Tennis Picks 2025 (Monday 16th June)

After a positive start to last week, it took a historic failure from Ekaterina Alexandrova to help end the week with a negative number.

It was a hugely frustrating Friday and Saturday considering the chances that the players selected had created.

Sometimes you have to accept you've made a poor selection, but when those players picked have more than double the number of Break Points compared with their opponents, but can't convert, it really is a case of bad luck and that can be very frustrating and disappointing.

Over the last month, it has felt like some of the luck needed for any Pick has been missing, although I have to be happier that the read on the matches has been about right.

Again, if a player is creating two or three times as many Break Points as the opponent, it means they are playing well enough to win matches in the manner expected, rather than missing the majority of those and handing over breaks of serve to scupper the selections. You have to believe that will change back around as long as players are not finding ways to blow matches when having ELEVEN Match Points come and go.

It is a really big week on the grass with some of the very best names on the Tour playing in events to get themselves ready for Wimbledon.

The WTA draw in Berlin looks incredibly loaded with the top talents, while the two Men's Finalists at Roland Garros are also back in action ahead of the start of the third Grand Slam of the season.

There should be plenty of good tennis to watch for the fans, but I hope that is backed up by a decent week for the Tennis Picks, which have suffered over the last three weeks.

Emma Navarro v Marta Kostyuk: She may be the World Number 10, but it has not been a strong calendar year for Emma Navarro and she is looking for some consistency to take into Wimbledon.

There are plenty of World Ranking points to protect in SW19 after a surprising run to the Quarter Final in 2024 and Emma Navarro as shown a liking to playing on the grass.

However, her inconsistent season was all on display at Queens last week where Emma Navarro was able to get past Beatriz Haddad Maia in a tough match before losing to Amanda Anisimova, the eventual Runner Up. The first serve was not working as well as Navarro would have been hoping last week and that has put pressure on ther return.

She is at least going up against an opponent in the First Round in Berlin who has not played a grass court match this season and Marta Kostyuk has not always been at her most comfortable on the surface.

Her numbers over the last couple of years on the grass have been a little disappointing and the early exit at the French Open will have knocked the confidence of the World Number 26. Over the last twelve months, Marta Kostyuk has dropped ten places in the World Rankings and the match up with Emma Navarro has been a tough one for her.

Both previous matches have been played on the hard courts and Emma Navarro is leading the head to head 2-0 as she has been able to get her teeth into the return games with a little more consistency. On the grass, you would have to give Navarro a bit more of an edge and she can win this match in the opening Round in Berlin.

Katerina Siniakova - 4.5 games v Viktoriya Tomova: Qualifying for the main draw should stand Katerina Siniakova in good stead in this First Round match and the World Number 73 should be able to display all of her grass court capabilities in this contest.

Being a strong Doubles player certainly helps on this surface where getting up to the net and putting the finishing touch to rallies can be important.

Katerina Siniakova was beaten early in Hertogenbosch, which will have been a disappointment, but the two wins here in Berlin should have given her a lot of confidence. She has not only served effectively in those wins, but Siniakova has had her eye in when it comes to the return and she has been creating a lot of Break Point chances in those wins.

Viktoriya Tomova will know all about the qualities of her opponent having been beaten twice by her on the Tour, including earlier this season on a hard court.

Despite being Ranked lower than Siniakova, Viktoriya Tomova was not forced to go through Qualifying and that means her sole match on the grass was a defeat in Hertogenbosch to eventual Champion Elise Mertens. That defeat does not look so bad after Mertens went on to lift the title, but Tomova has been a little inconsistent on the grass courts over the last few seasons.

The handicap mark is a significant one and that will need to be respected, but the feeling is that Katerina Siniakova can use the momentum of Qualifying to get the better of this opponent.

She has been the significantly better server in the head to head matches too and Katerina Siniakova can come away with a solid First Round win.

Alexander Bublik - 2.5 games v Alexandre Muller: The surprising run at Roland Garros may have ended in a relatively one-sided defeat, but Alexander Bublik will have taken so much from that performance.

In recent years his numbers on the grass courts have been impressive, even if the win-loss record could, and perhaps should, have been improved and that confidence from the second Grand Slam could set Alexander Bublik up for a very good third Grand Slam of the season.

There may be an outside chance of earning a Seed for Wimbledon with a big run in Halle, but the reality is that Alexander Bublik is still going to be dangerous with his capabilities of playing on a surface that so many find alien.

He returns for the first time since the French Open and Alexander Bublik can get the better of Alexandre Muller in the First Round.

The latter enters the tournament as the World Number 40, which is above Alexander Bublik, but Alexandre Muller has not really not enjoyed the grass court season.

The Frenchman has a career 3-5 record on the surface, but Muller can serve pretty well at times and that should show up on the grass courts. In those eight previous matches, Alexandre Muller has only won 58% of his service points played, but two of those matches have been against top 5 Ranked players and he has had stronger returning numbers when facing opponents that are not Ranked that high.

Alexander Bublik can be tough to trust- he is certainly someone who has to have got out of bed the right side on the morning of his match- but he does have solid serving numbers on the grass. If he can stick to that kind of level, Bublik can keep this opponent under some pressure and that may see him find a break or two that is needed to win and cover this handicap mark set.

MY PICKS: Emma Navarro @ 1.95 William Hill (1 Unit)

Katerina Siniakova - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Alexander Bublik - 2.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

2025 Season: 93-79, + 6.75 Units (210 Units Staked, + 3.21% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2022 (June 16th)

This has largely been a week of disappointment for the Tennis Picks, but we have only just moved past the middle of the events being played and there is still an opportunity for a strong finish.

We are going to have the Quarter Final line ups completed for all four tournaments by the end of Thursday and there are some tough conditions to deal with as the weather heats up. Most of the matches are scheduled for the hottest part of the day, which increases the challenges for the players going onto court, but there are big prizes on offer and that should be motivation enough for all still involved.

Ryan Peniston - 1.5 games v Francisco Cerundolo: We have become so accustomed to young players joining the Tour that the American College route is still considered a unique approach to joining the Tour.

Cameron Norrie and John Isner are two players who have shown it is not a bad approach having felt the College scene hardened them to playing pro tennis in a competitive environment, but one in which they were not having to suffer loss after loss to dent the confidence of a young player.

The latest to head to the Tour after playing College Tennis is Ryan Peniston and the British player upset Casper Ruud in the First Round at Queens, although it was not the seismic upset that the commentators would have you believe. Instead he showcased strong character to just keep Casper Ruud at bay and a serve that can make Ryan Peniston an effective grass court player.

