US Open Day 14 Tennis Pick 2026- Women's Final (Saturday 12th September)

Two matches remain the 2026 Grand Slam season in the Tennis world and both Finals at the US Open bring plenty of intrigue into the weekend.

Thirteen years have passed since the US Open Final was played between the top two Seeds and this will strengthen the WTA Tour considering both Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are multiple time Grand Slam Champions already.

It is Elena Rybakina who will be taking over as World Number 1 on Monday, but it is Aryna Sabalenka who will enter the Final as favourite having won the US Open in each of the last two years. The top Seed certainly put together the more impressive Semi Final win, although it is Rybakina who has the mental advantage of having won the Australian Open Final when these two met in Melbourne in the first Grand Slam of the season.

Aryna Sabalenka-Elena Rybakina over 22.5 games: The US Open Final is a repeat of the Australian Open Final which was won by Elena Rybakina in three sets.

She will be taking over as the World Number 1 regardless of how this Final plays out, but Elena Rybakina would love to secure a second Grand Slam in 2026 to underline that new position. Fighting back to beat Coco Gauff in the Semi Final will have given Elena Rybakina a confidence boost having dropped the first set in each of her last two wins at the tournament, but she would like to avoid that against the two time defending US Open Champion.

Aryna Sabalenka has not had a bad year on the Tour, but she has set high standards and has clearly not met them.

The top Seed at the US Open has not had a great summer and the lack of success at the last two Grand Slam events would have dented the belief, although Aryna Sabalenka clearly enjoys playing in New York City. She put in a very solid performance to beat Jessica Pegula in the Semi Final and spending fifty minutes less on the court than Elena Rybakina could still be important.

Both players are going to want to work behind the serve- if that aspect of the tennis is not quite at the top level, the rest of the tennis can fall away and that is something that both Sabalenka and Rybakina will be aware of avoiding. Serving well just helps settle any nerves by offering up a few more cheaper points and it is very important to get plenty of first serves into play to avoid offering the other an opportunity to get on the front foot immediately.

You have to expect to see plenty of winners, although the layers are perhaps right to give Aryna Sabalenka the narrow edge seeing as her serve has been in slightly better nick than Elena Rybakina's as the tournament has been winding down. That is not to say Rybakina is serving poorly, but those fine margins may be in favour of the two time defending Champion, who is also very aware of how to win big matches on this court.

It also could be a factor that Aryna Sabalenka has won the last two hard court matches against Elena Rybakina at Indian Wells and Miami since the Australian Open Final defeat. Those wins have just turned the momentum of the head to head after Elena Rybakina had won seven of nine hard court matches between the pair and Sabalenka has to take real confidence from those back to back wins.

Again, that may be the slight edge the current World Number 1 needs to beat the opponent who will be taking over that spot in the Rankings on Monday morning.

However, it would be a surprise if Elena Rybakina cannot push this match and she is a player that looks a big price to win the title here for the first time.

She does not look the type of player who will be thinking about those consecutive defeats to this opponent, but instead Elena Rybakina will just do what she does best and that is serve big and hit big and see where that takes her. The success in the Australian Open Final will also be a big reminder of what she can do against Aryna Sabalenka and this could develop into another scrap between the two best players on the Tour.

A deciding set has been needed in two of the three hard court matches between these players in 2026 and this US Open Final may be yet another that goes the distance.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka-Elena Rybakina Over 22.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 32-22, + 7.16 Units (108 Units Staked, + 6.63% Yield)

Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Sunday 23rd August)

Three wins from the four Semi Final matches played will have just given the Cincinnati results a boost, but two more matches remain and two winners are the goal.

Both favourites look capable of doing that in the ATP and WTA Finals to be played on Sunday, but you can read the selections and the reasons for them below.

Arthur Fils - 2.5 games v Frances Tiafoe: The likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner may have been missing, but there were plenty of big names playing in Cincinnati over the last week and so credit has to be given to both Arthur Fils and Frances Tiafoe for navigating the draw and reaching the Final.

It is a big match for both, especially ahead of what could be a wide open US Open.

Both have earned top 10 wins to reach the Final and so they have gotten through some hard work to reach this stage, but it is Arthur Fils who has impressed that much more than Frances Tiafoe.

His numbers have been really impressive in Cincinnati and Arthur Fils has previously beaten Frances Tiafoe on a United States hard court and there is every reason to believe he can do that again.

