Tennis Picks 2019 (June 26th)

The week before a Grand Slam is always an intense one and I am not surprised that a number of players have withdrawn from playing at the tournament in Eastbourne. Some of those have needed a rest after a strong showing last week, while others will not risk any health issues to take into Wimbledon.

However we still have some decent names reaching this stage of the tournaments being played this week and it is a chance for players to lay down a marker for the third Grand Slam of the season. As I mentioned earlier this week, the WTA Eastbourne event is certainly the most eye-catching thanks to the strength of the field they have been able to put together and there are players there who will believe they can ride the momentum from a strong run here into the first week at SW19.

Tuesday was not a very good day for the Tennis Picks which went 2-3 including the two matches that were completed after rain delays forced them to return to the courts after beginning matches on Monday. The good news is that it is still a positive week to now and I am looking to put a good number on the board before turning my attention to the next Slam of the season.

Selections look difficult to make on Wednesday, but I have seen four matches that have fallen within the criteria I have set for the last couple of seasons.

Johanna Konta - 5.5 games v Ons Jabeur: From the outset you have to say that this is a huge number of games for anyone to cover once players have had a couple of matches under their belts, but there are a number of similar spreads in the WTA Eastbourne Third Round matches on Wednesday. The others do seem unappealing on paper, but I do think Johanna Konta has every chance of covering here while continuing her strong form in her home tournament.

It was a difficult match for Konta on Tuesday against Maria Sakkari, but she did enough to edge through in two sets and I do think this is a match a step down from the kind of opposition she faced last time out.

This time Johanna Konta faces Ons Jabeur who was forced to retire from her match last week in Mallorca. That has seemingly not been a lingering issue though as Jabeur has twice come from a set down to win matches this week in what has become an open portion of the draw since Ashleigh Barty withdraw from the tournament.

The Tunisian has regularly shown a solidity on the grass courts without being anything above that. Even her two wins this week have come in close fashion and none of the opponents Jabeur has beaten is anything near the level that Johanna Konta can produce on the grass courts.

This is only the sixth time Jabeur has played a top 50 Ranked opponent on the grass courts and she is 0-5 in those previous matches. The serve is a weapon that can keep Jabeur competitive, but she has struggled with her return of serve and that should be magnified when facing a server like Konta.

I do think it can be difficult to trust Konta to cover this kind of number when you think of the returning stats she produces on the grass courts. This week Konta has won 41% of return points in her two wins, but I do think she can improve on that mark against Jabeur especially if she is seeing plenty of second serves.

In their one sole match back in 2015 Johanna Konta crushed Ons Jabeur for the loss of just four games on a hard court. This one might be a touch closer than that, but Konta is strong enough on the grass to find the three or four breaks of serve she is going to need to cover this mark.

Karolina Pliskova - 3.5 games v Elise Mertens: The former Eastbourne Champion has tended to play her best grass court tennis at this tournament and Karolina Pliskova will be searching for another Quarter Final spot here on Wednesday. She will have been disappointed with the early exit in Birmingham last week, but that was a tough draw for Pliskova who was beaten by her twin sister in the Second Round.

A comfortable win in the Second Round here after a bye in the First Round will have given Karolina Pliskova some confidence to take into this match. However she is going to need more than belief to beat Elise Mertens who has had a good month on the grass leading into this match.

The Belgian has had plenty of success on the grass throughout her career, but it has been a much different story when she has faced top 50 Ranked opponents on the surface. In those matches Mertens is just 4-9 while her entire stats on serve and return have taken a significant hit in those matches as the competition ramps up.

That is certainly going to be the case for Mertens on Wednesday and it will be a really difficult match if Karolina Pliskova continues to serve as big as she has been. The first serve has been a huge weapon for the Czech player so far in her three matches on the grass with almost 80% of points being won behind the first serve.

We should see that number being tested by Mertens who is a strong returner and has the movement to make Pliskova play enough balls to extract mistakes from her game. However I also think that serve is going to make the difference between the players on the day and can help Pliskova win and cover the number.

The Pliskova return has not been the most effective on the grass courts which has to be a concern when asking her to find multiple breaks of serve to cover. My feeling is that she is going to have more joy returning the Mertens serve and Pliskova did win 45% of return points in her win over Margarita Gasparyan in he Second Round to believe in her ability to get the better of this opponent.

Jelena Ostapenko - 2.5 games v Ekaterina Alexandrova: We hadn't seen a lot of grass court pedigree from Ekaterina Alexandrova before the last month and the Russian might be in even stronger form this week than the previous two. Wins over Alja Tomljanovic and Belinda Bencic look very good and confidence has to be high.

Those wins have come behind some very strong serving which has helped Alexandrova put some serious pressure on opponents. She was broken three times by Bencic in the Second Round, but in general the numbers being produced by Alexandrova have to be impressing.

It will be interesting to see how she deals with Jelena Ostapenko who has made it clear she is very much enjoying being back on the grass courts after a difficult year. The results have been strong for the Latvian who has won 50% of her return points played so far this week which has helped make up for some of the loose serving Ostapenko has become known for.

The first serve hasn't been a big problem for Ostapenko, but the second serve can be vulnerable to the point where she pushes too hard and can produce a host of double faults. Giving up free points is not ideal the later you get into a tournament, but the aggressive play Ostapenko produces seems to be well suited to the grass courts and can give her the edge in this match.

As well as Alexandrova has played on the grass over the last couple of weeks, her return has not been as potent as Ostapenko's. The Russian has shown significant improvement on her return compared to previous seasons on the grass, but I think it could be a tough match for her against the Ostapenko first serve.

It feels like it will be a match with a few breaks of serve shared out, but Jelena Ostapenko can continue her strong form shown over the last couple of weeks. Ekaterina Alexandrova has to be respected in her current form, but I am looking for the Ostapenko return to prove to be the key to her success in this match and I will back her to cover.

MY PICKS: Johanna Konta - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Karolina Pliskova - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jelena Ostapenko - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Dan Evans - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 5-3, + 2.28 Units (16 Units Staked, + 14.25% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (June 26th)

It was another winning day on the grass for the Tennis Picks on Monday, but it would have been a lot better if I had not backed the Pliskova sisters with both failing to cover.

At least Karolina earned her place in the Third Round in Eastbourne on the same day twin sister Kristyna was being beaten by a local hope.