Backing up the win of his career is always the big challenge for players, but I don't think Ryan Peniston could have asked for a better opponent. While the British player has produced a solid 5-2 record on the grass courts this season, Francisco Cerundolo is playing in just his fifth ever grass court match having come up short in trying to Qualify for Wimbledon in 2021 and then beating Pedro Martinez in the First Round.

I am not sure how much you can read into those limited grass court appearances- beating an opponent who does not have a lot of grass court expectations in the First Round was taking advantage of a kind draw and Francisco Cerundolo has to expect a much greater challenge in the Second Round.

So much feels like it will be on Ryan Peniston's racquet who has a lefty serve that can be very efficient on this surface. In 2022, Ryan Peniston has held 86% of his service games played and I do think that will put pressure on someone like Francisco Cerundolo still learning his way on the grass.

Wins over Adrian Mannarino, Jack Draper and Jiri Vesely is very solid grass court form for Ryan Peniston and I think this is a very winnable match as long as he has not become overwhelmed by the attention the win over Casper Ruud will have given him. His return does need to be improved if Ryan Peniston is going to really charge up the World Rankings, but Francisco Cerundolo does not possess the biggest of serves and I think the British player can move through to the Quarter Final.

Sam Querrey - 1.5 games v Filip Krajinovic: It has been a long time since I have backed Sam Querrey to win a match, but the big serving American is enjoying his time on the grass courts since arriving in Europe and the form is hard to ignore in a Second Round match like this one.

That is probably a touch disrespectful to Filip Krajinovic who upset Jenson Brooksby in the First Round, but he now faces an American opponent with a lot more grass court experience than the one he has beaten. It was also a first win on the grass courts for a number of years and Filip Krajinovic has become a player that tends to pick up his cheque at Wimbledon and then move onto other events.

Again that may sound disrespectful, but his results have suggested that in recent years with little grass court experience being built before heading to Wimbledon. That indicates he doesn't enjoy playing on the surface, although Filip Krajinovic may feel the win in the First Round is the turnaround he needs.

He did not play as well as he would have liked and will have to serve a lot better if Filip Krajinovic is going to surprisingly reach the Quarter Final at Queens Club. The Serb did hold 80% of his service games played against Jenson Brooksby, but he only won 58% of his service points and the young American had plenty of chances to make that a much more competitive match.

Sam Querrey is not exactly known for his returning prowess, but he has broken in 22% of the return games played on the grass in his eight matches on the surface in 2022. That number is impressive enough when you think Querrey has held 96% of his service games played and he is a former Champion at this event.

The big server has won three matches to reach the Second Round and I do think Sam Querrey's ability to roll through some service games will be very key to the outcome of the match in what are likely to be hot conditions in London. Putting mental pressure on an opponent to have to work to hold serve can wear on players and I do think Sam Querrey's grass court experiences will be another factor giving him the edge in the match.

Filip Krajinovic has beaten Sam Querrey on an indoor hard court before and the grass in Queens is not playing as fast as some of the players have hoped, but the bigger serve of the American can set up shorter points and I think he can win and cover on his way to another Quarter Final in this part of West London.

Matteo Berrettini - 3.5 games v Denis Kudla: The conditions are considered slow by the players who have already been out on the court and the balls are heavier than they are used to, but for Matteo Berrettini it doesn't seem to make the slightest bit of difference.

After winning the title in Stuttgart, the defending Champion got the better of Daniel Evans in the First Round at Queens and has seen many of the top names already departing the tournament. Once again, Matteo Berrettini will be considered the favourite to win another grass court event and he has certainly become one of the best players on the Tour when it comes to this surface.

The serve is a massive weapon for Matteo Berrettini, but he also tends to get a huge amount of first serves in play and that makes it very difficult to break him. He did have to face off seven break points in the win over Daniel Evans, so there is some encouragement for his opponents, but Matteo Berrettini is playing with complete confidence on the surface and will feel his serve is one that puts a lot of mental strain on the opponent.

The latest to try and face up to the Berrettini serve is a player who has taken advantage of Andy Murray's withdrawal from the tournament and Denis Kudla holds one win over an Italian at Queens Club this year. He needed three sets to beat Lorenzo Sonego having entered the main draw as a Lucky Loser, while the American reached the Final of a grass court Challenger played in Surbiton already this season.

Denis Kudla has always had a pretty good grass court record and has produced plenty of wins on the surface throughout his career, and he has a 7-14 record against top 50 Ranked players on the surface. While not the most impressive, it is solid enough for a player who has never made the top 50 of the World Rankings in his own career.

The American has held 82% of his service games on the grass this season and Denis Kudla has held 75% of his service games against the top 50 Ranked players faced on the surface. That is a number that will be encouraging for Kudla as he bids to face Matteo Berrettini, but their sole previous meeting on a grass court ended in a routine win for the latter in 2019.

With the conditions as they are, Matteo Berrettini may feel he can take a few more swings on the return of serve than he might expect on the grass and I think his own serve will put Denis Kudla under an immense amount of pressure. The Italian is much improved since these two last met on the Tour in 2019 and even in the three matches in that season, Matteo Berrettini held 94% of his service games compared with Denis Kudla's 77% mark.

I think Matteo Berrettini should be well rested after winning the title in Stuttgart last week and playing one match since Sunday. It should mean another big serving day can be produced and I expect Denis Kudla to play one or two loose service games that gives Matteo Berrettini the chance to pull clear for a solid win.

MY PICKS: Ryan Peniston - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Sam Querrey - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Matteo Berrettini - 3.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Stan Wawrinka @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Ons Jabeur - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Coco Gauff - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Liudmila Samsonova @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Jelena Ostapenko - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Shuai Zhang @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Laslo Djere + 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Daniil Medvedev-Ilya Ivashka Over 21.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 11-13, - 7.56 Units (48 Units Staked, - 15.75% Yield)

NBA PlayOffs NBA Finals Picks 2022- Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics (June 2-19)

NBA Finals Picks 2022- Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics

When the PlayOff brackets were set several weeks ago, it felt this was the most likely of the NBA Finals and that has come to fruition.

However, there is no doubt that the challenges have been much tougher for the Boston Celtics than the Golden State Warriors with the loaded Eastern Conference meaning three tough opponents were faced.

Of course they needed to win two Game 7s and you do have to wonder if that means the Boston Celtics are battle-hardened or potentially fatigued when it comes to the NBA Finals.

Things went smoothly for the Golden State Warriors and they benefited from the potential problematic opponents falling away before facing the Warriors. With an experienced rotation, the Warriors will be heading into the NBA Finals as the favourites, but this feels like it could be a close Series.

All of the Picks from the NBA Finals will be contained in this one thread with the games to be played between Thursday 2nd June and Sunday 19th June when Game 7 will be scheduled if the NBA Finals needs it.

