Wimbledon Tennis Day 10 Picks 2025 (Wednesday 9th July)

The big news that everyone is waiting to hear is all about the Jannik Sinner elbow ahead of Day 10 at Wimbledon.

He looked to be on course for a Fourth Round exit before the most ill-timed of injuries suffered by Grigor Dimitrov, but Jannik Sinner had been worrying about his elbow after a very early fall. Despite admitting that the fall did not seem to be a big deal, Sinner also mentioned that he could feel an issue when serving or hitting a forehand and a MRI was scheduled for Tuesday.

At the time of writing, the only indication about his health is cancelling a practice session he had set for the day and there has to be some serious doubt about whether he can participate in the Quarter Final against Ben Shelton.

His withdrawal would be a blow for those on Court One on Wednesday, but the other three Quarter Final matches will make for good viewing for those watching back home. In a tournament filled with upsets, it may not be the wisest decision to back favourites, but the Picks below all lean that way and you can read the reasoning as to why further on down.

Mirra Andreeva - 3.5 games v Belinda Bencic: Losing both matches played on the grass in 2024 and beginning this year's short stint on the surface with two defeats in three matches may have just given Mirra Andreeva pause for thought. However, it has to be remembered that she reached the Fourth Round on debut at Wimbledon having coming through the Qualifiers and the youngster is Coached by a former Champion at this event.

She lost a couple of tight matches last year and there is no doubting the talent of Mirra Andreeva and what she is likely to achieve in the sport. There have been moments where you have to be reminded that she is a teenager and an inexperience has been seen in some of the defeats she has suffered in recent weeks.

Despite that, Mirra Andreeva enters Wimbledon as the World Number 7 and she is set to improve that regardless of how the tournament ends. However, the Ladies draw has opened up through the opening four Rounds and there has to be some real belief that a maiden Grand Slam title could be secured here, especially if Andreeva can maintain current levels of form.

All eight sets have been won on her way to a first Quarter Final in SW19 and only one of those sets has seen an opponent win more than three games. Mirra Andreeva has been returning so well and putting an extreme amount of pressure on opponents, while her serve is very effective for an 18 year old.

The youngster will need all of that if she is going to get the better of Belinda Bencic, a player who has long enjoyed playing on the grass even if the results have not always been there at Wimbledon. She has made the Fourth Round three times previously, but this is the first time Belinda Bencic has made the Quarter Final with all of her previous experiences of making this Round coming in New York City at the US Open.

Belinda Bencic is going to return to the top 30 of the World Rankings at the end of the tournament, which should mean a Seeding spot when the US Open is played later in the year, and it may have done her some good at being pushed in the previous Rounds.

While it has been largely comfortable for Mirra Andreeva, Belinda Bencic won't panic if things go against her early on and that is due to the fact she has won a couple of matches in three sets. Even the straight sets win in the Fourth Round was a challenge for the Swiss player, but there will be some pressure on Bencic to serve more effectively than she has in the last three Rounds.

Anything else could mean Mirra Andreeva is able to get on the front foot and her experience of reaching a Quarter Final and a Semi Final at the French Open may mean the young player is able to cope with the occasion better than most 18 year olds could do.

Belinda Bencic is likely going to be highly motivated by the challenge, but there have been one or two signs that she may have peaked already and Mirra Andreeva's strong form can see her through to her first Semi Final here.

Iga Swiatek - 3.5 games v Liudmila Samsonova: If this match was being played on another surface, you would have to make Iga Swiatek a massive favourite to get the better of Liudmila Samsonova.

Not only has she won all four previous matches against this opponent, but Iga Swiatek has not even faced a Break Point in the last three wins, including in the Fourth Round at the US Open last year.

However, this is a Quarter Final at Wimbledon and the grass courts on which Iga Swiatek has not always felt her most comfortable, even with a decent career record on the surface. This is just the second time she has reached the last eight at Wimbledon, but the former World Number 1 has plenty of Grand Slam experience and that could be very important in what is a remaining eight players where very few have the know-how to win at the business end of a major.

Plenty of respect will be given to Liudmila Samsonova, a player that has won multiple titles on the grass and who has rolled through the first four Rounds at Wimbledon this year. The Fourth Round win was a bit more challenging, but Samsonova has been looking really strong in the opening three wins and has a game that is well suited to the surface.

Inexperience may be an obstacle here with Liudmila Samsonova only reaching the second week of a Grand Slam four times before and never making it beyond the Fourth Round. Her Wimbledon record has perhaps not reflected the capabilities on a grass court and the World Number 19 will also have the mental challenge of facing an opponent that has given her very little encouragement in the last three meetings.

The service numbers have dipped in the last couple of wins, which will be concerning for Liudmila Samsonova, and that could be a problem with Iga Swiatek serving as well as she has been throughout this tournament.

You do have to feel that the World Number 4 is going to be pretty comfortable having contained any threat that Liudmila Samsonova brings onto the court in their most recent meetings. Serving well will allow Iga Swiatek to go on the attack against the Samsonova serve and the belief is that she can reach her maiden Semi Final at Wimbledon with a good, strong win when all is said and done.

Novak Djokovic - 7.5 games v Flavio Cobolli: There have been plenty of upsets and surprising runs in the Ladies tournament at Wimbledon in 2025, but there have been one or two names that have arrived in the last eight of the Men's event that would have surprised too.

One of those is Flavio Cobolli, despite being a Seed, and the young Italian has made it through to the second week of any Grand Slam for the first time. He then got the better of an experienced player in Marin Cilic in the Fourth Round to reach the Quarter Final and that meant plenty of emotions were on display from his father and brother.

Jannik Sinner may be the poster boy of Italian tennis and there have been players like Jasmine Paolini and Matteo Berrettini who have had considerable successes, and that will be a source of inspiration for Flavio Cobolli. Some have suggested that Cobolli has not always focused on his tennis, but he looks to be locked in now and he is at a career best World Ranking with more to come next Monday.

The key for the younger player is to make sure he focuses on his own tennis- there has to be some improvement in the service numbers if Flavio Cobolli is going to earn the upset and it is so important not to be overawed by taking on a seven time Wimbledon Champion and someone who has won twenty-four Majors.

Flavio Cobolli does know Novak Djokovic and will have practiced with him (and his son), but it is a different experience in a competitive environment on a show court, having not played on Centre or Court One before. In their sole previous meeting last year on the hard courts of Shanghai, the Italian managed to win just three games and the mental battle is going to be just as important as anything happening on the court.

The World Number 24 has served well in the tournament, but it should be noted that half of the four wins have been against players Ranked outside of the top 200 and one of the other wins was against veteran Marin Cilic.

Facing Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon is a very different challenge, even if the seven time Champion was not at his very best in the win over Alex De Minaur in the Fourth Round. The Serb was not that comfortable in the conditions nor with the movement and defensive capabilities of De Minaur, but Novak Djokovic should be much happier on Wednesday in warmer and what is forecasted to be much calmer conditions.

The serve was not working nearly as well as Novak Djokovic would have hoped, but the first three Rounds showed he is still very capable behind that shot.

You cannot expect Djokovic to come out as poorly as he did in the last Round, especially with the whole day being more to his liking in terms of the wind. He will be looking to put the Italian under pressure with his own return and if Novak Djokovic is serving back at the level we have seen through the first three Rounds, he should be able to contain much of the threat from the other side of the net.

The match up may be a bit more to Novak Djokovic's liking with Flavio Cobolli looking to hit the ball with more power compared with Alex De Minaur, but that also means likely to make more errors against the best defensive player of all time.

