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Showing posts with label Third Round. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Third Round. Show all posts

Sunday, 13 September 2026

European Tour 13- Flanders Darts Trophy Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 13th September)

As with most of the European Tour events played on the PDC Tour, we move into Day 3 at the Flanders Darts Trophy when the Third Round is completed during the Day Session and the trophy is decided in the Evening Session from the Quarter Final through to the Championship dart.

A good looking lineup has come together and that should mean another solid day of viewing for fans of the sport.


Ryan Searle v Chris Dobey: You know that Chris Dobey is going to bring some heavy artillery into this Third Round match, but his inconsistent results have come down to some poor finishing.

6/26 of the Doubles were hit in the Second Round win, but Dobey will know he needs to be a lot better to win a match like this one.

Ryan Searle produced another solid display, although he has also been lacking some consistency in his results of late.

However, Heavy Metal will feel he can at least match the scoring capabilities of Chris Dobey for long enough to earn chances in this Third Round contest and Ryan Searle may be a worthy underdog to back.


Gerwyn Price-Ross Smith over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100 checkout: The winner of this Third Round match could take plenty of confidence into the Evening Session and become very difficult to beat.

Gerwyn Price looked really strong on Saturday night, while Ross Smith has been enjoying his time on the European Tour for several months.

Both are very capable of piling up the maximums and this is another match where a big finish could be crucial in earning the momentum to push through to the Quarter Final.

It is not easy to pick a winner, but you would like to think this is a match that will last at least nine Legs and that should provide the time needed to give this match double an opportunity to be return to the winner's enclosure.


Luke Woodhouse v Damon Heta: The Australian has had two very good wins at this tournament, but Damon Heta has not needed his best form to beat Beau Greaves and Michael van Gerwen.

He is unlikely to get away with a low 90s average in this Third Round match.

Luke Woodhouse secured a very good win over William O'Connor on Saturday and has won a European title this season as he continues pushing up towards the top of the World Rankings.

The Heat can be very good, but Woodhouse should be the player with the most chances to win Legs and he can battle through to the Quarter Final.


Stephen Bunting-Nathan Aspinall over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout: Big scoring and big checkouts were seen in both Second Round matches that were won by Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall on Saturday.

They can round out the Day Session with a bit more of the same in what could be a match that needs at least nine Legs to find a winner.

If it goes as long as expected, the two players should comfortably get up to six maximums between them, while it could be a match swung by a big finish.

Both are very good combination finishers and so this match double looks a decent selection at odds against.

MY PICKS: Ryan Searle @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Gerwyn Price-Ross Smith Over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Luke Woodhouse @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Stephen Bunting-Nathan Aspinall Over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Quarter Final Picks: Ross Smith & Most 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Nathan Aspinall & Most 180s @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Flanders Darts Trophy: 2-4, - 2.34 Units (6 Units Staked, - 39% Yield)

Saturday, 5 September 2026

European Tour 12- Czech Darts Open Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 6th September)

The European Tour 12 event being played in Czechia will be concluded across two Sessions on Sunday with the Third Round all set to be completed during the day.

Big names have moved into the last day and the likes of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries will always be the players to beat.

However, the shorter formats of the European Tour means they can be vulnerable and that is what the other players will be hoping to exploit, at least before the Semi Final and Final. Even the best of thirteen and best of fifteen formats are short enough for an upset to occur, but it is all about peaking at the right time on a long day.


Luke Humphries to win & most 180s v Andrew Gilding: All credit has to be given to Andrew Gilding for the performance he put together to beat Nathan Aspinall, but another level may be needed if he is going to get through the Third Round.

Not only is he is facing one of the top players on the Tour, but Luke Humphries put in a strong performance to beat Beau Greaves in the last Round.

Five maximums were thrown in that win and Humphries may do enough to edge the Match Double.

Respect has to be given to Andrew Gilding having thrown four maximums of his own to get the better of Nathan Aspinall, but Luke Humphries won a Players Championship title recently and is producing the kind of form that should see him move through to the Quarter Final behind more maximum hitting.


Jonny Clayton to win & most 180s v Keane Barry: Some of the recent meetings between Jonny Clayton and Keane Barry have been competitive, although it is the Welshman who has held himself together at key moments.

It has been two years since the last of those matches, but Jonny Clayton is playing at a very good level throughout 2026 and will be looking to make a big impact at upcoming Ranking events.

Keane Barry overcame the five maximums Chris Dobey hit against him in the Second Round, but Jonny Clayton is playing with more consistency than the man from the North East of England.

He is likely going to be outscored in that category, but Jonny Clayton's finishing should also be key in getting him through in a competitive outing.

MY PICKS: Luke Humphries to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Jonny Clayton to Win & Most 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Czech Darts Open: 3-3, - 0.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 1.50% Yield)

US Open Day 7 Tennis Picks 2026 (Saturday 5th September)

The US Open continues into the Fourth Round from Sunday, but the Third Round has to be completed before the second week begins.

There will be longer threads in the days ahead, but for now, only the selections will be placed for Day 7, which can be seen below.


MY PICKS; Karen Khachanov - 1.5 Sets @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Mirra Andreeva - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Iva Jovic @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)
Naomi Osaka - 4.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

US Open Update: 17-11, + 6.26 Units (56 Units Staked, + 11.18% Yield)

Friday, 4 September 2026

US Open Day 6 Tennis Picks 2026 (Friday 4th September)

The US Open continues into the Third Round over the next couple of days and the tournament is back on track after the rain delays earlier in the week.

Another potentially wet week is coming up, but two courts with a roof should make sure the tournament is completed on time and without too much impact on the schedule of the Singles players hoping to pick up titles next weekend.


Frances Tiafoe - 1.5 sets v Valentin Vacherot: Despite two 2026 Grand Slam Champions still being involved in the draw at the US Open, there is still a feeling that the Men's tournament remains wide open.

Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev will be the favourites with the layers, but a number of players have to be competing in New York City filled with belief that they can become a Major Champion.

Both of those players mentioned will receive plenty of support, but the American audience is always ready to get behind the home players and Frances Tiafoe is about as popular as any of his compatriots. The World Number 12 reached the Final at the Cincinnati Masters and has managed to come through the opening two Rounds at the US Open by winning some key points at critical times.

He will appreciate winning the Second Round match in straight sets having needed all five sets to come through the opening match and Frances Tiafoe is comfortable in this setting where his best Grand Slam results have been produced. Two Semi Final runs and a Quarter Final in between will give Frances Tiafoe plenty of confidence even if his 2025 US Open ended at this Third Round stage.

Frances Tiafoe will grind for everything he earns and he will need to dig in against Valentin Vacherot who has produced some solid hard court numbers in the previous two years.

Injury has been a factor in the slight slide out of the top 20 in the World Rankings, but Valentin Vacherot has won a couple of matches at the US Open to pick up some vital Ranking Points ahead of a big defence of the Shanghai Masters title won last year. This run has been relatively unexpected considering Vacherot had lost his opening match at both Montreal and Cincinnati and he is going to have to find a way to get himself into return games to see if he can put pressure on the home player.

Valentin Vacherot's two wins in this tournament have been against players Ranked 84 and 73 and this is a big step up compared to that level of opponent.