Thursday 2nd June

Boston Celtics @ Golden State Warriors Game 1 Pick: This feels like a NBA Finals that does legitimately feature the two best teams we could have seen and I am really looking forward to the Series between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors.

Most fans love watching the superstars take over games with their Offensive prowess, but what makes this Series so fascinating is it involves two of the very best Defensive teams in the NBA too. The pressure will be on the likes of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors and Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics to try and find a way to show that they can still find the holes on the other team to score the points needed to win each game.

With the Western Conference Finals wrapped up in five games, the Golden State Warriors have had plenty of time to prepare for this opening game of the NBA Finals.

They have clearly been able to use that effectively having had Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr and Andre Iguodala all back from injury ailments and all look to be ready to suit up for this Game 1. It is very important for the Warriors to have these strong Defensive players back in the rotation as they look to hold onto home court advantage and I do think these three will just ease the pressure on the very top players and allow them to play their Offensive basketball with some freedom from working as hard on the other side of the court.

That should mean Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are able to get going, but the Warriors also benefit from having players like Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole who can step up and produce Offensively when the two big stars are being closed down. They are clearly being trusted by the veteran Champions on the roster and that makes Golden State very dangerous and tough to beat.

It has been a relatively easy path for the Golden State Warriors back to the NBA Finals, but there is no doubting how tough the Boston Celtics will feel their own run has made them. After crushing the Brooklyn Nets, Boston have won a Game 7 in both the Conference Semi Finals and Eastern Conference Finals with the wins over the last two Champions of the Eastern Conference backing up their belief.

Like the Golden State Warriors, the Celtics have two standout players in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and they are going to be the key to any success in the NBA Finals. But also like the Warriors, the Celtics have had some talented role players step up and put up some big points when they have been needed and the likes of Marcus Smart and Al Horford will be vital for the Boston Celtics.

Three point shooting is going to be so important for both teams and it could mean there are some swings in momentum throughout the Finals, but I do think the emotion of another Game 7 could work against the Celtics in Game 1, even having a number of days off since the win over the Miami Heat.

While the Celtics have won some big road games throughout their PlayOffs run, the Golden State Warriors have proven to be very difficult to beat here.

I think that also shows up and home teams are 7-1 against the spread in the last eight Game 1s of the NBA Finals.

Small home favourites have been in a poor run in the NBA Finals, which is a concern when you know how good the Boston Celtics can be, but Golden State have been so strong in Chase Center and they have covered in their last four as the home favourite.

Playing off a Game 7 has been historically tough for teams in Game 1 of the next Series and the Boston Celtics felt that in the Eastern Conference Finals as they were outplayed in the Third Quarter by the Miami Heat in that Game 1 loss. The Celtics have been a road underdog to back throughout their NBA PlayOff run, but I think the Golden State Warriors will have a bit too much in the opening of the NBA Finals and can move into a position to cover.

Boston are 8-1-1 against the spread in their last ten as the road underdog, but that loss came in Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals after the Game 7 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks and I will get behind the Golden State Warriors in the first of the NBA Finals games.

Sunday 5th June

Boston Celtics @ Golden State Warriors Game 2 Pick: A strong Third Quarter looked to have put the Golden State Warriors in a perfect position to win Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but not many would have believed what they were about to see in the Fourth Quarter.

The Boston Celtics hit seven straight three-pointers to open the Fourth Quarter as the likes of Derrick White and Al Horford stepped up to make up for the struggling Jayson Tatum and the Celtics overcame a huge deficit to pull away for the road win. Stealing home court may have the Celtics heading into Game 2 with a feeling they are playing with 'house money', but I also think there will be a big reaction from the experienced Golden State Warriors.

You have to wonder if the Celtics can get the same kind of shooting effort for a second game in a row in the NBA Finals having secured 51% of their three pointers being drained. Al Horford, Derrick White, Marcus Smart and Payton Pritchard combined for 18/26 from the distance and I do think that is a figure that will be hard to replicate from game to game.

Some of the looks were wide open so you do have to wonder if Steve Kerr and the Warriors are game-planning to live and die by those role players and their shooting hot or cold streaks. Keeping Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown quiet is the most important aspect, but the Warriors have to show a bit more intensity all around as they try and force the Boston Celtics off of the three point arc.

I also have to expect better from the Warriors who did not shoot the ball as well as they would have liked- as strong as the Boston Defensive schemes have been all season, Golden State showed through the first three Quarters of Game 1 that they can find better Offense.

Better ball movement and perhaps looking for a bit more efficiency from Draymond Green and Jordan Poole will be important for the Warriors who also turned the ball over a couple more times than the Boston Celtics in Game 1.

You have to credit the Celtics for the fightback in the opening game of the NBA Finals, but I do think they will find it difficult to win Game 2 here too.

For starters you have to expect the Warriors to come out with more intensity and it could be easy for the Boston Celtics to just ease off the throttle having already stolen home court away from Golden State.

The Warriors are 5-1 against the spread in their last six after a straight up loss and home teams have played well in Game 2 of the NBA Finals in recent seasons.

Boston have shown once again how strong they can be when set as the road underdog and they have been a very strong road team throughout the NBA PlayOffs with an 8-2 record straight up in their ten road games. They have shown they can play and win games as the underdog already and I think they are a dangerous team when at their best.

However, I do also believe the Golden State Warriors have been strong enough at home to expect them to have their chances to bounce back and at least level the Finals before heading across the country to Boston. I expect better three point Defensive efforts and I think the Golden State Warriors can get a little more out of their role players to ensure they avoid another Fourth Quarter spot and are able to cover this time.

Wednesday 8th June

Golden State Warriors @ Boston Celtics Game 3 Pick: At the start of the NBA Finals, the task for the Boston Celtics will have been to try and return home in Game 3 with a split of the first two games and thus taking away home court advantage. A strong Fourth Quarter allowed the Boston Celtics to stun the Warriors by pulling away for a big win in Game 1, but the Celtics may feel they missed a trick to ram home the advantage in Game 2.

The game was a close one until the Third Quarter when the Golden State Warriors went on a very strong run and this time they were not going to let things slip.

You can imagine there was a feeling in the Boston side of the court that they have done their job by the fact they decided to pull their starters early in the Fourth Quarter of Game 2. It means there has been plenty of rest for the team and Boston are returning home to the TD Garden for two games in the knowledge they can take complete command of the NBA Finals.

After a tight opening half, Boston struggled Offensively in Game 2 and they will have to make some adjustments to try and challenge the Golden State Warriors who were not nearly as generous with the spaces allowed for shooting as they were in Game 1. It means the pressure is on Boston to find better looks, but they have been a team who have made the right decisions to turn things back in their own favour following a loss throughout this PlayOff run.

