French Open Tennis Day 2 Picks 2026 (Monday 25th May)

The French Open continues through the opening Round in Paris and those competing will have to battle through some very difficult conditions.

In fact the forecast for the next several days in the French capital look like they are going to be extremely testing for everyone from those competing on the courts to those watching in the stands.

Getting into the second week with as little time spent on court is the key for those looking to win the Grand Slam and that is the challenge set out before we get into the second week where the temperatures are looking like they are going to be much more manageable.

We already saw some of the top names making sure they were able to win matches on Sunday without exerting too much effort and those going out on Monday will be looking to follow suit.

Alex De Minaur - 7.5 games v Toby Samuel: Untimely injuries can have a big impact on any athlete in any sport and that has certainly held back Toby Samuel.

The 23 year old British player has returned to the Tour in 2025, but he has mainly been operating at a lower level before taking part and winning three Qualifiers to earn a spot in the French Open main draw. This is the first time Toby Samuel has been able to do this and he has a win over David Goffin in the Qualifiers, which has to be hugely respected, but all of this is going to feel like a new experience and the World Number 159 is operating at a career high mark.

The wins in the Qualifiers will have done Toby Samuel the world of good, but he had lost his previous three clay court matches prior to the run here in Paris.

Now he has to take on a top ten Seeded player in Alex De Minaur, although one that has not played nearly as well on the clay courts in 2026 compared with the last couple of years on the surface.

Alex De Minaur can take some belief from the fact he reached the Semi Final in Hamburg last week, but his numbers have been down across both serve and return in 2026 compared with the lsat couple of years. The manner of the Second Round defeat at the French Open twelve months ago may have dented the confidence, but the Australian is right to be set as a strong favourite and you have to believe the best of five set format gives him a chance to warm into the task at hand.

The added edge comes from the experience the World Number 9 has put together in his time on the Tour compared with Toby Samuel who has never played a top 100 Ranked opponent before on any surface.

Having nothing to lose could make Toby Samuel dangerous, but this is a long format and eventually you have to believe Alex De Minaur will show his superior experience to break down and overwhelm the young Qualifier who will be hoping to build on this run in Paris.

Andrey Rublev - 1.5 sets v Ignacio Buse: Winning the title in Hamburg is the career highlight for Ignacio Buse and it will push the 22 year old into a career best World Number 31 when the Rankings are released during the French Open.

Unfortunately that means missing out on a Seeding for this Grand Slam, but it also makes Ignacio Buse a very tough First Round match for a Seeded player.

Andrey Rublev is the player who has to go against Buse, but the World Number 13 is a solid clay courter and he will certainly believe he has the experience to give the youngster all he can handle.

This has been a decent, if unspectacular, clay court season for Andrey Rublev, but the numbers have remained steady and certainly strong enough to win a match like this one. His run in Rome was ended by Jannik Sinner, but Rublev is still playing steadily behind serve and on the return and he will believe there is still some room for improvement when arriving in the French capital for the second Grand Slam of the season.

His experience is going to be important, while Ignacio Buse will have had a long week in the build up to the French Open, which can work against some players.

Ignacio Buse has had some successes against top 100 Ranked opponents, but his numbers have been very similar to those produced by Andrey Rublev in 2026 and that is where the experience edge can become a real factor in the outcome of the match.

The opening set could set the tone, but Frances Tiafoe dropped that before rolling past Ignacio Buse in Rome and Andrey Rublev is capable of winning this one in four, especially if the youngster is just feeling the tennis he needed to play to win the title in Hamburg.

MY PICKS: Alex De Minaur - 7.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 1.5 Sets @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

French Open Update: 1-0, + 1.44 Units (2 Units Staked, + 72% Yield)

NBA Playoffs 2026- Conference Finals Game 1-4 (Monday 18th May-Monday 25th May)

We are going to be down to the final four teams in the NBA once Game 7 of the Second Round Series between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers is played on Sunday night.

That does mean that the Western Conference Finals will begin first rather than the Eastern Conference Finals and Game 1-4 are played on alternate days.

All NBA fans have to be excited about the Western Conference Finals- the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs could build up a real rivalry over the next several years with two young rosters filled with some incredible talent.

The winner of the Western Conference Finals will be expected to be set as favourites in the NBA Finals, but the New York Knicks have produced some of the best basketball of this year's Playoffs and will certainly have something to say about that.

Twenty-seven years have passed since the Knicks last reached the NBA Finals and fifty-three since New York last won a NBA Championship, but they have won seven Playoff games in a row and mostly in supremely confident fashion.

Nothing can be taken for granted against whoever they face in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Knicks are going to be favourites and it is up to this team to manage the huge expectations that have been placed on their shoulders.

NBA Playoffs 2026- Conference Finals Game 1-4

Monday 18th May

San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder Game 1 Pick: This is the Western Conference Finals that fans would have wanted to see and the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be favourites to move through to another NBA Finals.

They have breezed through the Playoffs without dropping a game, but this is going to be a significantly tougher Series.

However, that ability to make comfortable progress has meant the Oklahoma City Thunder are well rested and they are also expecting to have Jalen Williams available in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The depth of the Thunder has been a huge advantage over the rivals faced in the Playoffs so far, while Oklahoma City have been allowed to play with real physicality and that has seen them dominate the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.

Both of those teams were shorthanded, but that is not going to be the case in the Western Conference Finals and the San Antonio Spurs have to believe their own depth helps them match up well with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Spurs may not have the MVP of the League on the roster, but they will believe Victor Wembanyama is the best player on the court all the same. Using the depth to keep themselves competitive when Wemby has to be given a rest is the key for the Spurs, and it remains an important factor that San Antonio won four of the five regular season meetings between the teams.

There has been nothing wrong with the Oklahoma City Defensive unit, but recent games have been tougher for them even if they should be stronger at home. They are going to need to play well on this side of the court against a San Antonio team that have been very strong Defensively and used that to wear down the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Second Round Series.

Some will like the fact that the Spurs have not lost a lot of rhythm by playing in the Second Round until Friday, but the Oklahoma City Thunder showed that rest will not bother them. You would expect the Thunder to find their rhythm at home pretty quickly, but the defending Champions will also want to make an early statement against a team that gave them so much trouble in the regular season.

This is the shortest spread that the Thunder will have faced in the post-season at home in 2026, but that is the kind of respect that the San Antonio Spurs.

In saying that, the Spurs may still feel they are being overlooked by having this many points given to them and the road team can be backed in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, which has all of the signs of being one that could potentially go all the way.

Tuesday 19th May

Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks Game 1 Pick: Twenty-seven years have passed since the New York Knicks last reached the NBA Finals and multiple generations have failed to see the team win the NBA Championship.