The other three picks made on Monday all came back as winners to add to the Sunday selection. Tuesday looks a lot busier with a number of matches scheduled to be played in Eastbourne and I have a number of selections from the tournament there.

The Wimbledon Qualifiers have also begun which means we are on the fast track to the third Grand Slam of the season beginning with the opening day in six days time. I am hoping I will be able to get the Outright Picks from that tournament ready and posted by Sunday morning and I will then have a separate thread for the Day 1 Picks ready to go that evening.

It is a busy week with the World Cup Second Round also beginning on Saturday which means I want the whole First Round selections ready to go by Monday afternoon before what is likely to be England's first Knock Out tie. Hopefully the layers get their markets ready within twenty-four hours of the draws being made at the end of the week.

That is for another day though and for now let's go back to the Tennis to be played on Tuesday and the Tennis Picks which can be found below.

I have added the ATP Picks with full analysis, but the WTA selections have gone straight into the 'MY PICKS' section below.


Daniil Medvedev v Steve Johnson: This has all of the makings of a classic grass court match at the ATP Eastbourne event when Daniil Medvedev and Steve Johnson meet on Tuesday. You have to imagine both players are looking forward to this time of the season with the points they could potentially earn, but neither has really put any kind of winning run together which will concern them.

The losses they have suffered to the likes of Fernando Verdasco, Jeremy Chardy and Benoit Paire are not bad ones, but I think both Medvedev and Johnson are looking to gain some confidence with a solid run in Eastbourne.

I think both players will feel they can have a big impact at Wimbledon with the right draw, but I am leaning towards Medvedev in picking up the win here to move into the Second Round.

The young Russian has been serving well on the grass courts, but he has perhaps not been as strong returning as he has shown in the last couple of years on this surface. That is going to be an issue against someone like Steve Johnson whose serve can be a huge weapon for him, but Johnson's last thirteen months on the grass have not been as strong for him as he would have liked.

In that time Johnson is holding at right around 75%, but that is someway short of what he would expect. In 2018 Medvedev is holding at a much better rate of 86% through his four matches and Johnson is not exactly the best returner on the Tour which should mean Medvedev has the edge in the match.

Medvedev has won all three matches between these players and he has not really been threatened on the serve that consistently. He has also found a way to get into the Johnson service games and I like the youngster to win this match in what has been priced up as a pick 'em contest.


Mischa Zverev - 3.5 games v Nicolas Jarry: A 1-2 record on the grass courts in 2018 might not highlight how much Mischa Zverev loves playing on this surface, but he has not been blessed with kind draws. That is not the case in Eastbourne where Zverev begins his campaign against clay court specialist Nicolas Jarry on Tuesday.

This has been a big season for Jarry and that should inspire some confidence to take into matches for the last six months of 2018. However the move onto the grass courts may be the most difficult for Jarry who has never won a match on this surface.

Last season Jarry struggled when it came to holding serve and I think that will give Mischa Zverev a chance to win this match without too many real issues. My only concern for the German is that he is not always the most effective returner and the Jarry first serve is a big enough shot to at least produce some cheap points on an unfamiliar surface to him.

Zverev's returning numbers are pretty poor, but he may have more joy than usual in this match if Jarry continues to have problems. There is also the additional pressure Zverev can put on Jarry by slicing the ball down low and also getting up to the net and making his opponent hit a number of passing shots to try and win the match.

He will also be in a position to put some scoreboard pressure on Jarry with Zverev's serve a strong factor in any win the German puts together. Zverev has had some strong holding numbers throughout his career on the grass courts and that is where he begins to build his pressure on opponents who will know that one break of serve could be all it takes to cost them a set.

Credit also where it is due and that is to say that Zverev hasn't returned too badly on the grass courts in 2016 and 2017 with similar number of points won against the serve. However last year he started to add a few more breaks to the percentage of points won and I think his 2018 numbers have only been affected by taking on big serving players like Roger Federer and Karen Khachanov who can be very tough to break.

Someone like Jarry is perhaps not as capable as those players, especially not on the grass courts and I think Zverev can be backed to earn at least a couple of breaks of serve in this match which may be enough to cover this number.


Daniel Brands v Cameron Norrie: One of these players is a Qualifier and one has been given a Wild Card and the layers are finding it a little difficult to separate Daniel Brands and Cameron Norrie in this First Round match in Eastbourne.

I am a little surprised by that and I do think Daniel Brands deserves his spot as the favourite while he is at a price that looks to be worth backing.

Injury and a loss of form has seen Brands drop outside of the top 300 of the World Rankings, but he may be ready to make a move upwards having produced some solid results on the grass courts over the last month. This should be a surface that suits the German, although it has been tough for him in recent years and that is perhaps why the layers have some doubts about him.

In 2018 Brands has been serving very well on the grass courts and a win over Jack Sock during the Qualifiers here in Eastbourne would have given him a lot of confidence. The one defeat Brands has suffered came at the hands of Jeremy Chardy who has been in great form since moving onto the grass courts and Brands has some strong numbers to show for his 6-1 record.

There is room for improvement for Brands when it comes to the return of serve, but he may have more joy against Cameron Norrie who has lost both matches on the grass in 2018. It is clear that Norrie is not completely at ease on the grass and his 68% hold percentage is not effective enough on a surface where one or two breaks of serve can cost you the match.

That poor serving will give Brands a chance to improve on his return of serve, especially if he keeps serving as well as he has been over the last month. He has to make sure he is aware of the fact he is playing a left handed opponent, but Brands will believe he can keep Norrie under pressure considering how poorly the British player has returned.

It will be a close match, but I like Brands here to find a way to the win.

MY PICKS: Daniil Medvedev @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Mischa Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 2.05 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Daniel Brands @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Jelena Ostapenko @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)
Mihaela Buzarnescu @ 1.90 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Anastasija Sevastova - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Angelique Kerber - 3.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 4-2, + 3.46 Units (12 Units Staked, + 28.83% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2017 (June 26th)

We have three events taking place across two venues this week and the tournaments in Eastbourne and Antalya have already begun on Sunday.

The big story this week will be focused on Novak Djokovic and how he plays at Eastbourne in preparation for Wimbledon. This is the first time we will have seen Djokovic since he apparently gave up at the French Open and took a hammering at the hands of Dominic Thiem, but I am not sure how much Djokovic will enjoy his time on the south coast.

