US Open Tennis Outright Preview 2012

The year seems to be moving faster and faster and we have now reached the final Grand Slam on the tennis calender. It has been a mixed bag of a year for me so far, but the Grand Slam predictions have proved to be very successful and I will  hope to back that up here with one more big effort.

So far, I have picked the winner of both Men's and Women's tournaments at all 3 Grand Slam events this season, so one more effort like that will be much appreciated.

Below is my breakdown of both the Men's and Women's events at the US Open which begins on August 27th and let us hope for a profitable couple of weeks.

Men's Tournament

First Quarter

The Number 1 seed for the tournament is Roger Federer and it is no surprise that he is one of the favourites to win this whole event, especially after his efforts over the last two months where he has won titles at Wimbledon and Cincinnati while also picking up the Silver Medal from the Olympic Games.

Federer gets to play himself into the tournament here in New York as the first two Rounds could not be any simpler for him before he meets, most likely, Fernando Verdasco. The Spaniard would have been a threat a couple of seasons ago, but he has been inconsistent at best, has a poor record against Federer and it would be a huge surprise to me if he was to beat the Swiss man considering the current form of both.

It does get awkward at that stage as he could potentially play Mardy Fish, but the American is not fully healthy having recently returned to the store and Federer would be the big favourite again.

The other half of the Quarter contains Tomas Berdych, someone that would usually be considered a dark horse on this surface. Berdych did reach the Final at Winston Salem last week, but his overall form has been inconsistent at best with early defeats at Wimbledon, the Olympics and at both Toronto and Cincinnati.

He may have played himself into some form, but Berdych immediately has to play David Goffin, an up and coming player that could cause problems, before likely clashes against Denis Istomin and Sam Querrey.

That looks a tough draw just to get to the Fourth Round and I wouldn't be surprised if he is beaten before that stage. That may leave the way for someone like Querrey to go deep in his home Grand Slam, but either way this Quarter looks Federer's for the taking.

Prediction: Can't look beyond Roger Federer who has been given as straight-forward a route to the Semi Final as he would perhaps have asked for in a Grand Slam

Second Quarter

The big question ahead of the US Open draw was which side of the draw would Andy Murray land on, a question that gained significance in the knowledge that Rafael Nadal would be missing the final Grand Slam of the season.

As it turns out, Andy Murray will be in the Second Quarter and has to be one of the big favourites to win the tournament considering he has always said that the US Open is his favourite surface and the fact that he is one of the form players coming into Flushing Meadows.

Murray, like Federer, can't have too many complaints about the first couple of matches has to go through, but it then does become significantly tougher for him than the World Number 1. He will likely meet Feliciano Lopez in the Third Round, although Murray should be too strong for him, and then would potentially play Milos Raonic in the Fourth Round.

Raonic is a huge danger, especially with the serve he possesses, and I think he would have a real chance of knocking off Murray here and announcing himself on the Grand Slam level. However, it could be tough for him to do it in a best of five set match as Murray is one of the better returners in the game, but I honestly think this is closer than a lot of 'experts' may think it would be.

Even getting through that match wouldn't be the end of the tough matches for Murray with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga the other top seeded player in this section of the draw.

Tsonga had a decent week in Winston Salem last week and he did reach the Semi Final at Wimbledon and the Quarter Final at the Olympics, while his draw looks a little more manageable than even Murray's in the top half of the section. Back to back matches against Raonic and Tsonga could really drain Murray and that is my biggest concern for him if he is to win this tournament as a Semi Final with Roger Federer may see a role reversal of their Olympic clash with Federer being the fresher player.

There is also every chance that either Raonic or Tsonga could knock Murray off and that is why the short odds on the British Number 1 look one to avoid.

Prediction: Tough section to pick- if Andy Murray beats Milos Raonic in the Fourth Round, I would think he will do enough to get to the Semi Final, otherwise I think Jo-Wilfried Tsonga takes his place in the Semi Final

Third Quarter

Rafael Nadal's absence from Flushing Meadows meant there was always a chance that one of the Quarters would be an open one where a surprise Semi Finalist would emerge. That has been the case this year in the Third Quarter.

David Ferrer, Janko Tipsarevic, John Isner and Richard Gasquet are the top seeds in this section, but the latter three of those are not the most reliable while David Ferrer has been given a really tough opener against Kevin Anderson.

However, I do think Ferrer's style will make life awkward for the big-serving South African, while Anderson has also lost 4 straight matches, not the best preparation for the US Open. If Ferrer can get through that First Round clash, he has a number of players in his section over whom he has solid previous head to head records like Gasquet, Tommy Haas and Mikhail Youzhny and the former US Open Semi Finalist may just be able to make enough hay to get through to another one.

One player that should be heavily backed in the other half of this Quarter is John Isner, the winner last week in Winston Salem, and one who has been given a tough but negotiable path through to the Quarter Final.

Isner opens against Xavier Malisse and also potentially could face Philip Kohlschreiber in the Third Round, two players that are very capable on their day. However, I think Isner would fancy his chances on 7/10 days against both and I would expect the confidence from winning a tournament last week will drive him on.

Tipsarevic is likely to be his opponent in the Fourth Round and he would be capable of knocking off the American as long as he is fully recovered from a virus he had last week. Tipsy reached the Quarter Final here last season before running out of gas against Novak Djokovic, and he is someone that is capable of upping his game to knock off a player like Isner.

Prediction: A tough section with a number of players that are capable on their day, but I think David Ferrer will be the man to get through to the Semi Final as long as he can avoid the upset against Kevin Anderson in the First Round

Fourth Quarter

Unsurprisingly, Novak Djokovic's price to win the US Open hardened after the draw made last Thursday with both his nearest rivals in the other half of the draw.

Djokovic is the defending Champion here in New York and he could not have hand picked a much easier start to his defence with little or no threat in the first three Rounds. Even the likes of Stanislas Wawrinka and Alexandr Dolgopolov, two potential Fourth Round rivals, are far too inconsistent for the Serb and I think it would be a huge surprise Djokovic not getting through to the Quarter Final without dropping more than a couple of sets.

Djokovic won the Masters event in Toronto and also reached the Final in Cincinnati and should be the form player in this section, especially considering Juan Martin Del Potro has wrist issues again and is the biggest threat in the other half of this Quarter.

Andy Roddick is another player that won't leave Djokovic restless and I don't see too many issues for the Serb in this draw.

Prediction: Novak Djokovic... There are too many issues with Juan Martin Del Potro's health to see a surprise result and the World Number 2 is in the best form of all the players in the Quarter

Winner and Outright Picks

With the way the draw has panned out, it is hard to see anyone but Novak Djokovic getting through to the Final in the bottom half of the draw and making his third straight Final in Flushing Meadows.

I also think Roger Federer is going to make his second Grand Slam Final of the season as I believe he will be the freshest player in his half of the draw when it gets to the Semi Final stage and that should give him an edge whether he plays Andy Murray, Milos Raonic or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

With the Men's Final moved until Monday, I also think the advantage Djokovic may have had by having an 'easier' Semi Final has been negated a little bit and Roger Federer does seem to 'have his number'.

With that in mind, the 3.75 on Federer looks a good price to me and I will take that as my main pick from the Men's draw.

I will also back David Ferrer to reach his second Semi Final at the US Open at 3.50- he does look the best player in the section and should be able to get through to that stage as long as he can get through his tough First Round match. He has a solid record against all the other players in this section and has previous experience of reaching the last four here, while it took an inspired effort from Andy Murray to prevent him reaching the last four at Wimbledon on his least favourite surface.

John Isner and Janko Tipsarevic could cause issues for one another before that clash with Ferrer so I'll back the Spaniard in the Third Quarter.

Women's Tournament

First Quarter

The Number 1 seed in the Women's draw may be Victoria Azarenka, but it is Serena Williams that will have all the attention coming into the tournament.

Azarenka leads the draw and looks set to reach the Fourth Round here with the competition she has in front of her as well reaching the Semi Final at Wimbledon and winning a Bronze Medal at the Olympics. However, my biggest concern for her is she had to pull out of Montreal with a knee injury and I am not sure how well she has recovered.