He has a serve that can cause problems for any opponent as everyone found out in Shanghai last year, but Frances Tiafoe can battle and dig and eventually he should have enough to move through in three or four sets in this Third Round match.


Jiri Lehecka - 1.5 sets v Stefanos Tsitsipas: Earlier this season, Jiri Lehecka reached the Miami Masters Final, but he has not had a lot of consistent success on the hard courts in 2026. Even in the build up to the US Open, Jiri Lehecka reached the Fourth Round in Montreal and was beaten in the Third Round in Cincinnati, but the World Number 19 has won his two matches in New York City without being pushed too hard.

With that said, Jiri Lehecka will know that the next opponent may be Ranked outside of the top 50, but one who has reached the Semi Final on three different occasions at the Australian Open.

Unfortunately for Stefanos Tsitsipas, his hard court Grand Slam level at the US Open is considerably poorer than the one he has managed to put together in Melbourne, and reaching the Third Round is as good as it has gotten in New York City.

He is back in the Third Round after an upset over Arthur Fils and then being able to back that up by beating Lloyd Harris in the Second Round. Stefanos Tsitsipas is another who had been struggling for consistent form in the build up to the US Open, although his issues have been season-long which has contributed to the slip down the World Rankings.

Both Jiri Lehecka and Stefanos Tsitsipas are going to be well aware that they need to serve well in this match- this has been the basis of any hard court success they have had this season.

However, the key to the outcome of this match is whether Stefanos Tsitsipas can maintain a solid return game, which has been a struggle all year. The win over Arthur Fils will give him confidence, but Tsitsipas has only broken in 13% of return games played against top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts before this tournament began.

Jiri Lehecka has an aggressive return game and he should have the edge on the return, while the last two meetings between these two players were back in 2024 when Stefanos Tsitsipas was Ranked considerably higher.

Those Rankings have flipped now and Jiri Lehecka will take confidence from having won the previous two matches against Stefanos Tsitsipas and doing so in pretty dominant style.

Pressure will have ramped up with a place in the second week on the line, but Jiri Lehecka can find a way to edge through some tight sets and eventually move into the Fourth Round with a win in three or four sets.


Carlos Alcaraz - 7.5 games v Yibing Wu: It is never going to be easy facing someone who has such a big game as Jaime Faria and Yibing Wu will know exactly how Carlos Alcaraz was feeling seeing as he lost a Second Qualifying Round match against Faria at the Cincinnati Masters.

The defending Champion took a bit of time to find his feet, but he cruised through the next three sets having dropped the opener and Carlos Alcaraz looks about as good as could be hoped after the long layoff from the Tour.

He will also be pretty happy that this little section of the draw has opened up and Carlos Alcaraz is going to be a big favourite to win this Third Round match. Playing at a high level at a Grand Slam event is something we have become very accustomed to seeing from the Spaniard and he has won the last two hard court Majors and that will give Alcaraz real aura any time he steps onto the court.

Yibing Wu has won back to back matches in straight sets, which will have given him a huge amount of confidence, although he will note that this is a significantly tougher challenge than those faced in the previous two Rounds. Neither opponent beaten has been Ranked inside the top 70, although both above Wu himself, and now the World Number 113 has to step up and take on a multiple time Slam Winner.

He had shown little form ahead of the US Open with a Second Round run in a Challenger event and then failing to Qualify for the Cincinnati Masters. An opening Round defeat in Winston Salem has just underlined where Yibing Wu is with his tennis and it is going to take a special effort to keep this one competitive.

Some heart can be taken from the fact that Yibing Wu pushed Carlos Alcaraz when they met at the Shanghai Masters in 2024, but there will be a different intensity about meeting the World Number 3 in a Grand Slam event.

Yibing Wu has struggled to earn breaks of serve when facing some of the top players on the Tour on the hard courts and his own serve. has not been nearly as effective as he would have hoped.

Over this format, you have to believe Carlos Alcaraz can turn the screw as he has been able to do in the Second Round and he may just find the breaks needed to secure a cover of this handicap mark set.

MY PICKS: Frances Tiafoe - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 William Hill (2 Units)
Jiri Lehecka - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)
Carlos Alcaraz - 7.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)
Alexander Bublik-Tommy Paul Over 39.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Elina Svitolina - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)
Karolina Muchova - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Diana Shnaider - 2.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 14-7, + 8.76 Units (42 Units Staked, + 20.86% Yield)

Tuesday, 18 August 2026

Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Tuesday 18th August)

For the second time at this tournament, a player has withdrawn from a match they were about to lose and that is now having a serious impact on the numbers.

Anna Kalinskaya retired at 7-6, 1-6, 0-5 on Monday to add to the Elena Gabriel Ruse retirement when three games away from losing her Second Round match on Saturday and it is frustrating.

Instead of two winners, which was looking incredibly likely, we have to void both and that has meant another mixed start.

Tuesday is the conclusion of the Third Round matches to be played and all will be hoping it is not a day impacted by too many rain delays- unfortunately there does look to be a real chance of some rain later in the afternoon (local time), but it should not prevent the schedule from being completed as planned.

At least the wind is not nearly as tough to deal with as it was this past weekend, which should give the players an opportunity to compete with confidence.


Andrey Rublev - 1.5 games v Nuno Borges: This will be the sixth time these two players have faced one another on the Tour and Nuno Borges is still looking to get the better of Andrey Rublev for the first time.

The most recent meeting came at the French Open and Andrey Rublev edged through in straight sets as he continued to win the big points when they were played.

It is a result that also means Andrey Rublev has won eleven of the twelve sets played between the pair, while all three hard court matches have been won in straight sets. The last of those came back in January in Hong Kong as the players prepared for the Australian Open and Andrey Rublev has been supremely dominant behind the serve.

The only nagging aspect going against this selection is that Andrey Rublev has been struggling for consistent form in recent weeks and he was beaten in the Second Round in Montreal last week. It was the fourth straight defeat in hard court matches, but Rublev will have exorcised some demons by beating Pablo Carreno Busta in the Second Round here, while also likely playing with plenty of confidence considering the head to head against Nuno Borges on the Tour.

Nuno Borges has come through a couple of matches in Cincinnati and had a decent run in Montreal last week, but he has struggled when facing top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts. The 3-5 record is a little disappointing and the World Number 47 may come up short against Andrey Rublev once again on Tuesday.


Lorenzo Musetti - 2.5 games v Michael Zheng: The return to the Tour has been pretty productive for Lorenzo Musetti with a couple of solid, if unspectacular, runs in Washington and Toronto before winning his Second Round match in Cincinnati.

The World Number 15 is in the midst of putting another solid year together on the hard courts, although that also means there is the pressure of defending the Ranking Points won last year to maintain a spot inside the top 20 of the World Rankings.

Lorenzo Musetti is down as the favourite to beat Michael Zheng who came through the Qualifiers before winning a couple of main draw matches. The young American is operating at his best career Ranking mark, but is set to move inside the top 100 for the first time and Michael Zheng will be comfortable competing on the hard courts.

However, his experience of facing top competition is pretty limited this year and the win over Ugo Humbert is the first against someone Ranked inside the top 50.

It is a performance that will give Michael Zheng confidence, but there is still some for improvement on the serve and that is an area that Lorenzo Musetti will look to exploit.