Covering this mark will not be easy for Novak Djokovic, but it is a huge test for an inexperienced opponent and that could see Flavio Cobolli fall away in at least one of the sets played. He will likely enjoy moments of success with the big game he can bring onto the court, but Djokovic has seen most of what his opponent will look to do and he can find the solutions to move through with some relative comfort.

MY PICKS: Mirra Andreeva - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Novak Djokovic - 7.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 2-0, + 3.06 Units (4 Units Staked, + 76.50% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 9 Picks 2024 (Tuesday 9th July)

The fortune of being at Wimbledon on Day 8 of The Championships means this thread is out a little later than hoped, although well before the Quarter Finals are to begin.

Jannik Sinner-Daniil Medvedev over 38.5 games: The two 2024 Men's Grand Slam winners are on course for another huge meeting at a major, but both have tough Quarter Final matches to negotiate on Tuesday.

It is the World Number 1 and top Seed who will be given the opportunity to play on Centre Court, but Jannik Sinner is going to be well aware of the test he is facing when going up against Daniil Medvedev.

The Italian needed to come from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open Final earlier this year and that does mean he has beaten this opponent five times in a row since losing the first six pro matches against the World Number 5.

In the main, Jannik Sinner has been the superior player in those wins, but he has rarely had things as easy as he did when losing just three games against Daniil Medvedev at the Miami Masters in March. Three of the other four wins have all been in matches which have needed to go the distance, while the exception in that time was a match won by Sinner in straight sets and both being in tie-breakers.

Both of these players have been serving very well this week and that is likely going to be very important to the final outcome of this Quarter Final.

Unsurprisingly the two players have both had some issues on the return of serve on this surface and the feeling is that both Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev will be looking to get on the front foot behind strong serving.

Jannik Sinner has the edge when it comes to the head to head in recent meetings with the Italian holding 89% of his service games compared with Daniil Medvedev's 79% mark and he will have the mental edge having gotten the better of this opponent as often as he has over the last several months.

The layers are expecting the top Seed to progress in straight sets, but Daniil Medvedev is playing well enough to give Jannik Sinner something to think about. Despite the losses piling up against this opponent, Medvedev has found a way to win sets and he can at least help combine for enough games to surpass this total games line set.

Carlos Alcaraz-Tommy Paul over 38.5 games: The defending Champion has not looked himself in the last couple of Rounds, but Carlos Alcaraz is one of the top players in the world and the layers do not want to take too many risks in opposing him.

That means the Spaniard is a pretty strong favourite to beat Tommy Paul in the Wimbledon Quarter Final, even if the latter won at Queen's Club and looks to be getting stronger and stronger.

You do have to take into account the fact that Tommy Paul has enjoyed a decent draw to work his way into the last eight, but respect has to be given for the way he has won his last couple of matches. The win over Alexander Bublik is perhaps most impressive in the Third Round and Tommy Paul continues to serve at a very high level on the grass courts.

He is going to need to bring more of the same onto the court in this Quarter Final as he looks to beat Carlos Alcaraz and reach the second Grand Slam Semi Final in his own career.

Tommy Paul has to be playing with plenty of confidence having last been seen winning at Queen's Club before the four wins under his belt at Wimbledon. The American has won at least 70% of service points played in each of those wins and Tommy Paul has to be encouraged by the fact that Carlos Alcaraz has looked a little unsure of his own returning game in the last couple of Rounds.

It has put some pressure on Alcaraz, although the defending Champion has the resiliency to come through the tough moments.

He struggled in the Fourth Round win over Ugo Humbert and Carlos Alcaraz could really find this Quarter Final a struggle if he is not able to pick up his level.

That has been seen in previous matches against Tommy Paul with both players beating the other twice with all four matches being played on a hard court. The numbers are remarkably similar for both Paul and Carlos Alcaraz and this may be another match that is competitive and perhaps needing at least four sets to decide a winner.

There is every chance that Tommy Paul could earn the upset in this match, but the better approach looks to be backing this one to go longer than the layers think.

MY PICKS: Jannik Sinner-Daniil Medvedev Over 38.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Carlos Alcaraz-Tommy Paul Over 38.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Emma Navarro - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 16-15, - 1.76 Units (62 Units Staked, - 2.84% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 7 Picks 2023 (July 9th)

Saturday has been a busy day, but the Fourth Round Picks and update for the tournament can be seen below.

Jannik Sinner - 7.5 games v Daniel Elahi Galan: In every Grand Slam that is played you will find an unfamiliar name or two that makes it into the second week and at Wimbledon you have to consider Daniel Elahi Galan as that name in the Gentlemen's draw. The Colombian is the World Number 85 and had never been beyond the Third Round at any Grand Slam in his career, while two First Round losses at the Australian and French Open would have meant very little expectation going into the third Slam of the 2023 season.

Daniel Elahi Galan did win a couple of Qualifiers at Eastbourne in the sole grass court tournament he entered prior to Wimbledon, but was beaten in the First Round.

However, the draw has worked out to a kind one at Wimbledon and Daniel Elahi Galan has made very good use of it even if he would have started all three matches as the underdog. The five set win over Mikael Ymer in the Third Round has seen him break new ground, but Elahi Galan is now going to have to raise his level by two or three gears as he takes on a player that has shown he is very comfortable on the grass even with limited experience.

Bigger impacts have been made on other surfaces, but Jannik Sinner did also hold a 2-0 lead in sets over Novak Djokovic here at Wimbledon last year before the latter was able to rally for an important win on the road to title number seven.

The Italian is one of the poster boys for the new generation along with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner has made relatively comfortable work of his first three opponents. He did drop a set in the Third Round, but Jannik Sinner moved through the gears when he felt some of the pressure and he looks to be very confident in his game plan on the court.

There is still room for improvement when it comes to the return of serve on this surface, but Sinner has shown his abilities on that side of his tennis already in the tournament.

In the last Round, Daniel Elahi Galan allowed Mikael Ymer to create twenty-two Break Points in their five setter and you do have to wonder if he can get enough out of this shot to keep this one competitive. The sole previous meeting between the players took place on a hard court, but Jannik Sinner broke the Elahi Galan serve six times in a comfortable win and you have to believe the World Number 8 can reach his first Grand Slam Quarter Final in 2023 after disappointing exits in Melbourne and Paris.

Denis Shapovalov - 1.5 sets v Roman Safiullin: The blanket ban for Russian and Belarusian players meant Roman Safiullin was not able to play at Wimbledon last year, but he is enjoying his time in South West London in 2023.

Three solid wins has seen Roman Safiullin come through the draw in somewhat surprising fashion considering limited grass court success previously. Even in the build up to Wimbledon, a lot of the better results came against players Ranked way outside the top 100, but Safiullin has been able to take advantage of the way this section has opened up.

It was a good section to land in with the highest Seed being Casper Ruud, who has clearly yet to work out how to perform on this surface, while Roman Safiullin beat a Seed in the First Round.

Denis Shapovalov will feel this section has allowed him to come through the draw and build his confidence after what has been a difficult twelve months on the Tour. The Canadian has seen his World Ranking slip to Number 29, but Denis Shapovalov has a strong grass game having reached the Wimbledon Semi Final in 2021.

Expectations would not have been too high ahead of the tournament, especially after losing early in Stuttgart and Halle, but Denis Shapovalov has dropped just two sets in the tournament. His win over Liam Broady in the Third Round might have been in an emotionally charged match, but the left hander has had a day to prepare for this Fourth Round match and Denis Shapovalov deserves to be a favourite.

