Wimbledon Tennis Day 3 Picks 2024 (Wednesday 3rd July)

Everyone wants to be able to finish a career on their own terms and that is especially the case for athletes and even more so when it comes to the individual sports.

Unlike Boxing, we don't see our heroes beaten down in the same manner as a fighter who goes on too long, but it doesn't make it any easier for Tennis players to be able to accept their own mortality.

Andy Murray has made it clear for several months that this is going to be his last year on the Tour as his body has failed to shake off the injuries that would have allowed to compete as he would like. He made it clear that it will either be at Wimbledon or at the Olympic Games when time would need to be called, but a cruel twist of fate meant Murray picked up an injury at Queen's Club and ultimately that has meant he is not going to play the Singles tournament for the last time.

A two time former Wimbledon Champion, Andy Murray is not the only loved player that has failed to be able to leave this tournament on his own terms.

Ultimately that is the issue with Tennis- you cannot make any plans when an injury in the later stages of a career are that much more impactful.

There is no way Roger Federer would have wanted his last memory on Centre Court being on the end of bagel at the end of a straight sets defeat to Hubert Hurkacz, while seven time Wimbledon Champion Pete Sampras was beaten in the Second Round on Court Two in what turned out to be his last appearance here.

At least Sampras was able to win the US Open a couple of months later and he eventually decided he had nothing left in the tank so could end on a 'high', although without the celebrations that accompanied the likes of Serena Williams.

This was always the issue with Andy Murray putting a final end date on his time on the Tour, unlike Rafael Nadal who continues to insist he is unsure if he has played his last match at the French Open.

It is a real disappointment for the fans, who would have wanted to show their appreciation for Andy Murray's efforts, although they will have another opportunity when he lines up next to brother Jamie for the Men's Doubles.

Maybe there is still room for a perfect sign off at Wimbledon after all!

Day 3 moves into the Second Round of the tournament and that means the top half of the Men's draw and the bottom half of the Ladies draw are in action again.

Aryna Sabalenka's late withdrawal has really opened the bottom half up and it would not be a surprise if we are to get a surprising Finalist once again.

Coco Gauff will be the clear favourite to plow her way through the draw, but she has suffered some upsets on the surface and it really could be any of a handful of players that take advantage.

The late withdrawal has certainly hurt the draw with the Ladies top half looking extremely loaded in comparison and that is a shame.

However, it is also an opportunity for players to have a big impact at the third Grand Slam of the season and also means there is a new pressure that many will be dealing with in anticipation of having a strong run.

The Men's draw is largely intact in the top half, but there is also one mouthwatering Second Round match coming up on Day 3 which should be on a big show court for the fans to enjoy.

Coco Gauff - 6.5 games v Anca Alexia Todoni: She may have admitted to feeling some nerves ahead of the First Round match at Wimbledon having lost in the opening Round twelve months ago, but you would not have guessed that was the case for Coco Gauff.

A dominant First Round win saw the World Number 2 through to the next Round and the withdrawal of Aryna Sabalenka has certainly opened the bottom half of the draw.

Coco Gauff will not want to think too far ahead and leave herself vulnerable to an upset, but it would be a surprise if she is not able to make the second week at Wimbledon again. That was the outcome in her first two appearances at Wimbledon in 2019 when announcing herself to a wider public and in 2021, although Coco Gauff has been disappointingly beaten in the last couple of years before the Fourth Round.

She has already reached the Semi Final at the first two Grand Slams of the season having won the US Open last year, and Coco Gauff has to believe that is the least she should achieve at Wimbledon.

Next up is young Romanian Anca Alexia Todoni, the World Number 142 who is set for a new career best World Ranking at the end of this tournament. Four wins in a row, three in Qualifiers, will be a boost for Todoni who is playing in just her second grass court tournament, but this is a considerable step upwards in terms of level of competition.

For starters Anca Alexia Todoni has beaten four players who are all Ranked outside the top 100, and she has yet to face a top 50 Ranked opponent.

There is some potential here when you think Anca Alexia Todoni is 6-1 against top 100 Ranked opponents, although the majority of those matches have been on the clay courts. This time she will be playing on a big show court and against a player who has the qualities to add to the Grand Slam won at the US Open and Coco Gauff should make that tell in this match.

It is a big handicap mark, but Coco Gauff is capable of winning a set with a couple of breaks of serve more than Anca Alexia Todoni and that should put her in a position to cover even with a more competitive second set. The American will want to just remind the rest of the bottom half of the Ladies draw that she is the player to beat without Aryna Sabalenka in the draw and Gauff can win well.

Madison Keys - 5.5 games v Yafan Wang: The type of tennis that Madison Keys is able to play is always going to make her a threat on the faster surfaces and she has had plenty of successes on the grass courts. Twelve months ago she was a Quarter Finalist at Wimbledon having won the title in Eastbourne, while she was a Semi Finalist in Eastbourne prior to this Grand Slam beginning.

In saying all that, Madison Keys might be a touch disappointed with the competitiveness of the First Round win over Martina Trevisan, who is a clay court specialist.

Ultimately the key, pardon the pun, is winning and the American will believe the bottom half of the draw is very much open for her to have a really deep run at Wimbledon again.

There are one or two challengers in her section, but Madison Keys has to believe she can at least reach the Quarter Final where the likelihood is that Coco Gauff will be waiting.

However, to do that, Madison Keys has to just knuckle down and she will not want to overlook Yafan Wang who won thirteen grass court matches in 2023.

This year has been more challenging for Yafan Wang who had lost all three matches prior to Wimbledon before beating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the First Round. It was a real battle for Yafan Wang who had lost all six grass court sets played prior to the third Grand Slam of the season and so there is still a real gap to bridge to someone as comfortable on this surface as Madison Keys.

Getting enough first serves in play will at least put Madison Keys under some pressure, but the real key to the outcome of this Second Round match is how well Yafan Wang is able to return. In her three matches on grass last month, Wang was only able to win 32% of return points played and she could be put under immense pressure by Madison Keys, which may lead to scoreboard pressure to build up.

When these players met on a hard court back in September 2018, it was Yafan Wang's inability to get her teeth into the Madison Keys serve that saw the American come through with a comfortable win. While things have changed in the almost six years since they last met, Yafan Wang is perhaps still vulnerable to the big serving that Madison Keys can produce and that may see the World Number 13 come away with a relatively comfortable win.

Grigor Dimitrov - 5.5 games v Juncheng Shang: It was perhaps a tougher First Round win than expected by the layers, but Grigor Dimitrov was pretty comfortable all things considered.

He is going to be favoured in this Second Round match and will be looking to build on the performance against Dusan Lajovic.

Limited grass court matches in preparation for Wimbledon can be a concern for some players, but Grigor Dimitrov is very experienced on the surface and has all of the tennis tools needed to be effective. At his best, the serve can be a very dangerous weapon and Dimitrov has the movement and balance to really hurt opponents on the return.

All of that will be needed to see off Juncheng Shang, the World Number 91 who has put plenty of grass court wins on the board over the last month.

The 19 year old left hander was a straight sets winner in the First Round and did reach the Quarter Final in a Challenger in Nottingham before doing the same at Eastbourne in an ATP tournament in the lead up to Wimbledon. Juncheng Shang suffered a competitive defeat to Taylor Fritz, although he will appreciate the fact that Grigor Dimitrov is a more dangerous return player on the surface.

The serve has been effective for Juncheng Shang, which will make him dangerous, but he was pretty comfortably beaten by Billy Harris and Jacob Fearnley in matches played over the last month. Those defeats are difficult to shake off and the feeling is that Grigor Dimitrov might have a bit too much all around quality on the grass for a young player who is still finding his feet on the Tour.

Nothing ever comes easily for Dimitrov and it will be important to make a strong start to prevent Juncheng Shang from building his way into the match through increased confidence.

If he can do that, the Bulgarian should have enough to wear down this opponent on his way through to the Third Round on Friday.

Jannik Sinner-Matteo Berrettini over 38.5 games: As soon as the draw for the Wimbledon tournament was made, the match that stood out as a potentially huge one for the Second Round involved two Italians right at the top of the draw.

It is Jannik Sinner who arrives at Wimbledon as the World Number 1 and top Seed in the draw, but he will be well aware of the quality and the threat that his compatriot will pose. Matteo Berrettini may not be in the Seeded positions, but this is a player who has loved playing on the grass and has won titles and reached the Wimbledon Final before in his career.