If Azarenka is fully fit, the draw would pose no problems ahead of the Quarter Final, but that is a big IF at the moment.

At the Quarter Final stage, the likes of Na Li, Kim Clijsters and Sam Stosur (the defending Champion) could all be lying in wait and this does have the feel of a tough section.

Li has reached the Final in Montreal and won the tournament in Cincinnati during this shortened Summer hard court swing in North America, but she could face Clijsters in the Third Round, a player that has a strong head to head record against Li and also an impressive 3 time winner here at Flushing Meadows.

Sam Stosur has an easier path to the Fourth Round where should face the winner of the Li-Clijsters match and I think the Australian will get there despite poor recent form. It's funny to see that Stosur has won all 6 previous meetings against Li but lost all 5 previous matches with Clijsters.

Prediction: The injury concern for Victoria Azarenka is the only issue that is bothering me else I would tip her to be too consistent for this section. However, Kim Clijsters, in her final Grand Slam, may just be the person to come out of it.

Second Quarter

This Quarter is dominated by the presence of Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova, two of the favourites to win the tournament and I also believe it will be the Quarter that provides one of the Finalists this year.

Maria Sharapova has not played a match since being completely trampled by Serena Williams in the Gold Medal match at the Olympics as the Russian won just ONE game. She pulled out of both big events in Montreal and Cincinnati since the Olympics, but she will be able to get her feet underneath herself in this event as the draw presents some 'easy' matches to get her going.

A potential Fourth Round match with either Nadia Petrova or Lucie Safarova could be awkward, but Sharapova has been very good in 2012 and I think she will be too consistent and mentally tough for those players to make her way through to the Quarter Final.

Petra Kvitova has had a really productive hard court swing in North America, winning the events at Montreal and New Haven and finishing as Runner Up in Cincinnati. She is displaying some of the form that took her to the Wimbledon title in 2011 and looks a real danger player in the draw.

The amount of tennis she has played over the last three weeks would be a concern, but the draw means she won't have to expend a lot of energy in the first couple of Rounds and her confidence should be high.

Yanina Wickmayer, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Marion Bartoli are tough opponents from the Third Round onwards, but Kvitova's recent form as well as the fact she has beaten the latter two in events in the last three weeks and she should set up a special Quarter Final.

Prediction: I think we will see the big Quarter Final between Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova and it is a tough match to call. Sharapova has won 3 in a row against Kvitova, but the latter has been in special form over the last three weeks and may just snap that streak

Third Quarter

The first name everyone, including 127 Women who are going to take part in this tournament, would have looked for in the draw is Serena Williams and this is the Quarter she has landed in.

Williams has won tournaments at Wimbledon, Stanford and the Gold Medal at the Olympics before her winning run was snapped in Cincinnati, but the American remains the player to beat, especially if she is serving as well as she was during her time in London.

Maria Kirilenko may cause some problems for Serena before the Quarter Final, but there doesn't seem a lot in this section that can do that and I think Williams will be too powerful for the Russian and will get past.

Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic are 'names' in the other half of this section, but neither has shown me enough to think they will be able to get near Williams in any potential match.

Prediction: Serena Williams

Fourth Quarter

I mentioned Serena Williams had been on a long winning run until it was snapped in Cincinnati and the player to do so was Angelique Kerber.

Kerber actually went on to finish as Runner Up in Cincinnati and now returns to Flushing Meadows where she announced herself to the rest of the WTA Tour with a run to the Semi Final where she was beaten in three sets by Sam Stosur, the eventual winner.

The German could be a dark horse for this tournament, but she has to pick up form immediately as she has a potential Second Round match against Venus Williams on the slate. Venus had not been in great form as she deals with a syndrome that can sap energy, but she did reach the Semi Final in Cincinnati recently and clearly can still perform with the best on her day.

Venus also pushed Kerber to two tight sets at the London Olympics recently so could be a real threat to the latter here.

The winner of that Second Round match may actually feel pretty good about their chances of making it through to the Semi Final as they won't have too many issues to reach the Quarter Final with the likes of Sara Errani as a high seeded player that enjoys much more success on the slower clay courts than the faster hard courts.

Agnieska Radwanska is a potential Quarter Final opponent for Kerber or Williams, but she had to pull out with an injury last week in New Haven and has to be ruled out with some serious doubts about her ability to compete.

After Radwanska, there aren't too many big names in the bottom half of this section.

Prediction: The winner of Angelique Kerber-Venus Williams will likely go on to win this Quarter... Tough one to call, but I guess I would favour Kerber, but only just

Winner and Outright Picks

The bottom half of the draw looks one for Serena Williams to dominate and I would favour her to reverse her loss to Angelique Kerber from Cincinnati, especially after having 5 wins under her belt.

Kerber may also have already been knocked out by big sister Venus Williams, but every way you look at this, you have to favour Serena.

Secretly, I am sure Serena is very pleased to see almost every other threat in the draw in the opposite half of the draw and I have to take Serena, at very short odds, to win this tournament.

However, I also think it is worth adding Angelique Kerber to the staking plan and having a very small interest on her winning the tournament at 26.00 as she has previous form on this surface and her recent win over Serena Williams will surely have given her some confidence.

The top half of the draw looks the toughest one to call and there are a couple of doubts over some of the leading contenders which makes it all the more tougher to call.

In saying that, I think the layers shouldn't under-estimate Petra Kvitova considering the way she has been playing over the last three weeks.

Kvitova is a special player when she is confident and she has the ability to take the racquet out of her opponents hands and 13.00 on her to win the tournament looks a little disrespectful to me and I will have another small interest in her.

Outright Picks: Roger Federer @ 3.75 Boyle Sports (4 Units)

David Ferrer to win Third Quarter @ 3.50 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Serena Williams @ 2.00 Paddy Power (6 Units)
Angelique Kerber @ 26.00 Bet Victor (0.5 Units E/W)

Petra Kvitova @ 13.00 Bet Victor (1 Unit E/W)


Season 2012: + 43.25 Units (761 Units Staked, 5.68% Yield)

Season 2011: + 82.02 Units

Premier League 2012-13 Preview

The London Olympics have come and gone and we are now just days away from the beginning of the Premier League football season, the start of nine months of ups and downs, excitement and disappointment and the ultimate roller-coaster for the fans of the individual clubs.

Speaking about the Olympics, I have been a little perturbed by the number of articles that have been written in the media comparing the 'good aspects' of the Games with all the 'bad aspects' of football- personally I think that is a little harsh as there isn't the same sort of pressure on the athletes of the Games outside of their sport as there is on footballers who have every aspect of their lives dissected for public consumption.

The bottom line is that people want to know everything about these footballers, while many of the athletes at the Olympic Games are 'forgotten' in the four year periods between Games, while I also heard an excellent point on the radio explaining how so few are willing to put up someone like Justin Gatlin and compare him with a Paul Scholes and actually show football in a positive light.

Others have bemoaned the behaviour of the football fan at matches- yes, some do take it too far in what they believe is 'banter', while some of the cruder chants are not necessary, but people invest a lot of time and money in their clubs and frustration can boil over which will lead to exclamations laced with some profanity.

I don't think as many people invest that same kind of interest in any of the events at the Olympics, so the crowds generated at such events are vastly different compared with a regular season football match.

Issues about behaviour on the field have been there for some time, but that will only be weeded out by bringing it in at youth level and gradually changing things, so complaining about it seems a little pointless to me.

All in all, I can't wait for the new season and a chance to watch all the drama unfolding over the next few months and below I will break down the Premier League into sections and look at all the contenders in this new season.

Winner and Champions League Places

Manchester City: The reigning Premier League Champions are the favourites to retain their title in the coming season and I do think they are the team to beat in the coming season.