The wind was strong enough on Sunday and that is expected to be an issue all week, while rain delays should also be in play after the heat of last week in England. It's not exactly the kind of weather you want to play in when trying to find your rhythm on the court and Djokovic has regularly struggled in the wind anyway so let's see how he gets on.


Last week ended on a negative for the tennis picks but it could have been a lot worse having been in a poor position in the middle of the week. There were some tough days, but it is a week in which the results will help just improve things for the remaining couple of grass court events including the big two weeks at Wimbledon.

The Qualifiers will be played for Wimbledon over the next few days before the draw for the men's and women's events will be released on Friday. Hopefully we are in for some good weather during the two weeks at SW19 with improvements expected in England next weekend prior to the beginning of the event.

This week the picks are focused on the tournaments being played- the WTA event at Eastbourne looks a very strong event that could highlight players in the kind of form to win an open Wimbledon title, while the majority of big name players will be sitting out at the two ATP events.

There are plenty of matches scheduled for Monday where the First Round matches continue at the events being played this week and some Second Round matches are also scheduled in preparation for the Saturday conclusion.


Nicolas Mahut - 1.5 games v Robin Haase: There is a feeling that Nicolas Mahut's best days as a Singles player may be long behind him now as he has also struggled on the grass courts over the last couple of weeks. He has formerly been a specialist on the surface, but Mahut's numbers are down both on serve and return and he is not the player he once was.

That means I am more likely to want to oppose Mahut where I see him being over-rated, but that may not be the case in this First Round match in Eastbourne.

While Mahut has struggled, he is facing someone in Robin Haase who can be hit and miss on the grass courts too. Haase had a couple of solid wins in Halle last week which will make him dangerous and he has had strong runs on the grass courts before.

However I think Mahut is the better player on the surface even if he has perhaps lost half a step getting up to the net. When the first serve is working, Mahut should be able to keep a player like Haase under pressure and I will look for that to be enough to earn a couple more breaks of serve over the course of the match.

Even on the return Mahut will try and get up to the net and see if Haase has the quality and clear thinking to keep making the passes and I will look for the Frenchman to come out on top there. It may need three sets, but Mahut can put a win on the board here and I will look for him to cover this number.


Cameron Norrie + 2.5 games v Horacio Zeballos: There is going to be some hard work ahead for Cameron Norrie as he transitions onto the professional Tour, but going through the College ranks in the United States has produced some quality players at this level. He struggled on the grass over the last couple of weeks, but I am going to back Norrie with the games in this one.

Ultimately he is playing an opponent in Horacio Zeballos who simply does not like playing on the grass and tends to miss this portion of the season.

During his career, Zeballos hasn't taken in too many grass court tournaments, although he did win three Qualifiers to get into the main draw at Wimbledon in 2015. That is a potential problem for me in this one as Norrie isn't much better than that kind of level at this moment in his career, but Zeballos is hard to back simply because he has lost his last six main draw matches on the grass.

Some of those have been disappointing and Zeballos will need to find his feet on the surface in this one. His lefty serve should be one that Norrie can read a little more being a lefty himself, while having had the grass court experience in recent weeks should be important for Norrie in this one.

It might not feel like a lot of games, but there is enough here to think Norrie can take advantage of them and I will take the young Brit with those games in hand.


Barbora Strycova - 3.5 games v Eugenie Bouchard: Things have taken a significant downward spin in the career of Eugenie Bouchard to the point that her 2017 highlight may have been beating Maria Sharapova. 2014 was a breakthrough year on the Tour for Bouchard, but she is just 52-54 in matches played since the beginning of 2015 and Bouchard has a losing record on the season.

There is definitely more press time offered to Bouchard than her results dictate there should be and her slip down to Number 59 in the World Rankings shows no sign of stopping.

Another early loss last week in Mallorca wouldn't have helped matters and Bouchard has struggled on the grass since reaching the Final at Wimbledon in 2014. The Canadian is 6-9 on the grass courts since then, and I am not sure she is going to be able to compete with a solid player like Barbora Strycova.

Strycova is comfortable on the surface and she has beaten Bouchard the last three times they have played one another on the Tour. It has been almost twelve months since they last played each other, but Bouchard hasn't shown much improvement since then and Strycova is someone who has been able to produce the wins on the grass court.

She has a decent enough serve to put Bouchard under pressure and Strycova will believe she can out-rally her where necessary and I am looking for the Czech player to produce a solid win in this First Round match.


Karolina Pliskova - 3.5 games v Alison Riske: The first match on grass can always be something of a learning experience even for the very best players on the Tour. We saw that last week at Queens and have done over the years when players have just struggled to find their timing and feel comfortable with their movement.

That is arguably the biggest problem for Karolina Pliskova when she takes on Alison Riske in the Second Round in Eastbourne, but Pliskova has the big equaliser in a monster serve which may be the best on the WTA Tour now Serena Williams is on the sidelines.

Pliskova's serve should cause considerable damage on the grass courts and I think she will put Riske under some pressure with that shot alone. In 2016 Pliskova seemed to get an idea on how to back up that serve with a title win in Nottingham as well as reaching the Final in Eastbourne, even though she was stunned very early at Wimbledon.

This is the kind of match that should give Pliskova some rhythm to play with as Riske can try and take the ball on from the back of the court, but simply doesn't have the same power as the Czech player. Riske is a dangerous player when firing and confident, and there will be moments when she is dominating the net to put the pressure on Pliskova.

However, I think Pliskova will be able to have a few free swings on the return of serve that can help her move through with a 6-4, 6-4 win and get her grass court season underway.


Heather Watson + 4.5 games v Dominika Cibulkova: For someone who doesn't really rate Heather Watson that highly, it might be a surprise to see that I am backing her as the underdog with the games for the second week in a row. Like last week, I think Watson is facing a higher Ranked opponent in Dominika Cibulkova who is not playing with a lot of confidence.

Last week Watson went down to Elina Svitolina but she did take a set in the match and it was a poor beginning which cost her. Having a win in the bag in Eastbourne may just give her the confidence to stick with Cibulkova for longer, although Watson will have to serve well to keep the Slovakian from getting on the front foot in rallies.

