Indian Wells Tennis Day 7 Picks 2026 (Tuesday 10th March)

It has been an inconsistent opening week as the Tennis Picks have taken one step forwards and then two steps back, but that is just the nature of the Tour at times.

There have been moments when it has looked like there has been some momentum behind the selections, but Madison Keys failed to build on a 6-2 first set in losing her match on Monday evening and that meant another 2-2 day.

Tuesday looks a much more difficult day with the matches being competitively priced, but there are two more Picks from the day, which can be read below.

Felix Auger Aliassime - 1.5 games v Arthur Fils: Don't expect this to be a match filled with rallies considering the serving powers of both Arthur Fils and Felix Auger Aliassime.

That proved to be the difference in favour of Felix Auger Aliassime when he beat the Frenchman in Montpellier last month, although that was also a match played on an indoor hard court. Playing in outdoor conditions is always going to be a little different and especially in a tournament like the one held in Indian Wells where it can be that much more challenging, although Auger Aliassime is playing with enough confidence to back up that previous win over this opponent.

In that Quarter Final match last month, Felix Auger Aliassime dominated behind serve and it ended up putting pressure on Arthur Fils to respond.

Felix Auger Aliassime won 90% of service points played compared with Arthur Fils at 58% and the higher Ranked player will be confident in having the edge again.

Things will feel a little different as that event in Montpellier was the first Arthur Fils was competing in this season, but he has since reached the Final of an ATP 500 event held in Doha and the World Number 32 has impressed in his two wins in Indian Wells.

Confidence can be such a big factor and Arthur Fils is playing with a lot of that right now- his serve is still an important weapon and Fils is also showing plenty of athleticism around the court on his return, although that aspect of his tennis going to be severely tested by Felix Auger Aliassime.

The first month of the season was massively disappointing for Felix Auger Aliassime and included a First Round loss in Melbourne, but he has been flying since then.

Winning the title in Montpellier was followed by a run to the Final in Rotterdam and Semi Final in Dubai and the Canadian has been serving very well.

However, that has always been a strength of the Auger Aliassime game and it is the 18% Break percentage that actually stands out the most- he has not always been the best return player on the hard courts, but Felix Auger Aliassime is applying pressure on that side of the net and it may be a key reason that he can edge past Arthur Fils and most likely in straight sets.

He has needed to go three sets in both wins in Indian Wells, but there has been little wrong with the serve and Felix Auger Aliassime has continued to find the Breaks that he has needed and he can do something similar in this Fourth Round match up.

Jannik Sinner - 5.5 games v Joao Fonseca: There are some huge expectations on the shoulders of 19 year old Brazilian Joao Fonseca, but that has perhaps contributed to the player struggling to have the kind of impact people may have wanted to see from him.

Third Round runs at the French Open and Wimbledon helped push him close to the top 20 of the World Rankings at the end of the 2025 season, but Joao Fonseca arrived at Indian Wells as the World Number 35.

The numbers being produced over the last twelve months overall have been very solid and shows the growing presence around this player, but there has been little hard court action taken in this season.

With that said, Joao Fonseca has done very well to win three matches here and move through to this big Fourth Round match.

Joao Fonseca showed tremendous character to do just enough to edge past Karen Khachanov in the Second Round, but was so much more impressive in crushing Tommy Paul for the loss of five games last time out. In that win, Fonseca backed up his serve by keeping the home player under pressure on the return, but everyone around the teenager will be reminding him of the step up in level he will be facing in the Fourth Round.

That is because the Brazilian will be playing the World Number 2 and one of the top hard court players in the world in Jannik Sinner.

The latter has only played a couple of tournaments so far this season and will have been disappointed to have lost in the Semi Final at the Australian Open and the Quarter Final in Doha. That doesn't mean the Jannik Sinner numbers have dipped with him continuing to produce at an exceptionally high level on the hard courts, but he will be looking to build up some momentum.

Over the next couple of months, Sinner has little to defend in terms of Ranking Points and will be expecting to push up a lot closer to Carlos Alcaraz, but he will also want to win some titles and look to get something positive going ahead of the clay court season.

Jannik Sinner has looked a man on a mission with his two very convincing wins to open his time at Indian Wells and he did reach the Semi Final in his last appearance at this tournament two years ago.

He will certainly feel he serves well enough to contain much of the threat that will be posed by the youngster on the other side of the net, and Jannik Sinner exerts plenty of pressure on the return.

It means Joao Fonseca will have to serve really well to keep this one competitive and there are still levels for the Brazilian to develop to really get into a position to compete with the top two players on the Tour.

There is little doubt that Fonseca can have successes for a while, but maintaining the level needed to beat Jannik Sinner is going to be very difficult to achieve. One of the sets will be competitive, but it also would not be a big surprise if there is a period when the World Number 2 is able to string the games together and that can push Jannik Sinner into a position to cover the wide line set for the match.

MY PICKS: Felix Auger Aliassime - 1.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Jannik Sinner - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Indian Wells Update: 7-9, - 3.20 Units (16 Units Staked, - 20% Yield)

Indian Wells Tennis Picks 2025 (Monday 10th March)

This was the one day of the Indian Wells week where the thread was likely going to come out a little later than planned and the late research means just adding a couple of selections from the remaining Third Round matches.

It was a mixed opening to the Indian Wells selections, but it is a long week remaining at the tournament before the move to the Miami Masters and so the actual direction for the Tennis Picks have yet to be decided.

Jack Draper - 4.5 games v Jenson Brooksby: There is a real determination to manage the workload and ensure Jack Draper is able to get through the majority of this season without the injury issues that have plagued him in his young career.

Two tournaments have already been played and Jack Draper played well at the Australian Open before reaching the Final in Doha, but decided he would not participate in Dubai and instead focus on Indian Wells and Miami. He earned a very strong win over talented up and comer Joao Fonseca in the Second Round and Jack Draper has to be considered a strong favourite to win this match.

The British player has been a solid performer on the hard courts throughout his career and Draper is someone who serves well enough to keep opponents under some pressure.

He has not returned too badly this season, but Jack Draper has room for improvement when it comes to playing those key points on that side of the court. While Draper is winning a similar amount of return points played, the break percentage is someway below the mark set in 2024 and Jack Draper will want to earn a few more breaks of serve.