Injuries and a loss of form have been an issue, but Berrettini was impressive in his First Round win and he will be very comfortable playing on Centre Court. He had little grass court preparation last year, but Matteo Berrettini was still able to reach the Fourth Round at Wimbledon and took the opening set against eventual Champion Carlos Alcaraz before going down in four sets.

This time around, Matteo Berrettini has reached the Final in Stuttgart before a relatively disappointing early loss in Halle, but he continues to showcase grass court pedigree that made him a dangerous floater in this draw. Serving well will be the key for Berrettini who has held 94% of service games played on the grass before Wimbledon and he will need to find a way to put Jannik Sinner under pressure.

Winning the title in Halle will have given Sinner real belief and he did reach the Semi Final here last season when losing a much more competitive match than the straight sets defeat to Novak Djokovic would have suggested.

The World Number 1 was a Quarter Finalist at Wimbledon in 2022 before the Semi Final run in 2023 and Jannik Sinner will certainly be targeting to go at least one better this time around. He did surprisingly drop a set against Yannick Hanfmann in the First Round, and Sinner will know that he needs to just increase the level of the return if he is going to win a Grand Slam here.

Serving has not been a problem with 97% of games held in winning the title in Halle and that is likely going to be key for Jannik Sinner to just contain the threat Matteo Berrettini is able to bring onto the court.

Jannik Sinner did beat Matteo Berrettini in straight sets on the hard courts of the Canadian Masters last August, but the latter will feel it came down to the Break Point performances on the day.

Matteo Berrettini was able to win 68% of service points played in that defeat and the grass courts are expected to aid him that much more.

The former Finalist does have all the tools needed to win at least a set in this match and Jannik Sinner will be plenty confident too so there is a feeling that this Second Round contest is every bit as good as anticipated.

If both players are able to win at least one set as expected, the two players should serve well enough to move into a position to surpass the total games line set.

MY PICKS: Coco Gauff - 6.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Madison Keys - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Grigor Dimitrov - 5.5 Games @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jannik Sinner-Matteo Berrettini Over 38.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jasmine Paolini - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Donna Vekic - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 4-4, - 0.30 Units (16 Units Staked, - 1.88% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 1 Picks 2023 (July 3rd)

The short grass court season between the French Open and Wimbledon means there is very little time for the players to take in events at the second Grand Slam of a season before the third one begins.

Unlike the clay courts, the grass courts are still seen very much as a 'work in progress' for many on the Tour and there is a feeling that the majority of players struggle to adapt to a surface that has about a six week season.

While Wimbledon remains a very important tournament, it does mean the contender list always feels a lot shorter than for the other Grand Slams and this year looks to be no different.

You would find it very difficult to look past Novak Djokovic as a big favourite to win an eighth title here considering he has not been beaten in SW19 since 2017 when he was forced to retire in his Quarter Final against Tomas Berdych. The last time Novak Djokovic lost a completed match at Wimbledon was in 2017 in the Third Round having won the French Open, but he won both of those Slams in 2021 to become part of a very select few male players who have won both titles in the same year.

That is perhaps the biggest challenge for Novak Djokovic, but if he has an aura in most events, the ones in Melbourne and London might be the hardest to break at Slam level. And we have already seen his biggest challenger in this draw, Carlos Alcaraz, lose his way physically when facing Novak Djokovic at the French Open last month to suggest that the second Seed is very much the clear favourite.

There are not a lot of names in the draw who you would feel could even push Novak Djokovic, but it will need someone to serve at an exceptionally high level. We have also seen Djokovic under the cosh when trailing 2-0 in sets to Jannik Sinner last year so nothing in tennis a foregone conclusion, although it would be a big upset if he is not a part of the Final at the very least in two weeks time.

It feels like the draw has been a good one for Carlos Alcaraz to have a deep run in the tournament too after winning the title at Queen's Club last month, but he is still learning his trade on the grass.

This could leave the door open for someone like Daniil Medvedev or, if the home fans are granted their wish, Andy Murray to make a real impact in the tournament. Daniil Medvedev has shown he can play on the grass effectively and he might be the player who can 'fly under the radar' while Djokovic and Alcaraz steal the headlines.

Once again the Ladies draw might be the one that really offers up an upset or two- defending Champion Elena Rybakina would likely have had a strong run, but it is hard to know where she is with her tennis having had a lingering virus that forced her out of the French Open and in Eastbourne last week.

Aryna Sabalenka is back at Wimbledon this year, but may have to deal with some hostility from the crowds compared with Roland Garros. If she can handle that, the Number 2 Seed should have a strong run in the bottom half of the draw as the third favourite, although it is the tougher half of the Ladies draw this year.

The ATP Tour had the 'Big Three' era and the hope is that Rybakina, Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek can create that rivalry on the WTA Tour which will take the sport forward. Those three players have combined to win the last five Grand Slam titles and it has given the women's side of the sport some consistency which has been lacking through Serena Williams and Ashleigh Barty's retirements in the last eighteen months.

Iga Swiatek is heading up the draw and looks to be in the weaker half, but this is a player that has not had an impact on the grass and looks to be at her most vulnerable in this Grand Slam out of the four played each year.

Picking someone to come through and challenge the World Number 1 is the question in a half of the draw missing a number of consistent grass court players, but the standout name looks to be Coco Gauff. The American is the fifth favourite in the draw and looks a big price for a deep run having long been very comfortable on this surface and it does feel like it could be Gauff's time to win a maiden Grand Slam and get a little closer to the top three names on the WTA Tour.

She is in the same Quarter as Iga Swiatek, but there is no real guarantee that the World Number 1 will be there to meet her having only reached the second week at Wimbledon on one previous occasion.

Much like the French Open, the Ladies draw at Wimbledon could be a lot of fun to watch and I do think there will be some surprising names reaching the business end of the tournament.

This all makes for a potentially fun two weeks coming up before the majority of players pack up their grass court shoes for another season and begin to think about the US Open that begins at the end of August.

The weather looks to be a little inconsistent in the first week of the tournament, which could cause problems, but Middle Sunday is no longer a 'day off' for the players and staff and that should keep the tournament firmly on schedule.

Personally it does feel like the tournament has made the right decision to remove the blanket ban they had on those from Russian and Belarusian nationalities last year, even if many won't think the same. I think it was a nonsensical decision a year ago in all honesty, but made to look a lot worse when the other tournaments refused to back up a decision made by one nation.

There will be those who believe Wimbledon should have maintained the blanket ban and others who disagree and will be wondering why other nations that have been involved in wars have not had their players banned previously. A reversal or a ban was not going to be popular either way, but it feels like the decision made without consultation was never going to be one that could be maintained beyond the 2022 season and especially not with the Tours threatening to remove licences from build up events and having stripped Ranking points.

For the majority of the fans, the focus will be on the tennis being played on the courts over the next fortnight before the Tour will move on.

Day 1 will see the defending Men's Champion open on Centre Court and that means the bottom half of the draw will be scheduled on the day. For the Ladies, Elena Rybakina will open Centre Court on Day 2, assuming she is healthy enough to compete, and so the top half of the draw will be out on Monday.

The Australian Open was a strong one for the Tennis Picks and the French Open finished with a winning record- however, a difficult second week at the second Slam of the season meant it was a very small number compared with Melbourne back in January.

However, a positive number is a good thing and I mentioned that I would be having a break through the warm up events on the grass before returning for Wimbledon.

Below you will be able to read some of my thoughts on a few of the selections being made on Day 1, which looks like it will be a good one weather wise for the players. Another strong start will be welcomed to lay the foundation for the event and hopefully that all gets underway from the opening selections.

Novak Djokovic - 10.5 games v Pedro Cachin: The number next to his Seeding may say 'two' at this tournament, but there is no doubt that Novak Djokovic is still the best player in the world and he is a massive favourite to win a third Grand Slam title in 2023.

The win in Paris has only strengthened his claims to being the best player of all time, but there are still records that could tumble by the end of this season to back up those statements. He could join Roger Federer on eight Wimbledon titles, and not many would be willing to back against Novak Djokovic doing that, while another Grand Slam title would mean the Serb has matched the total Margaret Court has set to lead all others.

It would be a remarkable achievement as the defending Men's Champion opens up proceedings on Centre Court on the first Monday in SW19 and this is something that has become a familiar sight to those who attend Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic has not been beaten in the tournament since 2017 when he was forced to retire in the Quarter Final against Tomas Berdych and he will be looking for a fifth title in a row in this part of London.