Watson should have a chance to recover breaks of serve against Cibulkova too though and Cibulkova is just 1-6 in her last seven matches. Cibulkova has had a couple of tight losses on the grass in the last two weeks which may not have dented confidence too much, but it suggests this will be another tight match for her.

Last year was a strong year for Cibulkova on the grass as she won the title here in Eastbourne and was a Quarter Finalist at Wimbledon, but the confidence levels were much higher then. While she has the power to hit through the court on the grass, Cibulkova's serve could see her having to defend at times and I am looking for Watson to do enough to stay within this number of games.

Hopefully this week Watson is not blown out in a set and instead can force a competitive match after her win in the First Round.


Daria Gavrilova - 3.5 games v Lara Arruabarrena: The majority of the success that Lara Arruabarrena has had on the Tour have come on the clay courts, which shouldn't be a surprise, but she can produce some tough tennis on the grass courts.

There aren't a lot of wins behind her, but Arruabarrena has to be respected having beaten a couple of competent grass court players in the Qualifiers. Wins over Richel Hogenkamp and Tsvetana Pironkova are good solid wins, but Arruabarrena is going to have to take another step up when facing Daria Gavrilova.

The latter can be a frustrating player to back because her style of player means she is capable of dropping a set with a couple of breaks of serve against her. Aggressiveness is one thing, but it's difficult to maintain that behind a serve that can be a little loose and could be under threat in the windy conditions that generally affect Eastbourne.

However that aggressiveness should see Gavrilova attack the Arruabarrena serve with some real success too and I am anticipating a few breaks of serve to be shared out between these players.

The Arruabarrena serve does look the weaker of the two in this match though and I think it will mean Gavrilova is able to win this match 7-5, 6-4.


Jelena Ostapenko - 1.5 games v Carla Suarez Navarro: This is the first appearance for Jelena Ostapenko since winning the French Open title and it will be interesting to see how she responds to a new found fame. We have seen the likes of Garbine Muguruza struggle under the expectation that comes with winning a Grand Slam title, while it has to be said that Ostapenko's game is right on the edge so a series of surprise losses won't be as much of an upset as the odds may indicate.

In saying that, I think Ostapenko's game does transfer very well onto the grass courts. She is a former Junior Wimbledon Champion and the aggressive play should be even more penetrative on the grass courts.

She should be able to hit through Carla Suarez Navarro who has the character to battle through to some solid wins on the grass. However much will depend on her opponents being a little out of sync because the Spaniard will need to defend plenty of balls on a quicker surface than she perhaps like and I think Ostapenko will be a little too good for her.

The risk is clearly in backing a player on their first grass court match of the season and coming off an emotional tournament like Ostapenko has done. She has beaten Carla Suarez Navarro on the grass before and a good serving day should set her up for success in this Second Round match.

Windy conditions can be difficult, but Ostapenko handled those well in Paris and I will look for her to break down Suarez Navarro with a 7-6, 6-4 win.


Shuai Zhang - 1.5 games v Varvara Lepchenko: It looked like Varvara Lepchenko was struggling with some sort of injury in Mallorca, but that didn't stop her coming through two Qualifiers to get into the main draw in Eastbourne. The American has a big serve and a heavy forehand that can make her a threat on the grass courts, but Lepchenko can struggle for consistency off the ground.

Giving away poor breaks of serve can be costly on the grass courts and Shuai Zhang can take advantage of Lepchenko here.

She has been returning well in the last couple of matches, but generally this has been an issue for Lepchenko on the grass courts. While we have not seen the best of Zhang on the grass courts, she played well last week in Birmingham to think she can put her opponent under pressure and get the better of Lepchenko.

This has been a difficult season for Zhang which can affect the confidence of players, especially when they see the finishing line. However she is facing someone who has had problems of their own when it comes to winning matches and I do think Zhang can return well enough to put Lepchenko into some difficult positions on the court.

It may need three sets to separate them, but Lepchenko looked a little out of sorts last week in Mallorca and Zhang may just have enough to come though with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win.

MY PICKS: Nicolas Mahut - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Cameron Norrie + 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Barbora Strycova - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Karolina Pliskova - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)
Heather Watson + 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Daria Gavrilova - 3.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)
Jelena Ostapenko - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Shuai Zhang - 1.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Season 2017: - 17.26 Units (1176 Units Staked, - 1.47% Yield)

Season 2016: - 5.64 Units (2013 Units Staked, - 0.00% Yield)

Season 2015: - 21.81 Units (1812 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)
Season 2014: + 45.05 Units (1586.5 Units Staked, + 2.84% Yield)

Season 2013: + 21.74 Units (1251.5 Units Staked, + 1.73% Yield)

Season 2012: + 49.21 Units (855 Units Staked, + 5.76% Yield)

Season 2011: + 82.02 Units

Tennis Picks 2015 (June 26th)

The Wimbledon draw is going to be made on Friday morning so my attention will be shifting to that tournament over the weekend.

I will be looking to get the Wimbledon preview with any outright picks out by Saturday and picks from the first day of the tournament to be ready for Sunday so look out for those over the weekend.


Before all that, Eastbourne and Nottingham will be looking to put a full stop on what has been decent tournaments at both venues this week. The tournaments are scheduled to come to an end on Saturday which will ensure the Finalists have ample time to get ready for Wimbledon, although those are only going to be completed as long as the weather continues to play ball as it has for much of the week.


Marcos Baghdatis - 1.5 games v Denis Istomin: This has already been a very good week for Marcos Baghdatis and he might just be catching Denis Istomin at the right time this week. As well as Istomin has done to reach the Semi Final, he had to come through a long Quarter Final with Leonardo Mayer and will also be battling fatigue as well as Baghdatis in the Semi Final.

It hadn't been a great grass court season for Istomin prior to this week with losses to Joao Sousa and Yen-Hsun Lu behind him, but he has had success on grass in the past. In fact this is the second season in a row he has reached the Semi Final in the event prior to Wimbledon and Istomin has a decent serve and heavy groundstrokes that should transfer onto the grass.

However, Baghdatis has really turned back the clock this week in his four wins where he is yet to drop a set. The 64, 64 win over Simone Bolelli in the Quarter Final was very impressive from the Cypriot and Baghdatis has always been very comfortable on the grass.

