Tennis Picks 2026 (Friday 17th April)

The Quarter Final matches at the four big events being played this week have all been scheduled for action on Friday, but there are only two selections from the matches available.

After a 3-0 start to the week, the hope is that these two selections can continue the positive start to the clay court season.

One of those comes from  the ATP 500 tournament being played in Barcelona and the other from the WTA 500 tournament in Stuttgart.

Some of the top contenders for the French Open title can lay down an early marker at these 500 events, although there are still bigger events to be played in Madrid and Rome at the 1000 level.

However, as mentioned earlier this week, the Masters event in Madrid tends to have a very different feel to the other events during this European clay court run and may be one to keep a watching brief before the Rome event and the last run up into the second Grand Slam of the season.

Rafael Jodar - 3.5 games v Cameron Norrie: It was never going to be easy being the next player to break through in British Tennis during the Andy Murray era, but Cameron Norrie has put together a strong career. He continues to be a brilliant competitor every time he steps onto the court and there is something to be said about that.

At his peak, Cameron Norrie reached World Number 8, while he reached the second week at all of the Grand Slam events with his best effort being a Semi Final run at Wimbledon in 2022. This is an all-court player who reached the French Open Fourth Round for the first time just last year and Cameron Norrie has battled through a couple of Rounds to reach the Quarter Final here in Barcelona this week.

Later this year, Cameron Norrie is turning 31 and there was a feeling several months ago that his best tennis was now behind him.

No one will suggest this is a flashy player, but Norrie will grind every time he steps on the court and his numbers are pretty similar across the surfaces.

Cameron Norrie serves well enough on the clay courts and will get himself into the return rallies to remain dangerous, and the veteran is sure to have learned plenty out of the one-sided defeat suffered to Rafael Jodar on the hard courts of Acapulco in February.

On that day, the young Spaniard won 82% of his service points played and broke the Cameron Norrie serve three times and Rafael Jodar has continued his 2026 form on the clay courts with two solid wins at this event.

That comes after winning a title in Bucharest at an ATP 250 level and Jodar has looked comfortable at this 500 level, although he will respect the fact that he is facing the highest Ranked opponent on this surface so far this season.

Rafael Jodar was not at his very best in the Second Round, but he continues to serve really effectively and that is allowing him to build real pressure on the return. Those numbers on that side of the court are really impressive and it feels like the 19 year old is going to have enough to get past Cameron Norrie.

It should be closer than the meeting in Acapulco now that Norrie has had a proper look at the opponent, but Rafael Jodar is on track to really move up the World Rankings and this is a surface that should favour him to enough of an extent to earn the win and the over of the spread set.

Coco Gauff - 3.5 games v Karolina Muchova: The French Open Final was played in some incredibly difficult conditions, but credit has to be given to Coco Gauff for holding it together for longer than Aryna Sabalenka to win that Grand Slam in 2025.

She has long been very comfortable on the clay courts and Coco Gauff would have been confident of winning the French Open after recent experiences on the surface. Last year, Gauff put together another impressive year on the clay, although the one poor tournament was right here in Stuttgart.

A comfortable win in the Second Round will have given Coco Gauff early momentum and she is going to be happy with the match up in this Quarter Final.

Karolina Muchova is a former French Open Finalist, but she has not played too much clay court tennis over the last couple of years.

That takes away nothing from the ability Muchova has shown to play on all courts, but she has lost all six Tour meetings against Coco Gauff and this has proven to be a difficult opponent to work out.

Karolina Muchova has put together two solid wins in Stuttgart, but she has simply not been able to impose her serve on Coco Gauff in those previous six matches. That is going to be even tougher to achieve on the clay courts, while the World Number 3 has to be credited for getting more out of the first serve on this surface.

This could become an awkward spread where the line currently stands.

However, Coco Gauff's comfort on the clay courts gives her every chance of maintaining the advantage over Karolina Muchova with another win over this opponent.

MY PICKS: Rafael Jodar - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Coco Gauff - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 3-0, + 2.54 Units (3 Units Staked, + 84.67% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2022 (June 12th)

A solid return on Saturday has given me a chance to end the first grass court tournaments with a winning record, but there are four Finals to get through before these events can be placed in the books.

Much bigger events are coming up next week with the tournaments in London, Halle, Berlin and Birmingham offering up big Ranking points and deeper fields than we have seen this week. It is also the week when the majority of the top names will play their last events before Wimbledon begins later this month.

Matteo Berrettini v Andy Murray: If you were solely concentrating on the names in the draw, seeing Andy Murray and Matteo Berrettini in the Final of this grass court tournament in Stuttgart would be no surprise.

However, there are circumstances around both players that has perhaps led to this being a surprising Final.

Matteo Berrettini missed the entirety of the clay court season and there may have been some match rustiness to shake off when playing here in Stuttgart. He did reach the Final of Wimbledon after winning the big title in Queens last year, but even then you may have felt that the Italian would need a little bit of time to round back into the kind of form that has seen him become one of the top names on the Tour.

On the other side, Andy Murray chose to miss much of the clay court season in order to prepare for Wimbledon and he is very comfortable on the grass courts. He was a beaten Semi Finalist in a Challenger event in Surbiton last week and we have yet to see Murray really put the wins together as he has in Stuttgart, but he has upset a couple of opponents on his way to this Final.

It will give Andy Murray confidence and the serve has been improved since his wobble in the win over Alexander Bublik and it is so important for Murray to try and pick up cheaper points. He is facing someone who has not always been the most effective return player, but Matteo Berrettini has the kind of serve that can see him roll through service games and build scoreboard pressure to break down an opponent.