Both of these players will believe they have the return game to hurt the other and it would not be a surprise if there are a number of breaks of serve, but Musetti has remained very strong when facing those players Ranked outside the top 20. He has already won in that spot in this tournament and Lorenzo Musetti has been able to get enough out of his serve to take a real swing on the return and he can do that in this Third Round match.


Felix Auger Aliassime - 4.5 games v Juan Manuel Cerundolo: Having to miss out on competing at the Canadian Masters would have really hurt, but Felix Auger Aliassime came through his opening match in Cincinnati in impressive style.

The win over Stefanos Tsitsipas will have been a boost for Felix Auger Aliassime who had deep runs in Cincinnati and at the US Open last year.

He is facing an opponent who has won the sole previous meeting between the pair on the Tour, but Juan Manuel Cerundolo is pretty lucky to still be in the draw at this Masters event, while beating Felix Auger Aliassime on a clay court is a different story than beating him on a hard court.

It was a win in Madrid where the courts play faster, but Felix Auger Aliassime will feel he had the chances to turn that match in his favour and his strengths should be clearer on a relatively fast hard court.

Juan Manuel Cerundolo has improved his hard court record to 5-3 this year thanks to two wins here, but his numbers have been poor and Arthur Rinderknech should have beaten him in the Second Round.

Felix Auger Aliassime is not the best return player, which makes this spread a difficult one to deal with, but he should be able to serve himself into a strong position and that pressure can be applied to help him find the breaks needed.


Madison Keys - 4.5 games v Katerina Siniakova: Two previous meetings between the pair have ended in routine wins for Madison Keys, although the last of those came at the US Open in 2024.

At 31 years old, you do have to wonder how much motivation is left for Madison Keys as she has dropped out of the top 20 in the World Rankings and picked up the Grand Slam win in Australia over eighteen months ago. That Slam victory will have made it feel like Keys has achieved all she would have wanted having looked like the Major was going to escape her, but the upcoming US Open is where she will want to peak.

It has not been the best summer of preparation but Madison Keys has tended to beat those players that she would expect, especially on the hard courts where she has a 10-3 record against those Ranked outside of the top 20.

Katerina Siniakova is a dangerous player when at her best, but it has been another inconsistent season and she did have to withdraw mid-match in Toronto last week.

A Second Round win here will have given Katerina Siniakova a boost as she performs as one of the Seeded players, but Madison Keys may have too much know-how on a hard court and can pull away for a solid win.


Iva Jovic - 3.5 games v Marie Bouzkova: Both of these players are Seeded in Cincinnati and that is expected to be the case when the US Open begins, but Iva Jovic is definitely a player on a stronger positive trajectory at this stage of the respective careers.

The 18 year old has had some very strong moments on the Tour throughout 2026 and that has helped Iva Jovic move into the World Number 16 position, which is the career high so far.

It is an improvement that will allow Iva Jovic to try and put together a strong end to the season, although her Second Round win means she has only matched the run in Cincinnati produced twelve months ago.

Back then Iva Jovic had a reprieve to enter the tournament as a Lucky Loser, and the American has put a solid year together on the Tour, albeit one that still sees her having a few off days.

Marie Bouzkova will be looking to exploit any dip from the opponent on the other side of the net, but that also means finding her own consistency in what has been a difficult season on the hard courts.

The Czech player has really struggled when facing top 20 Ranked opponents on the surface and has a 2-6 record in those matches, while the numbers have taken a significant drop on the return of serve.

You always have to respect a veteran of the Tour who can call upon ample experience to change things around, but Iva Jovic has been the stronger hard court player and can push through to the Fourth Round.


Mirra Andreeva - 5.5 games v Janice Tjen: Winning the French Open means Mirra Andreeva has already begun to fulfil the obvious potential she has and this is a player who has been comfortable on the hard courts, although perhaps not putting up the results expected.

It is telling that she has yet to reach the Quarter Final at either the Australian Open or US Open with a Third Round effort the best she has had in New York City before the last Grand Slam of the season begins later this month.

Quite comfortably the best results have been at the French Open, but Andreeva has won the Indian Wells WTA 1000 event and also a big tournament held in Dubai on the hard courts.

Both of those titles were won in 2025 and Mirra Andreeva has had some disappointing early exits in the WTA 1000 events this season, including a Third Round loss in Toronto last week.

The World Number 6 did not play in Cincinnati last year, but that means the pressure is not on her shoulders and Mirra Andreeva has continued to be good enough to beat those she would expect to beat. A couple of the hard court losses have been disappointing, but a 14-3 record against those Ranked outside of the top 20 has to be respected, especially coupled with the overall numbers produced.

Janice Tjen will be looking to make it four losses in that spot for Mirra Andreeva, but the World Number 37 is still trying to find the consistency on the Tour.

She is almost certainly going to be putting up a new career-best World Ranking mark at the end of the tournament and Janice Tjen has a first serve that can put some pressure on opponents. Serving well here may give her a chance to keep things competitive, as Tjen has proven to be against many opponents on the hard courts this season, although both matches against top 10 Ranked opponents have ended in one-sided losses.

This whole match could come down to how effective Janice Tjen can serve against someone like Mirra Andreeva who has very strong returning numbers.

Janice Tjen was not able to impose the serve against Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova in matches earlier this year and someone like Mirra Andreeva is capable of producing a very good looking win in this Third Round contest.

MY PICKS: Andrey Rublev - 1.5 Games @ 1.70 William Hill (1 Unit)
Lorenzo Musetti - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (1 Unit)
Felix Auger Aliassime - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Madison Keys - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Iva Jovic - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Mirra Andreeva - 5.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Cincinnati Update: 8-10, - 2.99 Units (14 Units Staked, - 16.61% Yield)

Monday, 17 August 2026

Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Monday 17th August)

The Tennis Gods can giveth and the Tennis Gods can taketh away.

That is how it has felt through the opening two days of selections at the Cincinnati Masters after a baffling Sunday.

Players were getting into positions to win matches as expected, but wasted Match Points or a loss of focus at the wrong time swung things against the Tennis Picks made and it proved to be a tough pill to swallow.

Things like that can happen across a long season, but the key is to not lose focus or faith with what has worked and instead work to bounce back immediately.

We will be moving into the Third Round in Cincinnati on Monday, but the forecast does not look very good for the day with thundery showers accompanied by an out of date drying system meaning it could be a frustrating day for players and fans alike. However, there are still selections to be made from the Monday schedule, even if the likelihood is that some of these matches will need to be carried into Tuesday, when it is forecasted to be hot and dry.


Tommy Paul - 4.5 games v Adolfo Daniel Vallejo: An upset in the Second Round has seen Adolfo Daniel Vallejo make it through to the Third Round here in Cincinnati and give himself a big boost in the World Rankings.

This is not a player that spends a lot of time on the hard courts and so the two wins in the main draw will have given Adolfo Daniel Vallejo confidence to take into the next couple of tournaments. Backing up the upset in the Second Round is the immediate challenge though and that may be beyond a player that has limited experience on the surface and who is now going up against an opponent who should receive plenty of backing from the crowd.

Tommy Paul has put together decent numbers on the hard courts this season, but he has not had the deep runs that he would have hoped.