He has served well and continuing to do that will give Baghdatis a real chance to keep the pressure on Istomin and help him break him down. It potentially will need three sets to separate them with the way Istomin has been playing, but I like Baghdatis to win this 63, 46, 64.


Alexandr Dolgopolov - 1.5 games v Sam Querrey: It was remarkable watching Sam Querrey somehow get out of the second set with a win against Gilles Simon in the Quarter Final and I do think he is on borrowed time here. Querrey was 15-40 down on serve at 5-5 in the second set having dropped the first, while Simon missed match point by an inch in the tie-breaker before falling away in the final set.

The American has the kind of game that could frustrate Alexandr Dolgopolov, who made much harder work of Yen-Hsun Lu than he should have in his own Quarter Final, although I do think the variation in the Dolgopolov game will be able to extract mistakes from Querrey too.

You can't dismiss Querrey simply for his background on the grass courts as a former winner at Queens and he also has to be respected for the kind of tennis that works well on the grass. Querrey has a big serve and follows that with a heavy forehand and will win plenty of short points if he has his eye in.

The key for Dolgopolov is to force the rally into the fifth/sixth and beyond number of shots where he should have an edge. He has to stop some of the loose mistakes as he won't recover too many leads he hands to Querrey, but I do think Dolgopolov has played the better tennis over the last couple of Rounds.

This is likely to be tight and is another of the Semi Final matches in Nottingham that might need to go the distance, but I think Dolgopolov finds a way to come through with a 67, 76, 64 win.


Sloane Stephens + 3.5 games v Agnieszka Radwanska: I was surprised with the ease in which Agnieszka Radwanska dismissed the challenge of Tsvetana Pironkova on Thursday and she is a big favourites to progress to the Final. Radwanska has the head to head advantage in this one, is a former Wimbledon Finalist so comfortable on the grass, and has looked to be getting back to her best over the last couple of weeks.

She takes on Sloane Stephens who received a walkover to the Semi Final and is still trying to make her first Final on the Tour so there will be some pressure on her shoulders. However, it has to be said that Stephens has been playing a high level this week, although this represents another step up in class from what she has seen so far.

Stephens has to avoid becoming frustrated by an opponent that will get a lot of balls back in play, but she certainly has the game to win this match outright. Her serve can give her the chance to win cheap points and Stephens has to make sure she hurts the Radwanska serve and make the Pole feel her recent struggles on the court prior to the grass season.

Matches between them have been competitive in sets, but too often Stephens has allowed Radwanska to win an 'easy' set which is a concern for my pick. However, I do think Stephens has the kind of game that should give Radwanska problems on this surface and I will look for her to keep this competitive.


Belinda Bencic + 3.5 games v Caroline Wozniacki: She might only be 18 years old, but Belinda Bencic won't want to be taken to school by Caroline Wozniacki in the manner she was in Istanbul last year when she was double bageled. Any concerns that there is a mental issue was removed when Bencic beat Wozniacki at Indian Wells earlier this season and she will be looking to get to another grass court Final this week.

Bencic reached the Final at Hertogenbosch before finding Camila Giorgi a little too hot to handle, but the Italian is a very aggressive player that can take the racquet out of an opponent's hands. The same can be said of Sabine Lisicki on a grass court, as her 27 aces against Bencic proved, but the Swiss teenager will know Wozniacki is unlikely to blast her off the court.

That means there will be some long rallies between two players more known for their accuracy and consistency than their overwhelming power on the court and I think this could be a very entertaining match. Bencic's serve was letting her down at times in her Quarter Final win, but Wozniacki faced the same problem and there could be a number of break points for both women.

Whoever plays the big points best will win, as is the case in most tennis matches, but I do believe this is a competitive contest throughout. Both Bencic and Wozniacki should have their moments and there is every chance we need three sets to separate the players which makes this number of games being offered on Bencic look attractive.

MY PICKS: Marcos Baghdatis - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Alexandr Dolgopolov - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Sloane Stephens + 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Belinda Bencic + 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 8-10, - 5.64 Units (36 Units Staked, - 15.67% Yield)

Copa America Quarter Final Picks 2015 (June 24-27)

The Copa America only eliminates four teams at the Group Stage of the competition so there is little surprise that all of the favourites remain in contention to win the tournament this year.

Chile have looked the most impressive of the teams making it through to the last eight, but they were also in a Group where their quality could be shown off. I would still be a little concerned with the manner of the goals conceded to Mexico in the 3-3 draw the hosts had against them, although Chile are in the weaker half of the draw and should think they are good enough to at least reach the Final.

Argentina remain the favourites, but narrow wins over Uruguay and Jamaica and a 2-2 draw with Paraguay doesn't exactly inspire confidence. However, Argentina fans will point out the tight wins in the World Cup last summer that took them to the Final, although they potentially have to beat Colombia, Brazil and Chile to win this tournament which is going to be far from easy.

I do have to say it is far from guaranteed that Brazil make the Semi Final as they have to take on a Paraguay team that beat them in the Quarter Final four years ago and who are unbeaten in the Copa America this year despite facing Argentina and Uruguay in the Group.

There won't be too many people rushing to back the likes of Bolivia and Peru to win the tournament, but Paraguay made the Final four years ago and you just never know in the Knock Out Stage of any competition.

Wednesday 24th June: Chile v Uruguay

The hosts have qualified out of Group A in a fashion that the fans would have expected, but the big story remains off the pitch surrounding Arturo Vidal and the drink-driving accident he had last week. However, the Chile national team have made it clear that they are going to stick by Vidal and the whole team responded with a resounding 5-0 win over Bolivia in their final Group game to top Group A.

That meant they were going to take on one of the teams that finished in third place in their Group, although I don't think many would have picked Uruguay to be one of those teams. After beating Jamaica 1-0, Uruguay were beaten by Argentina and could not hold on to a lead against Paraguay in a game where they had to settle for a point and finishing behind those two nations.

Knowing they were going to be without the services of Luis Suarez was always going to give Uruguay a problem in this tournament, but it is the changing of the guard in other areas of the squad that hasn't helped them. Uruguay might have won this tournament four years ago but the expectation wasn't there for them to do the same this time around as they rebuild a squad that will be able to make the World Cup in Russia in 2018.

Replacing the Suarez goal output was another difficulty Uruguay had to resolve as he is such an integral part of the set up, while the Barcelona forward is also someone that can create space for others. It is little surprise that Uruguay have only scored twice in the Copa America in their opening three games without him and they have not shown a consistent attacking threat.