Levelling the NBA Finals will have given Golden State confidence, but they will also feel they still have room for improvement, especially Offensively. Take away the Third Quarter of each of the last two games and the Warriors have been struggling for consistency shooting the ball with Klay Thompson yet to have a big impact in the Finals.

Of course the Warriors have the experience and the quality to believe they will be able to put it all together sooner than later, but both games in these Finals have been decided by the impact of the role players.

That should be the case again in Game 3, but I do like how well the Boston Celtics have played off a loss, while the Golden State Warriors have not been the same team on the road as they have in their own Arena.

Game 3 in the NBA Finals have been dominated by the team that have lost Game 2 in recent seasons with the adjustments that have been made and the Boston Celtics have shown how strong their character is off a straight up loss.

Boston are 12-2 against the spread in their last fourteen games following a straight up loss, while they are also a team that have played well when having significant rest between games.

I will be opposing the sharp players in this one with the early money backing the road team with the points, but I think the zigzag theory applies and the Boston Celtics will be better in Game 3 than they were in Game 2. The Celtics are also 3-1-1 against the spread in their last five at home against the Warriors and they can make the adjustments needed to win and cover as Boston look to take the lead in the NBA Finals.

Friday 10th June

Golden State Warriors @ Boston Celtics Game 4 Pick: Usually I would write out my thoughts on Game 4 of the NBA Finals much earlier than this, but like so many, I have been keeping an ear out for any news surrounding Steph Curry.

He was injured at the end of Game 3 as the Boston Celtics took some big punches from the Golden State Warriors and did enough to rally for a 2-1 lead in the Finals. Losing would have stung, but losing Steph Curry would be devastating for the Warriors in their bid to once again win the NBA Championship.

While in pain and walking with a limp in the hours after Game 3, Steph Curry has looked to be trending in a positive direction for Golden State and he should suit up. Of course he won't be at 100%, but Curry's presence is key to opening things up for the Golden State Warriors on the Offensive side of the court.

Draymond Green admitted he played 'soft' in Game 3 and the Warriors much vaunted Defensive schemes were ripped apart by the Boston Celtics in the first half and it proved to be too much to overcome. However, Steve Kerr is likely going to make some adjustments like he did in Game 2 and those can at least make things tougher for the Celtics who bounced back from an 88 point effort to score 116 points in their Game 3 win.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both had big games, but they were well backed up by Marcus Smart and it is key for Boston that the former two players and one other is able to step up for them. The Celtics also had solid contributions from Robert Williams III and Al Horford too, while the Warriors are coming in off a game in which the role players struggled to match the intensity and Offensive shooting of Klay Thompson and Steph Curry.

Much will start on the Defensive side of the court for both of these teams in this pivotal Game 4 and this is the shortest rest time between games in the NBA Finals. I expect that to be a factor in this one as the powerful Defenses step up and some fatigue perhaps slows down the Offensive rotations.

As long as the teams don't throw in too many turnovers, the half court Defenses can make life very difficult for the other, while the referees have kept their whistles out of their mouths and allowed much more contact than we are used to in today's NBA. It means the teams are not getting to the Foul Line as much as they may want and that has prevented games being extended and I do think this will be a game that finishes under the total line set.

Game 4s in recent NBA Finals have leaned towards the under, while the sharp money looks to be with this being a lower scoring game than the layers have set. The bets have been split with the lean towards the 'over', but the actual money being put down is heavily skewed towards the 'under' and I am going to be following suit with the total where it is right now.

Monday 13th June

Boston Celtics @ Golden State Warriors Game 5 Pick: After four games of the NBA Finals, there can be no doubt as to how evenly matched the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors have been. Moments within each of the first four games have sparked a surge of Offensive output that has taken one of these teams over the top.

In the two games won by the Golden State Warriors, strong Third Quarters have sparked the turnaround and helped them come from behind twice in the NBA Finals. In Game 4 they showed strong Defensive schemes to force Boston Celtics to go cold from the field, while Steph Curry eased any worries about his injury by hammering the Celtics from the three point range to spark the road win.

The Boston Celtics have dominated the Fourth Quarter in their two wins in this Series, but they went cold at a very bad time in Game 4 just when it looked like they were to take a firm grip of the NBA Finals. Now the road warriors of the NBA PlayOffs have to win at least one more game in San Francisco to have a chance of winning an eighteenth NBA Championship and they have bounced back from setbacks throughout this PlayOff run.

Jayson Tatum has held his hands up and admitted he needs to be better to give the Boston Celtics an opportunity for a road upset. The star player of the team has been outscored by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum has been guilty of some bad turnovers at critical times, which have proved to be costly for the Celtics.

Boston will live and die with the three point shot and they do need a bit more efficiency from Marcus Smart and Al Horford, but they have shown they can recover from losses throughout the second half of the season.

Winning here for a second time will be a big challenge when you think of how strong the Golden State Warriors have been at home in the PlayOff run. The momentum is with the Warriors having won Game 4, but they were not able to build on that after holding the Celtics to 88 points in Game 2 and I do think there is still room for improvement for a team that is being carried by Steph Curry.

Klay Thompson will get his numbers, but the Warriors won Game 4 thanks to big impacts from Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins. I expect the Boston Celtics to make the adjustments to prevent Wiggins having the huge game he produced last time out, while the Golden State Warriors dominated the boards in Game 4 to even up the Finals.

It was a big swing from Game 3 and I expect the Celtics to look for the adjustments to be much more competitive around the boards in this one. That should give the underdog every chance of perhaps winning this one outright or at least make this the most competitive game of the NBA Finals so far.

With a couple of days of rest between Game 4 and Game 5, players should be rested and ready to go and I think there will be a response to the straight loss by the Boston Celtics.

Game 5 home teams who are favoured have really struggled in the NBA Finals in recent years and they have gone 0-4-1 against the spread and four of those teams have lost straight up. Small home favourites have not always been at their best in the NBA Finals and, including those spots with that spread in these Finals, those teams are now 5-10 against the spread in that spot.

This is not a very big spread, but the Boston Celtics have shown their character to rally from setbacks throughout the NBA PlayOffs in 2022 and I think they can do that again.

Thursday 16th June

Golden State Warriors @ Boston Celtics Game 6 Pick: There were absolutely moments in the Third Quarter of Game 5 when it looked like the Boston Celtics had rallied and taken control as they looked to bring a 3-2 lead back to the TD Garden in the NBA Finals. Unfortunately for the Celtics, the Golden State Warriors found some big time shooting from sources other than Steph Curry and it is the Warriors who are now a game away from winning another NBA Championship.

The first half performance from the Boston Celtics was really worrying in Game 5 and they can ill-afford to start that poorly again. Neither team shot the ball that efficiently, but the Celtics scored just 39 points in the first half and that was the main reason they found themselves in a double digit hole.

