Grand Slam in a strong position.

Nick Kyrgios - 1.5 sets v Stefanos Tsitsipas: The bottom half of the Men's draw at Wimbledon has really been opened up following the withdrawals of Marin Cilic and, in particular, Matteo Berrettini. We have yet to see Rafael Nadal play his best tennis, although the Spaniard is clearly dangerous the longer he gets to hang around at the tournament to try and find the tennis that won him the title here.

That could leave a potential opening for a surprise Finalist and this Third Round match could provide the winner with the momentum to be that surprise Finalist.

Not many would have picked Stefanos Tsitsipas to get out of this half of the draw even after winning the title in Mallorca last week and that is largely down to the inconsistent form shown on the grass courts in his career. The disappointing early loss in Paris has meant Stefanos Tsitsipas has taken in more grass court warm up events than we have been used to from him, but the results have been better than the raw numbers.

Nick Kyrgios is another player that won't have been tipped up for a Wimbledon Final, but that is more down to the Australian's approach to his tennis rather than his actual quality. There is no doubting how good Nick Kyrgios can be on his day and he showed that in the Second Round, but he did not play as well as he would have liked in the First Round when pushed to five sets by unheralded Paul Jubb and it is that inconsistency that has made it hard to tip up Kyrgios in any tournament he plays.

He has had a strong summer on the grass without winning a title, but the defeats to Andy Murray and Hubert Hurkacz are easy ones to absorb and move on. No one should doubt that Nick Kyrgios has a game that is tailor made for the grass courts, and he will also benefit from playing an opponent he has beaten in all three previous pro matches, including on the grass courts of Halle a couple of weeks ago.

Nick Kyrgios had to come from a set down that day, but he was the much stronger player of the two and that mental edge should give him every chance of winning this match too. His serve can be a huge weapon and Stefanos Tsitsipas has only been winning 30% of return points on the grass courts prior to the start of Wimbledon.

I have to respect the performance produced by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Second Round against a competent Australian grass court player, but this is a huge step up from Jordan Thompson.

In their previous matches, the Nick Kyrgios serve has proved to be slightly stronger and it was the case when they met in Halle. He has won 74% of service points played against Stefanos Tsitsipas and that has led to holds in 93% of service games played, while the Tsitsipas 71% and 89% numbers are not weak by any means.

However, the match in Halle saw Nick Kyrgios get a lot more out of his return and I do think he is capable of winning this match and looking impressive in doing so.

Botic Van de Zandschlup - 1.5 sets v Richard Gasquet: As a player that has long been pretty comfortable on the grass courts, it was a surprise to see Richard Gasquet take in a clay court Challenger event rather than any warm up events on this surface.

It hasn't held him back from making the Third Round at Wimbledon, but the Richard Gasquet run could come to an end against the Queens Semi Finalist Botic Van de Zandschlup who has played some solid tennis in SW19 too.

The Dutchman may not be the most experienced of grass court players out there, but he has shown his serve can be a major weapon for him and I expect that to at least give Richard Gasquet something to think about. Botic Van de Zandschlup has also been able to get something from the return games in the build towards Wimbledon and I do think he is going to be encouraged by the tennis that Joao Sousa and Mackenzie McDonald were able to produce in return games against Gasquet in the first two Rounds here.

It has been a long time since Richard Gasquet would have arrived at Wimbledon with genuine ambitions to try and win the title, but I do have to respect the fact that the veteran has been very comfortable playing on the surface. It should give him confidence, but I do think he could be under significant pressure from Botic Van de Zanschlup if the Dutchman serves as well as he can and that could see the scoreboard play a part in going against Richard Gasquet.

The numbers have not been that strong in the warm up to Wimbledon, but Botic Van de Zandschlup has built confidence with his run at Queens. Those are largely impacted by the blow out loss to Emil Ruusuvuori in Hertogenbosch, but Botic Van de Zandschlup has avenged that defeat by beating the same opponent convincingly in the Second Round at Wimbledon and I do think his serve is going to get him out of one or two more jams than Richard Gasquet will be able to manage.

I expect to see the younger player come through in three or four sets.

MY PICKS: Nick Kyrgios - 1.5 Sets @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Botic Van de Zandschlup - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alex De Minaur - 6.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Brandon Nakashima - 6.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Alex Molcan-Taylor Fritz Over 37.5 Games @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jason Kubler @ 2.50 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Ajla Tomljanovic @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Elena Rybakina - 2.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Petra Kvitova - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Cori Gauff - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Katie Boulter - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Wimbledon 2022: 33-31, - 1.26 Units (128 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 6 Picks 2021 (July 3rd)

Day 6 of Wimbledon sees the Fourth Round and second week of the tournament finalised, although it could be a much better day all in all.

Hopefully the Tennis is completed and we will get the final Manic Monday at this Grand Slam in a couple of days time, although it is all weather permitting.

Felix Auger-Aliassime-Nick Krygios over 41.5 games: There has been very little tennis played by Nick Kyrgios over the last sixteen months and it has been a long time since he left Australia to compete, but there has been an element of freedom about his performances so far. I do think Nick Kyrgios arrived in London with very little expectation, but he has a big game that is well suited to the grass courts and that has made him dangerous.

He needed five sets to get past Ugo Humbert in the First Round, but things were much simpler for Nick Kyrgios in the Second Round and that should mean he has plenty left in the tank. At the Australian Open Kyrgios reached the Third Round and blew a 2-0 lead in sets over Dominic Thiem before exiting the tournament and I think this is a very dangerous match for Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The serve is a massive weapon for Nick Kyrgios and I think that is something that will always give him a chance in matches on the grass courts. He has won big matches at Wimbledon and I do think Nick Kyrgios will love to perform in front of the relatively big crowds back on the showcase courts in this Third Round match as he looks to make the second week at Wimbledon once again.

Felix Auger-Aliassime is anything but a pushover though and he has reached the Final in Stuttgart and the Semi Final in Halle which underlines his own ability on the grass. Like his opponent, Felix Auger-Aliassime has a very big serve from which he can build his entire tennis on this surface and it has been key to his runs before Wimbledon having beaten Roger Federer and held 92% of the service games he has played.