It is a surprise that they haven't invested too much in the playing squad this Summer with Jack Rodwell the only major incoming signing, but I do believe the UEFA Financial Fair Play Rules may just have them a little worried. However, the fact they have Carlos Tevez back for the full season (barring any refusals to warm up as a substitute in the coming months) is a big boost to an already very productive forward line, while the spine of the side looks very good from Joe Hart through Vincent Kompany through Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero.

There has to be a slight concern of the understudy, Stefan Savic, to the first choice centre halves, but the attacking options at Roberto Mancini's disposal looks set to fire them to another title, while I also believe they have the best midfield in the League which will allow them to dictate more matches than their rivals can at this moment.

Manchester United: It was a heartbreaking end to the 2011-12 season for Manchester United as they suffered a kick in the teeth that they have delivered to so many others in the last 20 years. The League should never have slipped from their grasp after taking an 8 point lead in the title race with just 6 games to play, and it is clear that this is the priority this season.

Shinki Kagawa is the big Summer signing (as I write this), but there remains a lot of off-field turmoil as the fans continue to make their feelings about the owners very clear. The lack of investment remains in the middle of the park remains a real issue and they have to hope that both Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs do not show their age as 'father time' can quickly catch up with you.

However, they still look good enough to compete in the Premier League with the personnel they have, and Nemanja Vidic's return is huge considering it was goal difference that cost them the title last season. 

'If Robin Van Persie can be signed from Arsenal, Manchester United may have enough in them to take the title back from their 'noisy neighbours' with the potential for extra goals and their leader in defence back in action'- this is what I wrote before it was announced that United had agreed a deal with Arsenal, and I now believe United can nick the title back as long as Rooney and Van Persie are compatible and not the second coming of the Didier Drogba-Fernando Torres issues.

My full views on Manchester United can be found here

Chelsea: After winning the Champions League in dramatic fashion, Chelsea have been on a spending spree this Summer, bringing in the likes of Eden Hazard (who was much sought after), Marko Marin and Oscar as Roberto Di Matteo looks to freshen up what was an ageing squad.

It will take time for some of these players to settle into the pace of the Premier League and there could be an issue of consistency in their play, although the younger legs will see a changing of the guard in the first team.

Even with those new signings bringing excitement to Stamford Bridge, it has to be a little concerning that Di Matteo has made it clear that he will not change tact from the 'negative' tactics he used to win the Champions League and the FA Cup- it took a lot of luck to do so last season and we have seen previously, Rafa Benitez being a notable example, that it doesn't work over a 38 game League season.

Losing Didier Drogba is also a big blow to this side, particularly if Fernando Torres cannot turn back the clock to his 2009 form and I still have a few issues about a defence that doesn't have a lot of depth if injuries take their toll.

Getting back into a top four spot will be the priority for the Blues this season and I think that is the best they can hope for as I still think there is a significant gap between themselves and the top two sides.

Arsenal: The Gunners finished 19 points behind the top two teams last season and they remain a side that is always liable to losing some of their better players as they become disillusioned with the lack of silverware picked up over the last few seasons.

There continues to be rumours surrounding the future of Robin Van Persie, a player that has made it clear he will not be extending his time at the Emirates Stadium and one that could be on his way to Old Trafford before the transfer window closes.

The Dutchman was so influential last season in terms of the goals he was getting and I don't think Lukas Podolski or Olivier Giroud have the same consistency in front of goal that Van Persie displayed last season.

If Van Persie leaves the club, Arsenal's place in the top four could be under significant threat from their local rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Barcelona also continue to sniff around Alex Song, who would be another major loss for Arsene Wenger, while Jack Wilshire is not due back until October at the earliest having missed all of last season.

A few of the issues at the Emirates Stadium were covered by the form of Van Persie last season, and I think they could have trouble holding onto a top four place if their talisman is sold in this transfer window, something which is probably playing a big part in them playing hard ball with potential suitors.

All of the Arsenal write-up was written before the Robin Van Persie sale to Manchester United had been confirmed and I think the Gunners are now in for a tough season in holding on to a top four spot.

Tottenham Hotspur: It was a surprising turn of events that saw Harry Redknapp removed as manager of Tottenham Hotspur in the off-season and he was replaced by Andre Villa-Boas who is looking to restore his damaged reputation following his time as manager of Chelsea last season.

Spurs look to have retained the services of Luka Modric after he once again asked to leave the club, the second Summer in succession he has done so, although the loss of Emmanuel Adebayor (returned to Manchester City after his loan) and failure to sign a striker leaves them looking a little light up front as far as I am concerned.

The defence has been improved with the signing of Jan Vertonghen, but they do look a weaker side than last season because of the forward situation and I am sure that is an area they will look to rectify before the transfer window is slammed shut.

Tottenham will not be in the Champions League thanks to Chelsea winning that competition last season, but they will think they can push Arsenal if the latter loses Robin Van Persie. Spurs will need to find another option up front if they are to push enough to stay in the top four this season and get a chance to get back into the Champions League.

Luka Modric has been sold to Real Madrid since I wrote this and he will be a big loss- there is a lot of pressure on Gylfi Sigurdsson to make a seamless entry into this midfield and the team do look a notch or two weaker than last season in the attacking areas of the pitch.

European Places

Liverpool: Despite winning the Carling Cup and reaching the Final of the FA Cup, it was largely a disappointing season for Liverpool that had made large investments over the previous six months in order to get into the coveted Champions League places.

The poor second half of the season cost Kenny Dalglish his job and it was later admitted that even winning the FA Cup would not have been enough to prevent that from happening. Now they hand the reigns over to Brendan Rodgers who enjoyed success at Swansea, but who is now going to have to prove himself all over again.

It is clear that the players are going to have to work in a new system, one that has seen Andy Carroll shopped around the League as the 35 million pound man looks surplus to requirements after going through a tough period on Merseyside.

Fabio Borini and Joe Allen, two players Rodgers is familiar with, have been brought into the club, but there hasn't been the same level of investment as last Summer (although they continue to be linked with a number of players in the press). Lucas has returned from a major injury, but a European place looks the limit of their potential this season as they get used to a new voice in the dressing room.

A Cup run would show they are going the right way, but more consistency in their League form is what the owners demand this season.

Everton: I was very surprised to see David Moyes was overlooked for the Tottenham Hotspur job in the Summer and it looks like there is a glass ceiling above him as the 'bigger clubs' feel he is inexperienced at the highest level, but yet no one is willing to give him a chance to prove himself.

Moyes led Everton to a top 7 finish last season and that is something I feel they can achieve again and perhaps even finish above their local rivals Liverpool. They surprisingly let Tim Cahill go in the Summer, although he isn't the same player from a couple of years ago, and the permanent signing of Steven Pienaar looks an upgrade.

Steven Naismith has been brought in from the now defunct Rangers and he should blend well with his former partner in Scotland, Nikica Jelavic, who has made a big impact in English football since joining Everton in January.

The sale of Jack Rodwell for 15 million pounds to Manchester City may mean Moyes is going to reinvest in the playing squad, but the team will need to steer clear of injuries if they are to make a concerted effort to move up from 7th that they finished last season and I think finishing above Liverpool would be seen as a successful season.

David Moyes will be looking to win his first piece of silverware since taking over as manager here.

Newcastle United: It was a great season for Newcastle United last year, one that fell a little short of getting the team into a Champions League spot and I am a little unsure they are going to be able to repeat their form to finish as high again this season.

Things just seemed to click for Newcastle last season with the signings of Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse providing a number of goals (it seems that as soon as Ba stopped scoring, Cisse was signed and took over). However, both have now been exposed to the Premier League managers and may find it difficult to repeat their individual successes, which in turn may affect the success of the whole team.

Alan Pardew has not brought in a lot of new faces to the club and I think their surprise element is gone and may see them slip down a few places from the 5th placed finish from last season. They still have enough good players to finish in the top half of the table, but they over-achieved last year and a Cup run may be their best chance of getting back into Europe.

A Top Half Finish?

Fulham: Martin Jol had a decent first season in charge of Fulham and he would have continued to make a lot of friends with his brand of attacking football. He has done well so far in keeping hold of Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele, two players that have been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United respectively, and they pose plenty of problems for other sides in the League along with Bryan Ruiz and new signing Hugo Rodallega.