The serve has been important for both players, but there had been one or two signs in the Semi Final that Tiafoe has perhaps begun to be worn down after a long week.

Arthur Fils remained impressive in his straight sets win over Flavio Cobolli and his current level looks like it is going to be guiding right to the biggest title he has earned in his young career.

Coco Gauff- 1.5 games v Jessica Pegula: Two compatriots, and very good friends, will compete for the Cincinnati title and this is a chance to lay down the perfect marker ahead of the US Open.

Both Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula have enjoyed considerable success at the home Grand Slam, which begins next weekend, and they will be expecting to go very close to winning the title in New York City.

Coco Gauff has done that before, while Jessica Pegula has come up narrowly short and the top of the draw looks pretty wide open with these two firmly amongst the favourites.

It is Jessica Pegula who has the head to head lead, but Coco Gauff has won three of the last four matches, including a big Wimbledon Quarter Final win.

Jessica Pegula had won the first three hard court matches between the pair, but Coco Gauff rallied for consecutive wins before the former came through a competitive match in Riyadh at the WTA Finals last November.

Tactics have been switched up by Coco Gauff here with a desire to get to the net where she can and it is the World Number 4 who has produced the stronger numbers in Cincinnati.

However, Jessica Pegula can state she has come through the tougher path to reach the Final, although you do have to wonder if the three set Semi Final win in a match that lasted almost three hours will be a factor here. That makes it consecutive tough wins for Jessica Pegula and with the limited rest, it could just give Coco Gauff the edge to secure this title.

It should be noted that Gauff played the last of the four Semi Final matches on Saturday, but it turned into a pretty routine win in a little over an hour and recent head to heads between the players have just been edged by the lower Ranked of these two high-quality players.

MY PICKS: Arthur Fils - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Coco Gauff - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Cincinnati Update: 20-20, - 3.18 Units (36 Units Staked, - 8.83% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Saturday 16th May)

The WTA Final at Rome takes centre stage on Saturday and the winner is going to be heading to the French Open in confident mood.

It has long been considered that the majority of the best players will skip the last week in between this tournament and the start of the French Open, especially with a Sunday start in play at that Grand Slam and that is looking like being the case next week.

And that means Rome is the last big opportunity for those top names to make a statement ahead of the second Grand Slam title of the 2026 season.

Coco Gauff - 2.5 games v Elina Svitolina: You cannot ignore the fact that Elina Svitolina has beaten Coco Gauff twice this season on the hard courts, including at the Australian Open, while the World Number 10 is not going to be lacking for confidence in the Rome Finals.

Victories over Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek, two of the French Open favourites, on back to back days have carried the Ukrainian into the Final, although the numbers suggest Elina Svitolina was perhaps a touch fortunate in both matches. In those two wins, Svitolina faced 36 Break Points compared with the 22 created, but she has played the big points as effectively as possible and this is a tournament the veteran has enjoyed playing.

Her best run at the French Open has been reaching the Quarter Final and Elina Svitolina has done that five times, but she was back to back Rome Champion in 2017 and 2018. and has reached the Quarter Final on three occasions since then.

Of course she is enjoying her best run in Rome since last winning the title here eight years ago and that makes Elina Svitolina dangerous.

There is room for improvement when you look at the Break Points faced and being created, but this will be a confident player and those two wins over Coco Gauff will stand her in good stead.

The American is very comfortable on the clay courts and her Semi Final win and the manner in which it was delivered will have given the World Number 4 plenty of reason to believe she can finally win a big clay court event at 1000 level.

Coco Gauff has been a consistent figure at the French Open- she has reached the Quarter Final five times in a row, while turning one of those into a Semi Final run, another finishing Runner Up and then finally winning the Grand Slam title in Paris eleven months ago. At the same time, she has reached the Final in Madrid and Rome, but losing both times, and Coco Gauff has two other Semi Final runs in the Italian capital before reaching another Final here on Thursday.

On the clay courts, serving numbers are going to make difficult reading compared with the faster surfaces, but both have been doing well enough- the difference here is that Coco Gauff has been the superior return player in Rome and that could see her begin to exert some control on this Final.

The second serve continues to be a vulnerability and Elina Svitolina should be able to attack that part of the Gauff game to real positive effect.

The same can be said for the higher Ranked player and this has the makings of a Final that should see both players pick up some momentum at different times.

However, the edge has to be with Coco Gauff who has shown a bit more consistency compared with Elina Svitolina, even if the latter seemingly matches up pretty well with the World Number 4.