You have to feel a consistent attacking threat is the only way Chile are going to be stopped at their own tournament as they look to win the Copa America for the first time. They are in the weaker half of the draw with the likes of Argentina, Colombia and Brazil all in the other half and Chile have scored plenty of goals in the Group Stage to suggest they will make the Final. Chile scored at least twice in each of their games in the Group, although Uruguay is a much tougher defensive unit than they have faced.

Diego Godin will return to the starting eleven to strengthen Uruguay at the back, while Uruguay have not lost to Chile in their last four games at the Copa America. In fact Uruguay have lost just 2 of their last 6 visits to Chile and won a friendly here 1-2 last November so they won't be intimidated by the atmosphere in the Quarter Final.

With the recent success Uruguay have had here, it does make Chile look short in the market to win. All of the pressure is on the hosts to win the tournament and that also makes them a dangerous pick against a team that still has a lot of experience like Uruguay.

While Uruguay haven't set the world alight with their attacking football in the Group, I do think the layers are taking a chance with the odds against quote for at least three goals being shared. That happened in their friendly here last November, while Chile have scored plenty of goals in the Group and not always looked secure at the back despite two clean sheets.

It is a Knock Out tie too so spaces could potentially open up if one team is chasing the game and I think both teams will score in this one, although I just favour the hosts to have the edge.

Thursday 25th June: Bolivia v Peru

There wouldn't be too many hands raised if you asked for a show of hands of people who thought Peru would finish above Colombia in Group C... That number would be reduced significantly if asking for those who also thought Bolivia were going to make it into the Quarter Finals of the Copa America for the first time since reaching the Final in 1997.

I mean how could anyone possibly back a Bolivia side that hadn't won a game at this tournament since hosting the event in 1997? However, they broke that sequence with an incredible 3-2 win over Ecuador having gone 3-0 up by half time and essentially hanging on towards the end of the game, but that was the win that put Bolivia into the Quarter Final at the expense of Mexico and Ecuador.

Some may have looked at the 5-0 defeat at the hands of Chile as Bolivia's bubble being burst at the Copa America, but they decided to make changes to their team in that one having already qualified for the Quarter Finals. Now this Bolivia team should have more of a feel of that which earned four points from their first couple of Group games, although the expectation is that their tournament comes to an end here.

Peru have looked much stronger than Bolivia having barely been beaten by Brazil thanks to an injury time goal in their first game at the Copa America. They followed that up by beating Venezuela, the result which ultimately proved decisive for them, before Peru earned a goalless draw with Colombia to finish above the latter in second place in Group C.

They have played well but two goals from their first three games has to be a worry, particularly the lack of composure shown against Venezuela despite having a man advantage for 70 minutes of that game. Peru have also won just 2 of their last 7 games so it does look a very short price having them at odds on to win this game, especially when you add the recent head to head with Bolivia.

Of course Bolivia have only won 2 of their last 19 games heading into this Quarter Final, but they have lost just 2 of their last 6 matches. The games with Peru have been tight in recent years and the last four have all ended in draws including in both World Cup Qualifiers played a couple of years ago.

The last two times they have played at the Copa America have also both ended in draws and Bolivia showed enough in their first two games of this tournament to think this will be far from easy for Peru. One problem for Bolivia would be if they end up chasing this game as I am not sure they have enough to contain Peru if they fall behind and whether they have enough attacking threat to get back into the match.

However, this has the makings of a game that might see both teams having to settle for the penalty shoot out to decide matters. The pressure of expectation on Peru might give them an issue and they don't look like a team that will score a lot of goals, while the recent head to head suggests this will be a much closer contest than the layers believe.

Friday 26th June: Argentina v Colombia

Out of the four Quarter Finals, this looks to be the 'biggest' as two of the top four favourites to win the Copa America meet earlier than expected. Argentina won Group B as expected, but Colombia were surprisingly one of the best third place finishers and that meant they had to be paired with the favourites in this Quarter Final.

It hasn't been the free-flowing tournament that Argentina fans might have expected from their side, but they remain on course to win their first major international tournament in over twenty years. After coming so close to winning the World Cup last summer, Argentina came into the Copa America tournament as the big favourites and wins over Uruguay and Jamaica helped them top the Group.

Both of those wins came by the same 1-0 scoreline, but Argentina's most disappointing result was the 2-2 draw with Paraguay as they allowed a 2-0 lead to slip in their opening game.

Lionel Messi has yet to really spark at the tournament, but Sergio Aguero has scored a couple of goals and is expected back in the starting line up having missed the game with Jamaica as a precaution. His replacement Gonzalo Higuain scored the winner in that game, but Argentina have to up their performance against a quality team like Colombia who have perhaps underachieved to this point.

That has shown up in the fact they have beaten Brazil, but Colombia could only manage a goalless draw with Peru which meant they had to finish in third place behind those two nations. Colombia were beaten 0-1 by Venezuela in their first game at the Copa America and they are looking to surpass the Quarter Final at the tournament for the first time since 2004.

Some of the criticism of Colombia has been the lack of goals despite players like Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez and Jackson Martinez to call upon. One goal in three games is a disappointment, but Colombia may point out that they have only conceded one goal in those games too and will feel they can blunt what looks a very good forward line for Argentina.

It does look like a match that will be closely contested as both teams have looked to make sure they are defensively sound, but have perhaps not been as fluent in the forward areas as they would have liked. Argentina have looked the more threatening on a consistent basis through the tournament, but defensively they have looked more vulnerable too which makes this an intriguing contest.

There is no surprise that games between Argentina and Colombia have been so close in recent years and 2 of the last 3 have ended in goalless draws. That includes their meeting four years ago at the last Copa America which occurred in the Group Stage and penalties is a distinct possibility in this match.

I don't imagine there will be too many goals in the game as both teams have been more focused defensively and neither Argentina or Colombia will want to risk being exposed at the back against the vaunted attacks in front of them. I do give the edge to Argentina over the ninety minutes, but I think it is incredibly tight and this match might need penalties to decide it.

Argentina were beaten at this stage on penalties four years ago, but they have a strong record generally in penalty shoot-out matches and a small interest on them winning this on in a shoot out looks warranted.