His win over Hubert Hurkacz is a reminder of what Tommy Paul can do on this surface and half of the hard court wins in 2026 have been against players Ranked outside of the top 50.

Conditions have been tough in Cincinnati through the opening few days, but the wind looks to be dying down on Tuesday, although a wet day is predicted and there is no guarantee this match will be played as scheduled.

Despite all of that, Tommy Paul should have the edge whenever he does get on the court and he should be able to put himself in a position to cover this handicap mark as long as he has not overlooked Adolfo Daniel Vallejo.


Alexander Zverev - 3.5 games v Terence Atmane: There is every reason to respect Terence Atmane as he continues to try and defend the World Ranking Points from reaching the Semi Final here in Cincinnati twelve months ago.

His run was ended by Jannik Sinner, but Atmane had three top 15 wins and two top 10 wins and that will give him confidence, even if he has struggled for consistency on the hard courts in 2026. The 12-11 record is boosted by two wins here in Cincinnati to reach the Third Round, but that record reads 6-7 when only focusing on matches against top 50 opponents.

Terence Atmane does have a dangerous serve and that should work well in the Cincinnati conditions, as it did last year, but he is now facing the top Seed in the draw and someone who should be motivated to put a strong tournament on the board.

Alexander Zverev was upset early in Montreal at the Canadian Masters, but this is a player who has reached the Semi Final here in each of the last three years and the top players on the ATP Tour are not around to stop his run this time.

He dominated Cameron Norrie in the Second Round and Alexander Zverev is also very comfortable in the conditions as shown in previous visits.

The serve can contain much of the Terence Atmane threat if Alexander Zverev is performing close to his usual level, while the Number 1 Seed is the superior return player. That was on display in the altitude of the Madrid clay courts earlier this year and Alexander Zverev can match that margin of victory against this French opponent for the second time.


Diana Shnaider - 4.5 games v Maja Chwalinska: The run to the French Open Final will live long in the memory of Maja Chwalinska, but there had been little to suggest that was about to happen for the Polish player before Roland Garros in 2026.

It was only the second time she had played in a main draw at any Grand Slam and the results since that run have been more in line with what you would expect.

Maja Chwalinska upset Diana Shnaider in the Semi Final in Paris and these two players renew acquaintances on the hard courts of Cincinnati, which should favour the latter a little more.

It was a breakthrough Slam for Diana Shnaider, despite coming up short in the Semi Final, but she has backed that result up a lot more decisively than her opponent.

The hard courts should favour Diana Shnaider more than Maja Chwalinksa, although the latter did put together a strong performance in the Second Round, which does deserve respect.

She frustrated Diana Shnaider when they met on the clay courts of Roland Garros, but that may be harder to do on a relatively quick hard court and Diana Shnaider can back up recent results in Washington and Toronto to move through to the Fourth Round here.


Sorana Cirstea v Anna Kalinskaya: The second half of the 2026 season has yet to hit the same heights as the first half as Sorana Cirstea continues to push towards a planned retirement. The early season form had some questioning whether Cirstea should postpone those plans for another year, but the veteran of the Tour may be slowing down right now.

Despite those concerns, there has still been enough coming from Sorana Cirstea to believe she can edge past Anna Kalinskaya, even though the latter reached the Quarter Final in Cincinnati twelve months ago.

2026 has been a lot more inconsistent for Anna Kalinskaya and the 13-9 record on the hard courts is a bit of a disappointment.

You do have to state that eight of those nine losses have been against top 20 Ranked opponents and Anna Kalinskaya has struggled to impose herself in those matches. This has to be a concern for her ahead of a match against Sorana Cirstea, who has beaten Kalinskaya at the US Open three years ago, while the World Number 19 has also been effective when facing higher Ranked opponents this season and certainly more so than Anna Kalinskaya.


Jessica Pegula - 4.5 games v Emma Navarro: There may not be a lot of World Ranking Points to defend to conclude the 2026 season, but Emma Navarro will still be largely disappointed with the efforts to this point of the campaign.

A Second Round win has improved her hard court record to 6-11, but Navarro is going to have to put together some strong runs if she is going to extend her run of winning seasons on the surface.

Doing that here in Cincinnati looks a tough ask when going up against Jessica Pegula, who has won all three previous meetings between the compatriots on the Tour.

Jessica Pegula is the World Number 3 and she has produced much higher form on the hard courts throughout this season compared with Emma Navarro. The former will also go into the home Grand Slam as one of the favourites and Pegula has always enjoyed playing in Cincinnati having reached the Final and Semi Final in 2023 and 2024 ahead of strong runs at the US Open.

Last year was a disappointment at this WTA 1000 event, but Jessica Pegula produced a strong win in the Second Round and can back that up with another victory over Emma Navarro.

Despite all three matches being won by Jessica Pegula, she will respect the fact that Navarro has been a competitive opponent in all of those.

However, the 2026 version of Emma Navarro has not quite been able to put it all together and the two previous hard court meetings between these players has seen Jessica Pegula dominate the serving numbers.

If she can do that in this match, Jessica Pegula has the return game to find the breaks needed to cover this handicap mark set.

MY PICKS: Tommy Paul - 4.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Alexander Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 1.70 William Hill (1 Unit)
Diana Shnaider - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Sorana Cirstea  @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)
Jessica Pegula - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Cincinnati Update: 6-8, - 2.59 Units (14 Units Staked, - 18.50% Yield)

Friday, 7 August 2026

Canadian Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Friday 7th August)

After a pretty disappointing start to the Canadian Masters, the Thursday selections all returned winners, which has also pulled back the numbers for the tournament.

There is still more work to do on what is expected to be a potentially wet day in both Montreal and Toronto, but not to the extent that matches will need to be postponed and set for Saturday instead.

However, rain delays are expected and those can change the momentum of any match if a possibility of leaving the court and reassessing the tactics come into play- those can sometimes work in favour of the selections so it is not something to overly worry about, although it should be noted as the Third Round is completed at both tournaments being run for the ATP and WTA.

It has been a busy day and so while these selections have been researched, the timing of the schedule of play means only a 'MY PICKS' section is added to the Friday thread, as well as the updated numbers from the tournament.


MY PICKS: Tallon Griekspoor - 2.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Alex Michelsen - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Tommy Paul - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Botic van de Zandschulp-Hubert Hurkacz Over 0.5 Tie-Breakers @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Jakub Mensik - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Alexandra Eala - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Canadian Masters: 10-9, - 0.92 Units (19 Units Staked, - 4.84% Yield)

Thursday, 6 August 2026

Canadian Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Thursday 6th August)

It has been a frustrating first few days at the Canadian Masters as far as the Tennis Picks have gone with some fine margins falling the wrong way.

So far, every day has ended up with a slight loss, but those have added up over the course of the opening few days in Montreal/Toronto and a turnaround is needed.

The Third Round is being played on Thursday and there are sixteen matches to be played, but it looks a much more difficult day to find good angles and the four matches that have passed the criteria to provide selections can be read below.


Diana Shnaider - 1.5 games v Anna Kalinskaya: These players met in an epic match in Tokyo last year and it was Anna Kalinskaya that came through in three sets on a hard court, but Diana Shnaider may have what it takes to earn a revenge victory here in Toronto in the Third Round of the Canadian Masters.