After what had been something of an inconsistent regular season and falling 2-1 behind in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs, the Knicks have found some of their best basketball. The momentum has grown as they have not only won seven straight Playoff games, but the Knicks completely overwhelmed the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers and fans will believe they won't have many better opportunities to reach the NBA Finals.

Last year the season ended in the Eastern Conference Finals after a Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers, but injuries had held the team back and the Knicks look to be heading into the 2026 Conference Finals in much better shape.

OG Anunoby missed some time in the Second Round sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers, but he has been back in full practice with the team giving him a big chance of recovering with the rest days they have had between Series. Karl-Anthony Towns is playing about as well as he ever has in the NBA, while Jalen Brunson is expected to enjoy this match up.

The Knicks have been underrated Defensively, while the three point shooting has been at historically strong levels in the previous two Rounds as the team have rallied together and found a really good rhythm.

One of the only concerns for the fans is that the long layoff between the end of the Second Round Series and the start of the Eastern Conference Finals could work against New York.

However, the Cleveland Cavaliers will come into the Conference Finals having had to dig in to beat the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 and that is the second Series in the post-season that has gone all the way. Donovan Mitchell stepped up to lead the Cavaliers into the Eastern Conference Finals, which is also the first time Mitchell will have been that far in the Playoffs, but the key starters who have all been so important for Cleveland have already had a lot of minutes in the post-season.

This is a Series that is also going to feel very different for the Cavaliers- this time they are facing an opponent that will believe they can match the Offensive firepower on the other side of the court. After seeing the barrage of three pointers that the Knicks have been connecting on, the pressure will be on Cleveland to find the energy to get out to those shooters, while a returning Anunoby gives the Knicks the kind of Defensive length and intensity to put plenty of pressure on the Cavaliers.

Big favourites and Game 1 home teams have struggled in recent Conference Finals Series, but in recent situations where the Number 3 Seed has been favoured by at least 3.5 points, those teams have tended to cover.

A number of adjustments are going to have to be made by the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals compared with what has come before, but this feels a tough spot for them with a day of rest between Game 7 of the Second Round Series and this opening contest.

It is a big spread, but the New York Knicks have a lot of momentum that could carry into the Eastern Conference Finals and they may find some three point shooting rhythm to cover at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Wednesday 20th May

San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder Game 2 Pick: These two Western Conference rivals are expecting to battle one another for the next several years at the very top of the NBA and Game 1 suggests the Western Conference Finals could be an epic affair.

Double Overtime was needed before the San Antonio Spurs eventually prevailed thanks to a monster game from Victor Wembanyama.

For all intents and purposes, the Spurs fans will know the team have already achieved all they would have wanted from the first two games of the Series, but the players will feel there is an opportunity to really take control of this Conference Finals. Another win on the road would put the Spurs in a very strong position before returning home and they have shown they have what it takes to beat the defending Champions time and time again throughout this season.

Game 1 was won without De'Aaron Fox, who has to be considered Questionable for Game 2, but Wemby put the team on his back and had a big moment to level things up in the first Overtime played. His 41 Points alone would impress, but adding 24 Rebounds along with 3 Blocks and 3 Assists underlines the impact Victor Wembanyama had on the game as he became the youngest player to ever have at least 40 Points and 20 Rebounds in a Playoff game.

Asking for more of the same may be too much, but the San Antonio Spurs will feel Victor Wembanyama is the most impactful player on the court even if he did not win the MVP.

The player who did, Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, produced an inefficient 24 Points in Game 1 as the Spurs crowded him, but that did mean the Oklahoma City Thunder had multiple open looks that were missed. Some will believe that is down to the fact they have won all eight Playoff Games and so had a lot of rest between the end of the Second Round Series and Game 1 of the Conference Finals, but you have to think the Thunder are confident that the shooters will be better when those looks come up again.

Oklahoma City's regular season record against the Spurs will put them under some pressure, but they are the defending Champions and a response is expected.

Once again they are being asked to cover a big spread, which has not been a good position for favourites in the Conference Finals, but teams playing after a loss are 34-19-1 against the spread at this stage of the post-season.

Big favourites have struggled in the Conference Finals, but Number 1 Seeds have a 21-14 record against the spread when favoured by at least 6.5 points and this Thunder team have the experience and the quality to find a way to bounce back.

The Spurs covered as a big underdog, but that has not always been a good spot for the Number 2 Seed in the Conference Finals and those teams being given at least 5 points are now 7-16 against the spread.

Opposing the Spurs is not easy considering how they have matched up with the Thunder all season, but Oklahoma City may be facing a team that could soon turn their attention to 'holding serve' at home having already stolen home court advantage away. If that is going to happen, Game 2 looks the spot and the Thunder should be a little more efficient with the looks they missed out on last time out, which should see them edge past this spread line set.

Thursday 21st May

Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks Game 2 Pick: Most of the attention is going to be focusing on the New York Knicks after putting together a historic comeback that will have fans believing destiny is with them as they bid to return to the NBA Finals for the first time in twenty-seven years.

They were 22 points behind with less than eight minutes remaining and no one would have given the Knicks a shot at recovering.

Instead the team rallied to force Overtime and overwhelmed the Cleveland Cavaliers to produce the biggest comeback in the history of the New York Knicks as far as the post-season goes, while also being the second biggest deficit clawed back in the Fourth Quarter of any Playoff game in the last thirty years.

The number crunchers gave the Knicks a 0.1% chance of winning with a little over half of the Fourth Quarter remaining, but somehow it is New York who have a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Jalen Brunson put the team on his back and could not miss, but there were also key contributions from three point shooters who had been ice cold for the first three Quarters. Some of that is clearly down to the big gap between games, but the Knicks found their rhythm just in time and all of the momentum is with a team that have won eight straight Playoff games.

Credit has to be given to New York for the fight shown, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are rightly going to be facing criticism.

James Harden was exposed time and time again on the Defensive side of the court as the Knicks turned up the heat, which also impacted his level on the Offensive side as he was worn down. Donovan Mitchell had been playing really well, but drifted out of the game as the Cavaliers looked for someone to take control, although he has played down an injury concerns.

And Head Coach Kenny Atkinson has had to face the critics having failed to use his Timeouts in a bid to at least curtail the Knicks run in the Fourth Quarter when almost everyone else would have used them, even just to slow the clear momentum shift.

Adjustments will have to be made by the Cavaliers, but they have responded to adversity throughout these Playoffs and that makes them dangerous- yes, they did lose two in a row at the Detroit Pistons to open the Second Round Series, but the Cavaliers won road games in Game 5 and Game 7 to show they can come through difficult, hostile environments.

However, there has to be a concern about the way things went at the end of Game 1 and the relative lack of recovery time before the teams face off again in Game 2 at The Garden.