Role players have to be more efficient with their shooting, but it is going to be a big challenge against the strong Golden State Defensive rotations that have helped the team turn a 1-2 deficit into a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals. Momentum is firmly with the Warriors and even the big time adjustments made by the Boston Celtics to bounce back from losses throughout this NBA PlayOff run was missing.

We are now in the stage of any Series where teams cannot make as many big adjustments to turn momentum and it firmly comes down to which of these two is able to be most effective as far as execution is concerned.

In the last two games it has been the Golden State Warriors who have found the big shots and the big Defensive efforts at key times to turn those games in their favour and right now I cannot argue against them being able to do the same here.

Golden State have not been as effective on the road as they have been at home in their own run to the NBA Finals, but teams facing elimination in Game 6 of the NBA Finals have gone 1-5 against the spread since 2013. There is a real pressure on the Boston Celtics that cannot be ignored and facing the exit door has proved to be too much for teams to handle in recent Game 6s in the NBA Finals.

It is also difficult to ignore the history of teams playing with momentum going into the final three games scheduled of the NBA Finals. Teams that have won by double digits have gone 7-2-1 against the spread in Games 5 to 7 of the NBA Finals and that includes the Golden State Warriors covering as a 4 point favourite in Game 5 of the 2022 edition of the Finals.

Boston have not shot the ball well as the Warriors have ramped up their Defensive rotations and there has been far too much reliance on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They combined for 15/38 in Game 5, while the rest of the team were 16/37 and the Celtics need their star players to be more efficient with their shooting.

They also cannot expect another poor Golden State Warriors shooting day having made just 22% of their shots from the three point arc in the last game and I do think this is going to be a close game which makes the points being given to the underdog look appealing.

Factor in how teams have struggled without momentum in the later stages of the NBA Finals as well as those who are bidding to avoid elimination in Game 6 and I have to lean towards the Golden State Warriors with the points in this one.

The reality is we have not had a close game in the NBA Finals yet, but Golden State have the firepower and Defensive intensity to win this one outright and I do think they are being given enough points to make them count even if we have to see the NBA Finals head back to The Bay for a huge Game 7.

MY PICKS: 02/06 Golden State Warriors - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

05/06 Golden State Warriors - 4 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

08/06 Boston Celtics - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

10/06 Boston Celtics-Golden State Warriors Under 214.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

13/06 Boston Celtics + 3.5 Points @ 2.00 Betfair Sportsbook (1 Unit)

16/06 Golden State Warriors + 4 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

NBA Finals: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Conference Finals: 9-3, + 5.19 Units (13 Units Staked, + 39.92% Yield)

Semi Final: 9-17, - 8.81 Units (26 Units Staked, - 33.88% Yield)

First Round: 18-15, - 0.51 Units (35 Units Staked, - 1.48% Yield)

Play In Tournament: 2-4, - 2.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 34.83% Yield)

Euro 2020 Match Day 2 Group Picks 2021 (June 16th-19th)

Teams won't be panicking after one round of fixtures has been played, but there will be a little more urgency and pressure on those that wish to go deep into the Euro 2020 Tournament when Match Day 2 rolls around.

It has already been a tournament filled with drama, but there should be plenty more to come and hopefully it will be solely concentrated on the football and not more scenes like most would have witnessed in the Denmark-Finland game last Saturday.

Games on Match Day 2 will be played from Wednesday through to Saturday evening and the final round of games will start on Sunday. These middle fixtures can be hugely pivotal to the way the Groups and subsequent draw for the Knock Out Rounds may pan out so there are some big fixtures to come.

Wednesday 16th June

Finland vs Russia Pick: Most of the attention in the United Kingdom may be on the upcoming 'derby' game between England and Scotland, but for fans of Finland they have a chance to bloody the noses of their neighbours Russia in the opening fixture of Match Day 2.

A 0-1 win over Denmark was a huge result for Finland, but the match and the result were overshadowed by the Christian Eriksen situation which saw the Danish midfielder fortunate to escape with his life after collapsing on the field just moments before half time.

On the field, Finland took their limited chances and were a little fortunate at the back, but the victory is one that puts them in a strong position to earn a surprising spot in the Last 16.

They rode their luck at times on Saturday though and Finland will have a tough test travelling to St Petersburg with all the emotions out of that win likely to affect the Group. An angry Russia team will be waiting for them having been embarrassed by Belgium in their opening Group game at home, but the manager may point out individual mistakes which effectively saw the hosts punished.

Russia have tended to have better success against teams of this level rather than Belgium too and I am expecting them to be a lot better than they were last time out. While they are not really amongst the elite of Europe, Russia have been very difficult to beat here and they may have just enough to edge past a Finland team that are still not a great traveller despite the win in Copenhagen.

A heavy loss to open the tournament means Russia will likely be searching for goals in this one just in case they have to rely on being one of the best of the third place finishers and I think Finland can also play their part.

My feeling is that Russia will edge past Finland in a relatively high-scoring fixture.

Turkey vs Wales Pick: The last time Turkey and Wales met came in the 1998 World Cup Qualifiers and it ended in a 6-4 win for Turkey in what can only be described as a topsy-turvy game.

It would be a massive surprise if we even get half that number on Match Day 2 of the Group Stage- Turkey are coming off an extremely disappointing performance when losing 3-0 to hosts Italy, while a late goal was enough to earn Wales a 1-1 draw with Switzerland.

The three points look to be vitally important for two teams that did not show the kind of bite they would have liked in the final third in their opening games. Neither defended that well either, but Italy were ruthless where Switzerland were not, while I am not sure either of these teams are capable of creating the same kind of chances against the other.

Turkey are perhaps the better of the two teams having been seen as a 'dark horse' before the tournament began, but they will be the first to admit they need to be a lot better. This team is capable and it will feel like a home game in Baku which could be key, although Turkey have been travelling from Rome while Wales have been waiting here after the draw with the Swiss.

There is a feeling that both teams will feel they have the quality in the final third to show better than they did in the opener, and I do think Turkey definitely have more to offer.

Wales don't create a lot of chances and I do think Turkey can largely contain the threats, although set pieces may be a problem for them. There is more pressure on Turkey to win the game which could leave them vulnerable to a late counter attack if they are chasing the game, but I think they are the better of the two teams and may edge to the valuable points.

Having the fans behind them will be a big help and Turkey are a team that can blow hot and cold- my feeling is we've see the ice cold and that the heat is ready to go on Wednesday in Baku.

Italy vs Switzerland Pick: We have seen all twenty-four teams that are playing at Euro 2020 this summer and there haven't been too many you would say have performed better than Italy in their opening fixture.