It is a quality looking match for this stage of the tournament and Diana Shnaider may believe that she should have beaten Anna Kalinskaya when they met in the Japanese capital during the Asian swing portion of the Tour. She had been the better player in the match, but Kalinskaya won the big points and that proved to be the small margin needed to edge past her compatriot.

Diana Shnaider played well in Washington last week and will have taken a huge amount of confidence from the performance at the French Open.

There is a lot to like about her all round game, but Diana Shnaider has sometimes struggled against some of the very best players on the Tour.

Anna Kalinskaya is very capable and has reached the Quarter Final at a couple of hard court events this season, including last week in Washington.

However, she is just 2-7 in hard court matches against opponents that are Ranked higher than her this season and Kalinskaya's numbers have been heavily impacted in those matches. The first serve has not been as effective and Anna Kalinskaya has struggled to impose her return and that may be where Diana Shnaider has the edge in this good looking match.


Elina Svitolina - 3.5 games v Anastasia Potapova: She reached the Quarter Final at Roland Garros and lost a tight match, but a poor grass court campaign and an early loss in Washington means Elina Svitolina has arrived in Canada with little momentum behind her.

A tight win in the Second Round will have helped and Elina Svitolina will need little motivation when facing someone who only recently has changed nationality from Russian to Austrian.

Doing so may have earned Anastasia Potapova some respect from the Ukrainian players on the Tour, but Elina Svitolina, and others, have made it clear that they do take those matches even more seriously when they come up. That should be the case again, while Elina Svitolina has also been the stronger hard court player of the two anyway.

Anastasia Potapova is Seeded here and her win in the Second Round means she is now 9-9 on the hard courts this season.

However, that becomes 2-7 when only considering matches in which Potapova is the lower Ranked player and her second serve has been a real issue in those matches. A return player like Elina Svitolina should be able to exploit that second delivery and the World Number 9 has been dominant in matches she would expect to win.

It has been over four years since these two players met on the Tour, but Elina Svitolina should still be the stronger hard court player of the two and that may show up on the final scoreboard in the last Singles match of the day.


Cameron Norrie + 3.5 games v Alex De Minaur: Six previous matches have been split with three wins each, but it is something of a surprise to note that Cameron Norrie has won three of the four matched played on a hard court.

The British player has been in good form over the last couple of weeks and Cameron Norrie should be confident with how this match up against Alex De Minaur has worked out.

At the same time, it should be noted that Alex De Minaur's sole win over Cameron Norrie on a hard court came three years ago at the Canadian Masters, albeit when hosted by Toronto and not Montreal. Despite that, the Australian should feel pretty good about that even having lost to Cameron Norrie at the Indian Wells Masters back in March.

Alex De Minaur has been struggling for consistency in recent weeks and this has proven to be a tough match up for him, even as he has been Ranked considerably higher than Cameron Norrie. Both matches this season have been competitive affairs, but Norrie has shown he has a bit more behind the serve in the head to head and that can make the difference.

The expectation is on the shoulders of Alex De Minaur, but this spread looks a game too high.

Even in a winning effort, Cameron Norrie is certainly good enough to keep the final score within this handicap mark set as long as he continues to serve as effectively as he has been in the lead up to the US Open.


Rafael Jodar - 1.5 games v Lorenzo Musetti: These two players could be rivals for many years to come as they both look to also push up closer to the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the leading younger players on the Tour.

It is the second tournament in a row that Rafael Jodar and Lorenzo Musetti are meeting and it was the teenager from Spain who won the Quarter Final contest in Washington last week.

Rain meant Rafael Jodar did not complete his time in Washington until Monday when he was beaten in the Final by Taylor Fritz, but he made a relatively strong start to the tournament here in Montreal. At 19 years old, tiredness cannot be a huge factor for Rafael Jodar, but it is a factor and that cannot be completely ignored.

He needed three sets in the Second Round win, whileLorenzo Musetti came through in straight sets having only recently returned to the Tour.

The Italian missed both the French Open and Wimbledon before returning in Washington last week and it has been a season of injury for Lorenzo Musetti.

His hard court numbers have been solid, but Musetti was second best in the loss to Rafael Jodar last week and he may need a bit more time to rebuild his match fitness before he can close that gap. Another week my not be enough time and Lorenzo Musetti may find himself coming up a little short in this match again, although Rafael Jodar is going to be aware of the threat posed by the higher Ranked opponent having seen that at firsthand last week in Washington.

MY PICKS: Diana Shnaider - 1.5 Games @ 1.85 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Elina Svitolina - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Cameron Norrie + 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Rafael Jodar - 1.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Canadian Masters: 6-9, - 4.25 Units (15 Units Staked, - 28.33% Yield)

Friday, 3 July 2026

Wimbledon Tennis Day 6 Picks 2026 (Saturday 4th July)

The second week of the 2026 Wimbledon tournament will be put together by the end of play on Saturday and once again there are some decent matches heading out onto the courts.

However, it has also been noted by those paying the big entry prices for Centre Court that there is an element of disappointment with the matches scheduled and there will always be frustration when you consider the pricing structure at this Grand Slam event.

Despite those criticisms, it should be a good day of action as the Third Round is concluded.


Alex De Minaur - 6.5 games v Zachary Svajda: Seven times Alex De Minaur has played in a Grand Slam Quarter Final and he is yet to breakthrough and reach a maiden Semi Final, but he may not have a better chance than at Wimbledon in 2026.

Like many players out of Australia, Alex De Minaur is comfortable on the grass courts and his Quarter of the 2026 draw has already lost the one and only player Ranked higher than himself. Of course that does increase the pressure on a player, especially one that has been desperate to make that breakthrough at Grand Slam level, but Alex De Minaur has strolled through the opening two matches at the tournament and will be earning plenty of support from those in the crowd who will be aware of his connections with British player Katie Boulter.

The first set of the tournament was a tough one, but the scheduling may be to blame after Alex De Minaur entered the court moments after Boulter had been beaten.

However, he has not looked back since that moment and all six sets that have been played in this Grand Slam have been won, while the last five of those have been in largely controlled manner.

Next up is the World Number 66 in Zachary Svajda who reached a career best World Ranking mark after the French Open was completed, but who is still learning his trade on the grass. The American had played five grass court matches in warm up tournaments before Wimbledon begun, but Zachary Svajda had lost three of those in straight sets and there would have not been a huge amount of expectation on his shoulders.

That being said, credit has to be given to Zachary Svajda who upset Kamil Majchrzak in the Second Round having rallied from 2-1 behind in sets to win. It will certainly help that the Second Round win did not hit three hours on the clock so there is no concern about the fitness levels after playing all five sets in this format, but this is another step up in level and that is the bigger test for the lower Ranked player.

Zachary Svajda did win the ATP title in Newport, which is played on the grass in the week after Wimbledon, and he had success at Challenger level last year on this surface, but he did not beat anyone Ranked higher than Number 96 in 2025.

His wins in this tournament are more impressive, but it should be noted that Zachary Svajda has struggled in the step up and that could be the case against a confident grass court player in Alex De Minaur.

The form ahead of this Grand Slam was strong enough to retain confidence in the World Number 6 and Alex De Minaur may be able to extend enough rallies to wear down Zachary Svajda over the course of a couple of hours, which should lead to a cover of this Handicap mark set.