An opening match on the grass can be challenging and conditions might be a little difficult throughout the next fortnight, while Novak Djokovic has actually dropped a set in the First Round against Jack Draper in 2021 and Soon Woo Kwon last year. He has been known for working his way into the Grand Slam events, but those two opponents look to be of a considerably higher level than Pedro Cachin who has little experience of this level.

The Argentinian has faced two top 20 Ranked opponents in the Australian Open and French Open, but has little grass court experience with this being his sixth career match on the surface. Four losses in five matches won't have given him Chacin a lot of hope in this First Round match, while this is only the second main draw match in a grass court tournament.

Last month Pedro Cachin was crushed by Yannick Hanfmann on a grass court in Spain and he is not going to be given a lot of free points from Novak Djokovic.

Make no mistake that this is a very big spread for a best of five set match- however, Novak Djokovic has won half of his last ten First Round matches at Wimbledon by a margin that would have covered this number. Pedro Cachin served pretty poorly in the loss to Hanfmann and he will need to find his absolute best in that department to keep this one competitive, but Novak Djokovic has all of the tools to make an early statement and roll through this match with something like a 6/4, 6/2, 6/1 win.

Andrey Rublev - 6.5 games v Max Purcell: Despite making it clear he was against the war being waged by his nation against Ukraine, Andrey Rublev was one of a host of top players that were banned from competing at Wimbledon last year.

With the lifting of those restrictions, Andrey Rublev will arrive as the World Number 7 and he has shown that he has the tennis that can have an impact on the grass courts. Last month Rublev managed to work his way into the Halle Final before coming up short against Alexander Bublik, but that should mean that Andrey Rublev is pretty well prepared to play his First Round match at Wimbledon on Monday.

Andrey Rublev put a couple of wins together in an exhibition event just outside of West London last week too and he should be feeling pretty confident as one of the top Seeds at Wimbledon. He did reach the second week in 2021 and that has to be the minimum of aims for Andrey Rublev who has yet to play in a Grand Slam Semi Final, despite the strong World Ranking he holds.

The serve is an important weapon for Andrey Rublev and he has found a way to get into a rhythm on his return on the grass courts in the last three years. It helps that he is an aggressive player with that really having an impact on the grass and Andrey Rublev is a pretty solid favourite in the First Round when he faces Max Purcell.

In the past Australian players have tended to enjoy playing on the grass courts and Max Purcell has reached the Semi Final in Eastbourne in the past. Last year he won three Qualifiers to take his place in the main draw at Wimbledon before losing a to pretty solid grass court player in Adrian Mannarino, but Max Purcell was beaten by Feliciano Lopez in a disappointing performance in the lead up to the third Grand Slam of the season.

Before his win over Jordan Thompson at the French Open, Max Purcell had not won a First Round match at a Grand Slam before, although you have to credit the Aussie for heading to Wimbledon at his career best World Ranking mark.

Unfortunately he is stepping up a level by a considerable distance and Max Purcell has struggled when facing top 50 Ranked opponents. He is 2-7 in those matches, while his rise in the World Rankings from outside the top 200 at the Australian Open to his current Number 62 mark has been built on strong form on the Challenger circuit.

Max Purcell was beaten pretty comfortably by Andrey Rublev when these two players met on the grass of Eastbourne back in 2019 in the Qualifiers and the latter should have too much for him here. All credit has to be given to the Aussie player with the form shown, but stepping that up to the main Tour level is going to be the challenge and Andrey Rublev should have a little too much quality all around to come through and win this First Round match fairly comfortably by its conclusion.

Hubert Hurkacz - 6.5 games v Albert Ramos: Over the last year it has felt like veteran Albert Ramos is coming close to an end in his career and he has certainly slipped off the level he once had.

At his best he was able to win some matches at Wimbledon, but Albert Ramos has suffered four consecutive First Round exits at this tournament, while his overall recent record on the grass courts has been pretty poor. He was beaten in the First Round at a warm up tournament, although Albert Ramos is not someone who will capitulate on the court and the Spaniard will have to be worn down in this one.

Pressure can be built by Hubert Hurkacz who is a former Semi Finalist at Wimbledon and who will go down as the player that beat Roger Federer in his last match, which was also here in this tournament. The Pole had a really disappointing First Round defeat in SW19 last year and his form on the grass has been a touch inconsistent over the last month, although Hurkacz continues to serve very well on the surface.

It is that serve which will be key for him here and Hubert Hurkacz is facing an opponent who has won 30% of return points played in grass court matches since 2017 and who has broken in just 10% of return games. Albert Ramos has an even poorer number when facing the Hurkacz serve having broken in just shy of 8% of return games played and that includes facing the higher Ranked player on a clay court when breaks are a little easier to create.

The clear concern with this spread is the Hubert Hurkacz return, which is pretty average in general, and the grass courts are not a surface on which an average return player can expect to have a lot of success. His numbers have proven that to be the case, even in the year when he made his run to the Semi Final, but Hurkacz has to believe he can find enough returns to put the pressure on Albert Ramos in this First Round match.

Hubert Hurkacz has broken in 23% of return games played against Albert Ramos and he should be able to have enough moments to find those he needs to cover this mark.

Harriet Dart - 3.5 games v Diane Parry: Young players do take a little bit of time to make adjustments when moving from the Juniors to the full Tour and inconsistent results are the norm.

Diane Parry is a former World Number 1 at Junior level and the 20 year old made a fast start to her professional career having gotten very close to breaking into the top 50 in the World Rankings. The last twelve months have been a touch more difficult and Parry is now edging towards an exit from the top 100, while she has had little preparation for Wimbledon where she reached the Semi Final in the Juniors tournament.

The Frenchwoman made her first appearance at the main draw at Wimbledon last year and Diane Parry did reach the Third Round so she deserves a lot of respect. However, Parry was beaten in Qualifiers last week ahead of Eastbourne and her recent form has perhaps seen the young player lose some confidence.

Handling that loss of confidence could be much tougher on Day 1 at Wimbledon when Diane Parry has to take on one of a host of British players that are involved in the main draw. Harriet Dart has reached the Quarter Final at events in Nottingham and Birmingham last month, while a loss to Jelena Ostapenko in the Second Round in Eastbourne last week will not have dented the Harriet Dart belief ahead of what looks to be a winnable First Round match.

This is a match scheduled for one of the bigger courts so both players will need to deal with the bigger crowd that is likely to be around these two as Wimbledon opens. You have to believe both have had enough experiences before to be able to play their tennis and Harriet Dart looks to have the edge on this surface at this stage of their careers.

It feels like the Harriet Dart serve is going to have a bit more success than Diane Parry's, while the British player may also have a slight edge when it comes to the return of serve. Nothing comes easy for British players with the raised expectations at Wimbledon and Dart is the lower Ranked player in this match, but that mark can take a positive jump with a win on Monday and the feeling is that Harriet Dart will do enough to cover this mark in a straight sets win.

Coco Gauff - 4.5 games v Sofia Kenin: The first breakthrough that Coco Gauff made on the Tour was as a 15 year old at Wimbledon in 2019 when she reached the Fourth Round after coming through the Qualifiers. The American beat Venus Williams in that run to really make an early statement and Gauff reached the Fourth Round in 2021 at SW19 before a disappointing Third Round exit last year.

Coco Gauff will be playing as one of the favourites to win the title at Wimbledon this year and she has been placed in what looks to be the weaker half of the Ladies draw. However, that does raise expectations and Coco Gauff will not be overlooking her First Round opponent even if Sofia Kenin has fallen out of the top 100 in the World Rankings.

It feels crazy to say that considering Sofia Kenin won the Australian Open in 2020 before the Covid pandemic shut down the sport and much of the world. Injury and a loss of confidence has seen Sofia Kenin struggle to get close to that level again having been Ranked as the World Number 4 in March 2020, but three wins in Qualifiers has to be encouraging for Kenin.

Playing on the grass has not been the best experience for Sofia Kenin who has been beaten in the Second Round in each of her previous appearances at Wimbledon. She has also failed to win a match at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2021, but Sofia Kenin did beat Coco Gauff at the Australian Open on her march to the title and the lower Ranked player has to believe she has nothing to lose and all of the pressure is on Coco Gauff.

In saying that, Coco Gauff has been a solid grass court player and she has the serve that can be a big weapon on the surface and that may make the difference in this match.