They couldn't conclude a deal for Pavel Pogrebnyak, who has since signed with Reading, but they remain a solid looking eleven that could match their finish of 9th from last season as long as they can keep the team together before the transfer window closes and steer clear of injuries.

Much will also depend on their form at Craven Cottage where they regularly give the 'bigger' sides plenty of problems, especially considering their 10 losses on their travels last season and Fulham have annually struggled for wins away from home.

Still, in this Premier League, I like Fulham's chances for a top half finish.

Stoke City: I have noticed that a lot of people are tipping Stoke City to be the surprise struggling team this season, with some going so far as predicting relegation for the Potters, but I am not of that belief.

They have some downward indicators flashing considering their poor end to last season, but I believe that was down to an extended run in all of the Cup competitions that caught up with a relatively thin squad.

Stoke remain a real tough prospect at the Brittania Stadium, where they lost just 4 games last season, and they also picked up 3 more wins away from home than they had in the previous season.

Tony Pulis has a solid XI that he sends out for matches and has goals in the team through Peter Crouch and Jon Walters and I think they could be pushing for a top half finish without the distractions of Europe this season.

He will hope Matthew Etherington can return to form after a disappointing 2011-12 season, but I think there is too much in this team and too many other sides that I don't rate as highly and so they may just do enough to push into their highest Premier League finish since returning to the top flight.

Queens Park Rangers: Queens Park Rangers may have survived by the skin of their teeth last season, but there were enough signs to think they are going to have a stress-free season this time around, while the added investment in the club can only push them up the table.

Mark Hughes is a good manager in my opinion and he guided QPR to safety with some big wins down the stretch, including against Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and the signings he has made look good on paper.

Rob Green will take over between the sticks, while Andy Johnson should help in getting some more goals along with Bobby Zamora and Djibril Cisse. Ji Sung Park and Fabio come in from Manchester United and there is a more 'Premier League feel' to the squad this season.

If QPR can take their form from the end of last season into this, with the added quality in the side, they may just be able to push for a top half finish, far removed from the relegation battle from last season.

Relative Safety

Aston Villa: Paul Lambert took over from Alex McLeish this Summer and he seems to have brought in a much more positive vibe to the club. The Aston Villa fans were never happy with the appointment of McLeish and he didn't endear himself to the faithful with his perceived negative tactics.

Lambert has already made it clear that he wants to get the best out of Charles N'Zogbia and Stephen Ireland, two attack minded players, and that has been received positively from the Villa fans. Darren Bent is back after missing much of last season with an injury and he should have more chances to score goals with support coming from the midfield.

Ron Vlaar has been signed to strengthen the defence, but I expect better from Villa mainly down to the good work Lambert did with his Norwich City team and I think he can get the best out of a squad that under-achieved last season when flirting with a relegation battle.

There is a potential for them to finish in the top half, but I expect them to be much improved from last season and should be far from any relegation issues.

Sunderland: Martin O'Neill inspired Sunderland to a comfortable League position after they had been tumbling down the table in the final days of the Steve Bruce era. While I don't think they will be involved in a relegation battle, they will do well to finish higher than last seasons 13th place after a lack of investment in the playing staff over the Summer.

Nicklas Bendtner was only on-loan last season and they haven't been able to get a permanent deal in place so the Black Cats look a little short up-front and may struggle to get goals on a consistent basis.

However, they look solid enough to ensure they are relatively safe in the League again this season without messing around with a relegation battle, although O'Neill is almost certainly looking to bring in a couple of new faces before the transfer window closes.

Norwich City: There is always a danger in how a club reacts when a new manager takes over from a successful one that has moved on, but I believe the appointment of Chris Hughton at Carrow Road will ensure they don't suffer a 'second season syndrome' in the Premier League and can extend their stay.

Hughton did really well at Birmingham City last season considering all the off-field turmoil that affected his time at St Andrews, and he also was doing a pretty good job at Newcastle United before he was sacked in favour of Alan Pardew.

That was a harsh decision and I think Hughton is capable of proving himself at this level- Norwich struggled at times with their defensive performances, but Hughton has proven himself as being a manager that focuses on keeping things tight at the back and that may make the difference in keeping them up this season.

Norwich have held on to Grant Holt and all of their key players from last season, while signings like Robert Snodgrass and Steven Whittaker can have a positive impact. They will probably drop a couple of positions from last season as teams will be a little more familiar with their personnel, but I think they will be solid enough under Hughton to avoid a relegation scrap.

Relegation Contenders

Reading: A great statistic I have read is only one of the last six Championship winners have gone back down immediately from the Premier League and I, like a lot of others, feel Reading are the best equipped of the new boys to avoid the drop in this season.

Brian McDermott is a decent manager and has shown in Cup competitions that he can mix it with the Premier League managers he is to face this season, while they look to have the most solid squad of the new boys and with one key component- they have the ability to get goals.

Pavel Pogrebnyak ws signed from under the noses of Fulham and he showed his keen eye for goal in six months at Craven Cottage last season, while Adam Le Fondre has scored plenty of goals in the lower Leagues and will look to continue that in the top flight.

Adrian Mariappa can prove why so many Premier League teams wanted to sign the centre half over the last 12 months and the Royals may even be able to surprise many by finishing higher up the table. I have listed them in my 'relegation candidates', but they may surpass these expectations with minimal fuss.

Wigan Athletic: The biggest piece of business Wigan Athletic may have done in the Summer is keeping Roberto Martinez as manager of the club after he was heavily linked with the vacant Liverpool job.

Martinez really impressed me with the foresight to go against the Premier League grain and set his team up in a 3-4-3 fluid system that got the best out of his personnel at the end of last season and he once again somehow guided them free of relegation certainty.

At this moment they have held on to Victor Moses, which could be key to their chances of survival, but there remains an issue with their strikers as I just don't feel comfortable in relying on Franco Di Santo to fire them to safety. Hugo Rodallega has moved on to Fulham so that is an area of concern, especially as Di Santo was top scorer with just 7 goals last season.

It is likely that Martinez continues with the 3-4-3 formation that has worked so well with the players he has and I think they are going to find at least three teams that are not as good and survive yet another season in the Premier League.

However, the lack of goals may mean another season fighting against relegation for much of it.

West Ham United: I haven't been overly impressed with the signings made at Upton Park so far this Summer, but I think Sam Allardyce has the experience to guide them to safety this season, although they could be sitting right above the drop zone come May.

Jussi Jaaskelainan is a solid Premier League goalkeeper and should form the basis of a much more reserved West Ham team- this season the fans are unlikely to badger Allardyce with 'boring' accusations as survival is the key.

The pressure will be on Modibo Maiga to provide the goals after he was signed for a little under 5 million pounds from Sochaux, especially now the bid to buy/loan Andy Carroll from Liverpool has fallen through. Carlton Cole and Ricardo Vaz Te will also be asked to chip in.

There is a solid looking feel to the West Ham team, although slightly underwhelming in terms of creativity and attacking options, but the experience of Allardyce may just be enough to see them maintain their position in the top flight.

West Brom: A lot of people look for a surprise relegation candidate at this time of the season and I think West Brom may just be that team. They have lost inspirational manager Roy Hodgson, a man who levelled the team out after they looked doomed to relegation around 18 months ago, and new manager Steve Clarke is taking on his first job as the Number 1 rather than the Number 2.

They haven't lost any key players from last season and have added Ben Foster in a permanent deal from Birmingham City, but this was a side that wasn't going anywhere when Hodgson took charge and they may not respond to the new voice in the dressing room.

If the Baggies get off to a bad start, it might make life difficult for Clarke and there have been previous instances when a first-time manager doesn't have the same respect from the players as an established one. If things start going downhill, West Brom may be dragged into a relegation scrap, one that may not end well.

Swansea: One team that may not survive 'second season syndrome' in the Premier League is Swansea who have lost an influential manager in Brendan Rodgers and replaced him with Michael Laudrup, a manager that has no previous experience in England.