We all know how good a return player Andy Murray can be and his numbers have been stronger than Matteo Berrettini's this week, although he did only win 24% of return points against Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Italian is a stronger server than Tsitsipas and he will feel he can put Andy Murray under more pressure and make enough returns on the second serve to win this match.

Last year Matteo Berrettini crushed Andy Murray at Queen's Club in London on this surface, and it was a day in which the former returned very well to back up his big serve.

This should be a close and competitive Final, but I have to give a very slight edge to Matteo Berrettini who looks very happy on the surface and he can win a match that could go the distance before both players head to London.

MY PICKS: Matteo Berrettini @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Ekaterina Alexandrova @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 19-15, + 3.62 Units (68 Units Staked, + 5.25% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2022 (June 7th)

The grass court season has begun and the Tennis Picks will be focused on those events for the remainder of the month and into early July.

Bigger events are going to be played next week, but there are a number of tournaments scheduled for this week as players look to get some experience under their belt in what is the shortest part of the year on a single surface.

Rain is the biggest threat to the tournaments this week with even a little amount making it a very slippery and dangerous surface on which to play. It does look a wet week at all of the events and that will force players to win two matches in a single day to keep the events on track.

Maxime Cressy-Dominic Stricker over 23.5 games: The courts in Stuttgart are playing pretty quickly in the early Rounds of the grass court season and this is a match that features two players that will be confident in their serve. Maxime Cressy is playing his first match back on the surface since the grass court season in 2021 and it is a dangerous time to face a Qualifier in Dominic Stricker who beat Aslan Karatsev in one of two wins to take his place in the main draw.

Last year the 20 year old Swiss player was given a direct spot in the main draw in Stuttgart and he reached the Quarter Final before losing to a grass court specialist in Sam Querrey. On his way, Dominic Stricker beat Radu Albot and Hubert Hurkacz with the latter win looking particularly impressive when you think the big serving Polish player reached the Wimbledon Semi Final just a few weeks later.

He was well beaten in Halle, but Dominic Stricker will feel pretty happy back on the grass having earned those two wins in the Qualifiers too. He has won 66% of his service points behind serve and that has led to 82% of service games being held on the surface and I do think the lefty will cause problems for Maxime Cressy who has struggled as a return player on the grass courts in his limited time on the surface.

The American has only won 31% of return points played in his nine previous grass court matches and Cressy has only broken serve in 13% of return games played. I expect Dominic Stricker to be able to have plenty of success behind his serve in this one, although the challenge for the Swiss player is trying to pressure the Maxime Cressy serve.

Maxime Cressy has been slightly more effective behind serve than Stricker with 68% of service points won in grass court matches and that has led to holds in 87% of service games played.

Like his opponent in the First Round, Dominic Stricker has had a tough time getting to grips with the return of serve and has only broken in 19% of his return games played in the six grass court matches played in his young career. That number has been significantly boosted by his strong player in the Qualifiers in this tournament, but I do think the server is going to be on top in this one.

Last season, Dominic Stricker played three matches in Stuttgart and the first two sets in each of those went to a tie-breaker. I think he will serve well enough to be competitive, but the same can be said for Maxime Cressy and it may lead to a First Round match that surpasses what is a big total line set for this one.

Ugo Humbert - 2.5 games v Arthur Rinderknech: Two Frenchmen are coming off disappointing showings at their home Grand Slam, but there is a feeling that Ugo Humbert is going to be much happier being back on the grass rather than on the clay courts.

It has been a difficult season for Ugo Humbert who had been as high as Number 25 in the World Rankings twelve months ago, but who has slipped back to Number 48.

That means he will be under pressure in this grass court season considering Ugo Humbert reached the Quarter Final here in Stuttgart before winning a major title in Halle. That means he has plenty of points to defend to avoid another significant drop down the World Rankings, but Humbert has enjoyed playing on the grass courts where is serve and ability to get to the net are very effective.

He is much more experienced than Arthur Rinderknech who is playing in his third ever grass court match, but who is also only a few places behind Humbert in the World Rankings having had a more consistent season.

Last season Arthur Rinderknech went 1-1 in Halle and the numbers are from a very small sample and hard to really judge.

However, I do think Rinderknech has shown his serve can be effective on the hard courts and he should be able to earn plenty of free points on this surface, although the return is not one of any real note. It is the return where Ugo Humbert could be able to exert some scoreboard pressure by putting Arthur Rinderknech under the cosh when it comes to the returning aspect of his tennis and I do think Ugo Humbert can get off to a strong start.

The higher Ranked Frenchman is not exactly known for his own return on the grass courts, but I do think he will find the one break he may need to cover this mark and I will back him to do that in the First Round in Stuttgart.

MY PICKS: Maxime Cressy-Dominic Stricker Over 24.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Ugo Humbert - 2.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet365 (2 Units)

Emma Raducanu - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Shuai Zhang - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Katie Boulter - 0.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-3, - 2.36 Units (10 Units Staked, - 23.60% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2022 (June 6th)

The clay court swing has come to a close for a few weeks as the French Open was concluded this past weekend, but the Tour carries on and the grass court season has already begun.

Last week there were a couple of tournaments in the Challenger and ITF level that were played on the grass, but the main build towards Wimbledon will begin this week with tournaments in Stuttgart, Nottingham and s'Hertogenbosch all getting going.

Most of the very top names are not playing, but there are plenty who are getting their preparations for Wimbledon underway before the bigger events in London, Halle and Birmingham next week.

MY PICKS: Oscar Otte - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Marcos Giron - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Soon Woo Kwon - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Heather Watson - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jodie Burrage + 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Tennis Picks 2022 (April 20th)

That was a poor day all around punctuated by the horrible Manchester United performance at Anfield.

I might have had a tough day in the office as far as the Tennis Picks are concerned, but I was largely happy with the selections and felt I deserved slightly better.