While the last twelve months have been tough, Denis Shapovalov did beat Roman Safiullin earlier this year on the hard courts of Adelaide. His serve was an important weapon on the day and this feels like a Fourth Round match in which the Shapovalov serve may just give him a narrow edge over his lower Ranked opponent.

This has the makings of being a competitive match if Roman Safiullin can continue serving at the level he has shown this week, especially as Denis Shapovalov can struggle on the return. However, it should still be a match that the favourite can come through in three or four sets even if he needs tie-breakers to work his way through to a first Grand Slam Quarter Final since the Australian Open in 2022.

Alexander Bublik v Andrey Rublev: The very short grass court season does mean players can have a big impact by just getting hot for a month in the middle of June through to the middle of July. Two of those players who have produced a huge amount of wins on the surface will be meeting in this Fourth Round match and both Andrey Rublev and Alexander Bublik will be confident they have the tennis to earn a spot in the Quarter Final at Wimbledon.

Andrey Rublev has reached the Fourth Round at Wimbledon for the second time in three years having been part of the group of players unable to play here last year. A win on Sunday would mean Andrey Rublev has been able to make the Quarter Final at all four Grand Slam events, although the Russian has yet to breakthrough for a Semi Final run at any of the tournaments played.

For Alexander Bublik it has already been a career best week at a Grand Slam having reached the second week for the first time- his previous best results have actually come at Wimbledon where Alexander Bublik has twice managed to work his way through to the Third Round. His wins this week have been comfortable with Bublik having won nine sets in a row since dropping the opening one played at the tournament in a tie-breaker.

Confidence would have been high ahead of the Grand Slam beginning as Alexander Bublik is playing off a career high World Ranking, a mark that is going to be improved again when the new Rankings come out a week on Monday. You can understand Bublik feeling so good having won a big title in Halle in the build up to Wimbledon, and he was also able to win a grass court tournament in Newport last July so playing on the grass is clearly something that Alexander Bublik enjoys.

There is no doubting that Andrey Rublev is comfortable on the grass too and he has been very good for the Tennis Picks through the first week of the tournament.

However, Alexander Bublik may have the mental edge after beating Andrey Rublev in the Halle Final in a match where he had played the clearly superior tennis. That result snapped a three match losing run to Andrey Rublev, although it won't take an awful lot to turn that result around if Bublik is not as focused as he has seemingly been over the last month.

This has the makings of another close battle considering the Halle Final went the distance, but Alexander Bublik might be a little under-rated having shown title winning capabilities on the grass. He is playing with a real sense of purpose and it may be the right time to go against Andrey Rublev for the first time at Wimbledon this week. 

Novak Djokovic - 6.5 games v Hubert Hurkacz: The clock was ticking on Day 5 and Novak Djokovic knew he would have to find a way to get through Stan Wawrinka quickly to avoid having to return to finish his Third Round match on Day 6.

It produced his best performance of the week as he was able to come through in straight sets and means Novak Djokovic will have had a day of rest along with the rest of the players in his half of the draw ahead of their Fourth Round match.

This has the makings of a potentially awkward Fourth Round match for Novak Djokovic against a former Wimbledon Semi Finalist who possesses a very good serve. Hubert Hurkacz holds a win over Roger Federer at Wimbledon so he should not be in awe of the defending Champion, although beating Federer at the end of his career and Novak Djokovic in his current form is a vastly different challenge.

Hubert Hurkacz has played well in his three wins and the victory over Lorenzo Musetti is a strong one, but he did have a relatively poor build up to Wimbledon. Early losses to players he would have expected to be at will have hit the confidence, while the big Pole knows the head to head with Novak Djokovic is heavily skewed in favour of the latter.

That head to head includes a four set loss to Novak Djokovic in 2019 and this feels like a match in which Hurkacz is going to have to serve at an extremely high level to have any chance.

However, in their career matches, Hubert Hurkacz has only been able to hold 73% of service games played against Novak Djokovic, which is vastly down on the numbers he generally produces. Too many second serves will be a problem and Hubert Hurkacz will have difficulties getting into the Djokovic service games with anything near the same regularity as expected from the Number 2 Seed.

This is a wide mark, but Novak Djokovic has covered it twice against this opponent in Grand Slam matches previously, while he has been a comfortable winner in their last two best of three set matches too. One set may need a tie-breaker, but Novak Djokovic has the return game to break down what is an effective, but limited opponent in front of him.

MY PICKS: Jannik Sinner - 7.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet365 (2 Units)

Denis Shapovalov - 1.5 Sets @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Alexander Bublik @ 1.95 Coral (2 Units)

Novak Djokovic - 6.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Victoria Azarenka - 1.5 Games @ 1.85 Coral (2 Units)

Lesia Tsurenko + 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Marketa Vondrousova - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 48-39, + 7.02 Units (174 Units Staked, + 4.03% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 13 Pick 2022- Ladies Singles Final (July 9th)

A slow start from Novak Djokovic did not prevent him from earning his spot in the Wimbledon Final on Sunday and the match up with Nick Kyrgios is one that is going to draw plenty of attention.

However, the Ladies Final deserves the spotlight on Saturday as two maiden Grand Slam Finalists meet for the biggest title of their career to date. The winner may feel there is a potential to spark the career and win a number of Slams and I am looking forward to both matches remaining at the 2022 tournament.

Ons Jabeur-Elena Rybakina over 22.5 games: This is the first time a player representing Arabs and North Africans will be playing in a Grand Slam Final and Ons Jabeur has fulfilled some of the expectations that were on her shoulders at the start of the Wimbledon tournament. She is the favourite to win the title on Saturday, but Ons Jabeur should have plenty of respect for the quality that Elena Rybakina brings to the court as she becomes the first player from Kazakhstan to compete for a Grand Slam title.

Both are going to have to deal with some of the nerves that comes with playing a maiden Grand Slam Final- Ons Jabeur has been the more consistent player on the Tour, but Elena Rybakina has long had the kind of tennis that felt it could bring home a major title if she could just find a hot streak of form at the right time.

It is a very big game and Elena Rybakina was able to thump Simona Halep in the Semi Final to further build her confidence. She had been a pretty big underdog in that match against a player who had won the Wimbledon title in 2019 and not been beaten on the grass courts in SW19 for four years, but Elena Rybakina played a perfect game with big thumping winners to dominate her opponent.

The problem for Elena Rybakina is that she is not likely to have an easy rhythm in this match like Simona Halep provided and dealing with different spins, drop shots and a player comfortable volleying at the net is a big challenge for the underdog. The first serve is a major weapon for Elena Rybakina though and she will feel she can play first strike tennis as long as she is able to land plenty of those, even noting how well Ons Jabeur has been returning throughout this tournament.

A bigger challenge for the Tunisian is that she had not served as well as she would have liked in her Fourth Round and Quarter Final wins. Earlier in the tournament that may not have been a concern, but Ons Jabeur has to be aware that Elena Rybakina has found her groove on the return with 46% of points won on the return in her last two wins.

Those have led to plenty of breaks of serve for Elena Rybakina, but both have been serving well enough to believe they can get their noses in front. The two completed matches between the two players have both needed three sets to separate them and I do think there is enough quality tennis being played by both Jabeur and Rybakina in this tournament to think we may need a decider in this one too.

Before last season, seven straight Ladies Finals at Wimbledon had been won in straight sets, but I do think nerves could make it difficult for either to close out in straights here.

These two have played four matches combined in the Quarter Final and Semi Final Round and three of those have also needed a deciding set and I do think we are going to see this total games line covered. It should be a fun match and I do think we are getting a deserved Champion, albeit the latest new name on the WTA Tour to add a Grand Slam title to their resume.