Both winning a set would not be a surprise, but Gauff may still have enough in her return game to cover this spread even if the contest does need that deciding set to determine the Rome Champion in 2026.

MY PICKS : Coco Gauff - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Rome Update: 6-4, + 0.74 Units (10 Units Staked, + 7.40% Yield)

Miami Tennis Day 12 Pick 2026- Women's Final (Saturday 28th March)

The Miami Masters has proven to be a story of missed opportunities as yet more Break Points came and went in what turned out to be another fairly routine win for Jannik Sinner over Alexander Zverev.

The latter played better than he did in Indian Wells, but it was saving a single Break Point in one game followed by getting out of a 15-40 jam in the next that allowed Alexander Zverev to force a second set Tie-Breaker, which ultimately landed in the wrong direction for the German player.

We are about to head into the clay court season, but before that we have to see both Singles Finals completed.

The WTA Final goes up first on Saturday with the ATP Final on Sunday concluding this opening hard court run in the 2026 season.

While the majority of the top ATP players will then rest ahead of the Monte Carlo Masters in early April, the WTA takes in a clay court event in Charleston and plenty of experienced players will begin the clay court season there. In the past it has been a tournament that plays pretty differently to the European clay, but it is a big event with a 500 mark attached and that does mean seven of the current top 20 will be competing.

The clay court season does feel like it is long enough with the French Open beginning at the end of May, but the big tournaments come around very quickly and so players have to pick and choose their spots. The Madrid and Rome big 1000 events begin at the end of April through to the middle of May and at that point the majority of the big French Open contenders will take a break and prepare for what they hope will be a productive trip to Paris.

Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 games v Coco Gauff: This is going to be the thirteenth professional meeting between Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff and the Miami Champion will end the night with a 7-6 lead.

It is the World Number 1 who has begun to get the better of Coco Gauff more often than not with four wins in the last six, but there is rarely a lot between the players and the slight adjustments made can turn things back around. There are perhaps some signs of that happening considering the last four between Sabalenka and Gauff have been split with two wins apiece, while the biggest win in that time is Coco Gauff's success in the French Open Final last year.

She is not just the home player in terms of this being played in the United States, but Coco Gauff was born in Florida and still lives there- this means having the local support and plenty of support from friends and family ahead of this big Final.

The run has been something of a surprise when you think the World Number 4 had to withdraw mid-match in Indian Wells and had some serious concerns about shooting pains in her arm. A MRI came back clear, but that would have reduced expectations in the second half of the Sunshine Double and it has already been a productive fortnight that will be concluded with a jump up to World Number 3 when the next set of World Rankings are released on Monday morning.

The overall level in 2026 has been a little below what is expected from Gauff, but she has looked stronger in the Miami event and that will help her confidence. The second serve continues to be a big weakness for the 22 year old as she continues to try and develop her tennis, but Coco Gauff has been able to cover up those issues by making more first serves and backing it up with solid returning numbers.

She is going to need all of that and more if she is going to upset the World Number 1 who has followed the title win in Indian Wells by producing high quality tennis here in Miami.

Aryna Sabalenka will be particularly pleased with getting the better of Elena Rybakina for a second tournament in a row after losing the Australian Open Final against the World Number 2, and the serve continues to put her in a strong position to win any match she plays.

There is room for improvement on the return with the numbers slightly below her usual level on the hard courts, but Aryna Sabalenka may feel her Semi Final win over Elena Rybakina is proof that everything is coming together just in time for another title to be secured.

Nothing ever comes easily against Coco Gauff and that is because the American can get plenty of balls back in play and neutralise rallies when at her best.

There have been signs of that in this tournament, but Aryna Sabalenka is playing at a much stronger level than most right now and the World Number 1 can complete the Sunshine Double with a solid win in the Final.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Miami Update: 18-17, + 0.21 Units (34 Units Staked, + 1% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 14 Pick- Women's Final 2026 (Saturday 31st January)

Don't misunderstand, I had been just as disappointed as most with the lack of drama at the opening Grand Slam of the season.

But then it was the turn of the men in the Semi Finals.

And boy, did Friday provide us everything that us fans were demanding and more.

Carlos Alcaraz came through in the longest Australian Open Semi Final on record with the match going three minutes shy of five and a half hours.

You'd have to worry about his fitness ahead of the Final, but the second Semi Final went well over four hours before Novak Djokovic found his way into yet another Grand Slam Final.