One player has moved onto my 'blacklist' and will not be selected over the next couple of weeks as I take a watching brief on their matches, but it was a frustrating day in the main with only Marton Fucsovics returning as a winner.

Wednesday is another extremely busy day of Tennis with the four tournaments getting into the meat of the events being played and it is hopefully a day in which the Picks can be much more productive.

Pablo Carreno Busta - 4.5 games v Barnabe Zapata Miralles: These two players met here in Barcelona last year and it will be interesting to see how much Barnabe Zapata Miralles learned from the experience.

He was pretty well beaten by the experienced Pablo Carreno Busta and the higher Ranked player did reach the Quarter Final in Monte Carlo last week. I do have to admit that the numbers have largely been a little disappointing compared to what you may expect from Pablo Carreno Busta, but he is a battle hardened player and that means he has found a way to win close matches.

Much will depend on how effective the Pablo Carreno Busta serve will be and over the last twelve months it has been an inconsistent weapon on the clay courts. He will definitely feel there is an improvement to be made from his Monte Carlo performance, but this is a good chance to get into the tournament in Barcelona.

Being a higher Ranked and older player than his compatriot is something that has made an impact in matches throughout the history of the Tennis Tour and I think that may have been part of the reason that Barnabe Zapata Miralles was beaten pretty handily last season. The one previous match should mean Zapata Miralles is a bit more comfortable facing up to Pablo Carreno Busta, but he has had a mixed time on the clay courts in 2022.

Barnabe Zapata Miralles has come through the Qualifiers and his three wins in Barcelona have been very impressive, but he has struggled with his serve on the clay courts this season. That makes him vulnerable to Pablo Carreno Busta, although I do think the younger Spaniard will be able to have success with his own return.

That has been the strongest part of his game, but it may be under pressure if Barnabe Zapata Miralles is not able to produce strong serving on the day. It was the difference last season with Zapata Miralles struggling to hold onto his serve when they met here in Barcelona and I do think Pablo Carreno Busta can produce a similar kind of victory on Wednesday in this Second Round meeting.

I would like to see Pablo Carreno Busta just knuckle down quicker than he did in his matches in Monte Carlo last week, but he has enjoyed playing in Barcelona and I think he can win through to the next Round.

Alex De Minaur - 3.5 games v Ugo Humbert: You cannot ignore the fact that Alex De Minaur has not been at his most comfortable on the clay courts and so it is very difficult to back him as a favourite in any match on this surface.

That is the case even when facing someone like Ugo Humbert who has been struggling with his confidence in 2022- however, the Frenchman has won a match in Barcelona and should be plenty ready to deal with the conditions he is facing.

Ugo Humbert is another player who has been at odds with playing on the clay courts and I think that, coupled with his lack of confidence, will make him vulnerable to someone as solid as Alex De Minaur can be. This might not be his best surface, but De Minaur has been able to get a little bit more out of his serve compared with Ugo Humbert and the Australian also looks to have a real edge when it comes to the returning numbers on the surface.

Their two previous matches have both been played on the hard courts and have seen the two players split those one apiece, but the clay courts may just strengthen the edge in favour of Alex De Minaur.

Any player who has struggled on a surface as much as Alex De Minaur has done can be difficult to trust to cover such a spread as the one he is being asked to cover on Wednesday, but I do think he played well enough in Monte Carlo. Playing a first match in this ATP Barcelona event also means Alex De Minaur may need a bit of time to just get himself ready to compete, but I do think his numbers over the last twelve months suggest he is the stronger player on the clay courts and able to work his way to an edge.

In their two hard court matches, the Australian has had a slight edge too and I think he can earn enough break points to be in a position to cover this mark.

MY PICKS: Pablo Carreno Busta - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Alex De Minaur - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Petra Kvitova - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Emma Raducanu - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Anett Kontaveit - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Tamara Zidansek - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-4, - 4 Units (12 Units Staked, - 33.33% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2021 (April 23rd)

Another day and some more poor moments within matches have just swung things against my Tennis Picks which continues to frustrate more than disappoint.

Even Pablo Carreno Busta did his best to lose a match he was dominating, or at least fail to cover the handicap, but thankfully that was not the case.

Regardless I am really disappointed with my results in the first two months of the season and it is a far cry from the profitable seasons I have enjoyed in recent years. Some adjustments have to be made by me, but I also have to believe that the breaks are going to eventually start going my way especially if players keep dominating in all statistical areas bar the scoreboard.

Ultimately it is the scoreboard that is most significant and, no matter how things shake up, the results have not been good enough as far as I am concerned. I wrote in the last post that I would take the rest of the month off if the Thursday results were not good enough and that is where I stand after another 2-3 where players continue to miss their own break point chances but can't prevent opponent's from taking the few opportunities that come their way.

It was during the Stefanos Tsitsipas win over Alex De Minaur that this decision was made- he has been in such hot form, but to only win three return points in the first five games and then wait until he couldn't cover before going into overdrive and dominating the match was the final straw for me.

The second you start believing the negative feelings around any selection then it is best to just stick a pin in things for now. I will get back to it when the Madrid Masters comes around in early May and that will be the big run towards the French Open during which time I will be demanding nothing but good results and no excuses from myself.

Before then I will have my second NFL Mock Draft with the real Draft taking place next Thursday, while I will also have the Weekend Fantasy thoughts out for the Premier League with the deadline set for Friday afternoon.

And before you know it we will be into the third Masters event of the season.

Tennis Picks 2019 (June 14th)

The rain is playing havoc across Europe and the tennis events this week have not really been able to avoid it either. For the most part the ATP Stuttgart tournament has stayed on schedule, but that is not the case elsewhere on what should have been Quarter Final day at all of the events being played.