Grigor Dimitrov-Matteo Berrettini over 41.5 games: Two veterans of the Tour are looking for one more big run at Wimbledon and time is perhaps running out for both Grigor Dimitrov and Matteo Berrettini.

Injuries have been a big factor in closing the window, but both are prying it open in 2026 and these two are a former Semi Finalist (Dimitrov) and former Finalist (Berrettini) at Wimbledon and that has to be respected. Grass remains one of the outliers in terms of surface compared with the hard courts and clay courts and this is a Grand Slam that always feels like a limited number of potential winners when the tournament begins.

Both Grigor Dimitrov and Matteo Berrettini will believe they are potential winners, even if there are a few names that will be higher on the list. They have both eliminated top 20 Seeds in the Second Round to open up this section and there is no doubt that Grigor Dimitrov and Matteo Berrettini have the confident serving that could take them very deep into this event, especially from the open looking bottom half of the draw.

Serving well is key to the outcome of this good looking Third Round match.

Neither player is the most convincing returner on the Tour, but that does place extra pressure on making sure the serving deliveries are up to full standard and it was the key when Matteo Berrettini last played, and beat, Grigor Dimitrov on the Tour on the hard courts of Vienna back in 2019.

Plenty has changed for both players since then, but the serve remains a key element to the tennis being played and that is expected to be the case on Saturday.

Grigor Dimitrov has only dropped one set in the tournament, while Matteo Berrettini has needed four sets in both the First and Second Round wins.

The expectation here is that we will need tie-breakers to separate them in at least two of the sets that will be needed to be played, while the two players are operating at a level where they will believe they can edge past the other. If there was a gun to the head to pick a winner, the lean would have to be with Matteo Berrettini and that serve, but Grigor Dimitrov is more than capable of rolling through the service games too and any four set match would likely give them enough room to surpass this total games line, while a fifth set should see the total fly past the number that has been set.


Alexander Zverev - 6.5 games v Marcos Giron: After battling through the First Round, Alexander Zverev made much more comfortable work of the Second Round victory over Valentin Royer and the confidence is clearly soaring. Winning his first Grand Slam title will have done Alexander Zverev the world of good and he stated that there is a possibility for him to win Wimbledon, which should not be a surprise for the Number 2 Seed and a player on the other side of the draw to main rivals Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic.

Overlooking any opponent and thinking about the Final would be a mistake, but Alexander Zverev is going to be pretty happy with this Third Round match.

His opponent is 32 year old American Marcos Giron who was once the World Number 37, but who has dropped down to World Number 92 right now. The two wins in this draw will have just reversed that trend, but there is no doubt that Marcos Giron may have seen that his best tennis behind him, while he has lost all four previous matches against Alexander Zverev, including a big loss in Halle on the grass courts just thirteen months ago.

These two have also met at Wimbledon two years ago in the Second Round and Alexander Zverev won very convincingly in that one too and so he will be feeling pretty confident about his chances of progressing.

Marcos Giron had a 3-5 record on the grass courts before Wimbledon began, but he has placed two solid victories on the board and that has to be respected. He also held 84% of service games played in those warm up tournaments, but there is a pressure on the 32 year old to not only serve well, but find a way to threaten the Alexander Zverev serve which has been operating at a high level in recent weeks.

In Halle last month, Alexander Zverev was winning 76% of his service points played, although he is another player that has not always gotten to grips with the return of serve on this surface. That was evident in the win over Alexander Blockx in the First Round, but the Number 2 Seed looked much more comfortable in the Second Round and the head to head with Marcos Giron simply cannot be ignored.

Not only has Alexander Zverev broken in 38% of return games against Marcos Giron overall, but that number is stunningly up at 50% in the two grass court matches, which underlines the one sided nature of the final scoreboard.

While it is unlikely to be as easy as that again, Alexander Zverev does have all of the qualities needed to make sure he makes serene progress into the second week at this Grand Slam and he can cover this Handicap that has been set for the Third Round match.

MY PICKS: Alex De Minaur - 6.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Grigor Dimitrov-Matteo Berrettini Over 41.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Alexander Zverev - 6.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Zizou Bergs-Arthur Fery Over 39.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)
Emma Navarro @ 2.10 William Hill (2 Units)
Elena Rybakina - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 26-23, - 5.58 Units (96 Units Staked, - 5.81% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 5 Picks 2026 (Friday 3rd July)

The opening three days of the 2026 Wimbledon tournament were difficult for the Picks, but the Day 4 selections provided something of a bounce back, although with plenty of work still to do.

Two Rounds have been completed and the test for the players is going to increase significantly over the coming days as the heat begins to pick up in London and that means those who have been involved in tough opening matches could be lacking some energy.

Focus is going to be key as the tournament concludes the first week of the tournament over the next two days- Middle Sunday is no longer a tradition here so the Fourth Round will begin on that day rather than the Manic Monday that used to be arguably the best day in the sport.

Most of the top names have managed to work their way through the opening couple of matches, but the level of competition will ramp up from the Third Round.

There are some good matches scheduled on Friday when the Third Round begins, but we are now down to using four courts as the number of Singles matches are reduced across both Men's and Women's tournaments.

Hopefully that also means the momentum from Day 4 can kick the Tennis Picks forward on Day 5 when it all goes again.


Joao Fonseca - 1.5 sets v Roman Safiullon: The first big breakthrough at Grand Slam level was made at the last Major when Joao Fonseca reached the French Open Quarter Final and he is one win away from reaching the second week at Wimbledon for the first time. The teenager has a big reputation, but it should be remembered he is relatively inexperienced, despite being high enough in the World Rankings to earn a Seed, and Joao Fonseca is continuing to learn a little more with each tournament played.

He does not have an extensive resume on the grass courts, but Joao Fonseca has made casual work of the first two opponents in the draw and has yet to drop a set. The wins over Roberto Bautista Agut and Jesper de Jong both deserve respect for the manner in which they were put together, while Joao Fonseca has already matched the run to the Third Round here that was achieved last year.

Taking advantage of the draw was key for Joao Fonseca was beaten in the Third Round by a Qualifier Ranked outside of the top 100, but one who had been much higher in the Rankings previously before injuries saw Nicolas Jarry drop down.

A similar challenge has cropped up for Joao Fonseca in 2026 as he takes on a Qualifier in Roman Safiullon who is the World Number 132, but who had been inside the top 40 in January 2024.

Five sets had been needed for Roman Safiullon to come through the Third Qualifying Round and he has needed four hours in each of the opening two wins in the main draw, which have both ended in final set tie-breakers. One of those was an upset over Andrey Rublev, but it should be noted the amount of work that Roman Safiullon has had to put into the tournament already and you do have to wonder if he will have the energy required to see off a talent like Fonseca.

Roman Safiullon has always served pretty well on the grass, but the return game has held him back and that is going to be an issue in a match like this one.

The heat is picking up in London, which brings another challenge for the lower Ranked player to face having invested so much to reach the Third Round of this Grand Slam.

Joao Fonseca should have plenty of respect for the upset that Roman Safiullon has already had in the draw to knock out one Seed, but the former should be much fitter when this Third Round match gets underway and that should see the teenager find a way to get through without the need for Roman Safiullon to be involved in another final set decider.