Even in this tournament, Felix Auger-Aliassime has dropped a single set and there will be further confidence from the fact he has beaten Nick Kyrgios on a grass court before. That came at Queens Club in 2019, but it was a tight, serve dominated match with a single break from two break points secured by the Canadian over three sets and I can see tie-breakers being very important in this Third Round match too.

Neither player is the most consistent returner on the Tour and those numbers are even tougher for them on the grass courts when the serve is such a big weapon for so many on the Tour. With Nick Kyrgios and Felix Auger-Aliassime going up to the line, I am anticipating a lot of quick service games and long sets in terms of games rather than time spent on the court.

They produced 41 games in three sets when meeting at Queens Club two years ago and I think this match will go over this total games line as long as both are able to win at one set each. One concern is that Felix Auger-Aliassime seems to lose heart in losses at Grand Slams and can fall away, but his serve and performances on the grass over the last month should keep him focused while an entertainer like Nick Kyrgios is unlikely to go away quietly in a match like this one.

Alexander Zverev - 5.5 games v Taylor Fritz: Twice before has Alexander Zverev reached the Final of the grass court tournament in Halle, but he has yet to really have the kind of impact at Wimbledon as he would have wanted. A surprising First Round loss two years ago would have hurt, but since then Alexander Zverev has begun to produce much stronger results at the Grand Slam level and his early wins here suggests he is feeling pretty good about where his tennis is at this moment in time.

Comfortable wins without dropping a set is exactly what the doctor would have ordered for Alexander Zverev who can be guilty of making life very difficult early in the Grand Slams and thus having little left to give at the business end of those Slams. With that in mind his early wins here will be welcomed and Alexander Zverev is someone who has the game that should translate very well on the surface.

While his path to the Third Round has been comfortable, Taylor Fritz has been made to work hard having already played nine sets in his two wins in the Wimbledon tournament. The American needed five sets to get past compatriot Steve Johnson in the Second Round, but a big first serve can make Taylor Fritz dangerous.

Two years ago he won a title on the grass courts of Eastbourne to suggest that Taylor Fritz can be effective on this surface, although it is the first time that Fritz has made it through to the Third Round at Wimbledon.

The key to the match for Taylor Fritz is making sure he serves well and at least tries to put Alexander Zverev under pressure, especially as the latter has had one or two problems getting to grips with the return of serve on the grass. That may be the case, but Alexander Zverev will think the same of the Fritz return of serve and his first two performances at Wimbledon will be hugely encouraging for the higher Seeded player.

It is not the first time these two have met at Wimbledon- the first time was in 2018 when Alexander Zverev had to come from 2-1 down in sets to win in five sets in the Second Round. The Zverev return proved to be effective on the day with five breaks of serve compared to a single one for Taylor Fritz and the last two sets were fairly routine for Zverev.

Both players have improved since then, but I do think Alexander Zverev is likely to have the better of the match with his stronger ability on the return perhaps making the difference. Potential fatigue could also be a factor going against Taylor Fritz in this Third Round match and Alexander Zverev can cover a similar number he managed to do against Tennys Sandgren in the Second Round.

Roger Federer - 1.5 sets v Cameron Norrie: You can always see the signs of an improving player and Cameron Norrie certainly fits the bill with a strong year behind him and numbers backing up some of the successes he has had. A surprising campaign on the clay courts was rewarded with a match against Rafael Nadal at the French Open and now Cameron Norrie gets an opportunity to face Roger Federer on the grass courts of Wimbledon.

Before this season, Cameron Norrie had shown very little appetite for the grass courts, but he came into this portion of the Tour in good form and backed that up by reaching the Queens Final last month. His two wins in the main draw at Wimbledon have been impressive with Cameron Norrie dropping a single set to Lucas Pouille and Alex Bolt and I do think the lefty will believe he can win this match.

Belief is very important for players when they take on the legends of the Tour that are still playing at a high level, and especially when those said legends are perhaps not in top form. That is the case for Roger Federer despite his straight sets win in the Second Round against Richard Gasquet and the Swiss superstar knows he has to find another level to have a prolonged stay in this tournament.

Much of this Third Round match is going to depend on the Roger Federer serve and whether he can use that shot to build pressure on a less experienced player. Before the tournament begun, Federer did hold 88% of the service games played on the grass, but the eight time Wimbledon Champion is some way below his usual percentage of points won behind the serve and this is going to be a key for him.

He is facing an opponent in Cameron Norrie who can be a little inconsistent on the return, although one that is coming off an impressive straight sets win over Alex Bolt. The performance on the return was very good in the Second Round, but Norrie has struggled to really impose himself on this part of his game and that will be encouragement for Roger Federer fans.

It is the Cameron Norrie serve that has been highly effective on the grass over the last month and the numbers are a considerable improvement on previous years. The British player will receive plenty of support on Centre Court on Day 6 at the tournament and he does have two wins over top 25 Ranked opponents on the grass already this season, but this is a tough mental obstacle to overcome when facing someone with the history Roger Federer has.

I am expecting Cameron Norrie to play his part and I think he is playing well enough to challenge Roger Federer, but doing so for three hours on Centre Court may be too much to ask of him at this stage of his career. I do see a developing player that looks to be improving on all surfaces, but Federer may end up having a bit too much know-how and experience at key moments in the match and can work his way to a three or, more likely, four set win.

Daniil Medvedev - 5.5 games v Marin Cilic: A former Wimbledon Finalist takes on an opponent who has an affinity for the grass courts and who will arguably be the favourite to reach the Wimbledon Final from the bottom half of the Men's draw. The veteran is Marin Cilic, but the higher Seeded younger man is Daniil Medvedev in what looks like being a really good match for the fans lucky enough to see it live.

Both players have had a single dip in their two wins so far this week, but for the main part Marin Cilic and Daniil Medvedev have looked very comfortable in the tournament and on this surface. While it may not be everyone's cup of tea, the grass courts suit both games of these two tennis players and I think that does make it more intriguing.