Saturday 27th June: Brazil v Paraguay

The last time Brazil had to make do without Neymar at a major international tournament saw them embarrassed at the hands of Germany and the Netherlands, but they have decided to accept the suspension that was handed out to their captain and talisman. That means Brazil will have to win the Copa America without the services of Neymar as they get set to take on Paraguay in the Quarter Final of this competition for the second consecutive tournament.

Four years ago it was Paraguay who managed to come through the Quarter Final on a penalty shoot out after a goalless draw and they will be confident they can beat Brazil for the second tournament in a row. While Paraguay struggled in the World Cup Qualifiers, they have looked a strong team at the Copa America as they came out of a Group containing Argentina, Uruguay and Jamaica unbeaten.

The side found themselves 2-0 down to Argentina in the first game, but showed the heart and character Paraguay have by coming back for the 2-2 draw. The 1-0 win over Jamaica was harder work than they would have perhaps expected, but the 1-1 draw with Uruguay was enough for them to finish above Uruguay in Group B.

After seeing both Peru and Venezuela give Brazil some problems in the 2-1 wins for the latter, Paraguay won't be coming into this match with an inferior complex. Brazil were also beaten 0-1 by Colombia and they don't have the same look of a team that had won 10 friendlies in a row since going out of the World Cup last summer.

Whether that is down to the expectation on their shoulders or whether Brazil are simply still scarred by their last tournament experience is hard to judge, but Dunga is clearly struggling to get the best out of them in Chile. Now they are without Neymar, Brazil simply don't seem to have the same attacking threat and a team like Paraguay have shown they can cope with the best South America has to offer in their Group performances.

Despite the performances, Paraguay haven't done a lot of winning and I think it will be tough for them to win this one in ninety minutes. However, they have proven tough to beat in recent matches and have drawn 4 of their last 6 including those two games with Argentina and Uruguay.

It would be a bit of a surprise if Paraguay don't make sure they are tough to beat in this one too and hope to nick a goal, which they have managed in every game in the Group. However, I think they focus on trying to blunt the Brazilian attack that is missing Neymar and Paraguay won't be concerned about taking their chances on the shoot out after beating Brazil in that manner four years ago.

That was a remarkable shoot out with only 2/7 penalties being converted, but Brazil are unlikely to miss four straight again this time around you would feel. Technically the Brazilian players shouldn't be afraid of a penalty shoot out as they have shown through their history, while the Under 20 team won both penalty shoot outs at the Under 20 World Cup earlier this month.

Pressure does a funny thing though so it won't be guaranteed that Brazil can win what is often described as a 'lottery', but this could easily be the third penalty shoot out of the Quarter Finals.

MY PICKS: 24/06 Chile-Uruguay Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.38 Coral (2 Units)
25/06 Bolivia-Peru Draw @ 3.40 Sporting Bet (1 Unit)
26/06 Argentina to Win on Penalties @ 6.00 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
27/06 Brazil to Win on Penalties @ 6.50 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Quarter Final Update: 1-3, + 1 Units (5 Units Staked, + 20% Yield)

Group Stage Final: 5-12, - 6.20 Units (25 Units Staked, - 24.80% Yield)

Wimbledon Day 4 Picks 2014 (June 26th)

Most of the big names have progressed through the draw at Wimbledon in the first two Rounds, but Thursday brings about the big rematch between Lukas Rosol and Rafael Nadal in the Second Round.

2012 will live long in the memory of those that watched Rosol beat Nadal in a fifth set under the roof of Centre Court at the same stage of the tournament, but I think the Spaniard might be ready for a spot of revenge as you will see below.

There are some big matches that will be played on Thursday as the likes of Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova all look to move their tournaments on to the Third Round. Twelve months ago, three of those four names had exited Wimbledon by the end of Thursday evening so this is a big moment for all of them as they ease onto the grass.

The picks had a decent Wednesday, although a couple of bad calls didn't help myself. I am hoping that I will stop picking those players that are demolished by 61 or 62 scorelines and instead have a few of those ending on my side.

Richard Gasquet - 5.5 games v Nick Kyrgios: There were a couple of lapses of concentration from Richard Gasquet in the First Round that prevented him from having an easier time, but he will have to be better against another young Australian in Nick Kyrgios.

This player has everything to be successful on the main Tour, although Kyrgios has only turned nineteen years old and he might not have the stamina and power to really mix in this company for a consistent period of time.

That was what essentially happened when these two players met in the Davis Cup earlier this season in a 76, 62, 62 win for Gasquet. Kyrgios has also won a Challenger on the grass courts which should prove this to be a closer match than that one which was played on the clay courts, but I still think Gasquet ends up pulling away after taking a close first set and should win this 76, 63, 64.

Philipp Kohlschreiber - 6.5 games v Simone Bolelli: I have suggested that this could be a big week for Philipp Kohlschreiber and I would expect him to be far too good for Simone Bolelli on the grass courts which are not the favoured surface of the Italian.

On the other hand, Kohlschreiber is very happy on this surface and I think the draw gives him a great chance to reach the Quarter Finals at the very least. He was a convincing winner in the First Round and I would expect him to be too good for Bolelli who may already be planning for the clay courts this summer.

Bolelli has done well to reach the Second Round here, but he was a Lucky Loser into the main draw at Wimbledon and has played a fellow qualifier in the First Round. The draw gets a lot more difficult for him now and I think his second serve may prove to be vulnerable in the match.

It won't always be straight-forward unless Kohlschreiber serves well, but I am expecting him to come through 63, 64, 64.

Tommy Robredo - 2.5 games v Adrian Mannarino: One poor set cost Tommy Robredo the chance for an easy win in the First Round, but he still came through in four sets and I think Adrian Mannarino is a touch over-rated in this match.

There is no doubt that Mannarino has enjoyed a lot of success on the grass courts over the last couple of years, including reaching the Fourth Round here last season, but his serve is vulnerable and I think he is perhaps being over-estimated because of those performances.

As I said, the serve will give Robredo chances to break serve and I also think the Spaniard is more comfortable on the grass courts than his record may suggest. He has the edge in consistency, serve and overall quality of tennis and I would be surprised if Robredo isn't moving through to the Third Round at Wimbledon again, even if it takes four sets.

As long as Robredo doesn't throw in another completely shocking set as he did against Lukas Lacko, I like him to win and cover.