Coco Gauff did beat Sofia Kenin earlier this year in Auckland in a match that was played indoors and there has been enough from Gauff over the last month to make her a strong favourite against a former Slam Champion. The key to the cover is just showing a bit more controlled aggression on the return of serve, but Gauff should be able to do that against Sofia Kenin who has lost a couple of matches to players she would have expected to beat before the run in the Wimbledon Qualifiers.

Daria Kasatkina - 5.5 games v Caroline Dolehide: Some of the French Open crowd were clearly not aware of the kind of person Daria Kasatkina is when they were booing her leaving the court at the end of her loss to Elina Svitolina. The misunderstanding was thinking that a Russian national was refusing a handshake, but Daria Kasatkina was clearly respecting Svitolina's views even though she has been arguably the most vocal player on Tour speaking up against the war in Ukraine.

Daria Kasatkina's personal life is her own business, but it is something that her country would oppose and so this is clearly a person with character and strength to be as vocal as she has been. The expectation is that the Wimbledon crowd will be a bit more aware of Kasatkina's actions over the last several months and the Number 11 Seed should be given a bit more support than those in Paris offered.

She has also shown that she continues to be an effective grass court player and Daria Kasatkina's run to the Eastbourne Final will have given her plenty of confidence to take into the Wimbledon main draw. The last couple of showings at Wimbledon have been disappointing, but Daria Kasatkina is a former Quarter Finalist here and has a good looking First Round match in front of her to open this event.

Conditions might not be ideal for a player that does not have the best serve on the Tour and who will be looking to use plenty of variation in her tennis, but Daria Kasatkina is still expected to be too strong for Caroline Dolehide. The latter is the World Number 100 and reached her career best Ranking of 99 in May, but Caroline Dolehide has lost both of her grass court matches played over the last month and those have been against opponents Ranked outside of the top 100.

This is a big step up in terms of quality of opponent and it will be difficult enough for Caroline Dolehide who has lost six straight grass court matches. The 24 year old has lost all eight career meetings against top 20 Ranked opponents and you have to feel that Dolehide is going to be under pressure to get a lot of her first serves in play if she is going to upset Daria Kasatkina.

The Daria Kasatkina serve can be vulnerable and make it tough to cover the bigger handicap marks, but she is the stronger player in this match. Last week in Eastbourne, three of the four wins Kasatkina earned would have covered this handicap number and she can wear down an inexperienced Caroline Dolehide in the First Round in SW19.

MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic - 10.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 6.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Hubert Hurkacz - 6.5 Games @ 1.85 Coral (2 Units)

Harriet Dart - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Coco Gauff - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)

Daria Kasatkina - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Coral (2 Units)

Dan Evans @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Denis Shapovalov - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Lloyd Harris @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Harold Mayot @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jordan Thompson @ 1.90 Bet365 (2 Units)

Roberto Bautista Agut - 1.5 Sets @ 1.61 Coral (2 Units)

John Isner - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Coral (2 Units)

Barbora Strycova - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Sara Sorribes Tormo - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

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

Petra Martic - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 7 Picks 2022 (July 3rd)

This is no mistake- there is Fourth Round action at Wimbledon on Middle Sunday for the first time with the tournament removing Manic Monday to play on a day that has historically been left as a day of rest.

The extra funds that could be created has to have had an impact after Wimbledon was forced to be cancelled in 2020 in the height on the Covid pandemic, while I am expecting the tournament to be dragged into the 21st Century, kicking and screaming, in the years ahead.

That will likely mean a change to the dress requirements, which has always been largely plain white clothing, while I fully expect the All-England Tennis Club to be talking to the local council and wondering whether it will be possible to add an 'evening' session to the two main show courts, which would provide further ticket sales and extra revenue to be created.

It was a day of drama on Saturday as the Third Round concluded and it would be a massive surprise if we see a match filled with more controversy than the Nick Kyrgios-Stefanos Tsitisioas Third Round encounter.

Personally I think Tsitsipas has to show better mental strength, but I also though Nick Kyrgios pushed all boundaries as he tends to do.

Carlos Alcaraz - 1.5 sets v Jannik Sinner: This may be a Fourth Round match at this Grand Slam, but in the years ahead it really feels like Carlos Alcaraz versus Jannik Sinner could end up being played for Grand Slam titles.

Both are relatively inexperienced grass court players, but they look capable of being a threat on all surfaces at this level and the performances of both youngsters in their run to the second week at Wimbledon has to be admired.

The two players have both seen off competent grass court opponents in their run to the Fourth Round and there is no doubt that Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are going to be playing with an immense amount of confidence considering the levels being produced.

Serving is going to be massively important in a match where the two players like to be aggressive and get on the front foot- the serve can set those up and the numbers on that side of their games have been very strong throughout the tournament. Carlos Alcaraz looks to be going from strength to strength with his serve, but Jannik Sinner has won over 70% of service points in each match played and has only dropped five times himself compared with Alcaraz dropping his serve three times.

I am finding it hard to separate the two on their raw numbers, while neither had shown a real liking for the grass courts before this tournament began.

Even the return games have been similar and I do think this will be a close and competitive match, although Carlos Alcaraz has the mental advantage having won their two previous matches on the Tour.

The last of those came on an indoor hard court in Paris last November and Carlos Alcaraz was the much stronger server on the day. The enigmatic Spaniard may feel he has the edge, even on the grass courts, when it comes to the return here and I think that will help him work his way past a talented Jannik Sinner in this match.

It should be fun with some impressive tennis on display on both sides of the court, but at key moments I would give the edge to Carlos Alcaraz and it can see him reach his maiden Quarter Final at Wimbledon as he continues his surge to the forefront of men's tennis.

Cameron Norrie - 1.5 sets v Tommy Paul: At the start of the tournament it may have felt like an opportunity for Cameron Norrie to have a deep run at Wimbledon as the British Number 1, but that brings a sense of expectation around a player. However, Norrie deserves plenty of credit for being able to embrace that and he has worked his way through to the Fourth Round with some strong wins behind him.

The Second Round was tougher than expected, but Cameron Norrie rolled past Steve Johnson in the Third Round and he faces another American opponent on one of the main show courts at the tournament.

This time it is Tommy Paul that stands in front of Cameron Norrie and there will be a quiet confidence around the American having played some solid warm up tennis over the last month. Previously he had not shown his best on the grass courts, but Tommy Paul looks to be gaining more and more confidence behind each win and he has yet to drop a set on his way to the Fourth Round.

Even more impressive is that Tommy Paul has only allowed opponents to win at least four games in two of the nine sets he has won so far and the serve has been a big weapon for him. He is backing that up with returning numbers that have previously not been produced on this surface and the big question for Paul is whether he can keep those up against a powerful lefty serve that Cameron Norrie brings to the court.

In their last two matches against one another, Cameron Norrie has had the edge when it comes to the serve and I think that is going to be a key to this match.

Cameron Norrie has not had the best returning numbers on the grass in the last month, but the same can be said for Tommy Paul, and there has been a shift in the performances from the British Number 1 in this tournament. He has won at least 42% of return points played in each match to earn his place in the Fourth Round and while Tommy Paul has also shown a huge improvement in the tournament, I do think the Norrie serve can be the more effective of the two.

In their four previous matches, Cameron Norrie has won a higher percentage of return points and forced a higher percentage of breaks, while he has won two in a row against Tommy Paul to build the confidence.

I think this will be a competitive match with tight sets played, but Cameron Norrie can edge in front at the big moments and I think he will reach the Quarter Final behind a win in three or four sets.

MY PICKS: Carlos Alcaraz - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Cameron Norrie - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

David Goffin @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Marie Bouzkova @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jelena Ostapenko - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Heather Watson + 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Wimbledon 2022: 40-35, + 5.20 Units (150 Units Staked, + 3.47% 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 3 Picks 2019 (July 3rd)

Tuesday has been a very long day of travel for me which means I am not able to write out any analysis for the Second Round Tennis Picks from Wimbledon from the matches that are set to be played on Wednesday.

I did get to watch a fair bit of the tennis because of the time I spent travelling and it was another goo day for the selections that were made. A strong start to any tournament does not mean anything unless it is backed up, but of course it is better to start with a number of winning plays. Hopefully the first of the Second Round Tennis Picks can keep the momentum going.