Open shooters will have to be more clinical with those opportunities, while Mitchell cannot allow himself to become a non-factor as he did in the second half of the Fourth Quarter and in Overtime in Game 1.

The challenge for the Cavaliers is knowing that this New York Knicks team had been completely out of sync for so long in Game 1 that they should have won on the road, while now they are dealing with a team that did find rhythm with their shots. The three point shooting has been eye-catching in this Playoff run, but the Knicks have so much room for improvement from the Tuesday efforts that they feel very, very dangerous if the Cavaliers do not come out with a point to prove.

Big favourites have found it tough in the Conference Finals, while teams playing after a loss have bounced back effectively, which are both trends favouring the road team.

Game 2s have tended to be very good for home teams after a win with those putting together an 8-5 run against the spread and the New York Knicks have to believe the manner of the opening win is going to have a hangover effect on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It is imperative the Knicks come out fast and use the emotion of the crowd to get on top of the Cavaliers as early as they can and, if they can do that, they should have a better shooting day with some of the looks they saw in Game 1 to believe they can win and take a 2-0 lead in the Series with a cover of the spread line set.

Friday 22nd May

Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs Game 3 Pick: They did what they needed to during a two game road business trip to Oklahoma City, but it has come at a cost for the San Antonio Spurs.

De'Aaron Fox was already missing and another primary ball-handler in Dylan Harper suffered an injury in the Third Quarter of Game 2, which ultimately tipped things in favour of the defending Champions. Turnovers killed the San Antonio Spurs with Stephon Castle being most guilty and they are going to be desperate to have at least one of Fox or Harper available for Game 3 as the Western Conference Finals shifts to San Antonio for the next two in the Series.

Every team needs players who can bring the ball up the court and create plays and San Antonio are no different- after the Double Overtime win in Game 1 behind a monster game from Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs best player was not as influential a factor in Game 2 and some of that is down to the inability of those outside of De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper being able to set the tempo with turning the ball over.

Turnovers have long been situations from which the Oklahoma City Thunder shine and most would have expected a big response from this group after losing Game 1.

Shai-Gilgeous Alexander had a really efficient day from the field, even if his flopping on almost every shot taken is beginning to be noted more and more, while the intensity of the team meant they were not outgunned on the boards for a second time in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder were out-Rebounded in Game 2, but by a 4 board margin rather than the 21 more recoveries earned by the Spurs in Game 1.

It wasn't a perfect night for the Thunder, who may have lost Jalen Williams to another injury, while there have been plenty flagging up some of the physical, rough-housing the officials either missed or ignored against Victor Wembanyama.

On San Antonio's home court, those calls may end up trending in favour of the Spurs and it does make Game 3 that much more interesting for viewers.

In recent years, the Conference Finals have seen the zig-zag theory working really well with teams coming off losses producing strong numbers in the next game. The San Antonio Spurs will be hoping another day of recovery will help them here and you would expect De'Aaron Fox to suit up having been a game-time decision on Wednesday.

That will help, as will a few more positive calls from the officials, but this Oklahoma City Thunder deep have showcased the kind of depth they have.

Number 2 Seeds have been solid backs when favoured in Conference Finals games, while it should also be noted that Number 1 Seeds have not performed well as small favourites or underdogs, which is what the Oklahoma City Thunder have been set as in this important Game 3 battle.

Instead of picking a side, it may pay for this one to end up surpassing a total that has moved up a couple of points compared with Game 2.

That opening Double Overtime Game 1 has sapped some early energy and we saw signs of that in Game 2, while the officials may be more on top of some of the physicality we have seen where obvious fouls were not being called. Those have been highlighted nationally and it could be a Game 3 where whistles are more frequent, which in turn leads to drawn out Quarters as teams head to the Foul Line.

Three point shooting was more efficient in Game 2 as the Defensive players perhaps struggled to get out to those spot up shooters with tired legs recovering from the opening outing in the Western Conference Finals.

If that continues, this line may still be a touch low and it should be stated that Conference Finals games where the total has been set between 209 and 216 points have now finished with an 'over' in twenty-five of the last thirty-six occasions that has happened, including in Game 2 of this Series.

Turnovers lead to quick points too and the Spurs could be guilty of that again, but the home team are also showing they can break down this Oklahoma City Defensive scheme and this total may end up being surpassed in a Game 3 that really feels like it is finely balanced.

Saturday 23rd May

New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers Game 3 Pick: There are recent Conference Finals trends that will give the Cleveland Cavaliers some confidence as they return home 0-2 behind in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals.

Teams that were blown out in Game 2 have been on a strong 9-2 run against the spread in Game 3, while this has usually been the time of the NBA Playoffs when those playing after a loss have recovered to cover in the next game.

Of course that did not happen for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2, but you cannot ignore the fact that there was always going to be some kind of hangover having been on the wrong end of a historically big post-season collapse in Game 1.

The rally to win that game has given the New York Knicks confidence and they looked to be in much better rhythm all around in Game 2 as they took command of the Series and moved to two wins from returning to the NBA Finals in almost thirty years. There looked to be more energy in the New York legs in Game 2 as they produced a ninth straight Playoff win, but most impressive is that they won that one very differently compared with Game 1 and that makes the Knicks tough to stop.

Jalen Brunson took the team on his back in Game 1 and overpowered the Cavaliers down the stretch, but the best player on the Knicks team made the adjustments needed in Game 2. It was clear the Cavaliers were not going to allow Brunson to beat them again, but that did not stop the superstar having a huge impact on Game 2 with 19 Points and 14 Assists.

It was Josh Hart that the Cavaliers were allowing to have the open looks, but he punished them with a career best 26 Playoff Points and there was a strong balance from the five starters that ultimately proved too much for this Cleveland team.

The Cavaliers have been better at home, which will give them some belief they can return to Gotham with the Conference Finals tied up, but Donovan Mitchell looked to be playing through some kind of injury in Game 2 and his impact was not nearly as strong as it had been through three Quarters of Game 1.

Cleveland were better on the glass in Game 2 and they limited the Turnovers, but there was some tiredness in the legs of a team that have needed seven games to win the opening two Series and who had just blown the massive lead in Game 1 to fall behind. That tiredness was exposed in the second half and the Cavaliers did not shoot as well as they did in Game 1, while the New York Knicks were better from the Field as the rhythm returned to the shooters.

In the Second Round, Cleveland returned home having lost both games to the Detroit Pistons and they won the next three- the problem is that they are not facing an opponent who have been struggling Offensively, but instead they are up against a New York team that have impressed at both ends of the court.

You almost HAVE to expect better energy and intensity from the home team, but having a single day between games is tough in terms of the recovery time.