Hubert Hurkacz-Tommy Paul over 40.5 games: Barring a change in mind regarding his retirement, the answer to who beat Roger Federer in his final Grand Slam match will be Hubert Hurkacz, who upset the dominant Wimbledon Champion in a match right here in SW19 in 2021.

Hubert Hurkacz reached the Semi Final that year where he was beaten by Matteo Berrettini, but he was surprisingly beaten early in 2022 and 2024 and the best run the Pole has had at Wimbledon since 2021 is a single appearance in the Fourth Round. For a player with the serve that he possesses, Hubert Hurkacz will feel he should have had more success at Wimbledon and he remains dangerous.

Injuries have meant Hubert Hurkacz entered the main draw as the World Number 96 and so the two wins on the board feel important to just reverse a trend that saw him slipping out of the top 100. That would have meant having to go through Qualifiers for the biggest events on the Tour and it may have been a challenge for a 29 year old to want to dig in and go again.

Hubert Hurkacz has beaten both Casper Ruud and Sebastian Ofner without dropping a set, but he will be the first to admit that this Third Round match represents a significant step up in class.

In warm up events, Hubert Hurkacz was beaten in the First Round in Hertogenbosch and Second Round in Halle and now has to take on the Queen's Club Runner Up in Tommy Paul.

The American comes into the Wimbledon tournament as the Number 21 Seed, but Tommy Paul has not really ripped things up in SW19 as you may have thought. He does have one Quarter Final under his belt, but Paul won Queen's Club last year and was beaten in the Second Round at Wimbledon a couple of weeks later and so there will be a feeling that he has not achieved as much as he perhaps should have in this Grand Slam.

Tommy Paul is another player who has yet to drop a set in the tournament and he is a win or two away from cracking back into the top 20 of the World Rankings and having a real lift ahead of the US Open, which begins in late August. Much like Hubert Hurkacz, the Tommy Paul numbers show a player who has long been comfortable on the grass courts and so this has the makings of a competitive match.

Whoever serves closest to their best will win and conditions in London should see both rolling through those service games against largely limited returners.

Out of the two, the clear edge is with Tommy Paul as far as the returning goes, but Hubert Hurkacz will feel he can get into tie-breakers and then it just takes one or two good returns to win a set.

In the previous matches on the Tour against one another, Tommy Paul has shown that superior returning to hold a 3-1 advantage, although the two hard court matches have been split (the other two have been on clay). They are meeting for the first time on the grass, but the feeling is that Tommy Paul is playing at a higher level and should eventually come through.

However, Hubert Hurkacz can use the hotter conditions to make sure he is serving with effectiveness to at least win a set and there is every chance the players can combine for enough service games to eventually surpass this total line set.


Daniil Medvedev - 5.5 games v Jan-Lennard Struff: Playing back to back five setters with the last of those carrying into another day is far from ideal for 36 year old Jan-Lennard Struff and he is going to have to find some serious energy ahead of this Third Round match. The only positive is that he will not have been taxed in many long rallies in a Second Round match that featured well over 80 Aces between himself and Brandon Nakashima, but that does mean having to battle through some tough moments that can both tax a player mentally and physically.

Jan-Lennard Struff will use all of his experience to try and prepare for this Third Round match as well as he can, while he is well aware of the qualities of Daniil Medvedev, which should mean plenty of clarity as to what he must do to make this competitive.

Serving well is the absolute key and it has been the Struff serve that has helped him move through the opening two Rounds in the main draw. It is a weapon that can make things that much easier for the German, but Jan-Lennard Struff has twice tried to take down Daniil Medvedev at Wimbledon before and lost in very similar fashions both times.

In 2021, Jan-Lennard Struff had beaten Daniil Medvedev on the grass courts of Halle, but lost in the First Round at Wimbledon to the same opponent after being outplayed in the first two sets, rallied to win the third set 6-4 and then losing in a fourth set tie-breaker.

That players met at Wimbledon again in 2024, but this time in the Third Round, and Daniil Medvedev outplayed Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening two sets, dropped the third 6-4, and then came through in a fourth set tie-breaker.

Daniil Medvedev recorded two wins over Jan-Lennard Struff on the hard courts in 2025 and in the career meetings, it has been the former who has tended to get a much better read on the return of serve and that has ultimately led to a lot more wins than defeats.

In this tournament, Daniil Medvedev has played one sloppy set, but largely been in control of both matches and he is quietly going about his business. A couple of decent, if unspectacular, runs in warm up events will have just reminded Daniil Medvedev of his ability to compete on the grass courts and he should have much more energy for much longer compared with the World Number 74.

Serving well will just keep the pressure on Jan-Lennard Struff and Daniil Medvedev may do enough to cover this handicap mark as he would have done with the scoreline produced in the two wins over this opponent at this Grand Slam event. It may take a bit of time to really take control if Jan-Lennard Struff is able to come out with some energy, but Daniil Medvedev looks to be playing at a level that can continue his dominance of this opponent.


Alejandro Davidovich Fokina - 5.5 games v Marton Fucsovics: Winning the Boys Title at Wimbledon does not always mean that those names will go onto the senior Tour and have the same success at this Grand Slam in the Men's event.

For every Pat Cash, Stefan Edberg and Roger Federer, there are a host of names who have won the Boys Title without having a big impact at the main Wimbledon tournament.

Two of those former Boys Champions are facing one another in the Third Round in 2026 and it is a big match for both Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Marton Fucsovics- between these players, there has only been one previous appearance in the second week at Wimbledon and that was in 2021 when Marton Fucsovics went on to reach the Quarter Final.

The record here will disappointment both players, but it does feel like Fucsovics has missed his opportunities to better that Quarter Final run, while Alejandro Davidovich Fokina arrived at Wimbledon as a grass court title winner in Mallorca. It is a reminder of his ability on the surface and the Spaniard has made easy work of the first two matches as he has pushed through without dropping a set.

Marton Fucsovics had little success in warm up tournaments for Wimbledon, but he has benefited form injury issues for his previous two opponents to reach the Third Round again. His First Round match only made it through four games of the second set, while Learner Tien was having a host of issues in the Second Round as he fell in four sets and that does mean there is a bit more uncertainty surrounding the current level being produced by Marton Fucsovics.

He is going to need to find another level to beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who will feel that the Marton Fucsovics serve is vulnerable having allowed 18 Break Point chances in the win over Learner Tien. A healthier Tien might have won that match and Davidovich Fokina is unlikely to let Marton Fucsovics off the hook in this Third Round match.

Pressure can do a funny thing to players and there is pressure on Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who has only reached the Quarter Final at Grand Slam level once before and who has not made the second week in 17 of the last 19 Majors he has competed in. The World Number 23 will expect to win this match and so will have to deal with the emotions around it, but Davidovich Fokina can do what is required to eventually pull through and cover this potentially awkward looking line on the way into the Fourth Round.

MY PICKS: Joao Fonseca - 1.5 Sets @ 1.70 William Hill (2 Units)
Hubert Hurkacz-Tommy Paul Over 40.5 Games @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Daniil Medvedev - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina - 5.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Jessica Pegula - 5.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Naomi Osaka - 4.5 Games @ 1.70 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Coco Gauff - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Karolina Muchova - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)
Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 21-19, - 5.92 Units (78 Units Staked, - 7.59% Yield)

Saturday, 30 May 2026

French Open Tennis Day 7 Picks 2026 (Saturday 30th May)

Jannik Sinner was beaten and Carlos Alcaraz never made it to Paris and so many Novak Djokovic fans would have been hoping the quest to win a 25th Grand Slam title would end in Paris over the next several days.