MY PICKS: Milos Raonic - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Leonardo Mayer-Hubert Hurkacz Over 39.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Daniil Medvedev-Alexei Popyrin Over 35.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Felix Auger Aliassime - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Marcel Granollers @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Andreas Seppi - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Kyle Edmund - 1.5 Sets @ 2.20 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Sofia Kenin - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Yanina Wickmayer @ 2.20 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Petra Martic - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 19-10, + 14.66 Units (58 Units Staked, + 25.26% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 2 Picks 2018 (July 3rd)

With the World Cup and England perhaps having a tournament to remember it is no surprise that I am going to try and get the Wimbledon Picks out much earlier than I would usually at this time of the year.

In most cases I may only have the thread scheduled to be posted after the previous day's play is completed, so around 11pm in the evening, but I am going to be writing them before the results are known as I use the early hours and lunch time and early evening to try and get my thoughts down here.

You can read my outright picks from the tournament here although one player has already exited the tournament with an injury.

Day 1 looked a difficult one to call and so I didn't have a lot of Picks out, but Day 2 has been more appealing as far as I am concerned. My concentration has been solely on the men's First Round matches to be played on Tuesday as I couldn't find a confident angle with the women's matches scheduled.

As I have mentioned I am going to put my full thoughts down for some of the matches and add the full selection of Picks to the 'MY PICKS' section down below.

Hopefully these first two days can produce a positive start to the tournament and I will update the results on Tuesday morning from the Day 1 Picks.


Rafael Nadal - 8.5 games v Dudi Sela: In the immediate aftermath of winning yet another French Open title it sounded like Rafael Nadal was considering whether to take part in the grass court season at all. Instead he has decided to skip the preparation events for Wimbledon to make sure he is well rested and ready to have a real impact in this tournament for the first time since 2011.

The Spaniard may have continued his dominance on the clay courts, but he has not reached the Quarter Final at Wimbledon since losing the Final to Novak Djokovic in 2011. This year presents a good chance for him to do that in a kind section of the draw, but Nadal has not felt his most comfortable on the grass courts so may appreciate this First Round match.

Take nothing away from Dudi Sela who has been a good pro, but he has struggled when stepping up to this level of competition. Like Nadal, Sela has not played any grass court tournaments in the lead up to Wimbledon although he did have a very strong showing on the grass in 2017 which may give him some confidence.

In all honesty Sela has always been pretty happy on the grass and his numbers have mainly backed that up, although 2017 was an exceptionally good season for him on this surface. Increasing both hold and break percentages will do that for a player, but the challenge here is very clear against a player who is perhaps a little underrated on the grass.

Nadal has been beaten by some special efforts from big serving and big hitting opponents in recent years on the grass, but that is not what he is going to be facing in this First Round. Last year Nadal had a very strong hold percentage on this surface and that has remained strong on the grass in the recent years even if the results have not been as strong as Nadal would be demanding of himself.

On the clay it is Nadal's break ability which has sparked so much success, but on the grass he tends to find things a little more difficult. I would be surprised if he isn't able to have success against the Sela serve which will give Nadal the chance to get into the rallies on both first and second serve and I like the Spaniard to perhaps produce a statement kind of win in the First Round.

Nadal has been a comfortable winner over Sela in their two previous matches on the Tour and I think he will get stronger in this match the longer he is on the court. The number may be a big one, but I think Nadal is able to produce the breaks he needs to earn the win and the cover in hot conditions in London.


Jeremy Chardy - 1.5 sets v Denis Shapovalov: When you think of the future of tennis once the era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and the likes is over you would likely have Denis Shapovalov as part of the 'Next Generation' of top male talents.

He is still a work in progress at the moment and as impressive as he can look there is still an inconsistency about his game which makes him a vulnerable Seed at Wimbledon. And there is no denying that Shapovalov would have been hoping for a much more simple First Round match than the one he has been given in the draw.

Jeremy Chardy has been in fine form in June and will be hoping he can carry that over in July. He has had great runs on the grass courts in Hertogenbosch and Queens on the main Tour which came after the Frenchman had won the popular Challenger in Surbiton. I expect Chardy is playing with plenty of confidence at the moment which is backed up by some impressive numbers.

It certainly makes the unseeded of the two players the favourite to progress and the layers look right on the mark as far as that is concerned.

I do think the serve is going to be all important to both players with their relatively poor return numbers on the grass courts. The edge actually may go to Shapovalov when it comes to the return despite Chardy having the superior grass court season, but much of his success has been behind some very, very impressive service numbers and I think that is going to be the key for his success in this First Round match.

I have no doubt that Shapovalov is the more naturally talented of the two players and he will have the better career, but I think Chardy will have the ability to put plenty of scoreboard pressure on his younger opponent when they play in the First Round. That will come with a strong serving day and I think it will be Chardy who progresses and I think he will be able to get past Shapovalov in three or four sets in this match.


Marius Copil-Robin Haase over 39.5 games: The first thing you have to point out when you are making a selection like this is a straight sets win for either Marius Copil or Robin Haase will mean the pick is a losing selection.

Personally I cannot see how this match will end in straight sets when you think of the way the two players have been able to serve on the grass courts while also possessing weak return games which suggests a long day in the office is ahead of them.

There really isn't a lot more to say with this selection with the chances of seeing tie-breakers looking extremely high when you think Copil has won 33% or fewer points on the return of serve in each of the last four seasons while Haase's return numbers are winning 33% or fewer himself.

Neither player has been able to build up some momentum when it comes to the return of serve to produce a huge amount of breaks of serve and it would be a big surprise if there are a lot of breaks in this First Round match.

That is backed up by the impressive service numbers both Copil and Haase have produced on the grass courts and both are very tough to break on the surface. It is made all the tougher when you think of the limited return games they are both facing and I think this number of games is covered fairly comfortably as long as we do see four sets played between them.

Looking at the results both Haase and Copil have had over the past month suggests they are going to show some fight even in the heat of London in this First Round match. I can't see either going away too quickly and I think there is every chance that they will combine for at least the number of games to cover this line.


Mischa Zverev - 1.5 sets v Pierre-Hugues Herbert: I am guessing there are still one or two fans out there that love old school tennis with the serve-volley game their favoured type of tennis. Not many play that much these days, but this is the match for those fans as I expect both Mischa Zverev and Pierre-Hugues Herbert to make their way to the net at every opportunity.

Zverev is very much known for the successes he has had in the last eighteen months behind his serve-volley style while Herbert is a very competent Doubles player and is able to bring that volleying onto the Singles court.

I definitely would give the edge to Zverev on the face of things but there is a question mark about him and that is because he won his first title on Saturday in Eastbourne. Most may say that should be a boost in the confidence for the German to take into Wimbledon, but a long week in the soaring temperatures of the United Kingdom can sap the legs and this is a match in which Zverev won't be getting a lot of rhythm.

And there is no doubting that Herbert is very comfortable on the grass courts even as a Singles player. The serve is a big weapon for Herbert and will see him rush through a few games, but I do think the limited return game may be a hindrance for the Frenchman in trying to win this match.

I don't think Zverev has been serving as well as he would like, but he has produced a strong 85% hold percentage in the last month and that has allowed him to take a few swings off the return. I also have to respect the fact that Zverev is the stronger returner in this match and he has improved his percentage of points won against the serve from 37% in 2016 to 40% in 2018 and that is despite facing some very strong servers in his matches.

The key for Zverev is going to be getting enough racquets on the big serves of Herbert and punishing any second serves he gets a look at. As long as he hasn't left something on the court both emotionally and physically after winning in Eastbourne I do like Zverev to win this match with his stronger returning game being a difference maker in what is expected to be tight sets.

The small improvement in the return may not be a lot in terms of actually percentages, but that makes a huge impact in the ability to break serve and I think Zverev is able to get through this match in three or four sets.


Damir Dzumhur v Maximilian Marterer: In the years ahead I can see Maximilian Marterer being a player who could be a dangerous threat at Wimbledon if he can just improve his game a touch. He is certainly young enough to do that and has the tools to do well on the grass courts, but his first appearance at this tournament could be a short one.

He faces a title winner from last week at ATP Antalya where Damir Dzumhur perhaps surprised with his success. You wouldn't really expect Dzumhur to be a serious contender on the grass courts, but he gets the best out of his game and the title win in Turkey will give him belief going into this First Round match.

There is a concern about the travel that Dzumhur would have had to do having won the title in Antalya on Saturday and playing here in London on Tuesday, but I think he should be alright even with the travel factored in.