It could mean some double duty for a few of the players on Friday, but the majority of the Quarter Finals have been set and will hopefully be completed on the day.


I was disappointed with the way the Thursday selections went and a bit frustrated with some of my decision making. The good news is that those poor decisions were recognised and hopefully will be turned around before the week is up.


Matteo Berrettini - 2.5 games v Denis Kudla: The grass court season is a good time for Denis Kudla and his record on the surface is perhaps not a complete indication of how well he can play. A Semi Final run in Surbiton ended with a harsh defeat to Victor Troicki, but the American has refused to let that get him down and he has played well on his way to a Quarter Final in Stuttgart.

A battling win over Gael Monfils saw Kudla dig deep and come through a final set tie-breaker in a match that lasted close to two and a half hours. I do wonder if that is going to play some part in this Quarter Final with no rest days between matches as you have in the Grand Slams, but the quicker points on the grass does help with any recovery.

Denis Kudla has always got a real bite out of his serve on the grass and over the last couple of seasons he has proved to be someone who can use that to pressurise opponents on the return. The American is going to need all of that returning ability when he takes on Matteo Berrettini who is an improving player on the Tour and moved into the top 30 of the World Rankings.

It should mean Berrettini is in a position to be Seeded at Wimbledon and his two wins in Stuttgart have not only been impressive for who he has beaten, but also the manner in which the Italian has won. Wins over Nick Kyrgios and Karen Khachanov have come in straight sets and Berretini has not faced a break point in either match as the big serve has set him up to control points from the off.

He is getting plenty out of the return too and I do think Berrettini can outhit Kudla in this big serving match. I am anticipating both players to run through some service games without too many issues, but Berrettini is someone who looks like he could be a comfortable grass courter and with the right draw at Wimbledon he may be able to earn plenty of Ranking points too.

Both players will be familiar with one another as they play for the sixth time since the Australian Open in January 2018. So far it is Kudla who leads 3-2, but the two matches in 2019 have been split and Berrettini has looked the better player without quite winning both matches.

Those two matches have come on different surfaces with Kudla winning a hard court match and Berrettini winning on the clay. Those results might have been expected, but it is Berrettini who looked stronger behind serve in both matches, but he was not able to deal with the pressurised break points as well as he would have liked. That could be a problem on the grass where it is so hard to retrieve breaks of serve, but I think Berrettini can edge past Kudla in this one and he may have enough to cover this number too.


Milos Raonic - 2.5 games v Marton Fucsovics: After missing the entire clay court season, Milos Raonic must be happy that he is back and winning matches on the Tour. The next month is important for him to prevent a slide down the World Rankings with plenty of points to defend, and that includes a run to the Final in Stuttgart twelve months ago.

The Canadian has beaten Alexei Popyrin and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on his way to the Quarter Final, but both matches have taken three sets and Raonic has spent plenty of time on the court. That has to be a concern for a player who has been off the Tour for as long as Raonic has been, but he is serving very well and that is always going to put some pressure on opponents.

In this tournament Raonic has held 97% of the service games he has played and he is someone whose serve has always been the most effective on this surface. The only reason matches have not been that straight-forward for Raonic is his poor returning numbers so far, but he may get a few more chances against Marton Fucsovics.

All credit has to be given to Fucsovics who has beaten Jaume Munar and Nikoloz Basilashvili and who has held 85% of the service games he has played. However it should be noted that this number is far above his usual levels produced on the grass courts and I do think he will eventually see it come down to a more consistent standard that Fucsovics has been able to produce.

His returning is superior to Raonic's, but Fucsovics will have to show he has learnt plenty from the 6-4, 6-2 defeat suffered to the Canadian on this court twelve months ago. On that day Fucsovics could not get his teeth into the Raonic serve at all and it was the higher Ranked player who was more comfortable when it came to the return and I do think something similar could occur in this Quarter Final.

You can't ignore the amount of time Raonic has spent on the court on his return to the Tour, but I think the serve does make his life easier. If Raonic continues to find his marks as he has been, I think he will have the majority of break points and can have one of his more straight-forward wins of the week.


Borna Coric - 2.5 games v Christian Garin: There was a time when Borna Coric was perhaps not at his most comfortable on the grass courts, but in 2019 he is looking to follow on from his most successful year on the surface. I have mentioned before that the small sample from the three or four tournaments on the grass can make it difficult to really get a good read of how players can and have been performing on the surface, but the signs for the young Croatian are good.

Last year he reached the Final in Halle and I think it may be a positive sign that he has taken in the tournament in Hertogenbosch. My feeling is that Coric does believe he can perform well enough on the grass if he gives himself time to get a few matches under his belt and the come from behind win over Taylor Fritz will boost the mindset.

Borna Coric played well in that match and his serve proved to be a key weapon, while his return is always going to be one that can put opponents under pressure.

In this Quarter Final Coric is taking on Christian Garin who is another young, improving player on the Tour. In the last couple of years Garin has only played at Wimbledon with his Ranking giving him a place in the main draw, but defeats in the First Round each time suggested he might not be at his best on the grass.

I am still not quite sure how comfortable Garin is on the grass, but back to back wins in Hertogenbosch will help. His serve is perhaps not as effective as Coric's, but Garin has been returning very well in his two matches here with breaks of serve in 45% of return games played.

Again I will mention the relatively small sample and the percentage of points won on the return are markedly up on his previous performances on the surface. I am not sure Garin will have the same kind of success when he faces Borna Coric whose serve should set him up a little better than Garin over the course of this match.

It could be a fun match with both players capable on the return, but I think Coric is the superior grass courter and he can show that with a win and a cover of this spread.