Next up is Jenson Brooksby who will have the home fans behind him, but who is still finding his feet on his return to the Tour after suspension.

Unsurprisingly it is taking a bit of time for the American to get back to a level he had been producing, but Jenson Brooksby beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Second Round. That will have given him a huge amount of confidence, but backing that up will be a challenge and Brooksby will be the first to admit that he is not serving as effectively as he would like.

Both previous meetings with Jack Draper offer little encouragement for Jenson Brooksby having been crushed both times back in 2022. The Draper serve was a huge weapon in both wins over Jenson Brooksby, but it was the fact that the British player was able to get on top of the Brooksby serve that ended up producing the one-sided scores.

Covering this mark is not going to be easy, but Jack Draper has played well enough in 2025 to believe he can get the better of this opponent in relatively straight-forward fashion again.

MY PICKS: Jack Draper - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Taylor Fritz - 4.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Indian Wells Update: 1-1, - 0.17 Units (2 Units Staked, - 8.50% Yield)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2024 (Sunday 10th March)

The big names have largely come out firing at the Indian Wells Masters, although we have seen a number of withdrawals before matches have taken place too.

The WTA tournament has lost Marketa Vondrousova and Elena Rybakina from the draw, while Milos Raonic withdrew from the ATP event just a day after winning his match and against a Lucky Loser after Rafael Nadal decided to pull of the tournament as he continues his recovery from injury.

For the main part, it is a tournament that moves into a strong looking lineup in the Third Round.

To win a Masters 1000 event, players will know they to deal with the challenges that come and it usually means having to win big matches. The draw has put together a strong schedule on Sunday when the Third Round gers underway with eight matches in both the ATP and WTA Tournaments set to be played.

A disappointing Saturday has just pulled back the numbers from the Indian Wells tournament.

The opening three days of Picks had been productive enough, but that was not the case on a 1-3 day on Saturday and so the pressure is on to bounce back and try and make sure this Indian Wells event with a positive number.

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 3.5 games v Frances Tiafoe: At his best, Frances Tiafoe is capable of beating most players on a hard court, but we have not really seen that from the American in 2024.

Asking Stefanos Tsitsipas to cover this kind of line is not always ideal, especially on the faster surfaces with the return game not as effective as some of the top players on the Tour.

He has lost three of his last four matches against Frances Tiafoe and the last two have both been on the hard courts and after Stefanos Tsitsipas had won the first set.

Overall it has been a strong return to the Tour for Tsitsipas in 2024 and he has been returning with a bit more effectiveness than we have come to expect. Maintaining those levels on this surface will be the challenge for the Greek star, but this may be an opportunity for him to reach the Fourth Round in Indian Wells behind a solid win.

Overlooking Frances Tiafoe would be a mistake, but it has been a tough opening two months for the American and that could show up here.

Andrey Rublev - 3.5 Games v Jiri Lehecka: Strong wins have been a feature of Andrey Rublev's season and even the outburst in Dubai that led to a harsh disqualification will not have dented the confidence.

Beating an in-form Andy Murray will only have added to the belief and Andrey Rublev can get the better of Jiri Lehecka again.

He beat him here in Indian Wells last year, although Jiri Leheckha has produced stronger hard court performances in 2024 than he managed overall in 2023.

The serve is still a big weapon for Lehecka, but he has found a little more out of the return game and that has proven to be a difference maker in turning some results in his favour. Jiri Lehecka will know that his return will be tested by a strong, aggressive server like Andrey Rublev, but it will give him belief that he can turn that loss to Rublev around.

Andrey Rublev will know there is room for improvement in his own return game- he has perhaps not played the Break Points as well as he can, but the opportunities are expected to be created and that could lead to a solid win for the higher Ranked player.

MY PICKS: Stefanos Tsitsipas - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Anna Kalinskaya - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 13-10, + 2.88 Units (46 Units Staked, + 6.26% Yield)

Indian Wells Tennis Picks 2023 (March 10th)

It was a bit of an up and down Thursday at Indian Wells for the Tennis Picks, but returning with a profit after a 4-3 day is welcomed.

That adds to the good start made on Wednesday and we now head into the Second Round with some of the biggest names on the Tour in action. It can be tough for those players with their opponents having at least one match in the conditions under their belt, but that cannot be used as an excuse in one of the biggest tournaments that will be played over the course of the 2023 season.

I have something to build upon after the conclusion of the First Round, but this is a long tournament and keeping focused and putting those winning days together is always the challenge we have to meet.

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 4.5 games v Jordan Thompson: It has been a while since World Number 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas has been out on court and remarks that he wants to be known for 'more than tennis' are a touch surprising.

Of course you want to use your platform to promote or back issues that are important to you, but without tennis Tsitsipas would not have the name to do what he wants to do. And the reality is his voice becomes more powerful if he continues operating at the top of the World Rankings, but this is by the by.

He is still performing at a good level on the Tour, but Stefanos Tsitsipas has only played two matches since losing in the Australian Open Final.

The question is 'has he lost focus on his tennis or has he not been feeling at his best on the court?'

We may get those answers at the next two Masters events before the move onto the clay courts, which should be a surface on which Stefanos Tsitsipas thrives and I do think he wins this Second Round match at Indian Wells.

Jordan Thompson has won a match already at the tournament and he won a Challenger event on the hard courts in Europe at the end of February, but the Australian has not really been able to find his feet when facing the better players on the Tour. His 4-9 record against top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts over the last twelve months is far from ideal when preparing to play a Masters 1000 event, while the numbers against top 50 Ranked opponents over that same time period when it comes to hard court matches have been tough to read.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has two strong wins over Jordan Thompson, including at Wimbledon last year, and there has been a massive difference in the way they have performed in those matches. The higher Ranked player has held 96% of his service games played compared with Jordan Thompson's 72% mark, while there is a 17% difference in terms of points won behind serve in favour of Tsitsipas.

This is a wide spread considering the lack of tennis that Stefanos Tsitsipas has played over the last month, but I think the match up is a decent one for him.

He has some underwhelming return numbers overall, but Stefanos Tsitsipas has been very strong when facing opponents Ranked outside the top 50 in hard court matches. Stefanos Tsitsipas has a 15-3 record in those matches and he would have covered this line in ten of those victories so I will look for him to do the same in this Second Round match.