I will have more thoughts on that in the Day 15 thread as the Australian Open comes to a conclusion, but first we have what could be a 'blink and you miss it' Women's Final.

Two big hitters are not going to hang around in service games and it should be a decent contest between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina as two players who will occupy the top three places in the World Rankings on Monday morning meet in the Melbourne showpiece on Saturday evening.

Elena Rybakina v Aryna Sabalenka: On the pure numbers, you have to consider Aryna Sabalenka not only the World Number 1, but the top player on the hard courts on the WTA Tour.

This is the fourth year in a row that she will be competing in the Australian Open Final and Aryna Sabalenka has also reached the US Open in each of the last three seasons. Four Grand Slams have been won on the surface- twice in a row at both of Melbourne and New York City- but Aryna Sabalenka was denied a third straight success here twelve months ago when upset by Madison Keys.

You would also consider Elena Rybakina's game to work very well on the hard courts and so it is a surprise that she is playing in her first Grand Slam Final on the surface since the 2023 Australian Open.

In fact, you can go even further and state that it is a surprise that she has not reached another Grand Slam Final since that defeat in Melbourne, but Elena Rybakina has been in good form for several months now and there will be plenty of confidence and experience that she can call upon for this Final.

Both players have been in exceptional form at the Australian Open- neither has dropped a set and both Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have been particularly effective at protecting the second serve. It is Rybakina who has a narrow advantage on the first serve percentage of points won, but the World Number 1 has been the slightly superior return player.

However, that return game is going to be tested by this Elena Rybakina serve, even in the Night Session when the cooler conditions can make the ball all the heavier to try and hit through the court. That has not prevented the World Number 5 from still having a big impact with her serve and that could be a key to the outcome of this match.

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina will know that they are going to win plenty of points when the first serve lands and both will want to get on the front foot. That could also mean playing with more aggression on the return of serve whenever a second serve is seen and this has been the one match up that has proven to be pretty challenging for the top Seed.

In 2023, Aryna Sabalenka came from a set behind to beat Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open Final and that meant the Belarusian had won the opening four matches between the players on the Tour and all in three set matches.

She most definitely had the mental edge at that stage, but two months later Elena Rybakina beat Sabalenka for the first time in the Indian Wells Final.

That result has sparked a positive run for the lower Ranked player and the last ten between these two players have ended in six Elena Rybakina wins.

It also includes a run of six wins in the last eight hard court matches, including Elena Rybakina winning two of three last year- both of those wins were on some of the faster hard courts at Cincinnati and then indoors in Riyadh, while Aryna Sabalenka beat this opponent in Wuhan in between those defeats.

Of course the win in the Australian Open Final is one that will give Aryna Sabalenka a lot of confidence, but in the eight matches on the hard courts since then, the World Number 1 has struggled to match the serving qualities of Elena Rybakina. The returning percentage of points won is 10% lower against Rybakina compared with Aryna Sabalenka's average and that is a big difference that keeps the top Seed under real pressure.

Her first serve has not been as punishing in those matches against Elena Rybakina either and the power that the latter can generate means she can stick with Aryna Sabalenka and give as good as she gets.

You have to respect the qualities of Sabalenka in winning multiple Grand Slam Finals and the consistency she has had at all Majors to reach the business end of tournaments over and over again.

Elena Rybakina has struggled for the momentum within Grand Slam tournaments that is needed to go as deep as she would have expected, but that has not been the case in Melbourne and she looks like she can upset the odds.

Twelve months ago, Aryna Sabalenka opened the season by winning the title in Brisbane and then reached the Final in Melbourne.

She has done the same in 2026, but Madison Keys managed to find a way to get the better of Aryna Sabalenka in 2025 and the feeling is that Elena Rybakina's game matches up well enough to help the 26 year old win a second Grand Slam title.

MY PICK: Elena Rybakina @ 2.50 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 36-23, + 12.08 Units (122 Units Staked, + 9.90% Yield)

WTA Finals Day 8 Tennis Pick 2025 (Saturday 8th November)

The ATP Finals are set to begin on Sunday, but there is still one place up for grabs at the tournament which will be decided on Saturday in Athens.

Next year the Paris Masters will be the 'cut off' for the ATP Finals and the draw can then be made with the full eight participants.

The Athens Final features Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti- the latter needs to win to earn his place in Turin, which means so much to the Italian, while it also means the ATP Finals will start with a match from each Group rather than the usual format.

It seems like yet another moment in the 2025 season where the scheduling is a cause for complaint and that is something the Tour needs to get together and resolve next year.