Marin Cilic is not the player he once was and the former Grand Slam Champion has had an inconsistent year with his numbers declining from his peak. That is most noticeable on the return of serve, but Cilic does come into the Wimbledon tournament having won the title in Stuttgart and followed that up with a decent run at Queens Club.

The Croatian has produced some eye-catching numbers in his wins on the grass so far this season and the return of serve has been more effective than we have seen for some time.

However, he is going to be facing a confident player in Daniil Medvedev who has dropped a single set in the tournament and who won the title in Mallorca. The Russian has made it clear that he has always been a big fan of playing on the grass and a powerful serve is going to be important for Daniil Medvedev to try and keep Marin Cilic at bay.

I think he is capable of doing that, while Daniil Medvedev has been far more effective on the return of serve than Marin Cilic over the last month even though both have produced some very positive results. Where Marin Cilic has broken in 20% of return games on the grass and won 39% of the points played on the return, Daniil Medvedev has broken in 32% of the return games played and won 42% of the return points played.

My expectation is that difference in quality and efficiency on the return will eventually prove to be the key to the outcome of a good looking Third Round match. Both players have a strong serve that will give them confidence to compete, but Daniil Mevdevev is more capable of finding a couple of big returns to get into rallies and break down the veteran Marin Cilic and I think that is the way the match will end up in his favour.

Their sole previous match came on a hard court in Washington in 2019 and it was won by Daniil Medvedev in a tight encounter where break points were hard to find. Ultimately the Russian found the break he needed and did not offer out a single break point to Marin Cilic and I think Daniil Medvedev will find the two or three breaks of serve needed to secure the win and the cover of this handicap mark.

MY PICKS: Felix Auger-Aliassime-Nick Kyrgios Over 41.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Roger Federer - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Daniil Medvedev - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Matteo Berrettini-Aljaz Bedene Over 35.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet365 (2 Units)

Ilya Ivashka - 1.5 Sets @ 2.20 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Lorenzo Sonego - 1.5 Sets @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alexander Bublik @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Ashleigh Barty - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Anastasija Sevastova @ 2.20 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jelena Ostapenko - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Paula Badosa - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Kaja Juvan + 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Angelique Kerber - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 42-32, + 12.22 Units (148 Units Staked, + 8.26% Yield)

Euro 2020 Quarter Final Picks 2021 (July 2nd-3rd)

Upsets, drama and some wonderful footballing moments have all been a feature of the Last 16 of the Euro 2020 Finals and we are now down to the last eight.

The favourites France are out and another, Belgium, looked banged up which looks to be opening the door for the likes of Italy, Spain and England to pick up a major title in the next ten days.

However, there are nations like Denmark and Switzerland who will feel the European Championships have provided a number of upset winners over the years and they could become the latest to do that. Greece's success in 2004 is the stand out upset win, but the Danes of 1992 did the same and I do believe this current Denmark team are playing with momentum.

Ukraine and the Czech Republic may not be the trendy selections, but they are in the Quarter Finals now and from here who knows what may happen? With that in mind who is to say they can't go on and upset the odds and it should be fun to find out how the tournament will shake up.

The Quarter Final matches will be played on Friday and Saturday in four different time slots and in four different nations before all of the remaining contenders head to London for the end of the Euro 2020 Finals.

Friday 2nd July

Switzerland vs Spain Pick: Monday was one of the more stunning days of watching Knock Out Football anyone would have seen in a major international tournament.

Both Last 16 ties ended 3-3 in regulation and those extra minutes played by Switzerland and Spain could be telling in this Quarter Final. The Swiss in particularly are coming off an emotional Penalty Shoot Out win over France and have done considerably more travelling than most of the remaining teams in the Euro 2020 Finals and I do wonder if that is going to have an impact on them.

On Monday they came from 3-1 down to score deep into injury time and force Extra Time before holding favourites France in the extra period and winning the Shoot Out. It has been a long time since the Swiss won a Knock Out tie at a major international tournament, but all of that emotion will have likely taken something out of the tank for a team that has already surpassed all expectations by merely making the Quarter Final.

Spain had a different Last 16 experience as they blew a 3-1 comfortable lead over Croatia before having to pick themselves up and beat their opponents 5-3 in Extra Time. The recovery was impressive for a team that has started this tournament slowly, but looks to be peaking at the right time and beginning to make sure they convert the chances they are creating.

The Spanish have scored eight goals in their last two games inside ninety minutes and ten in total which makes them dangerous, although there is always the feeling that they lack a natural finisher who could make all of the difference for them. If they had a peak David Villa or Fernando Torres the feeling is that Spain would be the favourites, but they are hard to trust in the final third even if I do believe they will create plenty of chances in this one too.

I do give them the edge with a few more options littered through the squad to make sure they can freshen things up and I think that will make the difference.

Spain also look the more effective team in the final third and they are not allowing as many shots on goals as the Switzerland team they are opposing.

Will it be another thriller? Possibly, but the deeper thinking is that Spain will have too much and can find the goals to secure a victory inside the regulation time.

Belgium vs Italy Pick: Injuries to Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard have put their participation in this Quarter Final in doubt and it has led to Italy being set as the favourites to get past Belgium and reach the Euro 2020 Semi Final.

Before a ball had been kicked, Belgium would have been a strong favourite to see off Italy, but the performances in this tournament as well as those injuries have just shifted the momentum.

Belgium have struggled in their games against Denmark and Portugal to create chances and they were perhaps fortunate to win both games. That is a little concerning for a squad that will likely see anything other than winning this tournament as a disappointment, but Belgium have found a way to keep clean sheets in three of their four games at Euro 2020 despite some of those opportunities being allowed.

They can't keep getting out of a jam though and Belgium are going to be challenged by an Italian team that have looked good in the tournament even if they struggled in the Last 16 against Austria. On another night they may have been beaten with some close VAR calls going against the underdog, but Italy have confidence in their system and will feel they are secure enough defensively to at least contain a Belgium team that may be without their top two creative forces.