Joe Allen has already left Swansea to join his former manager at Anfield, while both Gylfi Sigurdsson and Steven Caulker have left having spent time on-loan here last season.

Their style of football surprised many teams last season, but they are unlikely to change that under Laudrup and that could lead to their downfall with more teams being able to cater to what Swansea are going to do (unlike Norwich City who have brought in a manager who should be able to help with their defensive issues from last season and may have a different feel to the rest of the League compared with how they played in 2011-12).

Swansea just look a little weaker this season in defence and midfield and I am not sure they are going to have enough in them to find three teams to finish below them.

Southampton: Southampton replicated Norwich City by moving up from League One and the Championship in consecutive seasons to return to the top flight, but I fear that is where the similarity may end.

Even though I have the Saints at the bottom of my Premier League preview, I have been impressed with the job Nigel Adkins has done in his short time as the manager, while signings like Steven Davis, Nathanial Clyne and Jay Rodriguez look good on paper.

Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert will be looked at for the goals, but I have a feeling the latter may have a hard time now that teams have faced Grant Holt for a season and he is a very similar player in his style and ability.

If those two strikers hit it off, Southampton may just survive, but they have a horrible beginning to the season and that may put some negative energy into the team that may extend into the season.

There are enough teams with question marks to think that Southampton have a chance of survival in this Premier League, but I have to put someone in this position and I think there are rumours that the owners are looking for a way to remove Adkins in favour of a foreign manager and these can create issues that send a club the wrong way.

All of the above are just my thoughts on the teams competing in the Premier League this season and where they could potentially finish. As everyone will have seen while watching football, injuries can affect these final positions, but these are just my personal opinions and I am sure there will be at least three or four teams that surprise me massively.

Let's just hope for a fabulous season.

Outright Picks London Olympics (July 28-August 5)

I took the last week off from making any picks from the three tennis tournaments going on as I felt there was just not enough motivation for some of the better players with this event beginning on Saturday 28th July.

While it is a smaller event than the Grand Slams, it still needs to be given a lot of respect as it actually has more participants than the Masters events that will be taking place in North America in the first couple of weeks in August.

There are a couple of notable absentees, but the major one is Rafael Nadal and that has skewed the Men's outright winner market with two clear favourites in Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. In the Women's tournament, Serena Williams has continuously seen her coming in as the favourite since winning at Wimbledon at the beginning of the month.

Men's Tournament

First Quarter

For the first time in a long time, Roger Federer will be heading up the draw and he has been given an intriguing First Round match against Alejandro Falla who had match points against Federer back in the First Round at Wimbledon in 2010. On that occasion, Falla actually won the first two sets and that would be enough for him to earn the win this time although I think the Colombian is unlikely to play to the level he did in that match a couple of years ago.

Federer could also potentially meet Julian Benneteau in the Second Round, a player that had a two set lead over the World Number 1 in the Third Round at Wimbledon this year, but it would be a big surprise if the confidence of winning at Wimbledon sees Federer drop to either of these players.

The Quarter as a whole looks there for the taking for Federer and I don't expect him to miss out with the importance he has put on earning a Gold Medal as a singles player for the first time. However, there is a potentially awkward match against John Isner that could be set for the Quarter Final.

Isner won a recent tournament at Newport on the grass, but he has not really fulfilled the promise of a season where he has beaten Federer in a best of five sets match on a clay court in Switzerland. He was beaten in the First Round at Wimbledon, but the best of three sets played at Wimbledon may just suit him a little more, although it would be a big surprise if anyone but Roger Federer is playing in the Semi Final.

Prediction: Got to be Roger Federer after winning Wimbledon and with a kind looking draw

Second Quarter

David Ferrer is the top seed in this section thanks to the absence of Rafael Nadal and it looks like this could be his third successful foray on to the grass courts this season alone. Ferrer won the tournament ahead of Wimbledon in Holland and then reached the Quarter Final at the Grand Slam.

The Spaniard looks like he is going to have a little too much consistency for anyone else in the section and he has a winning record over most of his potential opponents ahead of the Quarter Final here.

Some out there will be intrigued by Juan Martin Del Potro who is a potential opponent at that stage, but I remain convinced that the Argentine is not comfortable on the grass courts despite seemingly having all the tools that should make him a success. However, the lower bouncing balls makes it harder for him to dominate behind his groundstrokes in my opinion and he won just 8 games against Ferrer when they met in the Fourth Round at Wimbledon earlier this month.

He also has a couple of potentially awkward matches against Andreas Seppi, Grigor Dimitrov or Gilles Simon in his mini-section and it wouldn't be a huge surprise if the big man doesn't reach the Quarter Final. Del Potro does have the quality to get to that stage, but all three of those players I mentioned can play very well on the grass courts and could cause a surprise.

Prediction: David Ferrer has the consistency, the quality and the draw to get through to the Semi Final

Third Quarter

After the disappointment of the Wimbledon Final, Andy Murray will get his Olympic Gold Medal search underway but he won't be that happy with the draw. I remember we heard all the same things ahead of Wimbledon this year, but I actually this is a little more awkward than that one mainly because a best of three match can be finished before a player really gets going.

That will be the case for Murray if he doesn't have the right mindset with Stanislas Wawrinka his first opponent on slate, a player that has had a tough season for consistency but one that can perform well on the grass.

Further danger may lie in the Third Round where a rematch of his tough Wimbledon match with Marcos Baghdatis could await or a match with Richard Gasquet. I personally think Baghdatis would be the more dangerous opponent as Gasquet has a mental block it seems in matches he is not expected to win.

Tomas Berdych may provide the biggest danger to Murray as a potential Quarter Final opponent, but the Czech player needs to find form quickly if he is to get through to the Semi Final. He was a disappointing First Round loser at Wimbledon and was also beaten by Tommy Haas in his second match at Halle and has perhaps been under-performing in 2012 despite winning over 70% of his matches.

If the big man can find a bit of form, the draw looks like one that will suit him with the biggest problem likely to come from his rival Nicolas Almagro in the Third Round. However, the Spaniard hasn't got the best form on grass courts and Berdych should be too good on this surface.

Prediction: Tomas Berdych has a winning record over Andy Murray and may just be too good in a best of three set potential Quarter Final

Fourth Quarter

The final Quarter of the draw has a number of players that will consider the grass courts as being comfortable to play on- the likes of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Milos Raonic, Feliciano Lopez, Marin Cilic, Andy Roddick and Novak Djokovic all are involved in the section and there are the potential of some really interesting matches.

Novak Djokovic is the favourite for the tournament, but he has a really awkward looking match with Andy Roddick on slate in the Second Round, while a potential Third Round match with Marin Cilic will not be easy after the Croatian won at Queens last month.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could be awaiting a chance to gain some revenge over Djokovic after coming so close to beating him at the French Open a couple of months ago, but there is no guarantee the Frenchman can reach that stage as he has a potential match with Milos Raonic in the Second Round and that looks like it could be a long three setter with a couple of tie-breaks thrown in.

Prediction: I'd be a fool to write off Novak Djokovic reaching the Semi Final, but there are so many dangers throughout this section that I can see him going out at some point before the last four... Who takes advantage is anyone's guess?!

Gold Medal Winner

I think Roger Federer has to be very pleased with the draw that he has been given and he is likely to be secretly very happy to note that his nemesis Rafael Nadal will not be at the tournament.

After winning Wimbledon, Federer achieved a couple of his main goals for the 2012 season and that was winning a Grand Slam and reclaiming the World Number 1 spot. That should also give him plenty of confidence that he can win the last remaining piece that is missing on his CV as a singles player and that is the Gold Medal at this tournament.

Winning Wimbledon would also have shown Federer that he can beat anyone on the grass courts and he has the added bonus of not having to meet Andy Murray or Novak Djokovic until the Final when the Gold Medal is decided in a best of five sets match. I believe that will give Federer a little bit of mental comfort that the biggest threats to him winning this tournament would have to beat him over the longer distance rather than the best of three that can quickly get away against the best players (and would have seen him come VERY close to defeat at Wimbledon against Murray if that was decided in a best of three rather than five).