At 2-0 ahead in the Third Round, all seemed to be going to plan.

However, Jose Fonseca was able to fight back and outlast the 39 year old and become just the second player to ever beat Novak Djokovic from that position.

Over the next few days and then weeks into Wimbledon, fans will question whether Novak Djokovic will ever have a better chance to win another Grand Slam- even Djokovic has to be wondering if there is enough left in the tank to put together a seven match winning run to do that.

Despite the loss of some big names, the French Open will continue moving forward and the first week of the tournament officially comes to a conclusion on Saturday when the Third Round is completed.

There are some quality players looking to cement their own berths into the second week of this Grand Slam, but they will have to manage what is forecasted to be the one last day of challenging hot conditions. Rain is expected in Paris on Saturday evening and that is going to cool things down, although the roof on the main show court at Roland Garros could be getting significant use over the next several days.


Aryna Sabalenka - 6.5 games v Daria Kasatkina: After seeing the likes of Elena Rybakina and Jannik Sinner dumped out of the French Open before the end of the first week, Aryna Sabalenka and her fans will be happy with the relatively comfortable progress being made.

The wins have not stood out, but they have seen Aryna Sabalenka work herself into the matches and then go through the gears in the second set and the World Number 1 should not have been overly taxed through two Rounds. The match up in this Third Round contest is one that should appeal to Aryna Sabalenka and she has been set as a big favourite, which is not going to be a surprise to anyone.

It has been just shy of two years since Aryna Sabalenka last faced Daria Kasatkina on the Tour, but the former has won seven of the previous seven matches, including the last four in a row. Those have been one-sided wins, although Daria Kasatkina may feel her best chances of upsetting the top Seed will be on a clay court.

She represents Australia these days and at 29 years old, it does feel like Daria Kasatkina's best days are behind her- the World Ranking reflects that with Kasatkina outside of the top 32 having been a top 20 Ranked player twelves month ago.

Over the last twelve months on all surfaces, Daria Kasatkina holds a 20-18 record and that is down to the two wins she has produced at the French Open. Beating opponents Ranked 66 and 218 is not going to prepare Kasatkina for the challenge of facing the very best player on the Tour, while she holds a 6-4 record on the hard courts when facing top 100 Ranked players this season.

Only one of those players has been Ranked inside the top 20 and Daria Kasatkina will be well aware that she is going to have to play some of her best tennis in recent times to offer up a challenge to Aryna Sabalenka.

It should be noted that Aryna Sabalenka had limited clay court preparation ahead of the French Open this season, but that match up against Daria Kasatkina should give the top Seed the confidence to roll through this Third Round match.

Aryna Sabalenka has broken the Daria Kasatkina serve at least four times in each of the last eight matches played against one another and there is a vulnerability to that part of the latter's tennis.

Both previous clay court matches have been won by Aryna Sabalenka too, including once here at Roland Garros, while the heat of Paris should make the Belarusian's serve a key difference between the players.


Amanda Anisimova - 5.5 games v Diane Parry: There is no telling how things may have changed within a match if Julia Grabher was fully healthy, but that is not Amanda Anisimova's issue and she has made it through to the Third Round at the French Open having needed to win just three sets.

After missing the entirety of the clay court season, there will be a concern that Amanda Anisimova will be undercooked the longer this tournament goes on. That is especially the concern if the American is not having to win full matches to progress, although Amanda Anisimova has previously enjoyed enough positive runs at the French Open to feel very confident in her ability.

It probably helps that Amanda Anisimova is moving through a pretty comfortable portion of the draw.

Next up there will be the challenge of facing a home player on what can be rowdy French Open courts, but Amanda Anisimova is rightly set as the favourite she goes up against Diane Parry in the Third Round at Roland Garros.

Diane Parry had shown little form on the clay courts with four straight defeats on the red dirt, but things turned around in Paris, albeit at a 125 level event played earlier in the month. She won the title there and looks to have found some confidence, despite a Second Round exit in Strasbourg last week.

The tournament could have been over for Diane Parry in the First Round when she failed to win a game in the first set against Anhelina Kalinina, but the confidence earned over the last three weeks perhaps turn that match back around. A much more routine win was produced in the Second Round against a Seeded American, but Diane Parry will know that Amanda Anisimova brings a different level of test.

The key for the World Number 92 is going to be serving well and seeing if she can put some pressure on Amanda Anisimova.

However, that would also need Diane Parry to pick up her level on the return and this Third Round match could be one in which Amanda Anisimova is able to turn up the heat to eventually overwhelm the home player.

Covering will be a test, but Amanda Anisimova can find the Breaks needed to edge past this number.


Flavio Cobolli - 1.5 sets v Learner Tien: The upset of the tournament in the Second Round saw Jannik Sinner leaving the French Open draw and that has opened up the top half of the Men's draw at this Grand Slam.

Italians will be very disappointed that the World Number 1 has exited before the start of the second week, but Jannik Sinner's pain could be his compatriot's gain- Flavio Cobolli is the second highest Seed left in the top half of the draw and he has made comfortable progress through the first couple of Rounds.

Flavio Cobolli has not dropped a set in two wins in Paris, but neither player he has beaten have been Ranked higher than Number 92 and that means this is a significant step upwards in the Third Round.

Pressure will have intensified on all in the top half knowing that a huge opportunity has opened up to reach a Grand Slam Final and that is something that Flavio Cobolli will have to deal with. Last year he reached the Quarter Final at Wimbledon, but the clay courts should be a more comfortable surface, although Cobolli has to respect the talent of the player standing on the other side of the net.

In the sole previous match between these players, it was Learner Tien who came through very comfortably, but that was a match played on the clay courts.

Learner Tien did win the title in Geneva in the week leading up to the French Open, and he has now won six clay court matches in succession having previously been just 3-3 on the surface in 2026. Winning the title in Geneva really came out of left field and before this run of wins, Learner Tien had been just 8-14 in clay court matches in his career and that suggests Flavio Cobolli should have perhaps been set as a harder favourite.

In the Second Round, Learner Tien needed five sets and over four hours on the court and that is a potential factor for a player who did not take the week away from action directly before this Grand Slam tournament began. In matches played against top 50 Ranked opponents, Tien had been 1-6 before the run in Geneva when he won three such matches, but he is going to have to dig pretty deep to beat Flavio Cobolli on this surface.

There is so much to like about the way Learner Tien approaches his tennis, but it is Flavio Cobolli who has the edge when it comes to the serving numbers and that could be key.

The lower Ranked player has shown a bit more resiliency in the return, but Flavio Cobolli should be the fresher player on the court and that can see him find a way to win this one, most likely in four sets.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 6.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Amanda Anisimova - 5.5 Games @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Diana Shnaider - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Coco Gauff - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Flavio Cobolli - 1.5 Sets @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)
Raphael Collignon - 1.5 Sets @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Frances Tiafoe - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)

French Open Update: 14-10, + 2.88 Units (46 Units Staked, + 6.26% Yield)