In each of the last two seasons on the grass Dzumhur has found something from his serve although it is a very small sample of matches we are talking about. However I still have to respect the fact that he has found a way to win a huge amount of the points behind serve which has made what has looked a vulnerable serve a little stronger all around.

The key for Dzumhur and his success on the Tour will always be about how well he returns the ball and that was the reason he won the title in Antalya last week. In the last three matches there he really started seeing the ball very big, but it will be a challenge against the Marterer serve which is a huge part of the German's game.

There is not doubt that is going to be a tough task for Dzumhur when you look at the strong numbers Marterer can produce on the grass. He hasn't had a lot of competitive tennis on the surface, but close losses to Nick Kyrgios and Yuichi Sugita this past month are not bad losses and Marterer isn't far away from putting some wins together on the grass.

It makes him a dangerous opponent if Dzumhur is feeling any effects from the long week in Antalya. I certainly think this is going to be a close one, but Dzumhur's performances may give him the momentum to take into Wimbledon and I am going to back him to win this match even if it perhaps takes four or even five sets.


Mikhail Kukushkin - 1.5 sets v Vasek Pospisil: The run to the Wimbledon Quarter Final in 2015 looks to have been the high point in Vasek Pospisil's career as he has struggled to really compete consistently on the main Tour level since then. While still being Ranked high enough to Qualify for the Grand Slams, Pospisil has been asked to work his way into the main Tour events outside of those and it has been tough for the Canadian.

You would think the grass courts would absolutely favour the Pospisil game considering the serve he has been blessed with, but very little outside of that shot can be admired. He isn't as bad as I am suggesting, but I do think Pospisil is the kind of player who will have a really hard time relying on his ability off the ground if his serve is not working as he would like.

For the most part it does come good on the grass courts and he will feel that is very important against an opponent like Mikhail Kukushkin who has produced some very strong return numbers on the grass. It may only be a sample size of seven matches over the last thirteen months, but Kukushkin won at least 40% of points on the return of serve in 2017 and has upped that to 44% this past month.

That helped Kukushkin reach the Semi Final last week in Eastbourne where he knocked off some solid opponents like Alex De Minaur and Kyle Edmund before finding Mischa Zverev a little too good. Vasek Pospisil will try the serve-volley tactics too so facing Zverev may aid Kukushkin here even if this serve is coming from the orthodox right hander.

It is the Kukushkin serve that does worry me a little bit as he had to save a host of break points in every match he played on the grass over the last month. He has faced at least seven break points in each of the five matches played on the grass in 2018 and that kind of pressure can be tough to deal with especially if Pospisil is serving as well as he can.

However I think Kukushkin will be aided by the fact that Pospisil has proved himself to be something of a limited returner on this surface. Last year was an exceptional year for Pospisil aided by playing some weaker opposition in Qualifying matches, but generally he does struggle to break serve on the grass and I think that will be the key to the outcome of this one.

While I expect Pospisil to have some chances to break serve, I also think Kukushkin's return game will put pressure on the Canadian. The confidence has to be with Kukushkin after his Semi Final run in Eastbourne and I think he gets this done in three or four sets as he makes his way through to a potential Second Round match against Rafael Nadal.

MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal - 8.5 Games @ 1.95 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Jeremy Chardy - 1.5 Sets @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Marius Copil-Robin Haase Over 39.5 Games @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Mischa Zverev - 1.5 Sets @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Damir Dzumhur @ 1.80 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Mikhail Kukushkin - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Yuichi Sugita - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Fabio Fognini - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Albert Ramos-Vinolas - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Julien Benneteau @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Karen Khachanov - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Marco Cecchinato + 1.5 Sets @ 1.91 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Kyle Edmund - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 Boyle Sports (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 4-2, + 4.14 Units (12 Units Staked, + 34.5% Yield)

World Cup 2018 Second Round Picks (June 30-July 3)

World Cup 2018 Last 16

The World Cup Second Round line up was set up on Thursday and the eight matches are played from Saturday through to Tuesday.

There is no doubt that England's 0-1 defeat to Belgium has had a big impact on the Knock Out Stages and I have to feel that Roberto Martinez is regretting his second team finding a way to win that game. I would have made Belgium a strong favourite to reach the Semi Final if they swapped places with England, but recent major tournaments doesn't encourage me in the same manner for England.

On paper it looks a great chance for England to reach the World Cup Semi Final for the first time in twenty-eight years, but football has never been played on paper and underestimating a talented Colombia side would be a big mistake. Win that game and England will be decent favourites to see off either Switzerland or Sweden in the Quarter Final, but make no mistake that all of those nations mentioned will be thinking exactly the same when it comes to potentially facing England.

The top half is loaded with four of the eight teams being former World Cup Winners, while the bottom half can only send Spain and England forward with that title. We also have the current European Champions in the top half of the Knock Out Rounds and picking a team to come through that section isn't easy.

Brazil were my pick at the start of the tournament to win it all, but I am looking forward to the potential Quarter Final with Belgium and the winner of that is going have a very tough looking Semi Final to contend with which makes it very difficult to predict.

The bottom half looks like it could be settled by a potential Quarter Final between Spain and Croatia... Barring those two teams dragging the other through hell and high water, I would make them a decent favourite to win the Semi Final against whoever they play, but there is a lot of football to play before we get to there.

The Last 16 will begin on Saturday afternoon with a huge game between France and Argentina and played through until Tuesday evening when Colombia face England. There is plenty of intrigue between those games and I am looking forward to seeing if the general attacking fervour of this tournament is going to continue into the Knock Out Rounds when the tension naturally ramps up three or four levels.


So far it has been a decent tournament for the Picks but the challenge is to build upon that. This looks a tough Round to determine with some close looking matches, but I am hoping to find the winners to keep the tournament moving in a positive direction from a personal point of view too.


Saturday 30th June
France v Argentina Pick: If you're a football fan and you have plans on Saturday I would cancel them.

The World Cup Second Round begins with a bang with France playing Argentina followed by Uruguay against Portugal and all four of those nations will feel they can have a serious impact at the World Cup Finals in the next two weeks.

First up is France versus Argentina and this is the kind of match the World Cup is all about. Two former World Cup Champions facing off in Knock Out Football will have the fans salivating, but it is hard to ignore how poor Argentina have been at the World Cup so far.

Argentina barely scraped through to the Second Round when scoring in the last five minutes against Nigeria a few days ago and that came when it looked like they had just run out of ideas. Better composure from the Nigerians would have seen that game beyond Argentina prior to the Marcos Rojo winner, but now the South Americans have to feel the pressure is off with their team not considered a favourite to progress past the French.

That may help produce a big performance from Argentina, but France are the rightful favourites.

While they have yet to really impress in the World Cup, France have made comfortable progress through to the Last 16 and defensively they are going to be set up to prevent giving Lionel Messi the space he desires. A midfield consisting of N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba have the power and ability to really shut down Argentina and I think that will give France every chance to dictate the tempo of this match.

My one real concern for France is Didier Deschamps.

The manager cannot help but be cautious and that may give Argentina a little more of an opportunity to upset France in this one. However it would be a big surprise for me if France were not able to win this game with the quality and pace they have in forward areas especially when you think of how Argentina have defended in all three games they have played.

I think Argentina are also a little predictable when they go forward and France will concentrate on stifling Lionel Messi which would effectively strangle the Argentina attack.

I've always had a soft spot for Argentina so would love to see them get through this tie. Ultimately I think France are the better team and they have a little more about them all over the pitch for Argentina. Defensively they can shut down an Argentina attack which has struggled for goals over the last couple of years and France should be able to finish off Argentina on the counter attack in this one unlike what Nigeria were able to do.

However I can't be fully convinced that Deschamps' tactics won't perhaps contribute to giving Argentina chances to get plenty of balls into the box, like they did for Peru in France's 1-0 win over them in the Group. Argentina have better players than Peru who can create something from nothing, so while backing France is the play I also think backing them on the Asian Handicap at odds against is the best way to get behind the European team.


Uruguay v Portugal Pick: The Knock Out Rounds of the World Cup come with some much tension that it isn't a big surprise that teams tend to drift backwards and make sure they cut out all of the mistakes they are making.

The Uruguay vs Portugal Last 16 tie looks an intriguing one but this is not a match in which I am expecting to see a host of goals. That may surprise when you think of the Portugal draw with Spain, but I don't think Uruguay are as good as Spain going forward and they are better defensively so I would be massively surprised if the game goes in that direction.