MY PICKS: Stefanos Tsitsipas - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Botic Van De Zandschlup - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Roberto Bautista Agut - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Frances Tiafoe - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Petra Kvitova - 5.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet365 (2 Units)

Coco Gauff - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jessica Pegula - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 7-4, + 4.11 Units (21 Units Staked, + 19.57% Yield)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 10th)

As long as you can look at the Tennis Picks you make and accept the outcome without regret at the research to make the selection, you have to live with some of the fortune or misfortune that may come about.

Ultimately that is how I felt about the Dayana Yastremska selection on Wednesday- she was the player who created the most break points and she had multiple games in which she failed to break despite those break point opportunities in what ended up being a very narrow defeat.

It is the way it goes sometimes, but I think the selection was the right one and being on the other side would have needed the luck to get over the line. This is not a good start to the Indian Wells Masters Picks, but it is very early in the tournament and I don't need to be overly concerned just yet.

Naomi Osaka - 3.5 games v Sloane Stephens: Two Grand Slam Champions will meet in the First Round of the Indian Wells tournament beginning this week and I think that should tell you where Naomi Osaka and Sloane Stephens are with their tennis these days.

The most surprising part of this First Round match is that Sloane Stephens is 40 places higher in the World Rankings than Naomi Osaka- the latter has won four Grand Slam titles in her career, but she has had a difficult couple of years dealing with the pressures that come with becoming a high-profile player and it has meant Naomi Osaka has slipped down the World Rankings as she has missed a number of tournaments in that time.

Her early loss at the Australian Open did not help, but it is quite amazing to think that this will only be the twenty-first match played by Naomi Osaka over the last twelve months. Having her back consistently on the Tour would be huge for the WTA, even if we are about to enter the clay court portion of the season, which is not Osaka's favourite.

She has enjoyed playing at Indian Wells though and a former Champion here means the conditions should not be too much of a concern for Naomi Osaka. More problematic may be the lack of tennis played in recent weeks/months and especially as Osaka will be playing a confident opponent in Sloane Stephens.

The American won a title in Mexico in her last tournament, but Sloane Stephens has not really been a consistent threat on the Tour for a while now. Her numbers underline that and I think Naomi Osaka should be able to get more out of her first serve to put herself in a position to win this match.

It is Sloane Stephens who has won the two previous matches between these US Open Champions, but the last of those came in the WTA Finals in 2018. That was a couple of months after Naomi Osaka took over as the US Open Champion from Sloane Stephens, but I also think Osaka is a much better player now than she was.

The return remains the most vulnerable part of the Naomi Osaka game, but I think she will be able to get enough balls back in play to eventually begin to overpower Sloane Stephens. I do think there is still a strong player in Stephens that makes her potentially dangerous, and her defensive skills could cause problems for a potentially rusty Naomi Osaka.

However, this is a tournament which has been one that Naomi Osaka has appreciated more than Sloane Stephens in their careers and I think the former World Number 1 returns with a bang to the WTA Tour.

Marta Kostyuk - 4.5 games v Maryna Zanevska: There are likely to be plenty of emotions on court when two Ukrainian players meet in the First Round at Indian Wells and the biggest question is the hardest one to answer.

Both Marta Kostyuk and Maryna Zanevska are going to be worrying about the dangers being faced by people back at home and it can be hard to ignore those and be able to play your best tennis on the courts. Neither player has been involved in a competitive match since the Russian attack on Ukraine began and so you do have to accept that there are going to be plenty of things on the mind of the players.

Maryna Zanevska is a bit older and that maturity could make it 'easier' for her, but it is a question that cannot be answered with much conviction unless you know either of the two players.

What should not be an issue is motivation to have a big tournament and we saw Ukrainian players perform very well last week as they looked to offer support to those back home in the best way they could.

Both players have had mixed results in 2022, but there is no doubt that the upside is with Marta Kostyuk who is expected to have a big impact on the Tour in the years ahead. She is higher in the World Rankings than Maryna Zanevska and her numbers have been superior on the hard courts so far this season.

It is the second serve where Marta Kostyuk really has the edge, although she has lost both previous hard court matches against this compatriot. However, the most recent match between these two came on a clay court and Marta Kostyuk was able to get the better of Maryna Zanevska so there should be a mental edge in favour of the older player in this one.

I do think this will be a competitive match at times, but I am also expecting a bit more from Marta Kostyuk at the key moments which gives her the edge in the match. With a slightly inferior second serve and return, Maryna Zanevska could just be caught out at the back end of the sets and that could see Marta Kostyuk cover this handicap mark.

Heather Watson + 3.5 games v Tereza Martincova: Coming through the Qualifiers will give Heather Watson some confidence, although the British player has never really fulfilled the kind of potential so many believed she had. Her career best Ranking is Number 38, but these days Heather Watson has fallen out of the top 100 and that means having to work through the Qualifiers to play in the biggest events.

Winning matches at least means she is playing with some confidence, but over the last twelve months Heather Watson has a losing record on the hard courts and her numbers are average at best. Even in 2022, the British player has a 2-5 record when playing against top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts, although I do think the numbers and the scores show that Heather Watson has been able to be competitive, even in those defeats.

Even the losses that have come in straight sets have been in two tight sets and that should give Watson some belief as she gets set to take on Tereza Martincova who reached her own career best World Ranking just last month.

The Czech player may not earn the same kind of headlines as some of her compatriots, but over the last twelve months Tereza Martincova has been pretty consistent on this surface. She tends to play at a higher level than Heather Watson, but Tereza Martincova may feel there is room for improvement having only compiled a 4-3 record against opponents Ranked outside the top 50 in the Rankings so far this season.

In those matches, the numbers suggest that Tereza Martincova is unlikely to blow many opponents away and that should be encouraging to the Qualifier who is facing her in the First Round.

The key to the outcome of this one will be the second serve and which of these two players is able to look after that shot the best. However, the pressure is likely to be on Heather Watson a little more with her first serve percentage some way below the mark that Tereza Martincova has reached in matches on the hard courts.

It may end up being the reason the higher Ranked player is able to move through to the Second Round, but I do have to respect how well Heather Watson has competed so far this season. Those two Qualifier wins are going to help Watson considerably with the familiarity with the conditions at Indian Wells and I think the underdog is in receipt of enough games to be worth a back on Thursday.