Italy have been winning a lot of matches, but they have rarely competed with a team as good as Belgium though and that makes this a different challenge. They did top their last Nations League Group over Holland, Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina, but Italy scored just seven goals in six Group games, while the first edition of the Nations League alongside Portugal and Poland saw Italy score two goals in four Group games and I think that may be seen in this Quarter Final.

I don't think Roberto Mancini's team will take too many chances to leave spaces for Belgium to exploit and I can see both teams looking to control the midfield. It may lead to a match with little real opportunities in the final third and something special could be required to break the deadlock between the teams.

Goals were hard to find in the Italy and Belgium Last 16 ties and I think that may be the case in this one too. An early strike changes the entire complexion of the Quarter Final and may lead to more spaces, but I think both Roberto Mancini and Roberto Martinez may be looking to make sure Italy and Belgium are hard to break down and my feeling is that a chess game type of fixture may be played out with so much on the line.

Saturday 3rd July

Czech Republic vs Denmark Pick: Some players have already voiced their frustrations at a tournament played across the continent and the amount of travelling they have had to do as well as the difficulties it has presented for fans.

Wales' Chris Gunter made the point in the aftermath of their defeat to Denmark in Amsterdam and the Czech Republic players have made their feelings clear about having to travel to Baku for this Quarter Final.

They have already played in Glasgow (twice), London and Budapest and you do have to wonder what kind of hindrance that is going to be for the Czech Republic. At least Denmark got to play three games at home before crushing Wales in Amsterdam and they have also had an extra day to prepare for this Quarter Final and I do think that gives The Danes an edge in what should be a competitive last eight tie.

Both teams are playing with momentum, but Denmark look to be in a groove and have been considered a dark horse before the Euro 2020 Finals began. They have the added motivation of playing for Christian Eriksen and Denmark have been creating a lot more chances than the Czech Republic in their four tournament games, while also being a little more convincing defensively.

You have to believe that will show up in this Quarter Final, although pressure intensifies on players as they begin to feel there is a big opportunity in front of them. The Euro 2020 Finals looks wide open with eight teams left and both Denmark and the Czech Republic will feel they can match some of the teams of their past with a run to the Final and potentially winning this tournament.

However, I do think Denmark have been the superior of these two teams in the Finals so far and they can battle past the Czech Republic to reach the last four.

Ukraine vs England Pick: There was an euphoria around England after the win over Germany in the Last 16, but Gareth Southgate will know there is still plenty of hard work to do with the expectations growing around this team.

Being in the weaker half of the draw is one benefit, having the Semi Final and Final at Wembley Stadium another, while the biggest threat in the draw in France are already eliminated. Belgium look bruised before their own Quarter Final and England fans are expectant after coming so close to reaching the World Cup Final in 2018.

There are a couple of new challenges for the players and the first of those is having to travel away from England for this Quarter Final which is set to be played in Rome. For the first time at Euro 2020, England will likely feel an 'away crowd' with the Ukrainians likely going to be well supported.

Ukraine have done well to reach the Quarter Final, but they were perhaps fortunate to have gotten out of the Group Stage and looked to be second best against Sweden for large parts of that Last 16 tie. A sending off changed the momentum in Extra Time, but even then Ukraine struggled to create great opportunities and I do think they will find it very difficult to break down this England team.

They do have players that can cause problems with special goals being a part of the tournament so far, but Ukraine do struggle for goals and this England team have kept clean sheets throughout the tournament. England have protected Jordan Pickford and the feeling is that this Quarter Final will be similar to the one England won against Sweden at the World Cup in 2018.

There is still a feeling that England do not create enough chances with the attacking talent they have, but they are taking a pragmatic approach to the Euro 2020 tournament and it has worked so far. Defensively they have been very sound and I think that will be the base from which England will try and secure another major tournament Semi Final which will be back at home.

Dealing with crosses will be a challenge for England, but they have the players who can manage the situation and Ukraine's final third issues are a problem for Andriy Shevchenko. They have scored six goals in the tournament, but Ukraine have not been creating a lot of good chances and backing England to win with a clean sheet is a decent shout at odds against.

MY PICKS: Spain to Win & Over 1 Total Goal @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)

Belgium-Italy Under 2.5 Goals @ 2.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Denmark @ 2.15 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)

England Win to Nil @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Last 16: 2-6, - 8.30 Units (16 Units Staked, - 51.88% Yield)

Group Stage: 21-15, + 11.96 Units (71 Units Staked, + 16.85% Yield)

Match Day 3: 9-3, + 12.40 Units (23 Units Staked, + 53.91% Yield)

Match Day 2: 5-7, - 3.54 Units (24 Units Staked, - 14.75% Yield)

Match Day 1: 7-5, + 3.10 Units (24 Units Staked, + 12.92% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 5 Picks 2021 (July 2nd)

I've had a wonderful day at Wimbledon, but that means I am looking for an early night.

In this post I am going to place my Third Round Picks for the matches scheduled to be played on Friday on Day 5 of the tournament, but I should have a longer post for those matches set for Saturday before the last Manic Monday in Wimbledon history this Monday.

The weather is turning over the weekend which is a concern for those players still in the draw and it may also mean Manic Monday is not going to feature all Fourth Round matches on a single day as we have become accustomed to. Hopefully that isn't the case, but rain delays are possible on the outside courts and that can only bode well for those on Centre Court and Court One over the coming days.

MY PICKS: Karolina Pliskova - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Garbine Muguruza - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Shelby Rogers + 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Madison Keys @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Viktorija Golubic - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 6.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Frances Tiafoe-Karen Khachanov Over 40.5 Games @ 1.95 Coral (2 Units)

Dan Evans - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Novak Djokovic - 9.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Marton Fucsovics @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Cristian Garin - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Andy Murray + 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 36-26, + 13.08 Units (124 Units Staked, + 10.55% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 2 Picks 2019 (July 2nd)

It has been a good start to the Wimbledon Tennis Picks and that despite a day where there were a host of upsets around the grounds in SW19.

I am looking to avoid any of those upsets on Day 2 when the top half of the women's draw gets underway with defending Champion Angelique Kerber opening up Centre Court. The bottom half of the men's draw also gets going on Tuesday with the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer due out to play their First Round matches and it should be another good day of Tennis for the fans enjoying the tournament.