MY PICKS: Ons Jabeur-Elena Rybakina Over 22.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Wimbledon 2022: 53-46, + 6.12 Units (198 Units Staked, + 3.09% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 11 Picks 2021 (July 9th)

The Ladies Semi Finals have been played, but the Gentlemen's Semi Finals are set for Friday.

My thoughts can be read bekow. 

Novak Djokovic - 6.5 games v Denis Shapovalov: The winning run at Wimbledon continues for Novak Djokovic who is a huge favourite to win the title here for the third time in succession. There is pressure on the World Number 1 as he looks to match the Grand Slam totals of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, while Novak Djokovic is also looking to complete a calendar Grand Slam, but he is vastly more experienced than the three other remaining players in the draw and the history at Wimbledon is hard to ignore.

Novak Djokovic was able to beat Marton Fucsovics in the Quarter Final without too many issues, although the latter didn't disgrace himself in the straight sets loss. Ultimately Fucsovics did not have enough firepower to keep Novak Djokovic at bay and the Serb was able to break four times which means he has managed to do that in each match played in SW19 this year.

The serve continues to be an important weapon for Novak Djokovic, but he is likely going to expect a more challenging match against Denis Shapovalov who has a game that is very pleasing on the eye. The young Canadian is playing in his first Grand Slam Semi Final having come from 2-1 down to beat Karen Khachanov in five sets in his second Grand Slam Quarter Final, while the performances in the build up to Wimbledon on the grass were plenty encouraging.

He was a touch fortunate to get through the First Round and then was the beneficiary of a walkover, but Denis Shapovalov has looked strong in the last three Rounds. The return of serve has been highly effective in those last three wins and that has been a part of the Denis Shapovalov tennis which has perhaps let him down previously.

We all know that the Canadian has a very big serve which can put pressure on opponents, but Denis Shapovalov is going to have to find more against Novak Djokovic who has beaten him in all six previous matches on the Tour. The last of those came on the hard courts in Australia earlier this year, and Novak Djokovic has dropped just two sets against this opponent which gives him a huge mental edge.

Their sole meeting at a Grand Slam was won in four sets by Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, but this is the first time they will play on grass. It may help Denis Shapovalov who has only held 68% of his service games played against Djokovic, but I do wonder if he will have as much joy on the return as Shapovalov has enjoyed in the last three Rounds at Wimbledon.

In their previous matches, Novak Djokovic has held 93% of the service games he has played against Denis Shapovalov. Since their meeting at the Australian Open in January 2019, Novak Djokovic has dropped his serve twice in five matches against Denis Shapovalov and I think the favourite is likely going to find the breaks of serve to move past this handicap line.

Matteo Berrettini-Hubert Hurkacz over 40.5 games: A huge opportunity has opened up for both Matteo Berrettini and Hubert Hurkacz as they get set to play in the Wimbledon Semi Final on Friday, although the tougher path has been tread by the underdog. Hubert Hurkacz has beaten both Daniil Medvedev and Roger Federer in the last two Rounds and became the first player to ever bagel Federer at Wimbledon as the Pole ran through the third and final set in a straight sets win.

So while Hubert Hurkacz has two top ten wins, Matteo Berrettini has not played anyone above World Number 19 when beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets in the Quarter Final. It was easily the most challenging match the Italian has played in the tournament so far, but he was able to play the big points well enough to edge past his opponent and Matteo Berrettini's run is far less of a surprise than the Hurkacz run.

Matteo Berrettini has backed up his success at Queens Club to reach the Semi Final here, but Hubert Hurkacz had suffered early defeats at both Stuttgart and Halle before arriving in London. The latter did not win a set in those losses, but the performances at Wimbledon have been hugely impressive from Hubert Hurkacz who has dropped his serve just four times in the tournament so far.

Both of these players are hugely reliant on the big serve and I do think that is going to be the key to the outcome of the match with tie-breakers also a real possibility.

The Italian did not serve as well as he would have liked in the Quarter Final, but even then he was able to hold of Felix Auger-Aliassime in the big moments and Matteo Berrettini has only dropped serve five times himself. He has a big game full of aggressive tennis which should be well suited to the grass, but Hubert Hurkacz is going to bring a new kind of pressure as he looks to close to the net and try and force Berrettini to pass him over and over again.

Hubert Hurkacz is going to be heading into this match off an emotional win over his idol Roger Federer and I do wonder if he is going to perhaps feel the effects of that going into his maiden Grand Slam Semi Final. Matteo Berrettini has had more experience at this level of the Tour and that may give him the edge, but previous matches between the players suggests there won't be much between them.

They have one win apiece with the more recent being a Hubert Hurkacz straight sets win over Matteo Berrettini at the Miami Masters in 2019. Both will feel they are improved players from that last match, but what has been clear is the importance of the serve with both being able to produce big efforts behind that shot.

We should see more of the same here and my slight edge is with Matteo Berrettini who has had the stronger overall Wimbledon and also showed plenty of grass court ability when winning at Queens. However, I do think Hubert Hurkacz is playing at a really good level behind his serve and that is going to see this Semi Final go a little longer and deeper than I anticipate the other Semi Final will be.

Big serves could be the order of the day here and I will look for at least four sets to be played which should see the total game line being surpassed.

MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic - 6.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Matteo Berrettini-Hubert Hurkacz Over 40.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet365 (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 61-49, + 10.98 Units (220 Units Staked, + 4.99% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 8 Picks 2019 (July 9th)

Manic Monday is always one of the most fun days of Tennis on the Tour and this year was no different as the Wimbledon Fourth Round produced some high quality matches for the fans that were lucky enough to attend the grounds.

Upsets were seen, but those came in the women's draw for the most part and the top three contenders in the men's draw have all made the final eight. At this point the women's draw continues to look wide open with each of the eight players involved likely going to have a lot of belief that they are going to be able to win this Grand Slam, whereas it would be a huge surprise if one of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal are unable to win the title next Sunday.


The men will now play on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday in the remaining days at Wimbledon, while the women take centre stage on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Even the site of poorer weather potentially arriving in London won't prevent the tennis being played with the roofs available at Wimbledon, although it is something to consider with some players better suited to playing indoor tennis than others.

The Tennis Picks did produce a profitable return on Monday, but I do feel I should have done better than I did. It does keep the Wimbledon tournament moving in a positive direction, but I am hoping for a strong end to conclude the third Grand Slam of the 2019 season.

Below you can read my Quarter Final Tennis Picks from the women's tournament which are all played on Tuesday and I have also updated the totals from Wimbledon too.


Serena Williams - 4.5 games v Alison Riske: In the last few years Alison Riske has really enjoyed playing on the grass courts and playing at Wimbledon has generally been where she has enjoyed her tennis the most at the Grand Slam level. Before this week Alison Riske had only reached one Fourth Round at the US Open, but the American has played in the Third Round at Wimbledon on three previous occasions before this year.

A stunning win over World Number 1 Ashleigh Barty saw Riske earn her spot in the Quarter Final on Monday and you could see the emotion and excitement she was feeling. For the third time in the tournament at Wimbledon Alison Riske has had to come from behind to win her match and her run through the draw has been a difficult one which will also give her plenty of confidence to take into this match.

Prior to the tournament starting at Wimbledon, Riske also won the title in Surbiton and Hertogenbosch and I do think this is a surface on which she feels very comfortable. The battling win over Barty will only increase her belief, although facing Serena Williams on Centre Court is a different sort of challenge than any Riske has faced so far.