Kaja Juvan - 3.5 games v Oceane Dodin: I was pretty high on Oceane Dodin and the potential she had displayed on the Tour, but she has not really pushed on from the early part of her career. These days the Frenchwoman is struggling for consistency and her World Ranking is drifting in the wrong direction and Oceane Dodin will soon be having to come through the Qualifiers to play in events like this one.

She will be looking to change the momentum of the season at Indian Wells with Oceane Dodin winning just two matches since her First Round win in Sydney before the Australian Open began. Oceane Dodin entered that tournament as a Lucky Loser, but wins have been hard to find and I think that leaves her vulnerable.

This First Round match sees Oceane Dodin entering as the lower Ranked player, but Kaja Juvan has only recently overtaken her. The entry list for the Indian Wells tournament came at a time when the younger player still had to Qualifier and she has won a couple of matches to take her place in the First Round and I do think Kaja Juvan is a progressive player.

The Slovenian has won plenty of matches already in 2022, although many of them have come in Qualifiers and Kaja Juvan has yet to have a really big impact in an event one reaching the main draw. However, in saying that, this is the kind of match that Kaja Juvan would expect to face in Qualifiers and she has largely been too strong for those kind of opponents.

Since the Australian Open, Kaja Juvan has won nine matches in a row against opponents Ranked outside of the top 50 in the World. Her numbers have been extremely impressive in that run with a strong serve being backed up by a return that has seen Kaja Juvan win 50% of points played against the opponent's serve.

Kaja Juvan has dropped three sets in those nine wins, but the other matches have been won in straight-forward fashion and I do think she can put Oceane Dodin under pressure. The differing confidence with which both players are taking to the court can help Kaja Juvan too and I think she will find the tennis to eventually pull clear and cover this handicap mark on her way into the Second Round.

Christopher Eubanks-Maxime Cressy over 24.5 games: Coming through a couple of Qualifiers should make Christopher Eubanks feel a little more confident as he gets set to compete in the First Round at the Indian Wells Masters.

A player with a relatively basic game has struggled to really put together consistent results and it is only the second time in the 2022 season that Christopher Eubanks has won back to back matches.

His game is very much based around a huge serve, but Christopher Eubanks has struggled on the return and it puts a lot of pressure on him to make sure he is serving efficiently. So far this season he has held 89% of the service games played and Eubanks has won 69% of the points played behind this shot, but his return is limited.

However, I think the serve could be a big weapon against Maxime Cressy who has lost three matches in row beginning with the defeat at the Australian Open. The American is known for a serve-volley game and the gambling nature which will see Maxime Cressy serve the second serve as quickly as the first, but it helped him reach the Fourth Round at the opening Grand Slam of the season.

That run helped Maxime Cressy reach a career best World Ranking and he should hold the edge over this compatriot, especially as Cressy has held 92% of the service games played this season. He has won just shy of 70% of the points played behind serve, but like Christopher Eubanks, Maxime Cressy has struggled on the return and it could mean a long match in the First Round between two big servers.

It will be lengthy in terms of games played, but I can see both players racing through some of their service games and it may come down to a point or two either way to determine the winner of the match.

I have to give the edge to Maxime Cressy, but it may need a couple of tie-breakers to secure passage through to the Second Round and I will look for the match to surpass this total games line.

MY PICKS: Naomi Osaka - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Marta Kostyuk - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Heather Watson + 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Kaja Juvan - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Christopher Eubanks-Maxime Cressy Over 24.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 0-1, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2021 (March 10th)

The tournaments that are scheduled to be completed this week are being played in various timezones and that also means markets are not being put together as quickly as I would have imagined.

It is a touch frustrating because it means I can research selections, but can't officially make them unless the numbers on the spread are where I want them to be. For example I might favour Player A to beat Player B and believe that the handicap mark should be around 2.5 games, but I can't actually make the Pick unless it lines up with the marks that are eventually released by the layers.

With that in mind I think the early threads this week are going to feature Picks without analysis more often than not, but the tournaments should settle down as we get through to Sunday. With fewer matches, the markets should be created a little quicker and with more time to actually get a few thoughts down as to why I have selected the matches I have.

I will add any Picks from the ATP Santiago and WTA Guadalajara tournaments to this thread on Wednesday (if there are any selections from the Second Round matches there), but for now I have my Tennis Picks from the ATP Doha, ATP Marseille and WTA Dubai tournaments being played.

MY PICKS: Jessica Pegula - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Ons Jabeur - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Vasek Pospisil + 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Coral (2 Units)

Roger Federer - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Marton Fucsovics - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Cameron Norrie - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Federico Delbonis - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-3, - 2.18 Units (10 Units Staked, - 21.80% Yield)

Season 2021: - 16.48 Units (301.5 Units Staked, - 5.47% Yield)

Indian Wells Masters Day 5 Tennis Picks 2019 (March 10th)

Saturday was a very strong day for the Tennis Picks as all four selections came back as winners.

It is a busy Sunday for me personally so I only have the chance to write my selections down without any analysis today. There are a few more than I had on Saturday, but I am hoping to keep the wins going through another day.


MY PICKS: Serena Williams - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Bianca Andreescu - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Elina Svitolina - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Kei Nishikori - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Marin Cilic - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Daniil Medvedev - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 12-8, + 5.60 Units (40 Units Staked, + 14% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks 2019 (March 9-10)

The euphoria of Wednesday night has yet to really dissipate for most Manchester United fans and there is another big weekend ahead of the club as they continue the fight to finish in the top four of the Premier League table.

Manchester United visit Arsenal in the final League game of the weekend as the title race, top four race and the relegation battle heat up now we are down to single digits in terms of Premier League games left to play for each club.


We are also set for another round of Fantasy Football and this is the time of the season when you have to begin thinking about the best play to deploy the 'Chips' each team receives at the start of the game. Some will have used their Chips already, but I have yet to play any of mine and also am holding onto my second Wild Card as I prepare for Double GameWeeks and Blank GameWeeks.

There is a big Blank GameWeek coming up next Saturday when only five Premier League games are scheduled and most people should have been preparing what they are going to do for that. My choice is likely going to be the Free Hit as I am short of options in my team without taking multiple hits, but I have a team ready to attack the second Blank GameWeek coming up in early April.