Rafael Nadal - 8.5 games v Yuichi Sugita: A first match on the grass courts could see Rafael Nadal being a little vulnerable to a Qualifier. It would not be the first time that the Spaniard has been upset in the early Rounds of this Grand Slam by someone no one really expected to trouble him and Yuichi Sugita should be feeling good with three wins behind him over the past week.

In saying all that, I do think this is a tremendous test for Sugita especially if the courts at SW19 continue to play as slowly as they look to be playing. With the heat in London and a slower grass court, you would have to think Rafael Nadal is going to be very appreciative of the conditions and I do think he can come through with a relatively straight forward win in the First Round.

Rafael Nadal has been very effective behind serve in his last two years on the grass courts and it does make it less concerning to back him without a tournament on the surface behind him. In 2017 and 2018 the Spaniard has held onto over 90% of the service games he has played and I am not sure Yuichi Sugita is going to have a lot of success when he has broken in just 16% of return games on the surface prior to the Qualifiers.

Unlike the clay courts, Nadal does have some issues creating and taking break points on the grass courts. It should not be a massive surprise when you think of the way grass court tennis is played, but Nadal's numbers have been solid enough with his 25% and 26% return games won in the last two years.

He certainly should have enough returning to pressure Sugita who has won 82% of the service games he has played on the grass in 2019 prior to the Qualifiers, although those have been in matches against players much lower down the World Rankings. This is the first match Sugita will play against someone Ranked in the top 90 of the World Rankings which lessens the impact of his numbers.

Yuichi Sugita is very comfortable on the grass which does make him a potentially awkward customer for Rafael Nadal, but I think the Spaniard is going to be able to pull away for a comfortable win. In the last couple of years, Rafael Nadal has dominated his First Round opponent at Wimbledon and I think he will break down Sugita in this one and will be able to cover a big looking number.


Lucas Pouille - 1.5 sets v Richard Gasquet: Two Frenchmen who have previously had strong runs at Wimbledon will have to meet in the First Round this year. Both Lucas Pouille and Richard Gasquet would be hoping for the kind of draw which would have helped them pick up some significant World Ranking points even if they are not expected to win this Grand Slam title, but they will appreciate the challenge that their compatriot will put in front of them.

Out of the two players I will admit that I do think Richard Gasquet has the significantly better grass court pedigree, but his overall health in 2019 does make it hard to back him. The head to head is also something that can't be ignored with Lucas Pouille leading it 4-1 thanks to four straight wins over Gasquet and the numbers indicate that this is not a great match up for the veteran Frenchman.

None of those previous matches have been on the grass, but you have to take note of the fact that Pouille has held 91% of his service games compared with Gasquet being at 79% in the same category. The Lucas Pouille return is not exactly a big weapon for him, but he seems to be comfortable facing the Gasquet serve and that could be a huge edge for him going into this First Round match.

In general Pouille has really struggled with his return of serve on the grass with a break of serve in just 13% of his return games played in 2019. That is not a surprising number with Pouille being at 18%, 10%, 13% and now 13% since 2016 when it comes to games in which he has broken serve. The saving grace for Pouille has been the strong serving he has put together on the grass courts and he has held 86% of service games on the surface in 2019 and that is again part of some steady numbers produced in recent years.

Richard Gasquet has only recently returned from a lay off caused by injury and he has produced some decent tennis over the last month. The return is superior to Pouille's but he has held a touch fewer service games and I do think that could be an issue coupled with the head to head.

I would not be surprised to see this match being settled in three or four tight sets, but I give the slight edge to Lucas Pouille. Backing him at odds against to win this in three or four sets looks the play for me with the stronger serving and mental edge from four straight wins giving him a slight edge over Richard Gasquet.


Joao Sousa - 4.5 games v Paul Jubb: There are some high hopes for Paul Jubb in British Tennis as he gets set to make his Wimbledon debut on Tuesday. He has been playing out in the United States on the College circuit and Jubb has won the NCAA Singles Championship which is a huge statement to make.

It has certainly raised his profile and over the last month he has been back in the United Kingdom and taking in a number of grass court events in preparation for Wimbledon. There have been some ups and downs with his performances, which have to be expected, but reaching the main draw in Eastbourne with wins over Denis Istomin and Andrey Rublev show the future is bright for Jubb if he can handle the pressure.

He won't be the first British player who perhaps gets tied up by the whole hoopla that comes with Wimbledon, but the draw has also pitted him against someone that many will believe he can beat. However, Joao Sousa has shown he is very comfortable playing on the grass courts and I do think the Portuguese player can not only get the better of the home hope, but also do enough to cover this handicap mark.

Joao Sousa has not had as many wins as he would have liked, but he has held onto 90% of his service games on the grass over the last month. That number is significantly higher than Paul Jubb's 83% mark, while the have similar returning statistics and I think that gives Sousa the edge especially the longer this match goes.

There are some good signs with the way Jubb has played moving into Tour matches, but the first best of five can be an eye opening experience. With Joao Sousa having the slight edge as far as the serving has gone over the last month and also playing a relatively higher level than Jubb, I expect the veteran to wear down the 'New Kid on the Block' and he can cover the handicap mark too.


Fabio Fognini v Francis Tiafoe: He is not the first player to decide to skip the grass court season and head straight to Wimbledon and it has become something of the norm for Fabio Fognini. There is a chance of earning some significant World Ranking points for Fognini who has entered the top 10 of the Rankings after a strong clay court season, although the Italian has made it clear he is not sure what to expect at this tournament.

When someone says that it should produce some alarm bells and Fognini is the underdog in this First Round match, but he has produced some solid grass court tennis in the last couple of years which does make him appealing in that spot. Last year Fognini reached the Third Round at Wimbledon without playing any grass court tournaments in the lead up, but he has been in action in exhibition matches and so should be as prepared as he wants to be.