MY PICKS: Matteo Berrettini - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Milos Raonic - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Borna Coric - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
David Goffin - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Alex De Minaur - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)
Lucas Pouille @ 2.10 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 7-9, - 5.74 Units (32 Units Staked, - 17.94% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2019 (June 13th)

The weather in London isn't exactly screaming June and summer, but the same can be said around Europe.

Both events in Stuttgart and Hertogenbosch have been affected by the poor conditions around, but at least they managed to keep their events on track for the most part. On Thursday the Cricket World Cup arrives in Nottingham for the latest game in that tournament, but fans won't be too pleased to know that the WTA event and ATP Challenger event being held there has been moved indoors because of all the rain that has been in the area this week.

It looks like more of the same there on Thursday, but my focus is on the matches that are actually going to be played on the grass. I had a mixed Tuesday, but I am disappointed I did not write anything out for Wednesday. Life got in the way a little bit, but that is just the way it goes and there are angles that hit the mark for Thursday to try and get this week moving in a positive direction.


The one issue with grass court events is that we don't get a huge sample of form or how players are going to deal with the surface. There are some players out there on Thursday who might not have had much fun on the grass in their careers so far, but these things can quickly be turned around in the three or four events players take in over the next month.

Small samples mean it is tougher to get a read of how a player can perform on the grass, but we do have enough to make plays on the way through to Wimbledon when more stock can be put into the form displayed in the weeks leading to the third Grand Slam of the season.

It is something to consider and will also make a difference for those matches that are hitting enough marks to mak the selections over the remainder of the month.


Adrian Mannarino - 1.5 games v Fernando Verdasco: A couple of years ago Adrian Mannarino recorded his first win over Fernando Verdasco when these two players met on the grass courts of Antalya. They play in the Second Round in Hertogenbosch on Thursday and this is the first match the Spaniard will be playing on the grass in 2019.

There was a time when Verdasco was actually a pretty happy player on the grass, but the last couple of years have been more of a struggle for him. He has been losing a lot more than he has been winning and Verdasco's numbers have been average to say the least despite what you would consider to be a decent game that should transfer onto the surface.

To be fair to Verdasco, he has maintained decent hold numbers on the grass over the last few years. However the return has not had the same impact and that has left him vulnerable in matches and I think that is especially the case early in this grass season as he gets set to take on a competent player on the surface who already has produced a win to move into the Second Round.

Adrian Mannarino will be glad to be moving from off the clay and onto the grass courts, although there is some pressure on him with plenty of points to defend over the next month. Last year he reached the Final in Antalya and also had a Quarter Final run at Queens and Fourth Round run at Wimbledon so it may be difficult for Mannarino to prevent the slide down the World Rankings his last twelve months perhaps deserved.

His win in the First Round was a good one, but against an opponent who has not played a lot of tennis at this level in the last couple of years through injury. There have been signs that Mannarino is declining as a player and 2018 was a much tougher year on the grass compared with 2017 even though he earned one more win that year.

The Frenchman has a vulnerable serve which is a concern going into this match, but I do think he finds enough returns that can stay low on the grass which can cause problems for his opponent. Adrian Mannarino is confident enough on a grass court to believe he can win this match even though Fernando Verdasco is the more talented player on the court.


Richard Gasquet - 1.5 games v Mikhail Kukushkin: It is going to take Richard Gasquet a little bit of time to recover to a point where he can play his best tennis on the Tour. A long injury lay off and a return on the clay courts was perhaps far from ideal, but Gasquet is one of the more comfortable grass court players out there.

His win in the First Round in Hertogenbosch looks a solid one even if Gasquet needed three tough sets which could have sapped some energy. He certainly was more convincing than Mikhail Kukushkin, although I do think this is another player who is very happy on the grass and can use a decent serve to set up his entire performance from match to match.

Both players do have solid serves for the surface and they can both return effectively enough which makes this a close match. The lack of matches in the legs in 2019 may affect Richard Gasquet, but his serve has proved to be more potent of the two in their previous matches.

That may be the case and the difference maker when they play each other in this Second Round match. I do think Kukushkin will challenge Gasquet considering his own level on the grass and those lack of matches I have mentioned, but the Frenchman is someone who can produce some of his best tennis on this surface and I expect him to edge this one.

MY PICKS: Adrian Mannarino - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Richard Gasquet - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Matteo Berrettini-Karen Khachanov Over 24.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Alexander Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 2.20 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Felix Auger-Aliassime - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 6-6, - 1.34 Units (24 Units Staked, - 5.58% Yield)

Season 2019: + 75.37 Units (956 Units Staked, + 7.88% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2019 (June 11th)

There isn't much I can say about Rafael Nadal that hasn't already been said before- any player that wins twelve Grand Slams in one tournament has to be given the utmost respect.

It is amazing to think that Pete Sampras reaching fourteen total Slams was such a huge achievement that we have seen the likes of Roger Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic now take that number to a new level. Who would argue against Nadal from matching Sampras' total at the French Open alone?

You can only say it has been a remarkable time in men's tennis as we watch three of the absolute greatest players of all time compete and now we head into the grass court season when all three will believe they can win the next Grand Slam of 2019.

Wimbledon comes around pretty sharpish following the conclusion of the French Open and the grass court season has already begun. I did not make any selections on Monday because I had seen the weather and was not expecting a lot of tennis to be played in Stuttgart, Hertogenbosch or Nottingham.

This will I will mainly be avoiding the WTA Nottingham event because it feels like one that is going to be played on a different surface than the outdoors grass we would have expected. Rain is hammering the UK through the week and we don't need much to see grass court matches interrupted and that looks to be the case for all of the ladies playing in that event.

The other two venues look to be in a position that they will enjoy better conditions for the majority of the week and on Tuesday my first grass court selections in 2019 will come from those events.