Serena Williams is not playing at her very best, but she has barely been threatened in this tournament and the former World Number 1 looks to be peaking heading into the weekend. There have looked to be some limitations with her movement and the consistency is not where it can be when Serena Williams is playing her best, but her numbers have been strong and considerably stronger than what Riske has been able to produce so far in the event.

The serve has been a very important weapon for Serena Williams and it is something that should be able to produce the difference between these two players. While Riske has been efficient at taking her break points when they have come her way compared to how her opponent's have reacted, I am not sure she will have the same amount of opportunities against Williams in the form displayed through the first four Rounds.

Alison Riske will believe her aggressive tennis can help protect her own serve as she will look to put Williams under pressure by finishing points up at the net. The points won behind the serve have been decent from Riske and it does back up how she has been playing in the last month, but she has been saving plenty of break points too and it is going to be tough to do that if Williams is running through her service games without the pressure Riske will have to deal with.

The Williams return comes with plenty of power so Riske will have to be wary of offering up too many second serves. Ultimately I do think she has played a lot of tennis so far at Wimbledon and I think it is very difficult to ask Riske to continue winning tight matches as she has been doing.

I expect Serena Williams to dominate the break points in this one and I am not sure Alison Riske can keep winning the big points as she has been. It has been a fabulous run that Riske has put together, but I think Williams has too much for her even at this stage of her career and she can win this one and cover the handicap number.


Simona Halep - 5.5 games v Shuai Zhang: There is no doubt it was going to be a tough match emotionally for Simona Halep on Monday as she took on teenage sensation Coco Gauff in the Fourth Round at Wimbledon. All of the expectation and pressure was on the shoulders of the former World Number 1, but Simona Halep handled the occasion as well as she could and came through with a comfortable win.

In the Quarter Final you would think the match is a favourable one for Halep against Shuai Zhang, a player that had little grass court pedigree before her run at Wimbledon over the last week. Her numbers in the build up to Wimbledon had been pretty average and Zhang had suffered comfortable losses to Jennifer Brady, Shelby Rogers and Alize Cornet which makes this run at Wimbledon all the more improbable.

The losses to Rogers and Cornet saw Zhang win just four games in each match, but she has to be respected for her performances in reaching the Quarter Final. It does have to be said that the numbers have been declining in each passing Round to the point where Zhang had to dig in deep to beat Dayana Yastremska in the Fourth Round on Monday.

Shuai Zhang will know she has to serve better than she has in the past two Rounds if she is going to beat Simona Halep. The return has been a very productive weapon for the Chinese player and it has also been the biggest surprise about her performances considering her past history on that side of her tennis on the grass courts.

I do think Zhang will have some successes against Simona Halep in this match with the way she has been returning. The Halep serve can be vulnerable to aggressive tennis on the grass courts, but her own returning can match what Zhang is able to produce and Halep has shown more consistency on this surface in recent years.

The head to head is a slight concern when you think Shuai Zhang has beaten Simona Halep fairly comfortably in their last two matches. Both were played in 2016 though and I do think the slightly slower conditions at Wimbledon in 2019 will aid Halep in earning a measure of revenge against this opponent with a strong looking win on the day.


Barbora Strycova + 3.5 games v Johanna Konta: Home hopes are increasing in each passing Round at Wimbledon as Johanna Konta backs up a strong showing at the French Open with another positive run in SW19. The British Number 1 reached the Semi Final in Paris and she is a former Semi Finalist at Wimbledon while favoured to reach that Round again on Tuesday afternoon.

While Andy Murray is still out of action as a Singles player, Konta is the player that the headline makers are looking for to make an impact for British tennis at the home Grand Slam. Her come from behind wins over Sloane Stephens and Petra Kvitova will have given Konta a huge boost in confidence, although there is some pressure on this match with the greater expectation fans will have that she can win the Quarter Final.

It is far from an easy match for Johanna Konta as she faces Barbora Strycova who has proven to be a very competent grass court player through her career. This is also not the first rodeo for Strycova having reached the Wimbledon Quarter Final in 2014 and she has to remember her experiences to try and aid her in a very big match.

In 2014 it was Petra Kvitova who got the better of Strycova, but the latter has been serving well enough on the grass courts to believe she can be competitive. The return can be an issue and now she is facing a very strong server in Konta, but Strycova will be looking to move the British player around and try and test out an ankle that needed some treatment on Monday.

Returning might have been an issue for Strycova on the grass courts, but she has been very strong on that side of her game in her four wins here. Barbora Strycova has created a lot more break points than her opponents and I do have to say that Konta is going to need to be much improved in her own returning if she is going to go on and win this tournament.

I am expecting a close match between these two players and I do think Johanna Konta just about deserves to be the favourite. While Strycova has won at least 44% of return points played in each of her four matches, Konta has yet to win more than 40%.

The Konta serve is the superior one that the two players possess and is part of the reason she is the favourite. However I would be disappointed if Barbora Strycova went away quietly in this match considering how well she can look after her own serve and I will back her with the start in the handicap market.


Elina Svitolina-Karolina Muchova over 21.5 games: This is perhaps not the Quarter Final many would have predicted at the start of Wimbledon and that should mean both Elina Svitolina and Karolina Muchova will understand the kind of opportunity they have in front of them.

The one element we can't really factor into the match is how much Muchova left on the court on Monday having needed to go over three hours to beat Karolina Pliskova deep into the third set. It would have been a match that has taken a toll both physically and mentally for Muchova having beaten her compatriot in the manner she did, and I have some concerns that there won't be a lot left in the tank for this one.

However we have seen plenty of nerves from Elina Svitolina when she gets to this stage of a Grand Slam. She may have won the WTA Championships last October, but Svitolina has yet to make the Semi Final of a Grand Slam tournament and that is going to be playing on her mind in this one too.

The Ukrainian did not have a very productive grass court season before her four wins in Wimbledon and the last thirteen months on the surface have been difficult for her. Karolina Muchova doesn't have a lot to write home about when it comes to her previous successes on the grass courts either, but she has been serving very effectively at Wimbledon and that will give her a chance to upset the higher Ranked player.

It is an interesting match up on paper as Muchova has the edge on the serve, but Svitolna looks the more effective returner. With both strengths and weaknesses going up against each other, I do think this is a match that will have a few twists and turns in it, although it should be Quarter Final in which Svitolina eventually prevails barring losing her way mentally.

I have no doubt that Karolina Muchova is going to have to dig very deep in this one, but she can serve well enough to remain competitive and can help in seeing this match surpass the total games line. I am hoping the Czech player has had enough time to recover physically from the exertions of Monday, and if she can this is a match that may need a third set to decide the outcome.

MY PICKS: Serena Williams - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Simona Halep - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 William Hill (2 Units)
Barbora Strycova + 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Elina Svitolina-Karolina Muchova Over 21.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 47-36, + 15.26 Units (166 Units Staked, + 9.19% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 7 Picks 2018 (July 9th)

It has been a crazy week for Tennis fans watching the women's draw fall apart in stunning fashion through the first week of the tournament at Wimbledon.

Once again it means we have Roger Federer and Serena Williams leading the way as the two players to beat, although I still think both will have serious obstacles to overcome if they are going to take yet another Wimbledon title home.

Nine of the top ten women's Seeds being knocked out is a stunning return from the event though and one that I feel won't be replicated again while we have the Seeds going down to 32 players. However from next season it has been suggested that only the top 16 players will be Seeded and more carnage could await the Grand Slam events in those cases with the increased potential of seeing some huge early matches at these events.


It has been a pretty poor tournament as far as I am concerned too with the last few days seeing too many matches go the opposite way to what I have expected.