Next season it is going to be a little irritating with the 'Winter Break' in February which means half of the teams will play on one GameWeek and the other half on another, but I think the Official Fantasy Game will have to make preparations for that perhaps by offering two Free Hit Chips next season and making it four Chips per team rather than three.

That will likely be decided in the off-season but for now let us concentrate on the weekend selections from the Premier League fixtures as well as the Fantasy Advice for the coming GameWeek.

Last weekend saw me identify a number of 'cheap' options that returned solid numbers, but some of my more expensive choices really did let me down. Hopefully that won't be the case this week as we get into GameWeek 30.


Crystal Palace v Brighton Pick: There were a number of derby games in the Premier League last weekend, but don't tell either Crystal Palace or Brighton fans that their rivalry doesn't count.

While they may be separated by a lot more miles than a normal derby, there is an intense dislike of each other and that has led to on field issues as well as off field.

Both Crystal Palace and Brighton are still involved in the FA Cup Quarter Finals and those ties are next on deck, but the three points on offer in this one is vital as the two clubs look to move away from the bottom three. Games involving these two teams have been exciting in the last eighteen months and I do think there will be some fun, attacking football to enjoy in this one too.

The two defences have not played as well as they would have liked and that should mean there are opportunities for some talented attacking player to take advantage of. It is especially the case for a Crystal Palace team who are about as healthy as they have been all season and who are facing a Brighton team who have lost 5 of their last 6 away Premier League games and who have conceded two or more goals in 5 straight on their travels.

Last season Crystal Palace scored three times against Brighton here and I think they can win a high scoring game again. I do think Brighton have played well enough even during their poor run in the League to cause problems, but Crystal Palace have really looked like they have turned a corner and have attacking players enjoying their football.

That can be key for the home team to put a really good performance together at Selhurst Park and I think they reward the fans for their patience by winning this derby game in a game featuring two or more goals.

Fantasy Star: Wilfried Zaha- looks to be back in fine form and surrounded by talented attackers who have been thriving for Crystal Palace.

Alternative: Michy Batshuayi- seems contented leading the line for Crystal Palace and has been in fine scoring touch.


Cardiff City v West Ham United Pick: Things have simply not been going right for Cardiff City and it feels like a long road to escape the drop when your team is being beaten heavily at home by the likes of Watford and Everton.

While still only 2 points behind Southampton in the safety zone, Cardiff City fans have to be fearing the worst after those back to back home losses.

They will arrive at the Stadium on Saturday with some nerves as they face a West Ham United team who have been poor on their travels but who are looking healthier at the moment and scoring plenty of goals. The Hammers have a miserable recent away record, but neither Watford or Everton were pulling up trees before hammering Cardiff City and it has to be a concern for Neil Warnock.

Mistakes and some poor defending is not a good formula to avoid relegation and especially not for a Cardiff City who have been struggling for goals. Sol Bamba's injury weakens the defence that much more and I do think West Ham United can take advantage of that here.

However I do think Cardiff City will be able to create chances against a West Ham United team who have not kept an away clean sheet in their last 7 attempts. I expect the home team to load the box and use set pieces and long throws to try and cause havoc for West Ham United, but the visitors should also have their opportunities to break out and create chances of their own.

Both teams scoring won't be a surprise and I think this is a fixture that will produce three or more goals on the day. The home team can't really afford to sit back and hope to nick a point which should encourage spaces to develop and I do think West Ham United are a team capable of scoring and conceding a fair few too.

At close to odds against I think the call will be backing at least three goals to be shared out as they were when these teams met at the London Stadium earlier this season.

Fantasy Star: Manuel Lanzini- the creative force is back for West Ham United and is facing a Cardiff City defence missing their best player in Sol Bamba.

Alternative: Victor Camarasa- has not pleased Neil Warnock by sitting out some games with a very slight knock but is back and has to be the spark for Cardiff City if they are going to earn a result.


Huddersfield Town v Bournemouth Pick: This has to be the most difficult of the Premier League games to work out this weekend with both Huddersfield Town and Bournemouth hard to trust in the situation.

Huddersfield Town have long looked like a Championship team that is being forced to play Premier League fixtures and you can't ignore the huge amount of losses they have had. The win over Wolves last time out at home will inspire the fans to get behind them, but injuries are hurting the options for Jan Siewert.

On the other hand Bournemouth have lost 10 straight away games in all competitions and have conceded two or more goals in 9 in a row in the Premier League on their travels. They have mainly faced the top clubs in that run which has to be factored in, but Cardiff City beat Bournemouth 2-0 last month and a lack of goals and an inability to keep a clean sheet is a big problem.

I did consider backing both teams to score, but it is Bournemouth's issues in front of goal away from the Vitality Stadium which concerns me. At least Huddersfield Town have scored in 7 of their last 10 home games and that makes me think they may do enough to avoid a defeat here.

Last season Huddersfield Town crushed Bournemouth 4-1 here and so the players may feel this is a good chance to at least pressure Fulham for 19th place and avoiding finishing bottom of the table. That is the last real goal for The Terriers and I think they can at least earn a result here and so will recommend backing them with a start on the Asian Handicap.

Neither team is easy to trust and the first goal could be massive on the day, but a start with the home team looks the way to best approach this one.

Fantasy Star: Steve Mounie- Huddersfield Town are short of goals so will need their main forward to help them upset the odds.

Alternative: David Brooks- most teams have enjoyed playing Huddersfield Town and Brooks could be the key player if Bournemouth are going to be the latest.


Leicester City v Fulham Pick: Brendan Rodgers will lead Leicester City out at the King Power Stadium for the first time on Saturday and his team are big favourites to beat struggling Fulham.

I do think that is the most likely outcome of this fixture despite the visitors also hoping for a new manager bounce effect after removing Claudio Ranieri and giving the interim job to Scott Parker.

Fulham played very well in their 1-2 home loss to Chelsea, but this is a team who are conceding too many goals and you are not going to win too many matches like that. They will likely give it a go with a slim chance still in front of them to get out of the bottom three, but Leicester City should have the fans behind them with a new manager at the helm themselves.