If Donovan Mitchell is not able to attack as normal, these Conference Finals may quickly get away from the Cavaliers and the last seven teams with a 2-0 lead at this stage of the post-season have produced a 4-3 record against the spread in Game 3.

All of the early money looks to be going on the home favourite, but the New York Knicks have the momentum and all of the talent needed to weather the expected early storm. Once again they could show off the power in the Fourth Quarter and the Knicks can be backed with a start with every reason to believe they can earn the 'upset' to move one game away from the Finals.

Sunday 24th May

Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs Game 4 Pick: Earning the Game 1 win in Double Overtime may have given the San Antonio Spurs the lead in this Western Conference Finals, but days later you do have to wonder if that victory came at a cost.

The defending Champions were never going to go away quietly, but the Oklahoma City Thunder have taken back to back games to regain home court advantage in the Western Conference Finals.

The Thunder will have taken plenty of confidence from recovering from 0-15 behind in the First Quarter of Game 3 and showing the greater depth on the roster. Four players came off the bench to score at least 11 points and the ability to use the rotation has helped the big names get plenty of rest since that Double Overtime defeat to open this Series.

It has been a different approach for the San Antonio Spurs who have struggled when Victor Wembanyama has had to go to the bench, while they will have noted that all of the starters reached double digits in terms of points, but there was simply not the same impact from the bench.

The star player has tried to take the blame for not putting his teammates into better positions to succeed, but Wemby does need support and the San Antonio Spurs will be hoping De'Aaron Fox has not re-aggravated an injury that saw miss the first two games. He did come back into Game 3 after hurting his ankle again, but Fox did not look quite right and the Spurs are going to be hoping one day of recovery is enough to get him ready to compete.

Both De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper will try and do what they can for the team, but the Spurs need to find a way to stay competitive when Victor Wembanyama is on the bench.

Adjustments will also have to be made Defensively having been punished by the role players, but the momentum is with the Oklahoma City Thunder who have found a good formula for success.

In all likelihood, the Spurs are going to shorten the rotation for this Game 4, which feels like 'must win'.

That may help, but you have to still favour the Oklahoma City Thunder to find a way with a host of options to use and potentially having Jalen Williams available after he sat out Game 3, but travelled with the team.

Both teams have very strong Defensive schemes, but the desire to attack the rim and some of the holding and grabbing has led to plenty of fouls and that means getting to the Foul Line very quickly. There were 66 Free Throws combined in Game 3 after just 41 in Game 2, but the officials may have noticed the grabbing issues that the media had focused on after the second game of the Series and they are looking to clamp down on those.

The total has moved upwards from Game 3 after the last two high-scoring contests, but this may be another with the Spurs likely emptying some of the tank to try and level the Series and both teams capable of racking up the Free Throw attempts.

Monday 25th May

New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4 Pick: When they fell 2-1 behind to the Atlanta Hawks in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs, the press and fans were sharpening their knives and ready to put the dagger into the New York Knicks.

They had lost back to back games by single point margins, but that has focused the team and the Knicks have not looked back.

Twenty-seven years have passed since the New York Knicks were competing in the NBA Finals and fifty-three since this team last lifted a NBA Championship, but the team have put together a ten game winning run through the post-season and now stand a single win away from returning to the Finals.

Most Knicks fans will still be keeping the emotions in check and that is largely down to the disappointments suffered over the years, but the 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals is one that teams have simply not been able to overcome. None have been beaten in a best of seven Series when moving into a 3-0 lead and the New York Knicks have dominated the last couple of games after breaking the hearts of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1.

Blowing that 22 point lead in the Fourth Quarter has haunted the Cavaliers and they have been outplayed in the last couple of games.

Head Coach Kenny Atkinson has made an effort to remind the media that his team have perhaps deserved more, but Cleveland have struggled at both ends of the court and Donovan Mitchell clearly looks to be playing through an injury. That has hindered a team that have been hugely reliant on the four key starters and it does feel like the long Playoff run has caught up with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Unlike the Knicks, the Cleveland Cavaliers have played every game possible in the Playoffs, while the limited recovery time between games has just worn them down.

You have to really worry about how much is left in the tank when you consider some of the Defensive work shown on the court in the Fourth Quarter of the defeat in Game 3.

Playing at home to avoid the sweep should offer motivation, but the Knicks have shown they have a greater depth and a team that is playing with freshness and confidence that cannot be understated. It has put them in a position to break the long wait to return to the NBA Finals and the New York Knicks may be able to weather the early push expected from the Cleveland Cavaliers before pulling away for another victory.

Teams that have faced a four game sweep in the Conference Finals are only 3-6 straight up in the last nine times this situation has come up, although 4-4-1 against the spread. However, this line is short enough to believe the New York Knicks do cover if they win and they can do that behind a balanced Offensive unit and a set of players looking to play with intensity on the Defensive side of the court.

Cleveland have to show more fight than they did in Game 3, but that may still not be enough to extend this Series back to The Garden.

MY PICKS: 18/05 San Antonio Spurs + 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

19/05 New York Knicks - 6.5 Points @ 1.83 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

20/05 Oklahoma City Thunder - 6.5 Points @ 2.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

21/05 New York Knicks - 6 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

22/05 San Antonio Spurs-Oklahoma City Thunder Over 216 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

23/05 New York Knicks + 2.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

24/05 San Antonio Spurs-Oklahoma City Thunder Over 218.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

25/05 New York Knicks - 2.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Conference Finals: 7-1, + 5.42 Units (8 Units Staked, + 67.75% Yield)

Second Round: 5-8, - 3.45 Units (13 Units Staked, - 26.54% Yield)

First Round: 15-17, - 3.28 Units (32 Units Staked, - 10.25% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 1 Picks 2025 (Sunday 25th May)

There are going to be a lot of wondering eyes in Paris with the Champions League Final coming up next weekend that features Paris Saint-Germain, but the start of the French Open is still a huge part of the sporting calendar in the French capital.

Tennis fans will also be very interested as the second Grand Slam of the season gets underway and it looks like a tournament that could be pretty open.

Carlos Alcaraz has made a statement ahead of the defence of his title and looks the right favourite, while Aryna Sabalenka can say the same in the women's tournament.

The poor form of Iga Swiatek, nicknamed the Queen of Clay, has opened the door for a potential new Champion here and the World Number 1 looks best placed to take advantage. There will be plenty of people raising an eyebrow about the form of Swiatek, especially as she has not looked the same since a failed drugs test at the end of last season.

Some will say it is the mental burden of having to prove herself as someone who has not been cheating, but sceptics may say that the Pole had not been playing clean before popping and the poor form underlines their feelings about the former World Number 1.