I am not surprised that Federer has joined Djokovic in the outright markets and he will be my main choice from the Men's draw.

The other pick I will make is Tomas Berdych as an each-way pick. I think he is questionable with the way his form has been over the last three months, but the likes of Murray and Djokovic have some really awkward looking matches in front of them and Berdych may just be able to take advantage.

The vast difference in prices makes the Czech player more appealing than those two, while he has seen it and done it before at Wimbledon as a former Finalist a couple of years ago.

Women's Tournament

First Quarter

After her run to the Semi Final at Wimbledon, Victoria Azarenka returned to the World Number 1 position and is thus given the honour of heading up the draw at the Olympics.

The first three Rounds of the draw don't seem to provide too many issues for Azarenka to negotiate, although a potential Third Round clash with Nadia Petrova wouldn't be an easy match. However, Azarenka has won the last two meetings with Petrova, both on a grass court no less, and I would favour her to be too good overall in that match.

It is at the Quarter Final stage that Azarenka is likely to face her biggest obstacle as she could play Angelique Kerber, the other Semi Finalist at Wimbledon that exited at that stage.

Kerber is the most likely opponent despite having Venus Williams in her mini-section of the draw, but I think the German is going to be too strong for the elder Williams sister that has struggled for consistency with the syndrome she is dealing with. As it is one that saps energy, I find it hard to believe Venus can roll back the clock in a tournament where players are likely going to play every day and so I do believe Kerber is the player that will move through to the Quarter Final.

Prediction: Victoria Azarenka looks the class in this section, but Angelique Kerber has shown how dangerous she can be on the grass courts.

Second Quarter

Serena Williams is rightly the favourite for this tournament after winning at Wimbledon and she should be fully motivated as winning the Singles Gold Medal will complete her career and ensure she has won everything possible while also matching older sister Venus who won in Sydney back in 2000.

The draw, on first viewing, looks to have been unkind to the Number 4 Seed, but I think Serena won't be too concerned. A match with Jelena Jankovic would have been a really tough one a couple of years ago, but the Serb is far from her best and she hasn't shown the pedigree needed to beat Serena on a grass court.

It would be more than a surprise if Serena Williams is not playing in the Quarter Final in a few days time.

Her opponent at that stage is not so obvious to pick as there are players that are very capable on going on a run- Caroline Wozniacki, Daniela Hantuchova, Na Li, Yanina Wickmayer and Tamira Paszek are all in this mini-section of the draw and it is the Austrian that I think may come through after her exploits at Wimbledon last month.

Paszek has shown she is more than capable on the grass courts and has been in the best form of the players I mentioned and I think she may be able to come through as long as she can bring her form from Wimbledon in.

Prediction: Regardless of who she plays in the Quarter Final, it is hard to look beyond Serena Williams here

Third Quarter

This section is all about whether Maria Sharapova can gain a measure of revenge against Sabine Lisicki, the player that beat her at Wimbledon last month. These two players are due to meet in the Third Round in this tournament, and I would expect the winner of that match will be the favourite to get through to the Semi Final.

One potential roadblock in the Quarter Final is Kim Clijsters although she will have to play a little better than she did at Wimbledon when hammered by Angelique Kerber.

However, there are other threats in this mini-section as the likes of Sam Stosur and Ana Ivanovic are likely opponents for Clijsters. However, Stosur has consistently under-performed when playing on the grass courts despite having what looks the right tools to play on the surface and Ana Ivanovic is still very inconsistent and wouldn't beat a fully-fit Clijsters in my opinion.

Prediction: This is a tough section, but I do believe the winner of it will be the winner of the Sabine Lisicki-Maria Sharapova match in the Third Round... That is a really close one to call in my opinion, but I think Sharapova's motivation for revenge may just send the pendulum her way

Fourth Quarter

This section comes down to two players as far as I am concerned and those two are Petra Kvitova and Agnieszka Radwanska.

Both have shown their pedigree on the grass courts and had their Wimbledon runs ended by the same player in Serena Williams. Petra Kvitova was a Quarter Final victim the year after winning at Wimbledon, while Radwanska was the runner-up after showing some real resolve in overcoming an illness.

Of the two players, I think Kvitova has the more negotiable path to the Quarter Final and I fully expect her to make use of her draw and get to that stage.

On the other hand, Radwanska has a tough beginning against Julia Goerges, but it is the potential Third Round match with Maria Kirilenko that could really pose the most problems. Kirilenko pushed Radwanska to three sets in their Quarter Final at Wimbledon last month and that was one that could easily have gone either way.

Prediction: Agnieszka Radwanska has a tough looking draw and I believe Petra Kvitova moves through the draw to the Semi Final

Gold Medal Winner

Much as I said about the Men's event, it is hard to overlook a player that has achieved it all in the game as a Singles player and one who should be fully motivated to pick up the last prize on the list of achievement players set out for at the beginning of their career.

Serena Williams, like Roger Federer, can only strengthen their position at the top of the Women's game and their place in history by winning this Gold Medal and I don't see too many players that are capable of beating her if I am honest, particularly not on the grass courts.

Williams will also be full of confidence having won at Wimbledon earlier this month and she will be my main pick from the Women's draw.

I'll also have an each-way interest on Petra Kvitova in the bottom half of the draw after her achievements at Wimbledon over the last three years- she has won the event, reached a Semi Final and a Quarter Final and has only been beaten by Serena Williams in those events.

In that time, Kvitova has knocked off Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka (twice), Tsvetana Pironkova and Caroline Wozniacki at Wimbledon, while also earning wins over Daniela Hantuchova and Agnieszka Radwanska on the grass courts.

That list of names is not to be ignored and I think the Czech player has been given a draw to work her way into the tournament and could be a real threat this time next week.

MY PICKS: Roger Federer @ 2.75 Paddy Power (4 Units)

Tomas Berdych @ 41.00 Boyle Sports (1 Unit E/W)
Serena Williams @ 2.80 Boyle Sports (4 Units)
Petra Kvitova @ 9.00 Bet Victor (1 Unit E/W)

Tennis Profit/Loss Recap

Daily Picks Final: 5-9, - 6.21 Units (22 Units Staked)

Outright Picks: - 2 Units (2 Units Staked)

Week Final: - 8.21 Units (24 Units Staked)

Season 2012: + 59.33 Units (654 Units Staked, 9.07% Yield)

Season 2011: + 82.02 Units

Wimbledon Preview and Outright Picks (June 25-July 8)

I am really looking forward to the third Grand Slam on the tennis calender, especially after the draw was revealed which shows the makings of a very competitive event in both the Men's and Women's events.

At Roland Garros, I felt the top four players on the Men's Tour had been given fairly kind draws and it turned out that way with only Andy Murray failing to make the Semi Final when he ran into a better clay court player in David Ferrer at the Quarter Final stage.

This time, I think it is not going to be as straight-forward for any of the top four to reach the Semi Finals and Final and there is every chance we won't see the fifth consecutive Final contested between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

In the Women's draw, there are some intriguing questions to be answered- how high is Serena Williams' motivation and can she recover from her early loss at the French Open? How will Maria Sharapova cope with the challenge of winning back to back Grand Slams? Can Petra Kvitova find her form and retain her title from twelve months ago? And can Victoria Azarenka remind everyone why she was tipped to dominate the Women's game after going on a long unbeaten run to start the season?

Both events look like they will provide a lot of pleasurable viewing and I can't wait for the tournament to start on Monday.

Men's Event

First Quarter

As per normal, this is the section reserved for the Number 1 seed and, in this case, it is also for the defending Champion as Novak Djokovic will proudly see his name at the top of the draw.

I don't know how Djokovic will be feeling about his draw- on the one hand, it is an awkward one but very negotiable, on the other, it is one that could provide a surprise if he is anything less than at the top of his game.