Brendan Rodgers will need some time to get his philosophy and tactics instilled into the players, but Leicester City played well in the first game under his guidance and I think they could have a strong end to the season. Jamie Vardy overcoming a knock is a big boost for Leicester City and I think they will have the goals in the side to earn the victory in this one.

I won't be surprised if Fulham play their part in this one with an attacking intent as they search for the points that can give them a chance of avoiding the drop, but it may play into the hands of the home team and I think Leicester City win a game featuring two or more goals.

Fantasy Star: Jamie Vardy- scored last week and is going to be passed fit to start this week.

Alternative: Harvey Barnes- an attacking threat for Leicester City who has had some very good chances to get on the scoreboard already this season. He should have some more against this Fulham defence.


Newcastle United v Everton Pick: This is another very difficult game to predict in the Premier League this weekend with two teams who will feel they have enough to earn the three points coming into the fixture.

Newcastle United have been in fine form at St James' Park where they have managed to win 4 Premier League games in a row while scoring two or more goals in each of those wins. That has built the confidence of the players when it comes to performing in front of their passionate home fans which has proven to be a real challenge for them in recent years as the standards of The Toon Army have not been met.

Everton played well enough to earn a goalless draw with Liverpool last Sunday, and this is a team that has won 2 of their last 3 away games in the League while keeping clean sheets in both of those victories. Marco Silva has a decent squad to call upon and Everton look to have plenty of options for this game.

They have a very good record in this part of the North East with 4 wins from their last 5 visits to St James' Park and that should give Everton the belief to win here.

I do think think the home team are looking much better over the last month too and they have the attacking players to cause problems. However the feeling is that their results have perhaps been better than they should have and Everton may just edge them out having produced a number of clean sheets recently and looking like they have enough in the final third to score here.

Backing Everton on the Asian Handicap is the recommendation from a tough fixture to read.

Fantasy Star: Lucas Digne- the left back was in very good form last week in the Merseyside derby and a threat from set pieces to produce assists or a goal.

Alternative: Solomon Rondon- the striker has been the key for Newcastle United's move up the League table and will be important to break down an improved Everton defence.


Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: A big game that has an affect on the Premier League table at the top and bottom takes place this Saturday at St Mary's and it is Tottenham Hotspur who come into this fixture as the favourite.

That is the right decision from the layers, but you do have to be concerned by the run of losses they had on their travels before the win in Dortmund during the week. Even in that game Tottenham Hotspur had to ride their luck through the first half and were fortunate that Hugo Lloris had a big game for them, but Harry Kane is firing in front of goal and Spurs will be looking to bounce back from recent poor results in the League.

Southampton will certainly feel they can cause problems for Tottenham Hotspur with the standards they have set in recent games. A narrow defeat at Old Trafford last weekend showed they can compete with the best teams in the Premier League, but Southampton are still in the pressurised situation of a relegation battle which does produce tensions.

They don't have the best recent record against Tottenham Hotspur which is an issue the players will have to deal with but I do think Southampton can play their part in an entertaining game.

However I do think the win in Dortmund during the week will be a huge boost for Tottenham Hotspur who can go into this one knowing they have a three week gap between games coming up. It should mean they can leave it all on the line before getting the chance to refresh for a big month coming up and Tottenham Hotspur have won on 4 of their last 6 visits to Southampton.

At just under odds against I think they can be backed to win here on Saturday afternoon. It won't be easy for Tottenham Hotspur with Mauricio Pochettino likely to be absent from the sidelines, but I do think they can build on their Champions League progression and earn a narrow win here.

Fantasy Star: Harry Kane- has scored in three of four games since returning from injury and always the key for Tottenham Hotspur.

Alternative: James Ward-Prowse- a great goal at Old Trafford last week and has been in good form from set pieces. An important avenue for goals for Southampton in this fixture.


Manchester City v Watford Pick: The team that handles the pressure best is going to be the one that wins the Premier League and Manchester City's experiences from last season has to stand them in good stead in the next two months as the campaign draws to a close.

Without a doubt the biggest worry has to be the amount of games they have to play as they continue chasing an unprecedented Quadruple and the injuries are beginning to stretch the squad. There is still enough quality for Manchester City to call upon and they certainly will feel they have the players to make sure they can see off a Watford team who were beaten 5-0 at Liverpool in their last away game.

Watford haven't played at Anfield for a while, but they been able to give Manchester City one or two things to think about. They have been beaten in 9 of their last 10 visits to Manchester City, but in recent years they have rarely been blown away and Watford are in fine form heading into this fixture if you take the Liverpool result as just being a bad day in the office.

However Javi Gracia has to make sure his players remain focused and not be instead thinking past this game at the FA Cup Quarter Final which is coming up next week. That could be easy to do if Watford fall behind though knowing what happened when they went to Anfield and I do wonder if Gracia will at least change the system to make his team harder to beat than they were at Liverpool.

Defending in numbers has at least slowed down the Manchester City goal output in the last couple of games, although I think it is as much to do with a slight lack of composure in the final third and goalkeepers having strong days as anything else. In this fixture I do think an early goal could potentially open the floodgates for a relatively comfortable home win and I will back Manchester City to cover the Asian Handicap here.

Fantasy Star: Raheem Sterling- should start and will be well aware of the damage Liverpool did to Watford down the channels.

Alternative: Leroy Sane- thinking is same as for Sterling although Leroy Sane perhaps a little out of favour at the moment. Injury to Kevin De Bruyne does open up a space in the line up.


Liverpool v Burnley Pick: The early Sunday kick off can be a tough time for footballers to play as we have seen in the past and Liverpool players could be dealing with the pressure of knowing Manchester City have extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table the previous evening.

I do think that result is going to have a big bearing on the way this one goes and it is something to keep in mind when you read this prediction.

My feeling is that Manchester City will have beaten Watford on Saturday and opened up a 4 point lead at the top of the Premier League and that is going to make this fixture a little more difficult for Liverpool. You know what you are going to get from Burnley as they look to sit in and compact the spaces around the final third and try and frustrate their hosts, while they are also a team who pose a genuine threat through set pieces on the other side of the pitch.

Liverpool have had some recent difficulties against Burnley too- last season they saw their 9 game winning run against them at Anfield come to an end, while they needed an injury time winner to beat them at Turf Moor in the 2017/18 season. Earlier this season they came from behind to beat Burnley away from home and again needed a 90th minute goal to put the seal on the three points.