Fabio Fognini might even enjoy the conditions if the grass is playing slower than previous years as was the indication through the first day at The Championships. We are going to need to see more data before any long-term statements can be made, but Fognini should be happy enough and he has shown he is a player that can return effectively on the surface.

His First Round opponent is Francis Tiafoe who has been playing on the grass over the last month as he looks to get some strong Ranking points on the board. Early defeats in Hertogenbosch and London were not in the plans for the American who has held just 75% of his service games in the three matches played on the grass in 2019.

Francis Tiafoe can serve well enough on the grass courts with the big game he possesses, but the return is still an area in which he is trying to improve. I do think he can have more success playing against the Fognini serve which can be erratic to say the least, but I also think the Italian will put Tiafoe under pressure with his superior return game.

I haven't always been pleased in backing Fognini, but I do think this is a good spot for him as the underdog. The lack of grass court tennis this past month and the comments from the Italian about having 'no expectations' going into Wimbledon are a worry, but he has had the superior grass court numbers compared with Tiafoe who has been having a tough month on the surface.


Jan-Lennard Struff - 4.5 games v Radu Albot: The late decision from Borna Coric which saw him withdraw from Wimbledon meant the tournament was lacking one Seed in the men's draw. The biggest beneficiary was Jan-Lennard Struff who has been given the final Seed and who can now look to improve his career best World Ranking from the Number 33 position he currently holds.

It has been a strong 2019 for Struff and he has continued the high level he is producing through the grass court portion over the last month. A Semi Final run in Stuttgart before a close loss to Karen Khachanov in Halle will have kept the Struff confidence at a strong level and he is facing an opponent he beat in the last Grand Slam at the French Open.

This is a different surface so it won't be the same kind of match for Struff when he takes on Radu Albot who has had some confident results on the grass courts. It is Jan-Lennard Struff who holds the 3-1 head to head between these players, but the matches have tended to be close so there should be a lot of respect between the players on the court.

You would think the Struff serve is going to be the difference maker in this match having held 93% of the service games he has played on the grass courts over the last month. Compared to that, Radu Albot has held serve in just under 80% of service games played and on the grass courts you would usually consider that difference to be key, even in the slower conditions some have experienced.

Both have had similar successes on the return of serve which suggests Struff has the overall edge in the match, although this is the first season in which the German has had consistent success on the return. Some of that may be down to the fact he can take chances against opponents knowing his own serve is going to be looking after itself and it will be that mentality which will give him a chance to win this match and cover the number.

Before last season Struff did not have a lot of success at Wimbledon, but he did make the Third Round and he will be thinking that is the minimum Round he should reach as a Seeded player. I think he can get the better of a decent grass courter in Albot and I think Struff will find the breaks of serve he needs to cover the handicap in this one too.


Denis Istomin-Cameron Norrie over 39.5 games: I don't believe either Denis Istomin or Cameron Norrie are going to have enough in the locker to get through to the second week of Wimbledon, but this is a First Round match both have to believe they can win. Neither player has had a lot of success on the surface over the last month, although Norrie has been playing at a superior level and so has every right to consider himself favourite to win the match.

The home support will be behind Cameron Norrie on Tuesday, but I am not sure he has the same profile as some of the other British players in the tournament. That does mean Norrie's match is on one of the outer courts rather than the showcase courts, but he can't worry about that and the best way to make a statement is by winning this match and continuing to move through the draw.

A lefty serve should always give Norrie a chance to bamboozle opponents and it has been a big weapon for him on the grass courts in the last twelve months. In 2019 he has actually shown an improvement with his numbers behind serve on this surface with a higher percentage of points being won compared with 2018 and that has also led to Norrie holding 85% of his service games played on grass courts.

The problem for Norrie has been finding effective returns on the surface, although he has been unfortunate with the three matches he has played on the grass in 2019. This time he is not facing a huge server like he has been, but Denis Istomin has managed to hold onto 80% of his service games despite losing all three grass court matches played in the last month.

Denis Istomin has previously had some good results on the grass, but he has dropped out of the top 100 of the World Rankings as his inconsistent form has dragged on for far too long. Like his opponent, Istomin has really struggled to be effective when it comes to the return of serve and this match has the feel of being one that could see at least four competitive sets being played out between them.

It would be a huge surprise to see multiple breaks of serve between them when you think of the issues that both Norrie and Istomin have had on the return. Both possess a decent serve so they will be confident they can run through their games, although I would not be happy to see either player go 2-0 up in sets as there is every chance the player that is behind will perhaps lose a bit of faith and fall away, but these two players could share out the first two sets and that should set the match on the way to surpassing the total games line.

MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal - 8.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Lucas Pouille - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Joao Sousa - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Fabio Fognini @ 2.25 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Jan-Lennard Struff - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Denis Istomin-Cameron Norrie Over 39.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Kei Nishikori - 6.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)
Dominik Koepfer @ 2.05 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Roger Federer - 8.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Dennis Novak @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Qiang Wang - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Barbora Strycova - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Garbine Muguruza - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Belinda Bencic - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Sam Stosur - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 9-5, + 6.26 Units (28 Units Staked, + 22.36% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 1 Picks 2018 (July 2nd)

This has been a very busy weekend and one that has made it difficult to write up my full analysis from Day 1 at Wimbledon.

The rest of the week isn't looking great either, but I have done the research I have wanted to highlight those Picks I like.

I have managed to write down a full Outright Preview with Picks from the third Grand Slam of the season and you can read those here.

On the first day of the Wimbledon 2018 tournament you can see 'MY PICKS' below.


MY PICKS: Karolina Pliskova - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Lesia Tsurenko - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Marin Cilic - 8.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Lucas Pouille - 1.5 Sets @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Leonardo Mayer - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Thomas Fabbiano - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 6 Picks 2016 (July 2nd)

The really poor schedule set up by the organisers at Wimbledon has contributed to us seeing Middle Sunday being used for the first time since 2004. Of course the weather played a part, but the organisers here have been criticised by me for their scheduling of later Round matches while the earlier Rounds have not been completed and it finally caught up with them on Friday.

With some of the Third Round matches now being held back until Sunday, Saturday will still have a number of matches scheduled and most will be hoping that we can get through this weekend and get this tournament back on track.