The outright portfolio has been hurt too, but things can turn around in the days ahead beginning with 'Manic Monday' which has to be the best day of tennis played in any tournament around the world.

Like many of the recent Grand Slams, I am going to provide analysis for some matches and then adding the remaining Picks on what is a traditionally very, very busy day for fans of the sport.

But at least they won't have any World Cup Football to battle with for the ratings on Monday.


Roger Federer - 8.5 games v Adrian Mannarino: The top half of the draw is beginning to look very favourable to Roger Federer who has made very comfortable progress through the first week of the tournament. I am sure Federer will be the first to tell you that things will definitely be getting much more difficult for him from this point, but I am not sure it is going to begin with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino regardless of how happy he is on this surface.

Over the last few years Mannarino has been very good on the grass courts, but he has just shown signs of decline in 2017 and 2018 and I think it is going to be a big achievement for him to even give Federer a run for his money.

Mannarino may have a better hold percentage in 2018 than he did in 2017, but he has actually won fewer points behind serve. However the biggest issue has been converting breaks of serve and I think Mannarino is going to be put under immense pressure by Federer who has one of the best serves on the grass courts.

With the middle Sunday of Wimbledon set as a rest day, Mannarino does have a couple of days to recover from his five set win over Daniil Medvedev in the Third Round. That will have still taken something out of the tank though and playing an opponent as strong as Federer who has dominated his first three opponents is a huge test for Mannarino.

Federer has won all five matches played between these two players and the majority of those have been very comfortable. Their two previous matches at Grand Slam level has see Mannarino win seven and five games and one of those came at Wimbledon back in 2011.

This is a big number for a Fourth Round match, but I think Federer has been in fine form over the last seven days and I think he will feel very comfortable in this match. If Mannarino serves very well then it will be tough for Federer to cover, but I think Federer will have enough break points to do that and I will back him here.


John Isner-Stefanos Tsitsipas over 44.5 games: There is much to admire about Stefanos Tsitsipas who looks like a player that is developing in the exact way his fans would have hoped for to fulfil the obvious potential he has. 2018 has been a strong year for Tsitsipas and the former Wimbledon Junior Doubles winner has shown some real competence on the grass courts.

I am not completely convinced the Greek player is absolutely at ease on this surface, but he has put three solid wins together at Wimbledon to reach the second week in a Grand Slam for the first time.

Tsitsipas has been serving very well on the grass in 2018 and that is going to be key for him against John Isner who is going to serve big and be tough to break.

Isner is a dangerous opponent for anyone because he can take the racquet out of the hands of any player he plays on a tennis court. He is pretty effective on all the surfaces and Isner is someone who will build scoreboard pressure if he is going to be serving at his very best.

What has always been the downfall for Isner is his return game being very much an average one, even if he has been in decent enough form in the tournament here at Wimbledon this past week. This time he is facing a confident server who will believe he can win this match and I think the layers are right in making this a fairly tough match to call.

At the moment the American has been given the edge and his past successes on the grass makes that the right call. However Tsitsipas will know Isner hasn't had the best record at Wimbledon despite what should be a dominant serve and I think this is a match that will go at least four sets with both players having their moments.

I can't imagine there will be a lot of breaks of serve and the two can combine to cover a big total games line as long as they bring the quality serving both Isner and Tsitsipas have to the court on Monday.


Novak Djokovic - 6.5 games v Karen Khachanov: I am a big fan of Karen Khachanov who has reached the Fourth Round at Wimbledon for the first time having achieved that at the French Open in each of the past two events. He is clearly very comfortable on the grass courts with some strong numbers in 2017 and 2018, but Khachanov is in for a big test on Monday.

While Sunday was a day off for the young Russian, it is still asking a lot for Khachanov to not have left something on the court having been pushed to a five set match in back to back matches. He had to come from 0-2 down in sets against Frances Tiafoe on Saturday before Khachanov turned that match around and I think he is facing Novak Djokovic at a very tough time.

At Queens Club Djokovic showed he is very much on the up after a strong French Open which ended a little prematurely. However Djokovic has not allowed the disappointment to linger and he should have perhaps won the title at Queens, but the performances have shown a player that is very much getting back to the kind of form that helped him become the best player in the world.

The win over Kyle Edmund in the Third Round is a huge one for Djokovic and you could see how much it meant to him to come from a set down to win that match. Dropping the first set was a blow to Djokovic, but the other nine sets he has won in this tournament have come in fairly routine fashion and I think Djokovic is going to be able to pick up from where he left off.

Khachanov is dangerous with a big serve and heavy groundstrokes that can put Djokovic under pressure. However I do wonder if Khachanov has perhaps left a little out there on the court having had back to back tough matches in tremendously hot conditions in South West London.

I am a Khachanov fan and I have to say it can be a little daunting in opposing him when you think of how competitive he has been in losses in recent Grand Slam events. Those came at the hands of Juan Martin Del Potro and Alexander Zverev in 2018 and he would have covered this number easily in both of those losses.

The fatigue is perhaps a bigger issue for Khachanov in this match and I think Djokovic is rounding into some very nice form which makes him a threat to win the title in Wimbledon. Djokovic has certainly been good enough to put Khachanov under enough pressure to force a couple of breaks of serve in a single set and I think that will help him on his way to a win and cover in this Fourth Round match.


Rafael Nadal - 7.5 games v Jiri Vesely: The biggest problems Rafael Nadal has encountered on the grass courts ever since he reached the Final of Wimbledon in 2011 is when he has faced a big hitting opponent. That is perhaps the biggest danger Jiri Vesely will pose to Nadal, but I think it would take a special effort for the Czech player to earn the upset in this match.

There are things to like about Vesely which makes this a tough number for Nadal to cover.

The main one is how well Vesely tends to serve on the grass courts and he has continued to do that in this tournament and on the surface in general in 2018. However it has to be said that he has not played an opponent who is able to return the ball as effectively as Nadal is able to do and I think that is where the difference will be made in this match.

Nadal is someone who is going to work hard for every point and I am of the belief that the Spaniard is going to have his break point chances to earn four or five breaks of serve which could be enough for the cover. Add in the fact that Vesely has been a relatively poor returner on the grass courts throughout his career and you would think Nadal is going to be in a position to cover this number as long as he looks after his service games.

The return numbers from Nadal in this tournament have been very impressive and I think he is ready for his best result at Wimbledon since reaching the Final in 2011 by making it through to the Quarter Final. I do think he will have the chances to cover a huge number in this Fourth Round match and I will back the Spaniard to do that.


Dominika Cibulkova - 2.5 games v Su-Wei Hsieh: The big talking point at the start of Wimbledon was the decision to Seed Serena Williams which meant Dominika Cibulkova was forced into an Unseeded position. It may have been a blessing in disguise for the Slovakian when you think of the way the top names in the women's draw have been dropping out of the event in the past week.

A part of the reason for some of the Seeds dropping out is Cibulkova who has reached the Fourth Round having beaten Number 22 Johanna Konta and Number 15 Elise Mertens.

Those are some encouraging wins for a player who has not been in the most consistent form but who has shown a strong like for the grass courts in the past. The serve is going to be very important for Cibulkova in this Fourth Round match as she takes on an opponent who can be incredibly frustrating for other players.

Su-Wei Hsieh is never going to be confused for one of the best players on the Tour but she is a player who uses so many different types of shots which can break the rhythm of an opponent. Slicing and dicing her way around the court has worked very well for Hsieh and she has also beaten two Seeds on her way to the Fourth Round including a stunning win over Number 1 Seed Simona Halep a couple of days ago.