It does look like a Grand Slam where the two favourites can come out on top, but the French Open is a tough event to negotiate. Clay matches can end up going a lot longer than expected and there are players like Jannik Sinner, Mirra Andreeva, Coco Gauff, and Novak Djokovic who should not be ruled out.

Novak Djokovic has been struggling with his form, but has put some wins on the board in Geneva to restore confidence and is only a few months on from winning the Olympic Gold Medal right here in Roland Garros. His previous performances at the French Open makes the veteran a dangerous player in the draw and the hope is that the next two weeks are a lot of fun for the fans and organisers.

The French Open is another Grand Slam that has moved to the Sunday start time with the First Round of the tournament split over three days.

We have a solid looking schedule on Day 1 of the tournament and the Picks can be read below.

After a decent Australian Open and strong results over much of the last four months, the Season Totals remain in a good spot, but with more than half o the season to go.

In recent years, the French Open has perhaps been the most consistent of the Grand Slam tournaments in terms of the profit/loss and laying a strong foundation for success through the first week of the event is the ambition. The shortlisting of selections have worked out pretty well so far in 2025 after a really disappointing 2024 and it is all about the continued positive momentum as the main clay court season comes to a conclusion.

Peyton Stearns - 3.5 games v Eva Lys: The clay courts might not always be the favoured surface of those playing out of the United States, but Peyton Stearns has enjoyed a really good couple of months on the red dirt. Not only has she reached a career high World Ranking ahead of the French Open, but Stearns will enter the tournament as one of the top thirty-two Seeds and she could, or perhaps should, be targeting a result to match her Third Round run from last year.

The key is to make sure she is focused after piling up the wins in Madrid and Rome- Peyton Stearns reached the Fourth Round in the Spanish capital before surpassing all expectations to make it through to the Rome Semi Final.

Peyton Stearns has had to battle through some of the matches, but credit has to be given to the 23 year old for finding a way to put the wins together. Some may feel she has benefited from kind draws, but that has not been the case for Stearns who has wins over four players that were Ranked higher than herself and losses to Aryna Sabalenka and Jasmine Paolini are hardly surprises.

The expectation is that Peyton Stearns can get off to a strong start in the French capital with a First Round match against Eva Lys, even if the latter is an experienced clay court player.

Much like Peyton Stearns, Eva Lys is playing at a career best World Ranking mark, but she is just inside the top 60 and has not had the same kind of consistent results as the American. While Eva Lys has a 6-5 record on the clay courts in the lead up to the French Open, that becomes 1-4 when only considering matches against players Ranked higher than herself and a vulnerable serve has been exploited by the stronger players faced.

Some of the losses that have been handed to Eva Lys have been pretty one-sided and Peyton Stearns looks to be playing well enough to secure a relatively comfortable victory of her own.

As long as she gets enough first serves in play, Stearns should be able to have considerable success on the return and that should see her move through to the Second Round with two solid sets under the belt.

Diana Shnaider - 6.5 games v Anastasiia Sobolieva: There are some clear favourites who will be expecting to challenge for the second Grand Slam of the season, but someone like Diana Shnaider could prove to be a dangerous 'underdog'. The World Number 11 continues to improve as a player on the Tour and the young player looked to be in good form when reaching the Rome Quarter Final earlier this month.

She has reached the Third Round in three consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, but Diana Shnaider has yet to have the kind of impact at this level that her Ranking may suggest. However, she is getting closer having put together a run into the second week at the US Open last year and her all-around tennis ability means Diana Shnaider is a threat on all surfaces.

Over the last couple of seasons, Diana Shnaider has developed into a consistent player on the clay courts and it will feel like a real disappointment if she is not to reach the Third Round, at least, for the first time in Paris this week.

The serve has been effective and Diana Shnaider is a strong returner, which should give her the edge over a Qualifier in the First Round.

Both of these players are 21 years old, but Anastasiia Sobolieva is outside of the top 200 of the World Rankings, although set for a boost having won three Qualifiers to earn a spot in the main draw. She only dropped a single set in those Qualifying matches and that will give Sobolieva confidence, even if she will accept that this is a considerable step upwards compared to the usual level of opponent she will face.

The real test for Anastasiia Sobolieva is going to be trying to protect the second serve and too many looks at that shot should give one of the Seeds an opportunity to get on top of the rally from the outset.

Diana Shnaider will be aware of this opponent being in the same age bracket- their sole previous match was back in November 2021 on the clay courts and Shnaider was outside of the top 1000 and almost 500 Ranking places below Anastasiia Sobolieva.

However, that did not stop Shnaider winning 6-4, 6-1 and the World Number 11 has progressed and developed to a level where she should be a relatively comfortable winner again.

MY PICKS: Peyton Stearns - 3.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Diana Shnaider - 6.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (1 Unit)

2025 Season: 85-61, + 17.66 Units (184 Units Staked, + 9.60% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall II (Saturday 25th May)

It has been a long time coming... But it was absolutely worth the wait!

The feeling had been that it might not be the most entertaining Heavyweight clash, but there was no doubting the importance of a first Undisputed World Title fight for twenty five years.

However, all credit has to be given to both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk who gave the fans a fight that will long be remembered.

Personally I thought Fury had been in very good form through the first six Rounds and looked to have hurt Usyk, but the Ukrainian has shown many times before that he can make the in-fight adjustments to turn things back in his favour. Once again he did that and the unbelievable Ninth Round will live long in the memory as we eventually had the right winner announced on the night and a genuine reason to have a rematch later in the year.

That would likely mean the IBF World Title is vacated and will be contested by Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois in early June with the winner lined up to take on Anthony Joshua in Autumn.

The only positive is that after the rematch between Usyk-Fury, we should hopefully be in line for another Undisputed Heavyweight fight much sooner than the twenty-five year gap between the one last Saturday and the Lennox Lewis-Evander Holyfield one in 1999. If Tyson Fury was to earn revenge in the expected rematch in October, the trilogy could make most sense for both fighters before they potentially walk off into the sunset, but there are a host of contenders now lining up to try and take over where they can and the Heavyweight Division has certainly come alive over the last several months.

There were some solid undercard results- Jai Opetaia is once again a Cruiserweight World Champion, while Anthony Cacace earned a World Title of his own after upsetting Joe Cordina.

Eyes will have begun to have been turned to the Five vs Five taking place in Riyadh a week on Saturday, but there is a big night in the United Kingdom in between the two Saudi events.

Last weekend we also had two upsets over in the United States and the Lightweight and Welterweight Division will have been given a jolt by the results seen. Denys Berinchyk's win over Emanuel Navarrete will have opened up a number of doors when it comes to a potential Unification in the Lightweight Division, while Brian Norman Jr became the Interim WBO Welterweight World Champion, a position that will be upgraded on August 3rd when Terence Crawford moves up to win a World Title in the Light Middleweight Division.