A First Round clash with Juan Carlos Ferrero does not pose the same level of threat that it would have a couple of seasons ago, but the former World Number 1 should not be under-estimated as he is still capable of producing his game on an one off occasion. Those occasions are rarer and rarer these days and it is hard to see him being consistent enough in these longer best of five matches.

Likely further matches against Yen-Hsun Lu and Radek Stepanek are, again, awkward, but winnable matches and I don't see too much affecting the Serb until Djokovic gets to the Quarter Final.

That is where Djokovic is likely to meet either Nicolas Almagro, Richard Gasquet or, much more likely in my opinion, Tomas Berdych.

Berdych is a former Finalist here at Wimbledon having beaten Djokovic and Roger Federer in consecutive rounds before falling to Rafael Nadal in the Final in 2010 and he is a very real threat on the grass courts.

The big serving Czech should negotiate the enigmatic Ernests Gulbis in the First Round and then should not have too many worries until the Fourth Round where he will face the winner of the Almagro-Gasquet match. Berdych is likely to want to avoid Almagro after a few close matches against him this season, but he will not be too bothered about facing anyone on the grass as he feels very comfortable on the surface and that would lead to that blockbuster clash between himself and Djokovic.

Djokovic has won all 7 matches against Berdych since that loss in 2010 at Wimbledon and that is the only defeat he has suffered against the big man in 10 matches overall- however, those are still some big demons to exorcise and it could be the match that ends the Serbs run in reaching Grand Slam Finals.

Prediction: Would be crazy to rule out Novak Djokovic, BUT Tomas Berdych is the kind of special player that could produce a performance to do it!

Second Quarter

The first thing that most will look at when the draws for these big events comes out is which side has Roger Federer been placed- does he face Nadal or Djokovic in the Semi Final under the seedings?

Once again, it is Djokovic who will have to face the Swiss master that has won more Grand Slam titles than anyone in history, but who has not added to his haul since 2010 at the Australian Open. Federer has been stuck on six Wimbledon titles and would dearly love to match a couple of records by winning this one.

IF Federer wins the tournament, he will once again be the World Number 1 and will also have seven Wimbledon titles- he would then level Pete Sampras for the longest time spent at World Number 1 and equal his Wimbledon haul, two records Federer would dearly love to hold.

I don't think Federer can have too many complaints early in the draw and I would expect him to see off Albert Ramos, Michael Llodra, Julien Benneteau and Fernando Verdasco before the Quarter Final stage. Out of the top four seeded players, I think Federer is the one that should make the least work out of his opponents.

At that stage, Federer could face a really tough challenge in John Isner, particularly if the Amercan's serve is working effectively... He may also come across an old rival that has given him plenty of things to think about in the past in David Nalbandian if the Argentine can beat Janko Tipsarevic in the First Round.

Nalbandian has really been playing well since moving onto the grass courts (take away his default at Queens and remember his form and the fact he was leading that Final at the point of losing his temper and making the mistake that cost him that Final) and he seems to have a run he can take advantage of IF he beats Tipsarevic.

The Argentine has split two matches with Tipsarevic on the hard courts of North America this season and it is now ten years since he reached the Final here at Wimbledon and I think he has another run in him. Tipsarevic is no mug on grass as he has reached the Fourth Round here twice before, but he has not progressed beyond the Second Round in the last three appearances at SW19 and is there for the taking (I feel bad saying that as Tipsarevic is one of the nicest tennis players I have met and I actually really respect his game on the court).

IF Nalbandian wins in the First Round, I think he makes it through to the Fourth Round and that is where he will be able to gain his revenge for the horrible call that cost him a win over John Isner at the Australian Open and move through to a big Quarter Final with Roger Federer...

One match to look out for in this section is the potential John Isner-Nicolas Mahut match in the Second Round... That will be the third meeting between the two at Wimbledon in consecutive years, all beginning with that famous 70-68 final set from 2010.

Prediction: I am hoping for a big run for David Nalbandian, but Roger Federer should be the Semi Finalist from this part of the draw.

Third Quarter

If anyone wants to talk about the most loaded section of the draw, be it in the Men's or the Women's event, they should start and end the conversation with this section.

David Ferrer, Andy Roddick (former Wimbledon Finalist), Juan Martin Del Potro, Marin Cilic (Queens Winner), Milos Raonic, Marcos Baghdatis and Andy Murray all reside in this section and there are dangers, and great matches, almost everywhere you turn.

Andy Murray has the pressure of a nation on his shoulders, and he has been given a cruel draw at the tournament starting with a match against Nikolay Davydenko- granted this is not the Russians favourite surface and he is not the player of a couple of years ago, but that is not an easy way to work your way into a draw.

Murray is also likely going to have to beat Ivo Karlovic, a player that can control a match behind his huge serve, Marcos Baghdatis or possibly Grigor Dimitrov in the Third Round and then the likely winner of the Cilic-Raonic match.

All of that just to get to a Quarter Final shows the depth of talent in this section of the draw and it is very difficult to see who is going to come out of it.

Before the draw was made, I was very much looking forward to seeing where Marin Cilic would land as he was playing some exceptional tennis at Queens, particularly on the returning side of the court and I think the Croatian may make a big breakthrough here.

The winner of the event at Queens has usually enjoyed some success when coming to Wimbledon and I think Cilic will ask some big big questions of Andy Murray.

I also don't think he will fear the challenge of playing Del Potro or David Ferrer on a grass court, while I don't think Andy Roddick is the same player that reached the Final here (and should have won in my opinion) back in 2009.

Prediction: This is the section where I think there will be a big shock and I really think Marin Cilic is playing well enough to come through a quarter with a number of dangerous players lurking.

Fourth Quarter

Rafael Nadal leads the way at the bottom of the draw as he looks to regain his World Number 1 spot by winning the tournament and overtaking Novak Djokovic in the Rankings.

With so many dangerous players already out of the way, it would be easy to think that Nadal should breeze through to the Semi Final, but that won't be the case. In the Third Round, he is likely going to face either Philipp Kohlschreiber, the player that beat him at Halle, or Tommy Haas, the veteran who won that tournament by beating Tomas Berdych, Kohlschreiber and Roger Federer on consecutive days.

Haas is a former World Number 2 and showed some real form in reaching the Third Round at the French Open and the grass courts have always been his favoured terrain. It was only in 2009 that he reached the Semi Final here having beaten Novak Djokovic along the way and he should not be under-estimated... Whether he can sustain the form required to beat Nadal over five sets is another matter, especially at 34 years old!

Even if Nadal is still around in the Fourth Round, it won't be much easier with Feliciano Lopez potentially in wait- Lopez is one of the Spaniards that very much prefers the faster surfaces to the clay and he could definitely push Nadal if he is serving well and mentally ready to win a match of that magnitude.

Regardless of the tough competitors in front of him, it would be a BIG surprise if Nadal did not make it through to the Quarter Final, but that is where the biggest and most capable player of beating him could be in store... Jo-Wilfried Tsonga!

Tsonga should have taken huge heart from his run at Roland Garros and has beaten Nadal on the grass before, albeit at Queens last season. He suffered a finger injury at Queens this year, but he hasn't broken it and I expect the Frenchman to be firing after reaching the Semi Final here last season while taking out Roger Federer.

If the finger is giving him any concerns, he won't be too impressed at seeing Lleyton Hewitt on the other side of the net- Hewitt is a tough competitor that has seen his better days go past, but one that is still capable on his day as he proved at the Australian Open in January when beating Andy Roddick, Milos Raonic and then pushing Novak Djokovic to four sets in a losing effort.

However, Rusty is not the same player with the amount of injuries he has suffered and a lack of matches is not going to help him- he might push Tsonga to four, but I would expect the Frenchman to get through as long as the finger he injured is healed.

Stanislas Wawrinka, Bernard Tomic and Mardy Fish are all dangerous opponents in this area for Tsonga to negotiate, but I would expect him to take care of all of them, while the most dangerous, Fish, is coming off a long lay off and may not make it far enough to take on Tsonga.