It has been a long night tonight, so I will put up my picks for Day 6 below.


MY PICKS: Lucas Pouille-Juan Martin Del Potro Over 3.5 Sets @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Richard Gasquet-Albert Ramos-Vinolas Over 3.5 Sets @ 2.20 Coral (2 Units)
John Isner @ 2.20 Coral (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez + 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Andy Murray - 8.5 Games @ 1.73 William Hill (2 Units)
Eugenie Bouchard + 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Euro 2016 Quarter Final Picks (June 30-July 3)

Euro 2016 Quarter Final Picks

That image above sums up the England performance at the Euro 2016 Finals where they return home having won one of four matches and being defeated by Iceland in the Second Round.

How many would have picked England to be beaten by Iceland?

I'd hazard a guess at not many outside of that nation and it is easily the most disappointing defeat England have suffered in my lifetime. I can't argue with the suggestion it is the worst result in a major international tournament for England since beating beaten by the part-timers of the United States in the 1950 World Cup and once again they return home from a major international tournament with plenty more questions than answers.

Roy Hodgson had to go- he simply didn't have the guts to follow through with his convictions in terms of system or personnel and ultimately he has to take the blame for the failure at the World Cup in Brazil and now these European Championships in France. A manager to have the guts to tell the media where to go and not have them dictate the squad or starting eleven is the first thing England need, while it would also be wise of them to perhaps go into a tournament not believing their own hype, but be willing to work hard as a unit to grind their way to positive results.

While the Hodgson departure was inevitable, I think Wayne Rooney should be next in line to accept that international football has now passed him by. I can't imagine he will do that, but he was shoehorned into a spot in the starting eleven because he can no longer lead the line effectively and has lost the pace to be played in one of the wide positions in a front three.

His midfield performance against Iceland was embarrassing and came perhaps a step earlier than even I had called for. I have been very clear that Rooney is not a midfielder because his passing is vastly over-rated, his positioning is poor and he again doesn't really have the pace to challenge the best players in those positions, although those issues were exposed by anything but 'World Class' players.

It might also be time for the likes of Gary Cahill to move on from international football while Joe Hart should be dropped in favour of Jack Butland in time for the World Cup Qualifiers.

Hart is another player I have heavily criticised for being over-rated by the media for some time. How anyone thinks Hart is a better goalkeeper than David De Gea is beyond me and I think any pundit or journalist who makes that suggestion again should be banned from speaking about football again.

In fact he probably won't be Pep Guardiola's chose Number 1 soon enough and Hart might find a more acceptable level lower down the English Premier League and Jack Butland certainly looks a much better goalkeeper.

So who will England turn to to guide them to the next World Cup in Russia? The suggestion has been Arsene Wenger by the media, but I think England would do worse than to pick a manager like Sam Allardyce who has shown he can motivate players to perform above their abilities and is someone who isn't afraid to set his teams up in the manner he wants even if that upsets his fans.

He looks a manager who will believe in what he wants to do and I think it is definitely something England should be looking for in their next manager.

Iceland might not have received the plaudits they deserved, but it has to be said they are fully worthy of their place in the last eight. The stand out tie of the Quarter Finals looks to be the one between Germany and Italy on Saturday, while France might feel they have the best draw as they face Iceland on Sunday.

Portugal and Belgium are favourites to meet in the other Semi Final, but both Poland and Wales will feel they can upset the odds and the next four days will be very intriguing.

Thursday 30th June

Poland v Portugal Pick: You have to think both Poland and Portugal are looking at this as being a big opportunity to get into the Semi Final of Euro 2016 with both likely to be fancying their chances of beating the other. Will that mean we get a tight game between two teams who are scared to make a mistake which will cost them, or will both teams take the game to the other in a bid to move through to what would be a winnable Semi Final regardless of whether it is Wales or Belgium in their way.

There is also a fatigue issue in play which may help contribute to how these teams can play this game. Both Poland and Portugal played 120 minutes in their wins on Saturday and Poland also had to battle through the mental baggage of a penalty shoot out and both physical and mental fatigue could be an issue making it harder to play a conservative style of play.

I have been impressed with Poland in the tournament, although disappointed with the lack of composure in front of goal. This looks a team that will create chances, but they have only scored three goals in their four games despite the opportunities that they have fashioned in all four games.

And I do have to say that Switzerland had Poland on the back foot for the second half and extra time and I am wondering if this team might have left something out on the field in that game. They might create some problems for Portugal, but I also expect the latter to be a lot better than they were for much of the game against Croatia.

Portugal have been a hard team to really get a feel for- they have looked very good at times and created chances that have been wasted, while also being a little hit and miss when it comes to the defensive shape they produce. Against Croatia they looked very solid, but this is a team that somehow conceded three times against Hungary even if those goals conceded were all a touch fortuitous.

The teams have had ample time to rest since their Saturday Second Round clashes which should help restore some energy, but both also had to be at their best mentally which can take its toll. I have a feeling we will see goals in this game as both defences have shown strength but also have allowed chances to be created and both have an attacking figure in Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo who have proven they can score goals at every level.

Out of the two teams, I do think Portugal are the slightly stronger even if they have yet to show that in this tournament. I wouldn't be surprised if this is one of the Quarter Finals that does produce a few goals, but my gut feeling is that Poland might not have the same energy levels that Portugal could potentially call upon going into this Quarter Final. Portugal also have the better tournament experience and that can't be underestimated at this stage of an event and I will back Cristiano Ronaldo's nation to get through in ninety minutes.


Friday 1st July
Wales v Belgium Pick: The familiarity that Chris Coleman and his Wales team have with a talented Belgium team would have given them an edge in knowing what to expect in this Quarter Final regardless. But the fact that Wales took four points out of six and kept two clean sheets against Belgium during the Euro 2016 Qualifiers has to only make the Welsh team believe they have every chance of moving into the Semi Final here and becoming the most successful national team in their history.