Rafael Nadal - 6.5 games v Lukas Rosol: I am sure there will be a fair few people out there that will be backing Lukas Rosol to beat Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon for the second time in three years, but I am of the belief that it was the perfect storm that led to Nadal's demise in 2012.

It was a stunning display of hitting from Rosol with the consistency that has never really returned to his game and Nadal showed he can handle the Czech player when beating him 62, 76 in Doha at the beginning of this season.

Martin Klizan showed that it is possible to get after Nadal on the grass courts and Rosol will take heart from that, but I think there were a few nerves for Nadal after his recent performances on the surface. The win should have settled him down and I think he can weather the Rosol storm before heading off with this match.

As well as Rosol can play at times, he is also just as capable of throwing in a load of errors and I think Nadal will take advantage of those this time and come through with a 64, 76, 62 win.

Stan Wawrinka - 6.5 games v Yen-Hsun Lu: I don't want anyone to think I am disrespecting Yen-Hsun Lu by taking such a big number against him, especially on the grass courts which he has enjoyed in the past.

However, I think Stan Wawrinka is capable of easing past him as Lu has had a few injury issues of late and had to come through a five set match in the First Round. He was also beaten comfortably by Julien Benneteau last week in Eastbourne and I do believe Wawrinka is too powerful for him as long as he can bring in the form that saw him ease past Joao Sousa in the First Round.

Lu has a decent serve that can see him rattle through games, but he has been struggling with that aspect of his game and I think Wawrinka has chances to break the serve through the match. If he takes those chances, it just wouldn't surprise me if the Swiss Number 1 wins this 63, 64, 64.

Feliciano Lopez - 5.5 games v Ante Pavic: There has to be a lot of tennis in the legs of Feliciano Lopez, but he must have been pleased with a straight sets win in the First Round and the fact that he has a day rest between matches. After reaching the Final in Queens and perhaps choking away the title, Lopez bounced back by defending his title in Eastbourne before heading to Wimbledon.

The grass courts suit Lopez' game as he can get forward and be very aggressive and attack the net, while his backhand slice stays low on the surface. With the big serve keeping him out of trouble, Lopez is a real threat this year at Wimbledon- maybe not to win the title, but definitely to cause problems for any of the 'favourites' he may bump into.

Playing a qualifier in Ante Pavic may even up the amount of tennis that Lopez has played, although you can't under-estimate an opponent that has beaten Alejandro Falla in the First Round without dropping a set.

The win over Falla is a good, solid win, but Pavic doesn't play players of the quality of Lopez too often these days and I think the scoreboard pressure may lead to a 76, 63, 64 win for the Seed.

Ana Ivanovic - 5.5 games v Jie Zheng: The winner in Birmingham certainly has the confidence to go deep into the draw at Wimbledon, although Ana Ivanovic may have wished for a slightly easier draw. She was given a tough test by Francesca Schiavone in the First Round, while Jie Zheng has been a productive grass court player in recent years.

However, it has to be said that Zheng isn't the same player of three or four years ago and the aggressive game that Ivanovic brings to the table may cause too many problems to overcome.

Her biggest issue could be herself... There are times when Ivanovic struggles with her serve and allows matches to be a lot closer than they perhaps should be, and that would be a big problem against someone as competitive as Zheng can be.

Zheng had a very good week in Hertgenbosch when reaching the Final, but Ivanovic crushed her opponents while winning the title at Birmingham and a good serving performance could see the same happen here.

Sabine Lisicki - 3.5 games v Karolina Pliskova: The grass court season is certainly the time of the year when Sabine Lisicki really loves to get going and I think she can follow up her convincing First Round win with another, this time over Karolina Pliskova.

That same level of success that Lisicki has had at Wimbledon has not been followed by Pliskova and I think it is going to take a big effort to make this a competitive match after Pliskova needed a long third set to come through her own First Round match.

Fatigue could be an issue, but Lisicki hits big off the ground and has a solid serve and those attributes really suit the grass courts. The German was the Runner Up a year ago and looked in good shape to make another concerted effort to get there this season and I would be surprised if this is anything other than a routine 64, 64 win for Lisicki.

Eugenie Bouchard - 6.5 games v Silvia Soler-Espinosa: As the only player on the WTA Tour to have reached the Semi Final at the two previous Grand Slams played in 2014, Eugenie Bouchard must certainly be confident in her own ability to go deep into the Wimbledon draw.

It hasn't been the kindest draw with both Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova in her quarter of the draw, and that means Bouchard needs to come through her early matches as soon as possible to conserve energy.

Bouchard had an impressive win over Daniela Hantuchova in the First Round, and I think the match with Silvia Soler-Espinosa is a good match up for her in the Second Round considering the lack of success the Spaniard has had on the surface.

The serve and aggressive play of Bouchard is going to be key on the grass courts and I do think she comes through 63, 62 and moves one step closer to a huge Fourth Round clash with potentially Serena Williams.

Maria Sharapova - 6.5 games v Timea Bacsinszky: If Samantha Murray had a little more luck and belief in her game, she would most definitely have given Maria Sharapova more problems in the First Round than what we ended up seeing.

Sharapova admitted the change in surface took some adjustment and she will have to serve better if she wants to win her second Wimbledon title ten years after shocking Serena Williams in the Final.

She should have too much for qualifier Timea Bacsinszky, although you have to show respect to the Swiss player for her performances over the last three weeks on the grass. Most of those have come against players far shorter of the quality that Sharapova brings to the table, but confidence has to be in a good place for Bacsinszky.

Unfortunately for Bacsinszky, she hasn't shown enough on the grass courts in her career to think she can cause a surprise and even getting closer than 63, 62 will be a considerable achievement.

MY PICKS: Richard Gasquet - 5.5 Games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Philipp Kohlschreiber - 6.5 Games @ 2.10 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Tommy Robredo - 2.5 Games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Rafael Nadal - 6.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Stanislas Wawrinka - 6.5 Games @ 1.90 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Feliciano Lopez - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Ana Ivanovic - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Sabine Lisicki - 3.5 Games @ 1.92 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Eugenie Bouchard - 6.5 Games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Maria Sharapova - 6.5 Games @ 1.92 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 8-12, - 5.20 Units (36 Units Staked, - 14.44% Yield)