It goes a little further too. In the 2016/17 season Liverpool lost at Turf Moor and needed to come from behind to beat Burnley 2-1 at Anfield so there is a clear reason to suspect Burnley can make life difficult for the home team here, especially with the pressure of Manchester City opening a lead as I suspect.

The game will have a totally different feel if Manchester City have dropped points though and that is where the prediction could look totally out of shape.

However I have to go with what I think will happen and I do think Burnley can be backed with the start on the Asian Handicap despite Liverpool winning by wide margins in each of their last couple of League games here. Bournemouth and Watford both allowed Liverpool the space that Burnley won't and I do think the visitors have a chance of scoring here which will make it very difficult for Liverpool to cover the number on a day where they will simply want to put the three points on the board.

There is no doubt Liverpool can put teams to the sword when at their best, but that has not always been the case in the last six weeks and Burnley can cause one or two problems of their own. Only Manchester City have beaten Burnley by more than a two goal margin this season and they have caused issues for the other top six sides they have travelled to in the last three months.

Burnley have conceded a lot of goals of late, but the underlying statistics suggest they have been hard done by and better composure in front of goal might have changed the narrative of their form. They have routinely given Liverpool one or two problems to solve and I will back the visitors with the start.

Fantasy Star: Sadio Mane- scored plenty of his goals at Anfield in recent weeks while Mohamed Salah has been out of touch.

Alternative: Trent Alexander-Arnold- should be a threat going forward and chances for an assist and a clean sheet.


Chelsea v Wolves Pick: The second of the live Premier League offerings on Sunday afternoon will give Chelsea the chance to move into the top four ahead of Arsenal hosting Manchester United later in the day. A win will move Chelsea above both of those clubs, but they won't be overlooking a Wolves team that have been able to produce the required quality to test the top clubs in the Premier League all season.

Nuno Espirito Santo's system is completely understood by the Wolves players and they will want to show the manager that they are ready for the FA Cup Quarter Final which is played next weekend. It could be easy for the players to perhaps already have turned their attention to that big Cup tie, but the manager is not going to tolerate standards slipping.

So far Wolves have shown they can challenge the top clubs having earned draws with Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal and beaten both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. The style of play makes them dangerous as they can quickly get out and counter attack those teams, while they can press high and force mistakes under pressure too.

They will be looking to do that against a Chelsea team that were in action on Thursday night, but you can't ignore how well the home team have been playing at Stamford Bridge. The win over Dynamo Kiev makes it 8 wins from 9 at home in all competitions and Chelsea have scored two or more goals in each of those victories, while Eden Hazard and Gonzalo Higuain were kept fresh.

Wolves have only kept 1 clean sheet in their last 12 away games in all competitions and I do think Chelsea will create chances, but I am not ruling out Wolves playing their part here. They have scored at Old Trafford, the Emirates Stadium and Wembley Stadium and avoided defeat in each of those games, and I think there will be goals in this game on Sunday afternoon.

A narrow home win looks the most likely outcome, but I will simply look for three or more goals to be shared out by the two teams with the most likely result to scupper that being a 1-1 draw.

Fantasy Star: Gonzalo Higuain- scored one last week and could have had more as his fitness is improving in each passing week.

Alternative: Raul Jimenez- has been in fine goal-scoring form and the main threat for Wolves in this one.


Arsenal v Manchester United Pick: It has been a long time since Manchester United fans would have been able to experience a night like they did in Paris on Wednesday and even the fortune that was on their side on the evening will not have dampened spirits.

The win said as much about Manchester United as it did about Paris Saint-Germain who essentially gift wrapped the Champions League Quarter Final berth for their visitors.

Kindness aside, Manchester United fans and players have to be feeling very positive about their chances the rest of the season and even the Champions League has an open feel to it with the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain out of the competition. It could be a huge couple of months for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, although not one that should make any affect on his chances of becoming permanent manager which looks to be an open secret now.

In general the manager seems to have got his tactics spot on away from home where Manchester United won for the ninth time in a row on Wednesday and another on Sunday may knock out one of the rivals for a top four finish.

Arsenal are under pressure with games beginning to run down and their own trip to France during the week did not go anything near as well as United's did. A terrible couple of decisions from Sokratis saw a tie they were dominating turned on its head and Arsenal were beaten 3-1 at Rennes in the Europa League Last 16 First Leg which means they can't really afford to lose touch with the top four in the Premier League if they want to return to the Champions League.

That tie is still alive, but the confidence of the players will be adversely affected if they were to lose to Manchester United for the second time in seven weeks especially as Arsenal have been pretty decent at home. I would expect Unai Emery to have learnt a lot from the FA Cup tie at the end of January, but ultimately Arsenal are short of quality in defensive areas and Manchester United can exploit those positions like they did in the Cup.

I fully expect Arsenal to play their part as they have been strong in front of goal at the Emirates Stadium and this has all the makings of another high-scoring game between the teams. Four goals have been shared out in both meetings in 2018/19, while three or more goals have been shared out in 8 of their last 11 in all competitions.

Backing at least three to be scored on Sunday looks the best way to approach this game. I did consider recommending Manchester United as the underdog considering their run of wins on their travels, but the underlying statistics worry me a little bit and I will just hope they are on the right side of this one.

Fantasy Star: Romelu Lukaku- six goals in three games including two in Paris Saint-Germain should mean the Belgian continues to lead the line for Manchester United.

Alternative: Alexandre Lacazette- can score in six consecutive League games at the Emirates Stadium and should be the fresh threat for Arsenal in the final third.

Fantasy Football

This is the part of the thread where I identify some potential players that could produce some decent returns for the Official Fantasy Football game run by the Premier League.

Goalkeeper 4.8 Million and Above

Ederson (Manchester City- 5.6 Million): A home game with Watford gives Ederson the chance to add to his clean sheets for the season.

Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City- 5 Million): Facing goal-shy Fulham at home should provide a clean sheet opportunity for Kasper Schmeichel and Leicester City.

Goalkeeper 4.7 Million and Below

Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham United- 4.7 Million): Cardiff City have been struggling for goals, but Fabianski has also showed he can be the vital final line for West Ham United with some big saves when necessary.