Much like Berinchyk, Brian Norman Jr was quick to mention a couple of the other Interim World Champions in the Welterweight Division and the next generation after Crawford and Errol Spence Jr could give up some big nights over the next twelve to eighteen months.

Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall II

In February 2022, Josh Taylor was the Undisputed Light Welterweight Champion having collected all of the Belts and he was a pretty significant favourite to see off Jack Catterall and then potentially move up to Welterweight to challenge the likes of Terence Crawford or Errol Spence Jr.

After a strong career, things seemed to unravel on the night and I am not the only person out there who thought Catterall had done enough to upset The Tartan Tornado.

Boxing does what Boxing does at times and it was actually Taylor who had his hand raised at the end of Twelve Rounds, despite also being put on the floor by Jack Catterall. Both fighters had a point deducted in what was a messy bout, but it felt like the Challenger had done just enough and there has been a personal issue between them ever since.

Josh Taylor has been dealing with injuries that have postponed the rematch a number of times, and he then decided to face Teofimo Lopez in New York City instead. That meant defending the last of the four Belts he had collected, but Taylor was beaten pretty comfortably and there has to be a real question about how much he has left in the tank with the long layoffs between fights.

Jack Catterall has every right to be frustrated with the decision from the first fight, but it was a real disappointment to not see him capitalise on the situation. Having the World Titles would have made a difference, but Catterall has allowed his career to stagnate while waiting for this rematch and this is only the third fight since Taylor-Catterall 1.

Wins over Darragh Foley and Jorge Linares won't have had many clamouring to see Jack Catterall take on the World Champions, but he can reignite things by beating Josh Taylor. He remains decently Ranked by all four bodies and working with Matchroom should mean Jack Catterall will be in line for another World Title shot if he can exorcise this mental demon.

It is Jack Catterall who will be going into the main event as the favourite- there are certainly more questions about Josh Taylor and the inactivity, injury and how much more motivation he has left in the tank. All of the right things are being said, which is not a surprise, but you do have to wonder if Taylor really believes he can become a two weight World Champion having struggled to make Light Welterweight for some time, but still not moving up.

This makes me feel that Taylor doesn't have the same desires as he once did, especially as Welterweight is now filled with some tough, tough fighters, but perhaps not those that would have given him the same kind of financial reward as fighting Bud Crawford or Spence Jr would have done.

In saying all that, it is not easy to back Jack Catterall considering how relatively one-paced he has looked in his last couple of fights. He is not the most exciting fighter, which can put off fans as well as judges against an aggressive fighter like Josh Taylor, but this is a main event where you can sit back and toss a coin.

Last week Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury surprised us all with the kind of excitement produced, but we have seen Taylor-Catterall once before and something similar might be seen. Another close decision either way is likely, although my lean would be that a slightly more motivated Jack Catterall may come through and edge Josh Taylor towards retirement.

The best Josh Taylor beats the best Jack Catterall (and I've long been a huge fan of Taylor and what he has achieved), but we have simply not seen the best of Taylor for a long time and you have to question how much is left in the tank.

The main event will be making the headlines, but there is a decent enough undercard this weekend, in between the two big cards in Saudi Arabia.

While not going to be as deep as those cards, there are still some interesting contests here in Leeds.

Gary Cully is looking to show how much he has learned from his one defeat by taking on a veteran in Francesco Patera.

He has to be careful not to get overly carried away about becoming the first to Stop Patera, especially as Cully showed he can be baited into a defeat. He should be good enough to come through on the cards, but this is much closer than some have listed.

Another Irishman looking to showcase his talents on the undercard, Paddy Donovan, is fighting Lewis Ritson, who is well known to UK fight fans. The latter has not really reached the heights that were once tipped for him and he is heading up to Welterweight for this one having been Stopped in his last outing at Light Welterweight by Ohara Davies.

A fourteen month layoff is not ideal and Paddy Donovan is certainly someone who hits very big and could be ready to make a statement and try and steal the show.

The Five vs Five Queensberry vs Matchroom card is taking place in Riyadh next week, but the two rival promoters are working together more than ever.

Last week it was Queensberry who earned bragging rights when Anthony Cacace beat Joe Cordina, but Eddie Hearn is confident in Cheavon Clarke, an unbeaten Cruiserweight contender who is hoping to put the British Title around his waist before moving up the World Rankings.

There are some talented fighters in this Division, domestically and on the World stage, and this is an opportunity for Clarke.

He is facing Ellis Zorro who was last seen being wiped out in a single Round by Jai Opetaia in December, but who did pick up a European Title prior to that.

Ellis Zorro has had some solid wins as he has gotten the most out of his career, but you do have to wonder how he has recovered from what was a devastating Knock Out defeat.

You do have to point out that defeat was against a genuinely World level fighter and arguably the man to beat at Cruiserweight, but it will have really dented the confidence and someone like Cheavon Clarke will test the Ellis Zorro resolve.

The unbeaten Cruiserweight has shown considerable punching power in his early professional career and the feeling is that Clarke will showcase more of that in this one. Ellis Zorro will come to fight, which should help Cheavon Clarke, and the latter might be able to put a statement win on the board before chasing some of the bigger names in the Division.

At one point he would have been headlining big cards on Saturday evening in the United Kingdom and Lawrence Okolie had signed with Boxxer hoping to Unify the Cruiserweight Division before moving up to Heavyweight.

The plan to hit the marquee Division has not changed, but Okolie would not have anticipated losing to former stablemate Chris Billam-Smith.

It was a really poor performance and almost exactly one year has passed.

The Sauce returns on Friday night and has to travel to Poland where he is taking on Lukasz Rozanski, who has surprisingly been out of the ring even longer than his opponent. The last time we saw the Pole, he was crushing Alen Babic in a single Round for the Bridgerweight World Title and this might be a sign that Lawrence Okolie is now bulking his way up towards the Heavyweight Division.

He will have to be careful.

This might not be a fighter of real note, but Lukasz Rozanski has already displayed he carries plenty of power and he will likely come right out of the traps looking for Lawrence Okolie.

However, that might be music to the ears of Okolie as long as he is ready to let his hands go, a criticism he faced in the losing effort to Billam-Smith. The former Cruiserweight World Champion has admitted that he has worked on this and Joe Gallagher is the latest trainer trying to help Okolie maximise his potential.

This could develop into a firefight as long as Lawrence Okolie is willing to trade with his opponent, one who will come forward, but who should be predictable and one paced.

With his big levers, Lawrence Okolie could really find a home for his right hand and counter Rozanski onto something big and he might just announce his return with some style.