I won't be able to write up any analysis for those Picks on Tuesday, and there are a lot of Picks to open this week with a full First Round of matches scheduled at these events. Hopefully we can get this week off to a positive beginning and I will then update the season totals on Wednesday from the French Open after securing a couple of winners in the women's and men's Finals over the weekend.


MY PICKS: Aleksandra Krunic @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Alison Riske - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Kiki Bertens - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Elise Mertens - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)
Jannick Sinner @ 2.20 William Hill (2 Units)
David Goffin - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Mikhail Kukushkin - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Marton Fucsovics - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Gilles Simon - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Denis Kudla - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)
Gael Monfils - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Tennis Picks 2019 (April 26th)

I didn't have the time to research the Tennis Picks for Thursday so there were no selections made to back up the win we had on Wednesday.

My mind was not ready to sit down and work things out after the Manchester derby on Wednesday evening and the slightly longer than expected journey back home due to roadworks being done on long stretches of the motorway. You don't want to hear my sob story here though, instead the focus is on the Tennis Picks from the Friday Quarter Final matches at the tournaments being played this week.


Guido Pella + 3.5 games v Dominic Thiem: There would have been a real hope for Dominic Thiem fans that their man was ready to get back to some of his best tennis after he won a big Masters title in Indian Wells. That came on the hard courts and the return to the clay courts would have been seen as a good time to put some strong runs together.

An early defeat in Monte Carlo was a real surprise, but Thiem has reached the Quarter Final in Barcelona without expending too much energy. Two good looking wins over Diego Sebastian Schwartzman and Jaume Munar will stand the Austrian in good stead, but his numbers are still some way down on where they have been on the clay courts in recent years.

Where he has been someone who holds somewhere in the low 80s in terms of percentage, Thiem is holding down at 71% on the clay courts in 2019. Even though Thiem has yet to drop a set in this tournament, his hold number has only improved to 77% and it is the return game that has been key to his wins.

His whole game is going to be tested by Guido Pella who is having a career season on the clay and is looking to maintain his consistency on the court. The Argentinian has reached a career best Ranking at the beginning of the week and is continuing to trend in a positive direction with a couple of strong wins on the clay of Barcelona.

Guido Pella dropped the first set this week, but he has won five sets in a row as he has produced three wins to reach the Quarter Final. His service numbers are slightly improved this week compared with the season, while Pella has also been returning well enough to believe he can challenge Dominic Thiem if the latter is not able to turn the switch and produce a much better level than he has for much of 2019.

These two played a tight match on the clay of Buenos Aires last season and it feels like Pella is coming into this Quarter Final in much stronger form. Coupled with Dominic Thiem's slight decline in form on the clay courts through 2019 compared with previous seasons and this could be a close match in which the games being given to the underdog look very appealing.


Petra Kvitova - 3.5 games v Anastasija Sevastova: An indoor court on any surface should be something that is very much a confidence booster for a player like Petra Kvitova. You may assume that the clay courts are not really the surface for someone who is as aggressive as Kvitova is on the court, but she has shown throughout her career that she can be very effective on the surface.

The serve certainly helps Kvitova as it can set up short balls on a surface where she would prefer to avoid being dragged into the long rallies that could see her break down as she continues chasing the lines. It was a very strong weapon for the Czech player last year and she began her tournament in Stuttgart with a comfortable win in the Second Round.

In recent years Kvitova has had something of a mixed time in Stuttgart with some early losses around a deep run at the event. She is favoured to see off Anastasija Sevastova who has had some really good results on the clay courts in recent years, but who has perhaps not matched up the kind of level that Kvitova has produced on the surface.

The Latvian has been the more consistent returner on the clay out of the two players in this match, but she has not managed the same kind of numbers Kvitova produced in 2018. It is also going to be a big challenge for Sevastova to deal with the Kvitova serve, although their previous matches have been close enough to think the underdog does have the chance to spring the upset.

However I am backing the favourite to win and cover considering the performances on the clay over the last twelve months. Petra Kvitova has been playing at a very high level over that time period and it is enough to believe she can win this match with a break more in each set of a straight sets match.


Matteo Berrettini - 1.5 games v Pablo Cuevas: This looks like a Quarter Final that is best suited to the clay courts with two players who are very comfortable on the surface looking to secure some vital World Ranking points. Pablo Cuevas is a veteran these days who is clinging onto his top 100 World Ranking as he has struggled for consistency, while Matteo Berrettini is approaching his career best World Ranking having hit his peak earlier in 2019.

Both players have made their way through to this Quarter Final in different ways. Where Berrettini has been pretty dominant in his two wins, Cuevas has had to dig deep and need a final set to come through his own matches and this has come just days after winning a title on the Challenger Tour.

Fatigue could be a potential issue for Cuevas who has performed well enough on the clay courts in 2019, but has struggled when it comes to the return of serve which has prevented him winning more matches. Those numbers have actually dipped on both serve and return in the tournament here in Budapest as Cuevas has held in 75% of his service games and broken in 25%.

Now Cuevas has to deal with Matteo Berrettini who has been a big time server on the clay courts in the last couple of years but who has struggled with his own return. So far in his three matches in 2019 the Italian has been actually much improved with his return, but the serve has suffered a little bit, although the two wins in Budapest have been impressive against Mikhail Kukushkin and Aljaz Bedene.

In Budapest Berrettini has been holding 85% of the service games played and has broken in 35% and those numbers are impressive enough to give him the edge in this Quarter Final. I do think all of the tennis that Cuevas has played in the last couple of weeks is going to make it difficult for him too and needing three sets to win his two matches this week and now playing for a third day in a row is a tough spot for the veteran to be in.

Matteo Berrettini won't have things all his own way, but he looks to be performing at a higher level than Pablo Cuevas in the conditions and I will back the younger man to come through with a win and a cover.