A comfortable 3-0 win over Turkey showed a confident and vibrant side that is capable of scoring goals, but one that has an experienced backline that can also make Italy very difficult to beat. Roberto Mancini will be looking for his team to take this game by the scruff of its neck as they did against Turkey and I do think Italy will be very difficult to stop.

Switzerland may feel differently as a well organised team that has shown they are no walkover even for the very top sides in European Football. Some of the players will be disappointed with the 1-1 draw against Wales considering the chances Switzerland created, and it has made it a touch more difficult in the Group knowing they are travelling from Baku to Rome and then back to Baku for the final fixture in the section.

I expect them to try and frustrate Italy, but Turkey tried the same and it was only a matter of time before the hosts broke them down and ultimately won the fixture with room to spare.

Finding the balance going the other way may make Switzerland more dangerous to the hosts than Turkey were, but I do think that could also leave spaces for a talented Italy team to exploit and eventually secure another victory.

Italy have scored more than two goals at a European Championship for the first time, and they certainly played with a freedom and confidence that suggests they will have too much for Switzerland too.

I do think Switzerland are a little more experienced than Turkey though and this should be a tighter victory for Italy compared with the first game of the tournament. The Swiss have lost tight games at Spain and Denmark since the World Cup and I think the main ambition will be to try and keep things as tight as possible for as long as possible.

They should have some success, but Italy look a strong team and a narrow win will likely see them top the Group regardless of the final round of fixture outcomes.

Thursday 17th June

Ukraine vs North Macedonia Pick: Neither of these teams were at their very best in the opening fixtures played at Euro 2020 and both Ukraine and North Macedonia conceded three times in defeats to the Netherlands and Austria respectively.

That means another defeat for either could be costly and should produce a decent game of football on Thursday afternoon to open the days play.

Both Ukraine and North Macedonia will feel they are better going forward and I do think Ukraine are a potential dark horse in the tournament if Andrey Shevchenko can just find the right balance in his team. Defensively they lacked against the Netherlands, but Ukraine showed they can score goals when going forward and I think they will be a little too good for the rank outsiders North Macedonia.

However, you cannot take anything for granted from the minnows who were level with Austria with less than 15 minutes remaining. North Macedonia did struggle defensively which is a concern for them, but they may give Ukraine something to think about the other way too.

The quality should be with Ukraine and losing the opener should mean Shevchenko looks for an attacking performance to make sure they are back in contention to Qualify for the Last 16 before the game against Austria.

Ukraine should have the goals to edge past North Macedonia as they bounce back from the valiant fightback that ultimately came up short against the Netherlands.

Denmark vs Belgium Pick: All thoughts with the nation have to be with talisman Christian Eriksen after the awful scenes in Copenhagen on Saturday.

Losing the game was the least concern for most inside the Stadium, but Denmark have to pick themselves up after being able to talk to Eriksen and hopefully knowing the midfielder is on the mend.

The defeat to Finland has put Denmark under the cosh and the feeling is that they can't really afford another one here if they want to make it through to the Last 16. Merely for the confidence point of view the Danes need to rally together and fight for their team-mate, but it has been an emotional few days and it will be very difficult for the Danes.

It doesn't help that they are facing one of the favourites to win Euro 2020 and Belgium are fresh off a convincing 3-0 win over Russia which has put them in a strong spot in the Group. The fact that victory was produced without Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne shows the kind of strength in depth that Belgium can call upon and they did the double over Denmark last year in the Nations League.

This won't be an easy game for those in the Belgium camp considering many of them have close ties with Eriksen themselves, but their performance in Russia was ominous for the rest of the nations involved in the Tournament.

A draw would actually be a half-decent result for both teams, but Belgium are an aggressive, attacking line up that will want to secure their path through to the next Round as soon as possible. Their two wins over Denmark last year will back up the confidence earned from the win in St Petersburg and I think Belgium can make it two out of two.

Netherlands vs Austria Pick: Frank de Boer is still considered a manager under pressure with the Netherlands as fans expect far more from the national team than they are currently seeing.

The second half performance against Ukraine was very encouraging and the Netherlands were deservedly 2-0 up, but the absence of Virgil Van Dijk and the impact it would have on the team was clear to see as that lead evaporated. A late goal was enough for Holland to beat the Ukraine and another three points on Thursday will put the Netherlands on the brink of winning the Group.

They are likely to be tested by Austria on Thursday, but I am not sure what you could have learned from the win over the North Macedonia. Late goals secured the 3-1 win over the minnows in the Group and means Austria are in a very good spot in the section with two Group games to be played, but the remaining games should be much tougher for them.

The 0-4 home loss to Denmark in March is hard to forget and I do think the Netherlands will likely have too much for Austria too.

Playing games at Amsterdam is another boost for the Netherlands and I think the momentum from the late winner over Ukraine will carry over to this fixture too. They created enough to be vastly encouraged by the performance and I think Holland are likely to win this fixture in which at least two goals are shared out.

Friday 18th June

Sweden vs Slovakia Pick: Some may have been critical of the Sweden style of play in their goalless draw with Spain, but the result would have been one that the visitors would have been happy to accept before the match took place.

A point against the favourites has set Sweden up for a place in the Last 16, but they will have to be more clinical in the final third in this fixture.

They created chances against Spain despite the limited time on the ball, but the expectation has shifted and that also means the style of play has to change. Instead of looking to be overly defensive, Sweden have to get on the front foot and try and earn a three points that would set them well on the way to the Last 16.

Defensively Sweden are going to have to be better, but they will be aided by Slovakia despite the confidence the outsider in this Group of four would have earned from their last result. A win over Poland has given Slovakia a huge opportunity to progress, but they benefited from the breaks on the day and they will know they need to be better against Sweden and Spain to round out the section.

Sweden have won three of the five previous matches against Slovakia and there was enough encouragement from their performance against Spain to give them something to build on. Travelling from Sevilla to St Petersburg is not ideal for Sweden and they did play after Slovakia, but this is a team that is confident in their systems and can earn the victory here.

Slovakia will have to be stronger defensively to keep Sweden at bay, but they are also likely to allow Sweden to dictate the tempo of the match which should give the favourites enough of the play to earn the win.

It would be a surprise if there are a lot of goals in this one considering the way the first matches were played and a narrow Swedish win is the most likely outcome.

Croatia vs Czech Republic Pick: These two teams will begin play in the second round of Group matches in Group D of the Euro 2020 Finals and the feeling is that the pressure has all shifted to Croatia.

While some would have expected them to lose to England, Croatia cannot really afford another setback on Friday and the manager is scrambling around looking for answers.

They were largely ineffective against England and need to find plenty more in the final third if they are going to avoid a surprising exit in the Group Stage. Changes are likely going to be made to make Croatia a more dangerous side going forward, but they will also have to be aware of the confident side they are facing.