Instead I am looking at the low scoring games Portugal had with Morocco and Iran and Uruguay's low scoring wins over Egypt and Saudi Arabia as the blueprint for how this match will go. The Uruguay crushing of Russia might change some opinions, but Portugal have shown two years ago that they are happy to sit deep and patiently wait for the opportunities to come up as teams tire.

During the run to the Euro 2016 Final Portugal won two of their four Knock Out ties in extra time and another on penalties and I expect Fernando Santos to look to make his team as hard to beat as possible. I am not sure this Portugal team defends as well as the one two years ago as the whole back five are a couple of years older and the chances created by Morocco and Iran have to be a concern for the manager.

Uruguay are not as dynamic as Morocco though and I think they are going to play more like Iran with a functional midfield looking to keep things simple. The defensive unit have shown they are going to be very tough to break down, but Uruguay do have two star strikers that could mean the difference in this game.

Of course Cristiano Ronaldo is always dangerous, but I expect Diego Godin and Jose Giminez will know all about him from their time with Atletico Madrid and they have shown they can get the better of the Real Madrid star. Portugal perhaps have a little more magic in the midfield than Uruguay, but everything is pointing to a tight encounter.

From the 2006 World Cup over a third of the Second Round ties have gone to Extra Time including five of the eight four years ago in Brazil. Picking a winner in this one is very difficult and there is every chance we are going to see an Extra Time period or even a penalty shoot out to decide the Quarter Finalist.

One goal could easily be enough to decide this one I think with neither team looking like one that will blow out the other. The one score that would concern me the most would be 1-1 and the teams playing it out through to Extra Time but realistically I think the defences will be on top and it will mean moments of magic from some of the quality players on show to separate these teams.

Where that moment comes from is anyone's guess and I am going to back less than two goals being scored in normal time. It wouldn't have been a great play in the last two World Cup Last 16's that have been played in 2010 and 2014 with 11/16 ties finishing with at least two goals in normal time. If it is 1-0 to either team you can see a situation where a team chasing the game overcommits and his punished on the counter attack, but Uruguay and Portugal strike me as safety first teams and I imagine it will be about keep ball and wasting time and making sure they remain defensively watertight if holding onto a lead.

VAR means penalties have been a little more forthcoming in this tournament which also could have an impact on the goals scored in the Knock Out ties compared with previous years and I have to factor that in. Even then I think a low scoring game in this one is the most likely outcome with these teams both likely to employ a defence first mentality to the fixture.

An early goal changes everything, but I will back less than two goals to be scored.


Sunday 1st July
Spain v Russia Pick: Is everything too good to be true about the Russia National Team after two very strong results in the Group? Some doubts about what has been going on behind the scenes were raised, but some of those would have been eased after seeing Russia lose 3-0 to Uruguay in their final Group game.

That means they have been put together with Spain in the Last 16 and this is a team who remain one of the favourites to win the World Cup despite a mixed performance in their own Group. I don't think Spain know how they have won Group B to be perfectly honest, but it does mean they go into the weaker half of the Knock Out Rounds and so have maintained their place as favourites to reach the World Cup Final.

I am not convinced that should be the case with some potentially difficult dark horses to face later down the line, but Spain should be happy with this Second Round tie.

They won't underestimate Russia after producing some ridiculous defensive errors in the Group, but I imagine Spain will dominate the ball and I am not sure the older Russian defenders will be able to stay with them throughout the ninety minutes. Spain have goals in the side, but they have will have to beware of the Russian counter attack which has proved to be so effective in their wins over Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Russia also didn't play badly in the Uruguay game after being reduced to ten men, but this is going to take another big effort to see them past Spain. They were chasing the ball for a long time in hot weather on Monday, but Russia will be able to bring in some fresh legs to help in this one.

These teams played out a 3-3 draw in an international friendly at the end of 2017 as Russia came back from being 0-2 down and 2-3 down. It should give them some belief they can beat the Spanish, but it was a slightly weaker team than the one they will face on Sunday and I think it is a big ask of the hosts who have overachieved already at this tournament.

Beating them in front of the passionate home support won't be easy for Spain but I expect the additional quality of the 2010 World Cup Winners to show up here. At some point they can also catch Russia chasing this one and I am backing Spain to win a game which features two or more goals.


Croatia v Denmark Pick: The World Cup has been pretty exciting for the most part during the Group Stage, but I am expecting teams to perhaps be a little more cautious with their play in the Knock Out Rounds.

Denmark have already shown they can sit in and frustrate teams by holding France to a goalless draw in the Group Stage which is the only goalless draw in the World Cup at the time of writing. However they were playing a team who were happy to take the point and I am not sure Croatia will be lacking the intensity that France clearly left in their hotel room.

This is a Croatia team who look capable of fulfilling the long held 'dark horse' tag at major international tournaments. As one of two teams who have won every game at the World Cup, at the time of writing again, Croatia come into the Knock Out Rounds with some confidence and it does feel like the nation is actually behind them this time unlike two years ago at Euro 2016.

They have already achieved their best result at the World Cup since reaching the Semi Final back in 1998, but there is another test for Croatia to pass. While they have gotten out of the Group Stage at the World Cup for the first time in four attempts since 1998, Croatia have not won a Knock Out tie in a major international tournament in the twenty years since their high point in international football.

Don't for a second think this group of players is unaware of that- in England we hear all the time how the national team haven't won a Knock Out tie since 2006 so it is not unrealistic to think the media in Croatia have made the point about their own national team too.

That does create a pressure on the players in a match where they are big favourites to progress to the Quarter Final in Russia. It won't be helped by facing a Denmark team who are going to look to make life as difficult as possible by setting up a strong defensive shape which will be boosted by the players feeling they can't lose at the moment behind an 18 game unbeaten run.

If Croatia get frustrated and start giving up cheap free kicks to the Danes then they could be in a for a really tough evening. Christian Eriksen has the quality to create from set pieces and that is where Denmark are definitely a threat in this match, although they don't look a team blessed with a lot of goals if you can keep tabs on Eriksen.

The Croatia midfield should be able to dictate the play in this one and I think much will come down to how they handle the pressure of Knock Out Football. Experienced heads like Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic play for top Spanish teams and have to lead by example and by doing that I do think Croatia will edge out Denmark.

This match is far from a 'gimme' for Croatia because of how well Denmark can defend. Any team that has 6 clean sheets in 7 games and only conceded a single penalty in that time will believe they can frustrate a Croatia team who are not exactly going to blow you away.

Defensively Croatia can make mistakes which could cost them later in the tournament, but I think they will grind their way past Denmark in this one. The long run without a Knock Out win is a surprise considering the talent Croatia have, but they look more settled and together than any time in the last twenty years and I will back them to edge out Denmark.


Monday 2nd July
Brazil v Mexico Pick: If ever you want to know the danger of making assumptions just take a look at the Monday schedule of Last 16 ties at the World Cup Finals.

Before Wednesday most would have assumed this would be the day that Brazil face Germany and England face Colombia, but only one of those four nations are actually scheduled to be playing.

Brazil have been looking like a team who are ready to grow into the tournament and I don't think any of their fans will be crying that they don't have to play Germany in the Second Round. The wounds from four years ago have yet to heal so avoiding the team who humiliated them 1-7 at home in the Semi Final is something that will be cheered on by Brazil fans everywhere.

They should be too good for a Mexico team that may have peaked with their performance in the 0-1 win over Germany, although that result doesn't look half as good as it once did. The 0-3 hammering at the hands of Sweden means Mexico somehow finished second in Group F despite winning the first two games they played and makes them a big favourite to exit the World Cup at the Last 16 stage for a seventh time in succession.

Getting through the Group was cheered on, but Mexico will be under pressure to deliver and I think their style of play make work very much in Brazil's favour in this one. Defensively there is some big effort put in by Mexico, but they never look completely at ease and this Brazil team have enough attacking threats to break them down.

It wouldn't be a big surprise if Mexico scored though considering the chances Costa Rica and Serbia have created against Brazil, while they may also be in a position where they are chasing and leaving gaps at the back as the game wears on. It all points to me looking to back Brazil in a game which features at least two goals in this one as I do think they are going to need to score at least twice to win this game in normal time.

The Mexicans have shown they can create chances and the pace is going to be an issue for Brazil to deal with. However I think the players will realise they missed a huge opportunity for a favourable Last 16 tie and that is going to make Mexico perhaps make one or two mistakes which are capitalised on by the Brazilian forwards and leading to an entertaining match ending with the World Cup favourites moving through to yet another Quarter Final on the big stage.