That win should give Hsieh confidence in what has been a stunning 2018 for the thirty-two year old. She has already matched her best Grand Slam result by reaching the Fourth Round at Wimbledon having done the same in the Australian Open back in January and Hsieh is going to be a difficult test for Cibulkova if she is able to get into her head.

Cibulkova has to remember she has beaten Hsieh in their two previous matches and she has the superior serving and returning numbers which give her the edge in this match. I also think Hsieh is coming off the big win on Saturday when upsetting Simona Halep and backing that up won't be easy against a solid grass court player like the 'Pocket Rocket'.

There does seem to be a real edge to the way Cibulkova is playing at Wimbledon and I think she can continue that here with a strong win put on the board as she reaches the Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Roger Federer - 8.5 Games @ 1.95 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
John Isner-Stefanos Tsitsipas Over 44.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Novak Djokovic - 6.5 Games @ 2.20 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Rafael Nadal - 7.5 Games @ 2.20 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Dominika Cibulkova - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Jelena Ostapenko - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Karolina Pliskova - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Donna Vekic @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Daria Kasatkina - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
McKenzie McDonald-Milos Raonic Over 34.5 Games @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Kei Nishikori - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Gilles Simon + 6.5 Games @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Gael Monfils @ 2.20 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 30-31, - 4.74 Units (122 Units Staked, - 3.89% Yield)

Wimbledon Day 10 Picks 2015 (July 9th)

I have always wanted to attend Wimbledon, but haven't been able to find anyone who was willing to queue with me overnight, while the Ballot has proved not to be the most successful time for me.

However, thanks to my wonderful partner, I have been able to attend Wimbledon three times during this tournament including for the men's Quarter Finals on Wednesday. The two matches that I was looking forward to were both on Court One rather than Centre Court, but both Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic impressed and a good day was made all the better by a couple of non-tennis related events.

The first of those was meeting Anthony Joshua, a strong contender to be the next big force in Heavyweight Boxing- you never know how someone is going to react, but AJ was a top fella and someone who was gracious enough to accept a photo opportunity for me.

The second was meeting David Beckham and having the chance to shake the hand of a sporting icon and, as a Manchester United fan, it was quite a special moment. Beckham transcends football and sports so the chance to have a very quick word with him was not one I was going to pass up and it just really made the day complete.


The Semi Final line up in both men's and women's tournaments look very impressive and I think this is going to be a very strong end of the week as Wimbledon comes to a close and the Tour moves on from the grass. Well moves on from the grass for the most part as the ATP Newport event and the Davis Cup tie between Great Britain and France will be played on the surface.


On Thursday it is the women who will have the chance to earn the headlines as the Semi Finals are played on Centre Court in back to back matches. It should be an enjoyable day of tennis and one that should entertain all those who are going to be attending The Championships on Thursday.


Garbine Muguruza v Agnieszka Radwanska: The first of the women's Semi Finals has been set as an almost pick 'em kind of contest from the layers and I can understand why it has been hard to separate the two players.

Garbine Muguruza has played really well this week to move into her maiden Semi Final at a Grand Slam, but I have a couple of concerns about her. The first is that Muguruza is not the happiest player on grass and had little form to show before her run at Wimbledon, while you can never be sure how a player will react to a first Semi Final at this level.

That might give Agnieszka Radwanska a chance to earn her second Final appearance at Wimbledon, but I think the Pole has to find a way to deal with the power Muguruza brings to the court. That has seen Muguruza beat Radwanska twice already this season and that has to give her a mental edge to go into the contest, although I would be more surprised if this match is ended in straight sets rather than going the distance.

I can imagine both players having their success in the course of the match, but I do think Garbine Muguruza has the match on her racquet. She can't allow Radwanska to frustrate her with the defence she is able to produce on the court and doing that will give Muguruza a chance to play in the Final on Sunday. There is no way Radwanska will give this one without a fight and I think she has played well enough to keep this competitive, although it is Muguruza who I am expecting will have enough to get through.


Serena Williams - 4.5 games v Maria Sharapova: This should have been the rivalry on the WTA Tour that could sit alongside some of the rivalries that have been produced on the ATP Tour, but it hasn't developed that way. When 17 year old Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon by beating Serena Williams, many would have predicted that was a rivalry that would still be as strong ten years later.

There is no love lost between Williams and Sharapova, but on the court it has been a one way story for Serena Williams who has won 16 matches in a row against Sharapova. That includes 5 straight wins in all Grand Slams, including in Australia back at the start of the season, and Serena Williams has also won the last couple of matches between the two on grass.

The power in the Serena Williams game has given Maria Sharapova too much to deal with, while her own serve has been something of a liability that the American has been able to attack at will. I would definitely expect Williams to have the majority of the break points, although Sharapova has been very ruthless in taking the chances that have come her way.

However, it always feels like Sharapova is hanging on somewhat against Serena Williams and I am not sure her losing run comes to an end here. The last few matches between the two have been more competitive, but Williams is always the one you feel is only a matter of moments of taking complete control and I think this will be another match that goes that way.

Sharapova might be mentally strong, but 16 straight losses is going to have an impact on the strongest mind and I think Serena Williams finds a 64, 63 in this one.

MY PICKS: Garbine Muguruza @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Serena Williams - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 21-24, - 8.81 Units (89 Units Staked, - 9.90% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2014 (July 9th)

The weather in Stuttgart has completely put that tournament on its knees and I have no idea where they are going to find the time to play the event in the fashion they would want. The rain is scheduled through the whole week and they are already behind play there so an outdoor clay court event may have to change tact.

I always find the week after the Grand Slams being a little slower and harder to find the picks I would like with the one exception being the French Open which has been followed by the grass court season immediately. Next season that might be the case again with new tournaments placed behind the French Open which may not be attended by the biggest names and the likes of Queens and Halle, both upgraded to ATP 500 events, will be played ten days after the French Open Final.

This week has proven to be no different with the layers taking their time to price up matches and my focus has mainly been on Newport to this point. On Thursday, I will be making a short trip to Barcelona to enjoy a mini-break so I won't be making any picks for the matches scheduled for Friday or Saturday (I may even miss out Thursday as Newport won't be priced up by the time I leave and may not find the picks from the other four tournaments worth backing).


Two out of three picks came in as winners yesterday thanks to Ryan Harrison hammering Lleyton Hewitt in the first set, even if he didn't have enough to win the match in three sets. Jack Sock backed up his Doubles win at Wimbledon with a comfortable First Round win over Alex Kuznetsov, but Tim Smyczek couldn't win the first set tie-break against Austin Krajicek and was then hammered in the second set.


Steve Johnson - 3.5 games v Tatsuma Ito: Steve Johnson is one of a number of American players that played tennis through College before making the move to the Professional ranks and he has admitted that it took a bit of time to get used to that. Playing on the Tour is as much mental as it is about the talent you have and Johnson admitted that he didn't cope with 'living out of a suitcase' when first moving onto the Tour, but is now in a much stronger place.

He has already posted the most wins on the Tour in a single year in his short career with 11 this season, and Johnson has to be looking forward to the next six weeks with the North American hard court swing.

First, Johnson is looking for one more decent run on the grass after dismissing Clay Thompson and the match up with Tatsuma Ito should be one he can take advantage of. Ito has to be given due concern after qualifying for Wimbledon and reaching a Quarter Final in a Challenger event in Nottingham so confidence has to be high in the tennis that he is producing.

However, the serve can be a vulnerable part of Ito's game and anything less than a top performance there will give Johnson an opportunity, although the American has to take care of his own unforced errors. It won't be as straight-forward as a 64, 64 scoreline would suggest, but that is where I see the match ending up with break points taken on both sides.