The day after England beat Croatia, Czech Republic beat Scotland at Hampden Park and the difference on the day was the quality that Patrick Schick showed in the final third. A strong header was followed by an outrageous lob from the halfway line and in Schick the Czech Republic that can make the difference in the tight games.

However, they were also extremely grateful to Tomas Vaclik and some errant Scottish finishing and on another day the Czech Republic would not have been comfortable winners. Improving defensively will be key if they are going to match their previous runs once getting out of the Euro Finals Group Stage, but I expect the Czech Republic to be tested by a Croatia team that can't be nearly as poor as they were on Sunday.

It won't be an easy game and there is pressure on Croatia, while the Czech Republic would likely be pretty happy with a point. That may see them just allow Croatia to come onto them and I do think they won't be as wasteful as Scotland were in the final third which ultimately should mean Croatia can bounce back from the opening loss.

Backing the favourites here on the Asian Handicap looks the way to go as Croatia will then shift all the pressure to Scotland to respond when facing England later in the day.

England vs Scotland Pick: The rivalry between England and Scotland is one that will have plenty of people around the United Kingdom watching on with interest on Friday evening.

Expect to see plenty of highlights of David Seaman saving Gary McAllister's Penalty followed by Paul Gascoigne's memorable chip and finish to held England beat Scotland twenty-five years ago when they met in the Euro 1996 Group Stage.

They have had some memorable fixtures against each other since then including a Play Off to reach Euro 2000 which was narrowly won by England despite a 0-1 defeat to Scotland at Wembley Stadium in the Second Leg. The last meetings came in the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers and it was England who took four points from Scotland which included a routine win over them at Wembley Stadium.

Games like this can see the form guide thrown out of the window, but there is some pressure on Scotland after losing 0-2 to the Czech Republic.

Most fans would tell you that it would not be a huge surprise if Scotland win this game, but were then beaten by Croatia and Knocked Out of the Euro 2020 Finals. Valiant exits have been part and parcel of Scotland in major international tournaments in the past, but they are going to need to be much better in this one if they are going to improve on the result against the Czech Republic.

Scotland were far from poor on the day, but finishing let them down and they can't afford to do that against this England team.

England were comfortable and deserved winners against Croatia and another home game will give them confidence. They have won plenty on home soil since the World Cup and the likes of Wales and the Republic of Ireland have been dismissed in friendly games too as Gareth Southgate has found a decent balance between defence and attack.

You do have to think Scotland will put in a huge effort to dent the Auld Enemy, but the quality is with England and the squad has enough depth to find another win for the home team. Scotland have not been the best travellers, but Steve Clarke will look for his team to be organised and try to frustrate England.

It may work, but you would worry for Scotland if they fall behind in the first half and I do think England will be a touch too good for them. They met at Euro 1996 and seven matches beginning with that one has seen England win four by two or more goals.

After looking pretty good going forward against Croatia and finding a couple of really nice positions, England can follow up by doing the same against Scotland.

I expect better from the Scots in the final third, but they may still come up short and England can put a good looking win on the board as they move into the Last 16.

Saturday 19th June

Hungary vs France Pick: Both of these teams played on Tuesday, although Hungary may have a slight edge being at home while France have to travel from Munich to Budapest.

That shouldn't really make a big difference to the World Champions who will have seen the kind of chances that Portugal were able to create against Hungary. Late goals were needed, but Portugal were more than deserved winners and The Magyars will know it is a big test for them in this Group considering the strength of the opponents in front of them.

It was wonderful to see a full, passionate crowd in Budapest and I expect another vibrant atmosphere which will give the Hungary players a push. However, Marco Rossi has to find a way for his team to do more than defend deep and the pressure is on for a result after the heavy defeat to Portugal put Hungary on the back foot.

Opening up against the World Champions is a recipe for disaster and only a couple of tight offside calls prevented France from really taking Germany to the cleaners. In general it was a tight fixture with very little between them, but the late goals that were chalked off would have made a big statement for France.

Despite that, most of Europe should have taken notice of France winning in Munich and there is no doubt that topping this Group offers an 'easier' route to the Final. Avoiding England in the Last 16 would be important and so Didier Deschamps will be looking for his team to back up their victory over Germany with another here.

France are solid defensively, but he will want his team to be more dominant in attacking areas against this Hungary team. I think that will be the case for a team that has won 9 away competitive fixtures in succession and even a couple of rotations should not mean a really good looking French team takes to the field.

They can be a team that plays up and down to the level of competition and France have not been one that presses to finish teams off. Breaking down Hungary early is the key for France, but I think they will be very hard to stop if they get their noses in front.

Hungary will be well backed from the stands, but they looked pretty average in their loss to Portugal which could have been decided much earlier than it was. If they do push a little more forward in this one, I think France will be able to pick them off and there is enough quality in the squad to see them win by a couple of goals on the day.

Portugal vs Germany Pick: These two nations will meet in another big Euro 2020 Group Stage fixture on Saturday and there will be differing feelings going into the second round of games.

Portugal were comfortable winners over Hungary and only poor finishing meant they had to wait until the 84th minute to make the breakthrough before late goals completed the win.

On the other side, Germany were a little unfortunate to lose 0-1 to France as poor finishing let them down. The pressure is on the hosts who know they need some kind of positive result to give themselves a chance of progressing to the Last 16 of the Tournament.

3 points were enough for teams to Qualify for the Last 16 at Euro 2020, but Germany will likely be targeting at least four points from their remaining two Group games. Hosting those gives them every chance, but Germany have lost their last 2 competitive games that they have hosted and scoring goals has been something of an issue for this team.

I think Fernando Santos will take a pragmatic approach to the fixture and that means Portugal looking to contain their hosts and try and hit them on the break. There is enough talent and pace to think that is a workable approach for Portugal who beat Sweden and Croatia away from home in the Nations League Group last year, while also earning a tight draw with France.

Portugal did score three goals in Budapest, but in the last two major international tournament Finals, the side have scored six goals in two Group games and a total of three goals in the other four. I think the approach will be one where they won't want to overcommit in this fixture, unless chasing the game of course, and instead will be focused on the defensive shape to prevent Germany taking control.

Germany are a capable attacking unit, but they do look vulnerable at the back.

That may open this fixture up with an early goal, but the feeling is that this will be similar to the game we saw on Tuesday in Munich. Both teams will give it a go, but there may also be a resistance to overcommitting and it could lead to a game with few chances.

While an early goal may really open things up as I have said, I do think Portugal are a team that force opponents to play their style of game and that suggests this will be a tight fixture. They would likely take a point if offered to them now, while Germany might also feel a point is not the worst result with Hungary at home to come next week.