MY PICKS: Guido Pella + 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Petra Kvitova - 3.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)
Matteo Berrettini - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Kiki Bertens - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Kei Nishikori - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 William Hill (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-0, + 1.60 Units (2 Units Staked, + 80% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (June 13th)

I was out on Monday which meant I was unable to do the research I would have liked for the Tennis matches that were scheduled to be played on Tuesday and so there were no Picks yesterday.

That is not the case on Wednesday as I look to build on what was a very good Monday for the Tennis Picks which went 5-2.

With the World Cup kicking off in Russia on Thursday, I have automated my Outright Picks from that tournament to come out tomorrow and will then have the thread for the first round of Group games ready to go on Thursday with Picks added through the tournament.

At the same time I will continue to put the Tennis Picks together whenever I find matches that fit into my requirements and those will come throughout the grass court season in the build to Wimbledon.

Like Monday I will have the analysis of the men's matches I am picking from Hertogenbosch and Stuttgart and add the women's selections in the 'MY PICKS' part of the thread.


Yuichi Sugita v Marius Copil: Both men have got their grass court seasons off to strong starts with good looking wins on Monday and the layers are setting the line for this one as a pick 'em.

I can understand why Yuichi Sugita is the narrow favourite to win this match and I like the price enough to back him after doing the same in the First Round. I said at the time I leaned towards Marius Copil beating Aljaz Bedene, but I wasn't completely convinced by the relatively poor return numbers on the grass courts which were still on show in the win the big server had.

You can get carried away with how big Copil serves which should make him very tough to break down on the grass courts, but Sugita's returning is the key to this match. He has shown he can put opponents under pressure on the grass and actually beat Copil relatively comfortably on the surface last year in Surbiton.

The Sugita serve is also an underrated shot on the grass and I think he will be able to exploit the limited return game that Copil has. It should mean Sugita is going to get the better of the rallies once we get past the first couple of shots on the Copil serve and I think that does give him the edge in this Second Round match.

Scoreboard pressure could be the best way for Copil to find a way to beat Sugita but I would imagine it is the latter who has the majority of the break point chances in this match. I also think Sugita is the more effective overall player on the grass courts and he can do enough to beat Copil and move onto another Quarter Final on this surface.


Gilles Muller - 1.5 games v Matthew Ebden: The move off the clay courts and back onto the grass should be good for Gilles Muller, although the left hander could be overrated after an especially strong 2017 on the surface. Prior to that his numbers had not been as impressive, but the big serve will always make Muller dangerous.

Last year it was the returning numbers that really jumped off the page and helped Muller with a strong run at Wimbledon that saw him beat Rafael Nadal.

It was a special season for Muller on that front and I am not convinced he will replicate those on the grass courts in 2018. However the serve should remain a big weapon for him and it can be one that can put pressure on opponents to make sure they are holding onto their own serve.

Matthew Ebden will have to face that in the Second Round in Hertogenbosch, but his confidence could not be in a better place having reached the Semi Final in Surbiton last week. He played a lot of tennis and putting the wins together would have raised the belief going into a match of this magnitude for him.

The Australian had some decent numbers on the grass courts in 2017, but he was operating at a lower level than the one he is facing on Wednesday. Ebden doesn't have the best returning numbers which makes this a very tough match up for him and I do think it will be the scoreboard pressure which sees Muller get in front in this one with one break likely enough to see him through a set.

Muller's serve is also likely to be a difference maker in any tie-breaker situation which comes into the match and I like the big serving left hander to win this match and cover the number.


Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 games v Fernando Verdasco: This is a very interesting grass court match, but I do think the improving youngster is perhaps a little underrated even as a convincing favourite in this match.

Daniil Medvedev didn't have a good clay court campaign, but he is much more at home on the grass courts and I expect some solid wins for him in the weeks head. He was a very good winner in the First Round when dismissing Yuki Bhambri in straight sets and getting his feet back on the grass should give him the edge over veteran Fernando Verdasco.

For the Spaniard it is a first match back on the grass courts and he has performed admirably on the surface over the years. However there has been a clear decline in the numbers over the last few years and I think that will be give Medvedev the edge in this Second Round match.

While the Verdasco serving numbers are still relatively strong, his hold percentage on the grass has dropped from 86% to 82% over the last four years to 2017 and that slippage can be very detrimental to a player whose return game has not been too hot on this surface. There was a relatively successful 17% break percentage in 2016, but the other three seasons where the serve has slipped has seen Verdasco breaking in less than 14% of games.

He may have a little more of a chance breaking the Medvedev serve, which is still developing into the kind of weapon he would like, but it is the return game from the Russian which really stands out. He has broken at 28% in 2016 and 30% in 2017 which is a very strong showing on the grass courts and Medvedev broke the Bhambri serve four times in the First Round.

Medvedev should have the edge on the returning side of the game and I think he can win this one and cover the handicap.


Maximilian Marterer - 3.5 games v Viktor Galovic: You have to be careful not to be backing Maximilian Marterer at a time when he could be potentially overrated after a strong showing at the French Open. The memorable third set performance against Rafael Nadal in the Fourth Round will have given Marterer some real confidence, but this is a new surface and a new tournament for the youngster searching for some consistency.

I do think he can get the better of Lucky Loser Viktor Galovic who is playing his third grass court match in his career. He didn't play badly in Qualifying which suggests this is going to be far from an easy match for Marterer, but I do think Galovic could have his problems against the lefty too.

Marterer had some decent performances on the grass twelve months ago and a strong serve can give him the chance to go on the attack on the return of serve. His opponent allowed Denis Kudla to create 19 break point opportunities in the final Qualifying Round here in Stuttgart and Golovic is likely to be put under some pressure from Marterer who had a decent 20% break percentage on the grass in 2017.