Prediction: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's performance at Roland Garros had me intrigued for how he can do here, but it is Rafael Nadal I expect that will get through to the Semi Final.

Winner

As I have indicated above, I think there are some real question marks around some of the favourites at this tournament. I would have been intrigued with Roger Federer, but I have said for some time that I don't think he is 100% healthy at the moment as he was making far too hard work of a simple draw at the French Open and lost in the Final at Halle.


In saying that, he couldn't have asked for a better draw and he has to be in any staking plan you have simply because of what has been put in front of him in this tournament.


Another player that you cannot ignore is Rafael Nadal- normally I would have run a mile considering he has the enigmatic Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in his quarter of the draw, but I think there are enough doubts about Tsonga's total fitness that makes me think the Spaniard will be the beneficiary.


I also think he will take advantage of the fact that I don't believe Andy Murray will get through his section and whoever does will be tired for a Semi Final, of that I am very sure considering the route they are likely to have tread.


It is a little boring, but I will take both Nadal and Federer in my outright staking plan.


The final outright pick I will make is backing against Andy Murray and I am going to say that the British Number 1 is going to have a tough tournament that will see him exit at the Fourth Round stage- he will already have had three tough matches by that stage and will meet either Marin Cilic, Sam Querrey or Milos Raonic at that stage and the 5.00 on offer that he is beaten then looks a little high... Put it another way, apart from Sam Querrey, I would be surprised if Murray's opponent is higher than that come the day of the match so it looks worth taking an interest in.

Women's Event

First Quarter

This is going to be a controversial opening to my preview of the Women's event, but it is the draw headed up by Maria Sharapova and already I am beginning to get a little nauseous with the love the British media seems to have for her... Don't get me wrong, I think Sharapova is a brilliant player, that cannot be denied, but some of the writers make her out to be the Queen of SW19 and I can't help the fact that she is a tall, blonde girl that seems to have them salivating a little more than is appropriate.

For example, I saw a headline describing how Sharapova can replicate the 'fairytale' of when she won this event at 17... You see other articles trying to portray her winning her fourth Grand Slam title, albeit completing a career set, as being the ultimate in achievements.

Let's face some facts here- she is FAR behind the Williams sisters in terms of achievements, yet I don't think that fits too snugly into the middle class All-England club atmosphere... When was the last time Sharapova was shoved into the nothingness of Court 2 at the back of the Wimbledon grounds? Yet that seems to happen a lot to both Williams sisters who have won more titles here than the rest of the draw combined!! You make of that what you will...

Anyway, back to the tennis.. Maria Sharapova is the favourite to take the Wimbledon crown, but I will not be backing her as I did at the French Open as she has been given a really tough examination of her credentials and as early as the Second Round.

That is where she could face Tsvetana Pironkova, a former Semi Finalist and Quarter Finalist here and a player that clearly relishes the grass courts over any other surface. It won't get any easier with Sabine Lisicki also lying in wait as a seeded opponent for the Fourth Round and I just don't see Sharapova getting the 'easy' route she enjoyed at Roland Garros.

There is also a chance that she would have to face Kim Clijsters as a Quarter Final opponent, although the Belgian has a slight injury concern and faces a really tough First Round clash with Jelena Jankovic. If Clijsters can get through that, she will also have to beat Angelique Kerber, but whoever Sharapova faces is going to provide yet another tough test.

It looks a really tough quarter of the draw and, barring any quick exits to open up the draw as happened at the French Open, it is going to need a big effort from Sharapova to get through to the Semi Final from it.

Prediction: Maria Sharapova is the player in form, but there are plenty of tough tests in the section so don't be surprised if AN Other is playing in the Semi Final instead.

Second Quarter

Ironically, I think the player coming out of the first quarter is probably going to be thinking they will face an 'easier' opponent in the Semi Final than they would have played just to get through to that stage.

There are plenty of names in this section but I have plenty of question marks over all of them:

Agnieska Radwanska: Continues to flatter to deceive at the Grand Slam level.

Venus Williams: Performances are so up and down from one day to the next due to her illness that it is hard to imagine she can put it together for five matches to get to the Semi Final.

Daniela Hantuchova: Just back from a long injury lay off.

Na Li: Too many up and down performances since winning the French Open in 2011.

Samantha Stosur: Seemingly with all the tools to produce on a grass court, but regularly a disappointment on the surface.

These issues makes it tough to predict who will come out of this section with any certainty. We also have players like Nadia Petrova, who just won a tournament on the grass in Holland, that could cause a surprise or two, but I really think picking a Semi Finalist is a very difficult task here.

Prediction: Could be any of up to six players making it out of the section... Gun to my head, maybe Na Li can live up to expectation as she has produced positive results on the grass in the past.

Third Quarter

This is the section of the draw that I think the winner will come out and I would struggle to look too far away from the player that has dominated the grass courts and that is Serena Williams.

Granted, Williams was a surprise First Round loser at the French Open, but the clay courts have never been her favourite surface and she will feel a lot more comfortable coming back to the grass courts of SW19- I think her reaching the Fourth Round last season despite barely playing due to a serious illness says it all about her belief at this tournament.

Williams was also in fine form going into the French Open and her early exit could be a blessing in disguise as she has been able to rest the back complaint that forced her out of the tournament in Rome a couple of weeks before Roland Garros. The American also has the perfect draw to work her way into this tournament and I think she will have no real issues in getting to the Quarter Final.

That is where the first problem is likely to arise as Petra Kvitova, the defending Wimbledon Champion is likely to be lying in wait... However, Kvitova has struggled to reach the level she showed last Summer all season and I think the Czech player is there for the taking.

One potential player that could take advantage of Kvitova is Dominika Cibulkova, the player that beat Victoria Azarenka at Roland Garros last month. Cibulkova has also pushed Caroline Wozniacki in the past here at Wimbledon and has the belief and determination to cause Kvitova some issues. However, the 4-0 head to head on Kvitova's side suggests she is the most likely opponent to face Williams in the last eight.

Prediction: I am going to go with Serena Williams bouncing back in style from her First Round loss at the French Open

Fourth Quarter

This is the final quarter of the draw and features some players that would have been amongst the leading contenders for Grand Slams over the last 18 months.

Victoria Azarenka seems to be the most forgotten player on the Tour after a disappointing French Open, but I think she may just appreciate the return to this surface having reached the Semi Final at Wimbledon last season. She should get through the first three matches without too many issues, but that is when things will become a little tougher.

At the Fourth Round stage, Azarenka is likely to face either Ana Ivanovic or Julia Goerges and either player is potentially problematic. I would expect Azarenka to win through either, but that could be a little tougher than expected if she is not mentally in the correct place coming into the tournament.

The other half of this quarter has some big name players like Caroline Wozniacki, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Marion Bartoli all involved, but there could be a surprise if Tamira Paszek can replicate the form that took her to the title in Eastbourne last week.

Paszek actually meets Wozniacki in the First Round, but there are so many potentially tough matches that you would feel that the player that makes it through this half is likely to come unstuck against Azarenka due to the energy expended.

Prediction: I think Victoria Azarenka can move through to a Semi Final for the second year in a row.


Winner
I am not going to say too much here except I really like Serena Williams' chances of making it through to another title here at Wimbledon- she was clearly the form player on the Tour ahead of the French Open and I am not going to read too much into her First Round upset as clay has never been her favourite surface.


It says a lot that Serena missed most of the year ahead of the tournament last year at Wimbledon and still managed to reach the Fourth Round- this time I expect Williams is in much better shape and will be ready to make waves.


Serena also has a fairly comfortable way to ease her way into the tournament and I really like her chances.


The Women's event has a number of players that may also make waves, but there are too many issues for me to consider anyone else for my outright picks so Serena Williams will be my only choice from this draw.




Outright Picks: Rafael Nadal @ 3.25 Ladbrokes (3 Units)
Roger Federer @ 6.00(1 Unit E/W)
Andy Murray to lose in Fourth Round @ 5.00 Stan James (1 Unit)
Serena Williams @ 4.00 Ladbrokes (3 Units)