Jonas Lossl (Huddersfield Town- 4.4 Million): A rare chance for a Huddersfield Town clean sheet if Bournemouth continue to struggle away from home.

Defender 5.1 Million and Above

Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City- 6 Million): Suspended in the Champions League during the week so almost guaranteed to start this game. Always a threat from set pieces to score a goal.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool- 5.5 Million): An assist maker and being in the Liverpool defence gives the right back every chance of earning clean sheets.

Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City- 5.4 Million): A player who will be given licence to get forward under Brendan Rodgers.

Defender 5 Million and Below

Joel Matip (Liverpool- 4.9 Million): A cheap option into the Liverpool defence although Joel Matip could soon be pushed by Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez for the place next to Virgil Van Dijk.

Issa Diop (West Ham United- 4.3 Million): There is a real chance for West Ham United to get a clean sheet this weekend and Issa Diop has been a strong defender for them all season.

Midfielder 6.7 Million and Above

Sadio Mane (Liverpool- 9.8 Million): Has scored five goals in his last four games at Anfield and has stepped up while Mohamed Salah has just hit a poor patch of form.

Bernardo Silva (Manchester City- 7.5 Million): The absence of De Bruyne means Bernardo Silva should be back in a position to run the show for Manchester City where he has thrived for much of the season.

James Maddison (Leicester City- 6.7 Million): Been in good form for Leicester City and can help create chances and potentially score goals against a porous Fulham defence.

Midfielder 6.6 Million and Below

Manuel Lanzini (West Ham United- 6.4 Million): The Argentinian is back playing ninety minutes and he is a key creative influence for West Ham United.

Pedro (Chelsea- 6.3 Million): Scored another goal for Chelsea on Thursday and has been in good form at Stamford Bridge.

Harvey Barnes (Leicester City- 5.5 Million): Has been in fantastic goal-scoring positions but just needs to show a touch more composure when he gets into those positions.

Forward 6.1 Million and Above

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City- 11.8 Million): A strong record against Watford, as Aguero has against everyone, and I do think he leads the line before Gabriel Jesus takes over the striking duties to give Aguero a rest.

Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace- 6.9 Million): Been in great form for Crystal Palace and Wilfried Zaha is facing an underperforming Brighton defence.

Forward 6 Million and Below

Charlie Austin (Southampton- 5.5 Million): Has to lead the line for Southampton and can cause problems for Tottenham Hotspur who had been conceding plenty of away goals before beating Dortmund during the week.

MY PICKS: Crystal Palace & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.37 Bet Fred
Cardiff City-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.95 Bet Victor
Huddersfield Town + 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Bet Victor
Leicester City & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.85 Bet Fred
Everton 0 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet365
Tottenham Hotspur @ 1.86 Bet Victor
Manchester City - 2.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet365
Burnley + 2.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet Fred
Chelsea-Wolves Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.95 Bet Victor
Arsenal-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.66 Bet365

Boxing Picks 2018- Sergey Lipinets vs Mikey Garcia (March 10th)

Last weekend was fantastic.

The Heavyweight fight between Luis Ortiz and Deontay Wilder was brilliant and I have to say that Wilder has shown something that many didn't think he had.

The heart and ability to take a punch was evident in the Seventh Round, although you do have to wonder if Ortiz would have won that fight if he had been a younger fighter.

It was very similar to the dangerous waters Anthony Joshua negotiated in his win over Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 and I would be extremely disappointed if the Wilder and Joshua fight did not materialise soon.

But I won't be holding my breath.

I think Eddie Hearn will look for Joshua to take on Jarrell Miller, assuming both win their upcoming fights, and I think Alexander Povetkin is another he will be looking to line up which would push any Wilder fight back to 2019.

With Wilder there are other options out there too, but he wants the main fight and I think he will be 'chasing' it more than the Joshua team who may want to just build the fight up even more, despite what you hear from Eddie Hearn.

Oscar Valdez vs Scott Quigg

First things first, I am disappointed Scott Quigg has failed to make weight for what would have been a chance to become a two weight World Champion.

It doesn't show the best professionalism, but I am willing to give Quigg a pass and will have a small interest in him beating the unbeaten Mexican Oscar Valdez.

Earning a win away from home is tough for anyone and I do think Valdez will command the lion's share of the support on Saturday evening in California. That makes it tough to get a Decision here, but Quigg is the toughest challenge that Valdez would have faced and I think it is a telling fight as to what kind of potential the Mexican has.

Quigg is still a very good fighter with his sole loss coming against Carl Frampton and I hope the weight issues don't mean he makes the slow start that he has become known for.

I think the motivation is high for Quigg to earn that rematch with Frampton, although there was a hope it would be a Unification rather than the Bury man coming in without a belt. He is a very good boxer and as long as he can ride out the early storm, I think he can get the better of Valdez.

The Mexican is a World Champion so has to be respected, but I think this is a step up for him and I will have a small interest on the Englishman coming back home with a win.

However I will keep it to a small interest after the weight issues which could see the judges punish him in close Rounds and leave Quigg with a controversial loss on the cards.

Sergey Lipinets vs Mikey Garcia

Two fighters put their unbeaten records on the line on Saturday evening in a fight that was postponed for a month thanks to a hand injury for the Champion.

Sergey Lipinets is the Champion, but the headline in this one is Mikey Garcia who is looking to move up in weight and win another World Title.

It is interesting Garcia has done that despite saying he still has some unfinished business at 135, but winning a title in the Light-Welterweight Division will just keep the hype going before those potential big fights with Jorge Linares or Vasyl Lomachenko.

Garcia is a superb boxer with some considerable power, although facing the tough Lipinets will show us whether he can carry that power up another Division.

Lipinets should realise the size of the task in front of him but also what he can do for himself if he can upset Garcia. I do think the Champion will give it a good go, but Garcia should be able to box through the early Rounds and then start to pick him off in the second half of the fight.

I expect Garcia to wear down an opponent who will try his best to close the distance and punish the smaller man coming up the weights. However Garcia can frustrate first and then finish this fight in the second half with either the corner or referee pulling out Lipinets once he begins to ship too much punishment.

MY PICKS: Scott Quigg to Win @ 4.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Mikey Garcia to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2018: 10-8, + 20.28 Units (30 Units Staked, + 67.60% Yield)