The final fight making some headlines this week involves the return of Christian Mbilli who continues to make his name in Canada.

We last saw him winning in January and Mbilli is expected to take a big step up later in the year, as long as he can get through this one.

Mark Heffron is well known to UK Boxing fans, and this is an unexpected opportunity for him- the Third Round loss to Jack Cullen looked to be a career ender for the thirty-two year old, but Heffron still feels there is something left in the tank.

One victory over a journeyman has been parlayed into this big fight in Canada and Mark Heffron feels he has nothing to lose.

However, the punch resistance was concerning against Cullen, who is not exactly in wonderful winning form either side of that fight, and Christian Mbilli might be able to find the big shots early enough to force a Stoppage before announcing a big fight for the summer.

MY PICKS: Paddy Donovan to Win Between 1-5 @ 3.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Cheavon Clarke to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Lawrence Okolie to Win Between 1-6 @ 3.00 William Hill (2 Units) 

Boxing 2024: 21-33, + 15.17 Units (74 Units Staked, + 20.50% Yield)

NBA Conference Finals Picks 2019 (May 23-27)

NBA PlayOffs 2019- Conference Finals Picks Game 5-7 (May 23-27)

The Western Conference Finals saw the Golden State Warriors recover from huge deficits on three straight occasions to sweep the Portland Trail Blazers out of the post-season. That has given them plenty of time to rest while the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors are forced to play at least two more games before the NBA Finals begin at the end of the month.

It is an important time for the Warriors as they hope that time will allow Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins to both return to the rotation having missed the last six games for the team. They haven't been missed as much as you might have expected considering the Warriors have won all of those games, although I would expect the NBA Finals to be a much tougher proposition than what the Trail Blazers were able to produce against Golden State.

Even the Warriors have admitted they are going to need at least Durant and maybe even Cousins if they are going to win the NBA Championship for a third year in a row and for the fourth time in five seasons. It will take a brave person to bet against them doing that, although my feeling is that the Milwaukee Bucks will pose a lot more questions than the Toronto Raptors.

However right now the Eastern Conference Finals are finely balance at 2-2 with both teams having won a dominant game and perhaps a shaky one at home to hold serve. A best of three should favour the Bucks who host two of those games, but the Raptors have momentum and Game 5 is going to be huge.

Thursday 23rd May

Toronto Raptors @ Milwaukee Bucks Game 5 Pick: Throughout this season the Milwaukee Bucks have responded to setbacks by bouncing back and setting the record straight in their next game. It was a big reason they went into Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals as the favourite having dropped Game 3 to the Toronto Raptors as the underdog, but it was Toronto who came out on top to level the Series at 2-2.

Game 5 moves back to Milwaukee and there is no doubting the importance of this one in what has become a best of three game Series. The Bucks need to stem the momentum the Raptors have been able to build up after winning Game 3 in Double Overtime and then crushing Milwaukee in Game 4 which was never really competitive.

It is now up to the Bucks to make the adjustments they need as they have not really been able to show off the depth that many thought gave them an edge in this match up with Toronto. While the Raptors might not have the same amounts of rotations to keep key players on decent minutes, their role players have stepped up massively in the last couple of games and it is their performances which have led to a tied Series.

Kawhi Leonard may be one of the best players in the NBA, but he was held to 19 points in Game 4 and yet the Raptors were still able to dominate throughout. Leonard is still looking a little gimpy having suffered an injury in Game 3, while Kyle Lowry is also dealing with an undisclosed issue but both are going to suit up and give all they can to help the Raptors reach a first ever NBA Finals.

While Leonard and Lowry have done enough to open things up for the rest of the team, Pascal Siakam continues to have his own struggles. Fortunately others have been in fine form and now it is up to the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo to return to the kind of level that makes him a leading contender for regular season MVP.

Antetokounmpo will not be heckled by Canadian idiot, I mean rapper, Drake in Game 5, but he can't use that as an excuse for two average performances in Toronto. He will need Khris Middleton to step up with him, while Eric Bledsoe's post-season struggles have stretched on and his lack of Offensive productivity is hurting the strong Defensive effort he is trying to produce for the team.

Milwaukee should be much more comfortable in home surroundings having covered in their last four here. They are also 6-0 against the spread when playing off a double digit defeat and the Bucks are 21-5 against the spread when playing off a loss.

They have only once lost back to back games in the 2018/19 season and they crushed the Indiana Pacers by 19 points as a double digit favourite at home after those consecutive losses. The home team has covered in all four Eastern Conference Finals Games and Toronto are 1-4 against the spread in their last five road PlayOff Games.

I have yet to really lose faith in Milwaukee as they could have easily won Game 3. The Game 4 performance was perhaps the worst they have produced in the post-season, but Milwaukee have shown they can bounce back from defeats and this team will be much better being back at home.

The public money looks to be going down on the Raptors, but Milwaukee will be looking to improve a recent trend that has developed in the NBA PlayOffs. Home teams at 2-2 have improved to 6-2 against the spread in Game 5 of the PlayOffs since the beginning of the 2018 NBA PlayOffs and I think the Bucks are a team who can rally from their losses and show the NBA they are still the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.


Saturday 25th May
Milwaukee Bucks @ Toronto Raptors Game 6 Pick: The Golden State Warriors have already been enjoying a few days off to recover from their post-season exploits to reach the NBA Finals, but they could learn their opponent for the Championship as soon as Saturday night. The Toronto Raptors have overcome some big odds to beat the Milwaukee Bucks for a third time in a row to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals and one more win in front of their own fans will see them through to a first ever NBA Finals appearance.

It is a stunning turnaround in this Series after the Bucks won the first two games. They had only suffered back to back defeats once in the regular season and this is the first time Milwaukee have lost three in a row all year which makes the Toronto recovery all the more remarkable.

In Game 5 the Raptors rallied from big deficits on a couple of occasions to weather the Milwaukee storm and take a lead in the Series. It is making the Game 3 win in Double Overtime looking all the more key for Toronto who have earned some momentum from the manner of their win and continue to roll with it.

Milwaukee have not lost faith in their own ability, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is struggling at the Free Throw line at the wrong time as his team-mates have not stepped up to the plate. One of the big factors in the last three games is the deteriorating number of three point shots being taken by the Bucks as Milwaukee have continued to struggle to shoot the ball from downtown while their overall success from the field has been well down on their season numbers.

Energy on the Defensive side of the court has bled into the Toronto Offense too as Kawhi Leonard continues to dominate the Series. He bounced back from a tough Game 4 to score 35 points in Game 5 to lead the Raptors, but it has been the contribution of the role players that has really caught the eye and put Toronto in a position to finish the Finals.