That was from a relatively small sample but Marterer will have the crowd support behind him which can see him come through this match.

He is also 3-0 against Golovic in previous matches including at the US Open Qualifiers last August and I think he can improve that record with a win on Wednesday.


Benoit Paire v Taylor Fritz: This is a virtual pick 'em in the First Round in Stuttgart but I am going to give the edge to the Frenchman to reverse his loss to Taylor Fritz from the Indian Wells Masters in 2017.

One concern is that this is the first match on the grass for Benoit Paire in 2018 compared with Taylor Fritz who won three matches in Surbiton last week as he came through the Qualifiers there. The American has a strong serve which has to be respected, but Fritz has yet to get to grips with the returning aspect on the grass courts and that could be an issue in this match against Paire.

It is Paire who has the stronger returning numbers on the grass courts, but he hadn't had a lot of success on the surface prior to 2017. Last season was a different story though as Paire produced a combined 107% hold/break percentage on the grass and he should have the edge over Fritz.

Fritz is now just 7-11 on the grass courts in his young career and I like Paire even if he can be a tough player to trust on any given day to perform at his best.

In this one Paire should be good enough to at least create the majority of the break point opportunities and I like him to win this match at a tournament where he reached the Semi Final last year.


Mischa Zverev + 4.5 games v Roger Federer: He's back.

Roger Federer skipped the clay court season to make sure he is at peak fitness for the Wimbledon and US Open tournaments where the Swiss superstar believes he can win and add to his tally of Grand Slam titles. There are a huge number of points for Federer to defend in the coming weeks, but he looks the favourite for another title at Wimbledon next month.

However it can't be ignored that Federer made a slow start to the grass court season in 2017 when he was beaten in the Second Round in Stuttgart which was his first match on the surface.

I don't think that happens here against Mischa Zverev, but the German is very effective on the grass courts with a strong serve and the ability to put balls away at the net. Not many would have forgotten the double bagel Federer handed out against Zverev in Halle a few years ago, but last year they played each other twice on the grass courts and both were very competitive matches.

If Federer is needing a little time to find his best form after the long lay off from the courts then someone like Zverev can make it very tough for him. The lack of rhythm you get against a player who will serve-volley can be difficult for a player with little court time to get very comfortable and Federer could be pushed here.

Ultimately I think Zverev's return game won't be good enough to earn the win, but he can give Federer something to think about. It should be a fun match for the fans to watch and I will back the veteran to serve well enough to get within the number in this Second Round match.

MY PICKS: Yuichi Sugita @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Gilles Muller - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Maximilian Marterer - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Benoit Paire @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Mischa Zverev + 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Coco Vandeweghe - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Irina Falconi + 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 5-2, + 5.66 Units (14 Units Staked, + 40.43% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (April 26th)

I was not impressed with the manner in which at least two of my Tennis Picks faltered on Wednesday having been in a dominant position to try and cover the number of games.

Both players won which didn't make me feel any better as I suffer through a cold (real cold not 'man flu' or at least as far as I am concerned).

On Thursday I am simply placing the Tennis Picks I have below, but I don't have a lot of feel for the matches even though there are some full schedules to be played in Barcelona and Stuttgart.

Both Tennis Picks come from Stuttgart as I try and get this week turned back around.

MY PICKS: Jelena Ostapenko - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Coco Vandeweghe @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-4, - 6.18 Units (10 Units Staked, - 61.80% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2017 (June 17th)

This has been a solid week for the tennis picks and I am hoping the last two days of the tournaments can also ensure that a winning week is put together.

Friday has been a busy day to write up a full thread, but I have some picks from the Semi Final matches to be played across the tournaments which you can see below.

MY PICKS: Feliciano Lopez - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Benoit Paire @ 2.38 Coral (2 Units)
Ana Konjuh - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 15-11, + 5.78 Units (52 Units Staked, + 11.12% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2017 (June 16th)

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tennis Picks 2017 (June 14th)

I was disappointed to hear the news that Rafael Nadal will not be coming to the tournament at Queens this season as I was looking forward to finding the time to see the Spaniard.

I was lucky enough to see Nadal's last appearance on a grass court before this season, although that was unfortunately at the end of another early exit at Wimbledon. While he is getting himself ready physically and mentally for the third Slam of the season, I don't think many will be rushing out to back Nadal considering how little success he has had in SW19 since reaching the Final in 2011.

The other bit of news of interest coming out on Tuesday was Roger Federer's interview where he admitted that he is expecting to play a full schedule for the rest of the season having missed the clay court events over the last two months. That is good news for the fans and the ATP Tour in general and Federer will likely go into Wimbledon as the second favourite to win the title.

It will be interesting to see how Federer plays on the grass courts here in Stuttgart and next week in Halle to see if he is a justified short price. I've felt Wimbledon and the US Open would be his best chances to add Grand Slam titles over the last few years and the confidence Federer has earned over the first three months of 2017 will certainly make people believe in him, although the draw is going to be important for the Swiss superstar.


The tennis picks went 3-2 on Tuesday which is important to get this week into a winning position after a mixed Monday. The matches are beginning to come thick and fast across the four tournaments being played this week and Wednesday looks like a day where I have found a number of matches that are appealing to be backed.

I have just been a little short of time this evening to put together a full thread as usual and instead have to put my picks below.

MY PICKS: Mischa Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)
Philipp Kohlschreiber - 2.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Roger Federer - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Lucas Pouille - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Aljaz Bedene - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)
Gilles Muller - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)
Nicolas Mahut - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Ashleigh Barty - 4.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)
Tsvetana Pironkova - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 5-4, + 1.74 Units (18 Units Staked, + 9.67% Yield)