Belgium v Japan Pick: You can't begin without acknowledging the absolutely baffling scenes at the end of the Poland-Japan game.

I honestly don't think I've ever seen a situation where a team knows one goal in a game they are playing in or one being played elsewhere could change the whole direction of the tournament and that team decides we will just hope nothing happens in the other game!

Japan and Senegal were both trailing in their final Group games and Japan had the edge when it came to the disciplinary stats which looked to be the deciding factor. A Japan goal would have almost guaranteed their place in the Last 16, but the decision was made to shut up shop, not play a forward pass and just hope Senegal would not score an equaliser in the other game.

I almost wish they had been punished for that.

Instead I can wait until Monday when Japan, who did win the gamble, have been set up to play Belgium and I think the European team will show why they are one of the best teams in international football. The majority of the Belgium starters were rested in the 1-0 win over England on Thursday although Roberto Martinez may regret his team winning that game and being placed in the tougher half of the Knock Out Stages.

For now Martinez will put a positive spin on things and I expect the likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku to be chomping at the bit for this one.

As much as I would love to see Belgium hammer Japan, I don't think they will have things all their way as there have been some defensive issues that need to be cleared up. Panama had a couple of half chances, Tunisia scored twice and England had a gilt edged chance through Marcus Rashford which would have worried Martinez.

The Spaniard is not renowned for his defensive work so that is an issue for Belgium going forward and Japan have shown enough going forward in their first two Group games which should be taken into consideration.

Even then it is hard to know how good this Japan team is considering they trailed Senegal twice and looked in real trouble and also were beaten by Poland. A win over a Colombia team playing with ten men for almost the full ninety minutes is not that impressive as the South Americans looked better for the first sixty minutes anyway and Japan had some very poor friendly defeats prior to the World Cup beginning.

Japan have already overachieved and I think they could have some real problems if they fall behind in this one. I am assuming they won't shut up shop and settle for a narrow defeat, but at least try and stay in the World Cup by committing men if chasing the game and I think that is where Belgium could have tremendous joy in finishing the job.

The Belgium counter attack has looked good against Panama and Tunisia and while Japan are better than both, I don't think they are much better than Tunisia. This team will do well to stay with Belgium and I can only see the Group G Winners coming through with a very comfortable win as they cover the Asian Handicap on their way to another major tournament Quarter Final for the 'golden generation' of players.


Tuesday 3rd July
Sweden v Switzerland Pick: When I take a look at the Last 16 of the World Cup Finals there is no doubt the one fixture that stands out a mile is the one between Sweden and Switzerland.

That has much to do with the fact that it is easily the most surprising pairing of the World Cup Last 16 and I think there is going to be plenty of the tension on the line with the fight for a World Cup Quarter Final spot set to go. Both Sweden and Switzerland will feel this is an unexpected opportunity and so it is key for the players to try and avoid thinking too far ahead in this match.

It is a really difficult game to call with both teams lacking a bit of stardust, but both also far better than the sum of their parts. Only a late Toni Kroos goal beat Sweden who have looked good in the tournament, while Switzerland have yet to taste defeat and shown character to come from behind against Brazil and Serbia.

Is it any wonder the layers can't really separate these teams in ninety minutes too?

There really isn't a lot between them and no recent history to point to, although I think Switzerland are rightly being given the edge thanks to more experience of these major tournament Knock Out ties in recent years. They haven't won those matches though which will knocked some of the confidence, and I do lean towards the Swedish team coming through.

It is a very minor lean though because I am not convinced Sweden will continue to attack with the same verve they have so far in this tournament. However, Sweden have created huge chances in all three matches they have played and I think they are going to continue that against a Switzerland team that have yet to earn a clean sheet.

Maybe Knock Out Football curbs some of the attacking enthusiasm Sweden have been playing with, but it would be a surprise if they completely go back into their shell. This is a huge opportunity for them and it would be a mistake to try and be tough to beat without the attacking intent which has brought goals in every Group game against teams like Mexico and Germany to boot.

This Switzerland side should cause problems too with their attacking players showing some decent ideas in the World Cup so far. They have scored in every game, but Switzerland have looked a little more unsure at the back and Sweden will test that with plenty of crosses into the box. Costa Rica and Serbia both scored from crossed balls and Sweden are a big team who will cause problems from set pieces and deliveries into the box even without the injured Sebastian Larsson.

I do think this game is going to be better than the majority may think. Both teams will feel this is a big chance for them and I think that will mean taking a few chances and looking to expose the other.

Sweden look to be a little stronger in this one so I am surprised they are the narrow underdog in ninety minutes, while I also can make a strong case for both teams to score at odds against. The latter option may be the better play with a 1-1 scoreline a real player in this Last 16 tie and I will look for some entertainment before the big one for those in England.


Colombia v England Pick: This might be the section of the Knock Out Rounds that the fans wanted to be involved in, but I think it would be foolish for anyone in the England camp to mention that or agree with it.

You don't want to give Colombia more motivation to prove people wrong but I do make England the favourites to get past this opponent in a big Last 16 tie for both nations.

Colombia will be feeling just the same as England- if they win this they will believe they can surpass their achievements of four years ago and reach the Semi Final of the World Cup Finals for the first time. Technically there are some quality players in the Colombia team from front to back and a number the English players will be familiar with as they either playing or have played in the Premier League.

However Colombia are a hard team to read.

They were fantastic against Poland, but were really average against Senegal and very fortunate to win that game. A threat from set pieces, Colombia also have some quality play from the midfield into the front four although James Rodriguez' fitness is a big concern which was admitted to by manager Jose Pekerman.

The key for England is going to be to use their pace in the forward positions like Senegal did as the latter had Colombia stretching at times. Poor final balls cost Senegal and they also had some very promising free kick situations and that is an area where England have been strong.

England have to make sure they get enough shots off against David Ospina who has somehow managed two clean sheets in a row despite the positions Senegal found themselves on Thursday. With a fresh eleven back in and facing a Colombia team who had to put in some serious hard work, I do think England can get this done on Tuesday.

There is some serious pressure on England which is going to be the key to this game in my opinion. The players have to show they can deal with the expectation back home, which will only have increased even after the defeat to Belgium, and also to erase history from their minds.

Since 1996 and the Semi Final of the European Championship which was hosted by England, the national team have won just TWO Knock Out ties in twenty-two years. One of those was against a South American team in Ecuador in 2006 which was the last time England won a Knock Out tie in any major international tournament and there is no doubt the players will hear about that between now and kick off on Tuesday.

I have to admit the odds are a little sickening- Colombia at 4.00 to win this game is a huge price considering they have a bit of momentum and have shown toughness to get through some difficult moments. It is a tempting price out of principle, but I can't back it because I think it is a value call but not one I think will be a winner.

Ultimately I do think England are physical enough and have enough pace to knock Colombia out of their stride and that will be the key to this Last 16 tie. Harry Kane could be the difference maker as Radamel Falcao has just lost a step in his forward play for Colombia, but England will have to defend better than they have in this tournament to make sure they progress.

The English players should know enough about their opponents like Juan Cuadrado, Falcao and Davinson Sanchez to get the better of them on the day and I think England will win this Last 16 tie. England have to take their chances better than they did against Tunisia and Belgium if they have serious ambitions of a deep run in Russia, but my head is saying they can win this tie.

Rarely do England make life easy though and I can see some tense moments to ride through in this fixture, but I am going to back England at odds against to beat Colombia in normal time. England winning a game which features at least two goals is a very big price too, but I will keep it simple and just look for an England win here.

MY PICKS: France - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.05 Bet365 (2 Units)
Uruguay-Portugal Under 1.5 Goals @ 2.37 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Spain to Win & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.10 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Croatia @ 1.90 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Brazil to Win & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.85 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Belgium - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Sweden-Switzerland Both Teams to Score @ 2.20 Bet Fred (2 Units)
England @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Last 16 Update: 2-6, - 7.20 Units (16 Units Staked, - 45% Yield)

Group Stage Round Robin Three Final: 8-8, + 3.53 Units (27.50 Units Staked, + 12.84% Yield)
Group Stage Round Robin Two Final: 8-7-1, + 1.09 Units (31 Units Staked, + 3.52% Yield)

Group Stage Round Robin One Final: 8-8, + 5.24 Units (28 Units Staked, + 18.71% Yield)