Nicolas Mahut - 3.5 games v Luke Saville: When you see someone of your own age bracket begin to push on up the Rankings, it has to be an inspiration for a player to try and achieve the same thing. That has to be doubled when the player is from your own country and likely to be someone you have mixed with and known and that is where Luke Saville must stand.

The 20 year old former Wimbledon Junior Champion will have seen the success Nick Kyrgios had at Wimbledon last week and really feel he can push on too. Saville didn't have a bad tournament either after coming through the qualifiers and reaching the Second Round before finding Grigor Dimitrov too tough.

That could be the case again on Wednesday with Saville taking on Nicolas Mahut, although the Frenchman hasn't had the same type of grass court campaign that brought him so much success last season. Mahut does feel comfortable in Newport as the defending Champion, but he has had three very disappointing losses on the grass over the last month.

That makes Mahut vulnerable to another surprise loss on Wednesday, but I think his serve-volley skills will end up keeping the younger man under pressure and that will build to the point of giving Mahut a 76, 63 win.


Adrian Mannarino - 2.5 games v Dudi Sela: My biggest issue in backing someone like Adrian Mannarino is that I don't trust his serve and think that is one of the weakest shots in his armoury which makes it tough to win matches.

However, this match against Dudi Sela will offer Mannarino as many chances to break serve as he gives up and I think his added performances on the grass courts will prove to be the difference for the Frenchman.

Of course there has to be some concern with the amount of tennis Mannarino has played recently after winning a Challenger tournament in Manta last week and having to fly to Newport for this tournament. He did record an impressive win over Jimmy Wang in the First Round so perhaps the confidence is high enough to build adrenaline to fight through these matches.

Sela has been something of a 'gate-keeper' on the Tour as he has always seemed too good for the Challenger circuit, but not quite good enough for the main Tour. He can cause problems for players with the style of tennis he plays and is a decent shot-maker, but I still think Mannarino wins this 64, 76.


Ivo Karlovic - 1.5 games v Sergiy Stakhovsky: Two players that enjoy playing on the grass courts will be meeting in the Second Round, but I have a little more faith in Ivo Karlovic winning the match than I do in Sergiy Stakhovsky.

Both players will rely on the serve to build pressure on the opponent, but Stakhovsky can be a little more erratic with his volleying and that is where Karlovic may find his had the more limited chances to break serve.

Stakhovsky is the better returner, but Karlovic possesses a monster serve that will make it hard to create chances, especially as he gets into the net and likes to put away his volleys.

Tie-breaks are going to play a part, but I think Karlovic is going to have the chance to break the Stakhovsky serve and that should lead to a win for the big-serving Croatian with a 76, 67, 64 win.

MY PICKS: Steve Johnson - 3.5 Games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Nicolas Mahut - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Adrian Mannarino - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Ivo Karlovic - 1.5 Games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-1, + 2.10 Units (6 Units Staked, + 35% Yield)

World Cup 2014 Semi Final Picks (July 8-9)

The knock out phase of the World Cup has seen the tournament return to the kind of football that comes in major international tournaments when the pressure filled environment begins. Now teams have something more to lose, the cavalier approach of the Group Stage has been replaced with more tense games and plenty of extra time/penalties to separate teams.

It wouldn't surprise me if both World Cup Semi Final matches follow the pattern that has been set with the goals also drying up as teams look to make themselves hard to beat and so the creativity has been stifled now teams are focusing on shutting down the top players.

The Semi Final line up looks very strong in terms of what these international nations have done in the past with ten World Cup titles between the four nations left in Brazil. Add in the fact that they have also contributed to ten runners up and you know Brazil, Germany, Argentina and the Netherlands are soaked in a rich history.

Picking a winner is proving to be a difficult task for all with none of the teams really separating themselves from the pack and injuries/suspensions beginning to take their toll. Two tight Semi Finals look to be developing, although early goals could potentially open things up in both games even if it didn't quite work out that way in the Quarter Finals.


Brazil v Germany Pick: If you ignore all the whining being done by the Brazilians in the wake of losing Neymar for the tournament, some may consider this a 'reap what you sow' kind of situation. The referee allowed Brazil to kick James Rodriguez off the park in the Quarter Final win over Colombia so it seems kind of strange that so many feel so aggrieved that the Brazilian star player suffered an injury from the sole 'bad' tackle he suffered.

The last two Brazil games have produced the most fouls in the tournament and there is a real sense that the hosts are looking to 'kick their way to the title'. Without Neymar, Brazil have lost their biggest spark up front and the one player that can spark a moment of magic to win games and that is the reason they are no longer the favourites to win on home soil.

A lot of the goals have come from set pieces though, including both in the Quarter Final and the one against Chile in the Second Round, but Germany will feel they can deal with that threat effectively. If they can. Germany have every chance of reaching their first Final since 2002 and trying to win the World Cup for the first time since 1990.

Thiago Silva is another key loss for Brazil at an inopportune time, but Germany have persisted with a 'false nine' formation that might not exploit the uncertainty at the heart of the Brazil defence. Dante is an opponent that the Germans will know all about, while David Luiz is always susceptible to taking a big chance that can lead to a mistake so Joachim Loew has to find a way to exploit these areas of the pitch.

It does feel the game could be won or lost in the middle of the park where Luis Gustavo returns for Brazil and is the part of the pitch where both Brazil and Germany will feel they are better equipped. The winner of those battles will be able to control the game and force the quick breaks forward that can make the difference in the match and it is going to be tough to call.

In my opinion, Brazil have to show something they haven't through the tournament if they are to win this game and all without their two best players. Losing two of the four man spine of a team is tough to replace and Germany have enough experience to deal with the situation.

After coming close to the Final in 2006 and 2010, Germany can surprise the hosts and end their party right here by beating Brazil in an intriguing Semi Final.


Netherlands v Argentina Pick: Hands up if you saw that coming? Brazil were an absolute shambles in their 1-7 loss to Germany in the first World Cup Semi Final, but I would be surprised if we even got to see half that number of goals in this one.

Both the Netherlands and Argentina have a rich history in the World Cup including one meeting in the Final back in 1978, the sole time Argentina have gotten the better of the Dutch in a competitive game.

They played out a goalless draw, one that mutually benefited both nations, in the Group Stage in 2006 and I don't foresee a game with many goals in this one either. Robin Van Persie is a doubt for Holland, while Angel Di Maria has been ruled out for Argentina.

Better news for Argentina is the return of Sergio Aguero, but Holland also had some good news that Nigel de Jong is back in training and there are more similarities with both nations relying on their star player in forward positions- Lionel Messi for Argentina; Arjen Robben for Holland.

The teams will know whoever shackles the other team's top threat is likely to move into the Final on Sunday and that could lead to a tactical game with not much space to exploit. The one nagging doubt against that happening are the two defences that look vulnerable when players are running at them and both Messi and Robben are capable of doing that to great effect.

My feeling is that Argentina will find the three forwards they have in Aguero, Messi and Gonzalo Higuain and one of those will find that bit of magic to separate the sides. I don't think there will be a lot of goals though and one could be enough to separate the two teams and I think the value is backing Argentina to win this game by one goal. Dutching two correct scores of 1-0 and 2-1 to Argentina provides a slightly bigger payout than simply backing the South Americans to win by one goal, but I will go for the latter option in case we suddenly see the World Cup burst back into life as it did in terms of goals in the first Semi Final.

MY PICKS: Germany to Win @ 3.00 Coral (2 Units)
Argentina to Win by One Goal @ 4.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)