I would be stunned if Milwaukee were to lose for a fourth game in a row, but they are not really a team I can back with any confidence after the way the last three games have gone. If they were to win Game 6 I would make the Bucks strong favourites to win the Series, but there is a lot of pressure on them and the layers have placed a spread that is impossible for me to judge.

If Milwaukee are going to win here, they need to do better from the field whether that is attacking the paint and getting to the Free Throw line or someone stepping up and getting hot from the three point line. The Raptors have shown they have players who can put the three ball together and they have scored plenty of points in this Series, but I do think Milwaukee are going to respond before it is too late.

After a lower than expected scoring Game 5 I am not surprised that so many have been quick to back the 'under' in this one. However the last eight between Toronto and Milwaukee in Canada have seen six of them finish with an 'over' and I think the Bucks are better than they have shown Offensively to think they can contribute to a high-scoring Game 6.

The 'over' is also 8-1 in the Milwaukee's last nine road games, while it is 14-3 when the Bucks are playing a team with a winning record at home. The 'over' has also been the play in Toronto games when facing a team with a winning record of at least 60% as that side of the market has improved to 4-1 in their last five at home.

The emotion is going to be high in this building on Saturday night, but I can see both teams looking to provide a heavy dose of three point shooting which can lead to Game 6 surpassing the number set.

MY PICKS: 23/05 Milwaukee Bucks - 6.5 Points @ 1.83 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
25/05 Toronto Raptors-Milwaukee Bucks Over 212 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

NBA Conference Finals: 4-5, - 1.36 Units (9 Units Staked, - 15.11% Yield)

Second Round: 12-11, - 0.04 Units (23 Units Staked, - 0% Yield)

First Round: 23-17, + 4.02 Units (40 Units Staked, + 10.05% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (May 25th)

The final week before a Grand Slam begins is a tough time to be making daily picks from the Tennis Tour and it is no surprise I have only had three picks all week despite four tournaments being played.

The last two have both come back as winners but I didn't see anything I liked to follow those up from Wednesday and had a day away on Thursday.

Instead I had a quick look through the French Open draw which was made on Thursday evening- the tournament begins on Sunday, the only Slam to begin on a Sunday, and I will have my break down of the draw and any outright picks ready to go on the site on Saturday.

Day 1 Picks will also be out on Saturday evening with the First Round matches scheduled for that day and I am looking forward to two good weeks in Paris. I wish I was going this year and it is now five years since I visited the French Open which is a remarkably long time considering how close I actually live to the event.

The French Open remains one of my favourite tournaments though and I can't wait for the start this weekend.

Before that I have some Tennis Picks from the Semi Final matches in Geneva and Strasbourg which can be read below.


Fabio Fognini - 3.5 games v Peter Gojowczyk: This is a rematch between these two players from the Rome Masters last week where Fabio Fognini was able to get the better of Peter Gojowczyk in straight sets.

It was a deserved win for Fognini who was a little fortunate to come through his Quarter Final match here in Geneva although he is arguably the favourite to win the title now Stan Wawrinka is out of the draw.

Fognini has not been as strong as previous years on the clay courts, but his return has been in good shape and he should have success against Gojowczyk like he enjoyed in Rome last week.

On the other hand Gojowczyk has room for improvement on his own return of serve despite putting three solid wins together here in Geneva. His return of serve could be more effective and I think that is going to be a difference maker between these two players on Friday with Fognini more likely to produce the break points and subsequently take those opportunities when they come his way.

It could be a tight match if Fognini is as erratic as he can be, but I think he may win in a similar fashion to Rome when he got the better of Gojowczyk with a break more in each set of a straight sets win.


Steve Johnson v Marton Fucsovics: Both of these players deserve a lot of credit for making it through to a Semi Final on the clay courts at Tour level, but it does look like Steve Johnson is playing the better tennis of the two.

Marton Fucsovics has had the best win this week when he was able to beat Stan Wawrinka, although Johnson managed to beat the Swiss player last week on this surface. Much of those wins are down to Wawrinka's recent return to the Tour, but Johnson has added solid looking wins over the likes of Guido Pella to add to his confidence on the clay.

His opponent has to be respected with the wins he has produced this week to reach the Semi Final but the numbers from the American have been very good. He has been serving at a high level on the clay and that had made Johnson tough to break, while he is doing enough on the return to get into a position to win matches.

A strong serve means opponents perhaps feel the pressure of their own serve against Johnson and I think Fucsovics will feel that too. His numbers behind the serve are simply not at the same level as Johnson and I like the latter in what is a pick 'em match.


Dominika Cibulkova v Mihaela Buzarnescu: After some injury issues, Dominika Cibulkova looks to be rounding into strong form and she has played really well in Strasbourg so far this week.

The serving has been very effective and Cibulkova has always been an aggressive returner who can enjoy playing on the clay courts. 2017 was a tough season for her on this surface, but 2018 has looked a lot better over the last couple of weeks as Cibulkova has restored some confidence with a number of wins in that time.

It will be a test of that confidence when Cibulkova takes on Mihaela Buzarnescu who has had a stunning rise up the World Rankings over the last nine months. She was dominant on the clay courts at the level below the main WTA Tour and Buzarnescu has taken that onto the main Tour with a run to the Final in Prague.

Her three wins this week have been very impressive, but Buzarnescu had lost three matches in a row on the clay before the tournament in Strasbourg began.

Both players do have similar numbers which is why the layers have this down as a pick 'em match and I think it is going to be a very close one. However I think Cibulkova has the more impressive wins this week and she is playing at a very good level at the moment which may be tough for Buzarnescu to match over the course of a couple of hours.


Ashleigh Barty - 3.5 games v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: Ashleigh Barty has been a real success since returning to professional tennis and she has looked very comfortable on the clay courts over the last couple of months. Not many players will want to run into Barty at the French Open after close losses to Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova and those can be reversed in the form she has displayed.

Barty has really leant on her serve which is an underrated shot and she has a very strong return which is going to put some pressure on Anastasia Pavlychenkova when they meet in the Semi Final on Friday.

The Russian has been in good form this week herself, but the underlying numbers are not nearly as strong as the ones Barty has put on the board.

Pavlyuchenkova has a very good serve of her own which can produce plenty of cheap points, but her second serve is attackable. She also can struggle with her movement and I think Barty is the better defender of the two players which can be a key factor on the clay courts.

There is also a significant difference in the way the two players have returned and the success they have had on that side of the court. Barty looks to have a real edge in that department and I think the Australian will beat Pavlyuchenkova and be able to cover a big number in this second Semi Final in Strasbourg.

MY PICKS: Fabio Fognini - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Steve Johnson @ 1.83 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Dominika Cibulkova @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Ashleigh Barty - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-1, + 1.70 Units (6 Units Staked, + 28.33% Yield)