Germany have dominated Portugal in recent meetings with 4 straight wins over them at Tournaments between 2006 and 2014. They are not the team they were and Portugal look stronger, but picking a winner looks difficult.

No matter the result I will be surprised if this is a massively open game and it may be a fixture with two or fewer goals shared out on the day.

Spain vs Poland Pick: Poor finishing proved costly for Spain in their opening Group game against Sweden and the locals were far from impressed by what they had seen. Alvaro Morata was the guiltiest of the attacking players, but others can't be too happy with their own performances and there is some pressure on Spain.

Winning the Group is quite important with the way the draw has panned out and I do expect a better reaction from Spain. The football was largely pleasing, but they have to find an end product to their play.

Defensively there are some questions about Spain, but I expect them to be too strong for Poland who were surprisingly beaten 1-2 by Slovakia in their own opening fixture. A sending off in the second half proved an obstacle too far for Poland and the defeat puts them under immense pressure with a fixture against Sweden to come.

They need a result in all likelihood, but Poland are travelling from St Petersburg and they just look a little short all over the pitch bar Robert Lewandowski. Getting enough possession to feed their top player may be the challenge for Poland and this is a nation that has struggled when facing the top European teams.

You can't really trust Spain after their opening performance, one which has become quite common over the last few years since they were dominating international football.

However, Spain looked good enough for all but the final pass/shot and I think they are too good for the remaining teams in this Group. This is a big step up for Poland who largely disappointed in their first game and I think Spain will have enough to narrowly get the better of them here.

MY PICKS: Russia & Over 1 Total Goal @ 2.25 Bet365 (2 Units)

Turkey - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Italy & Under 3.5 Total Goals @ 2.05 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Ukraine & Over 1.5 Total Goals @ 2.15 Bet365 (2 Units)

Belgium - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.75 Bet365 (2 Units)

Netherlands & Over 1.5 Total Goals @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Sweden & Under 5 Total Goals @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)

Croatia - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.88 Bet Victor (2 Units)

England - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

France - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.98 Bet365 (2 Units)

Portugal-Germany Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Spain & Under 3.5 Total Goals @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

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

Tennis Picks 2018 (June 16th)

At this time it is going to be hard to put down my full analysis for the Tennis matches being played over the weekend.

After another positive day with Friday producing a positive return I have a few Tennis Picks for Saturday as we get to the Semi Final matches at the events being played this past week.


MY PICKS: Richard Gasquet - 2.5 Games @ 1.95 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Jeremy Chardy - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Roger Federer - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Kirsten Flipkens - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Donna Vekic + 3.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units

Weekly Update: 17-9, + 11.62 Units (52 Units Staked, + 22.35% Yield

Tennis Picks 2017 (June 16th)

This has been an inconsistent week for the tennis picks, but I am never going to be disappointed when a winning week is being put together.

That is still in the balance with three more days for the tournaments in Hertogenbosch, Nottingham and Stuttgart still to be played. Thursday did prove to be another day with more winners than losers, but it just takes one really bad day to turn things into a negative despite three days of producing the wins.

On Friday we are down to the Quarter Finals in all of the tournament taking place this week. While that means there are sixteen main draw Quarter Final matches to be played, my focus is solely in Stuttgart from where I have made three picks.


Philipp Kohlschreiber - 1.5 games v Lucas Pouille: Both Philipp Kohlschreiber and Lucas Pouille had to dig deep to win their Second Round matches to move into this Quarter Final showdown on Friday. The oddsmakers are expecting a tight match with both players showing some decent form on the grass courts in their careers, but I am favouring the home player Kohlschreiber to win this one.

There is very limited grass court matches to take into consideration from 2017 and it feels like Pouille might be a touch overrated on his run to the Quarter Final at Wimbledon last year. He should really already be out of this tournament having struggled to deal with the Jan-Lennard Struff serve and also saving a boatload of break points in that match.

Kohlschreiber's win over Steve Johnson looks the strong one on paper and he didn't play badly in that match against a competent grass court player. The serves are similar, but Kohlschreiber should have the edge when it comes to the backhand battles and Pouille also had a pretty terrible record on the grass prior to the run at Wimbledon.

There also has to be the respect for the way Kohlschreiber tends to play at home and I will be looking for him to battle past Pouille with a 7-6, 6-4 win in this one.


Mischa Zverev - 1.5 games v Tommy Haas: This was supposed to be a farewell tournament for Tommy Haas who has struggled with injuries through his career but wanted to go out on his own terms. There won't be too many more chances to play at home for Haas and so being able to somehow produce a win over Roger Federer will be a memorable moment for him.

It will have been an emotional win for Haas who has now invested a lot of energy into his two wins here in Stuttgart. That will have taken both a physical and mental toll on the veteran and even a day of rest between matches may not be enough for Haas to be able to produce his best in this Quarter Final.

No one will doubt that Haas' best days are behind him despite him turning back the clock and playing some fantastic tennis at key times in his win over Federer. However the accumulated tiredness is a concern as well as the fact that Mischa Zverev is going to keep attacking the net and putting Haas into tough positions to pass.

Haas has played someone who plays a similar style as Zverev when beating Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the First Round, but rode his luck to do so. Zverev has played well so far this week, albeit against players who were perhaps overmatched, and I think his serve-volley game can give Haas some real problems.

I am just not anticipating Haas is going to be able to keep finding the tennis to escape the tough spots he has been in this week. I think Zverev is able to come through with a 7-6, 6-4 win as he wears down Haas.


Benoit Paire v Jerzy Janowicz: Backing Benoit Paire in back to back matches is a very brave decision, but I have been impressed with the numbers he has produced so far this week. Serving well and making the most of his return games has helped Paire come through the draw to the Quarter Final and I like the Frenchman to win this as the underdog.

He doesn't have a deep grass court pedigree, but he has shown he can clearly play on the surface. However you can understand the layers having Jerzy Janowicz down as the favourite when you think of the big game the Pole has and how well suited that should be to the grass.

On the face of things, Janowicz also has a couple of quality wins this week as the underdog, but the numbers do tell a different tale. In both of the matches this week Janowicz has won less return points than his opponent and it is only missed opportunities at break point compared with the Pole's clinical play at that time making the difference.

He will likely need more of the same to get through to the Semi Final, but Paire has shown signs of being focused this week. That can be a false dawn to thinking Paire will be able to do that consistently over the course of a tournament, but he has shown solid serving and that should give him every chance in this one.

The return stats have also been solid enough and I will look for the Frenchman to win this one as the underdog.

MY PICKS: Philipp Kohlschreiber - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Mischa Zverev - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Benoit Paire @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 13-10, + 3.76 Units (46 Units Staked, + 8.17% Yield)