These teams have met four times in the last couple of Qualifying campaigns and the only times Wales were beaten was when they had James Collins sent off early in a game. That was the first of the four matches and the red card after 26 minutes came with the game poised at 0-0 and it took a late goal from Belgium to really wrap up the 0-2 win on that day.

Draws in back to back games before a Gareth Bale goal helped Wales beat Belgium in their home Qualifier should mean Wales go into this Quarter Final without any intimidation factor of a 'golden generation' for Belgium.

That despite Belgium producing a really strong performance in their 4-0 win over Hungary in the Second Round. Coming off a 3-0 win over the Republic of Ireland and a 1-0 win over Sweden has added to the belief that Belgium can win this tournament and turn potential into actual success.

However they will need to be careful as Belgium missed a few opportunities against Hungary while at 1-0 up and their opponents created a few really good chances to score goals. This time they face a team with Gareth Bale in their starting line up who is unlikely to pass up on the chances that Hungary did and my feeling is that this will be different to when they met in the Qualifiers.

Both of those games were tight affairs but the hard work being put in over the last few weeks has come in a short span of time and we have seen some spaces opening up in defence. Belgium certainly will produce chances, but also look a little suspect at the back, while Wales were not rock solid against Northern Ireland and conceded in their first two games against Slovakia and England.

I do think Chris Coleman will want his team to contain Belgium by making them play in front of the defence, but both Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard looked in sparkling form. Wales will offer a threat going forward, but they have to be better than they were in the win over Northern Ireland and I think this is an intriguing Quarter Final that both teams will think they can win.

Picking a winner looks like a far from easy task- I can make a real case for both teams, but my feeling is leaning towards Belgium to finally get the better of Wales after recent failures against them. However I have more of a feeling that we will see goals between these teams considering how well they have performed in attacking spots, but also the chances teams have created against them.

With Bale, Hazard, De Bruyne on the field, I have to think chances will be created and backing at least three goals to be shared out is my overriding feeling.


Saturday 2nd July
Germany v Italy Pick: All of the talk prior to this game is whether Germany can break the curse and finally beat Italy in a tournament match. It is a strange statistic considering how successful Germany have been, but Italy seem to hold the mental cards and will know they have won the last two Semi Final matches these nations have competed in in 2006 and 2012.

If you look a little further, Italy also beat Germany (well West Germany) in the 1970 World Cup Semi Final and the 1982 World Cup Final, but these past results are mainly irrelevant.

The 2012 European Championship Semi Final defeat is the bigger mental obstacle for this German team to overcome. Seven of their starting eleven at this tournament also played in that match, while Thomas Muller came on as a substitute and Germany will have a lot of respect for this Italy team who have exceeded expectations significantly to this point.

Even the 4-1 Germany win in March won't have much of a bearing on the Italian team knowing half of their vaunted Juventus defence were missing. It is that Juventus defence which has helped Italy be so successful at this tournament so far, but that would also be harsh on the speed in which they have attacked teams and caused plenty of problems.

Italy will need to bring in a little more composure in front of goal as they allowed Spain to stick around in the Second Round thanks to some decent goalkeeping from David De Gea. It doesn't get easier when you face Manuel Neuer but Italy will feel they can give this Germany defence more problems than most of the teams they have faced so far in Euro 2016.

I also think this is the best attack that the Italians have faced with Joachim Low ditching the 'false nine' system and using Mario Gomez as his number nine. That allows the midfielders to make more runs off a front man, while also giving the Germany attack another avenue in which to try and break down Italy and Gomez has responded with two goals in two games.

I am really looking forward to this match which looks likely to be one of the best in Euro 2016 between two teams in form. Germany's lack of success against Italy when it matters is a concern, but they are the World Champions and I can see an attacking game with both teams having their chances.

Neither has conceded in Euro 2016 but I believe they are facing the best opponents they have to this point and I think there will be chances. In the 2012 Semi Final the same four Juventus players that have formed the impenetrable defence kept Germany out until the 90th minute while defending a 0-2 lead and I think both teams are going to concede their first goal at the tournament here.

There have been at least three goals in three of the four games in Bordeaux (two in the other) and both Germany and Italy have shown enough in front of goal to think they can match that. My lean is towards Italy finding another way to get past another one of the favourites for the tournament, but I will simply look for this game to produce the goods and the goals.


Sunday 3rd July
France v Iceland Pick: Historically France have been far too strong for Iceland but those holding to history will not be giving the latter the respect they now deserve. Coming out of a weak Group was one thing, but Iceland showed resolve and determination to come from a goal down to beat England in the Second Round, although there is no doubting this is a significant step up.

That is not to say that Iceland won't fancy their chances against a French backline that has looked a little vulnerable at set pieces, an area Iceland will look to exploit with their long throw ins too. Adil Rami is suspended so France are down another centre half which will mean they have to be fully focused if they don't want to be the latest nation to be surprised by 'little' Iceland.

Truth be told, I think anything other than a France win will be a big surprise especially with home advantage and Iceland will look to play their part in this Quarter Final. I would have been interested to see how Iceland would have reacted to going behind as early as they did against England if they hadn't equalised within seconds of the restart, and France look to be rounding into form.

Unlike England, France also have enough creative talent and players capable of producing a moment of magic to turn this game in their favour if they need to unlock this Iceland rearguard. England might not have threatened them, but all three of Iceland's Group opponents created enough chances to win their game against them and France are not likely to be as generous in front of goal as those teams.

You have to respect Iceland for the unity and trust they have in one another and I do think they can create some very awkward moments for France, especially in defence. However I think France will succeed where England failed and set up a huge Semi Final, regardless of who they face, for next Thursday.

After getting in front, I see France perhaps putting this game away late on in a manner they should have done against the Republic of Ireland so I will back them on the Asian Handicap.

MY PICKS: Portugal @ 2.40 Coral (2 Units)
Wales-Belgium Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.50 William Hill (2 Units)
Germany-Italy Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.75 Paddy Power (2 Units)
France - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.05 Bet365 (2 Units)

Quarter Final Update: 2-2, + 1.10 Unit
Second Round Final: 3-3-2, + 1.80 Units
Group Stage Final: 16-21, - 5.30 Units