Before we get to the ATP Finals, the WTA Singles season comes to a close on Saturday in Riyadh.

The Final should be a decent one between two players who have met plenty of times on the Tour and who have each won all four matches in the event.

Elena Rybakina v Aryna Sabalenka: This has the makings of a pretty fun Final between two big hitting players who will know that they will need to serve well if they are going to win one of the biggest titles outside of the Grand Slam events.

The World Number 1 has shown why she has reached the pinnacle of the sport with some battling wins in the tournament- Aryna Sabalenka has won all four matches, but she has had to battle to get past Coco Gauff on Thursday and had to dig even deeper to see off Amanda Anisimova in the Friday Semi Final.

Playing for a third straight day is something that most tennis players are well accustomed to doing, but Aryna Sabalenka will have to find something in the reserve tank to get her through one more tough challenge.

Her opponent in the Final in Riyadh is Elena Rybakina who has won half of the previous ten matches against Aryna Sabalenka on the hard courts. The most recent was won by Sabalenka in the Wuhan Quarter Final, but Elena Rybakina had won the previous three hard court matches and that includes beating the World Number 1 in Riyadh twelve months ago.

The one concern for Elena Rybakina fans is that the performances have gotten a little weaker in each match played in the tournament, although she has found a way to keep winning.

In the main the reason for that is the serve and that has continued to operate at a very good level.

Elena Rybakina admitted that it was that shot that got her out of some late trouble in the Semi Final win over Jessica Pegula, but she will be confident that she has been serving at a more consistent level compared with Aryna Sabalenka.

In a match up between these players, that serve is going to be a difference maker and Elena Rybakina has shown she can compete with Aryna Sabalenka in that department.

Having a bit more rest ahead of the Final could help and Elena Rybakina has been playing at a higher level in this tournament- she looks like she is focused and motivated to go on and win a big title and Rybakina can replicate the win she had over Aryna Sabalenka here in Riyadh in what could be another three set match between the pair.

MY PICK: Elena Rybakina to Win @ 2.40 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

WTA Finals: 7-6, + 0.01 Units (13 Units Staked, + 0% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 14 Pick 2025- Women's Final (Saturday 6th September)

The Women's Final is set for Saturday and it looks like it could be a really competitive one. even if there are some doubts about the nerves of the two players involved.

A disappointing Semi Final run for the Tennis Picks has stung, especially with a couple of selections being a point or two away from swinging back in our favour, but hopefully the Final Weekend can provide a couple of winning selections.

Aryna Sabalenka-Amanda Anisimova over 21.5 games: The last time Amanda Anisimova reached a Grand Slam Final, nerves clearly got the better of her and she did not even win a game.

The fact that was in the last Grand Slam and the American has become the first player to lose 6-0, 6-0 at a Major and then reach the Final at the next Slam speaks volumes about the belief Amanda Anisimova must have in her own game.

It helps that she has a strong record against Aryna Sabalenka having upset the World Number 1 in the Wimbledon Semi Final, although it was Sabalenka who won when the two met at Roland Garros in the second Grand Slam of the season.

Nerves have been an issue for Aryna Sabalenka at the business end of Grand Slams this season and it will not be lost on her that all three previous runs have been ended by players representing the United States.

She is the defending Champion here, and Aryna Sabalenka is capable of taking the racquet out of any opponent's hands.

Fatigue should not be an issue for either player, although there are some concerns about the fact that Amanda Anisimova's Semi Final ended in the early hours of Friday morning. That can be tough to recover from, especially with this Final scheduled for middle of the day on Saturday, but the head to head is a big boost for Amanda Anisimova and it should lead to a competitive Final and one that could easily see both players win a set.

There is potential for any straight sets win to also surpass this total set and that looks to be the best play in the women's Final at the fourth Grand Slam of the season.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka-Amanda Anisimova Over 21.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 25-19, + 3.30 Units (87 Units Staked, + 3.79% Yield)

Canadian Masters Tennis Picks 2025 (Thursday 7th August)

So we finally make it through a strange scheduling format at the Canadian Masters with two matches left at Montreal/Toronto.

Both Finals have been scheduled to be played on Thursday with the WTA Montreal one going up about an hour before the ATP Toronto Final is set to head out onto the court.

We will have a surprising winner of the first of two Masters events played ahead of the US Open, but the majority of the big names and top contenders at the final Grand Slam will already be in Cincinnati preparing for a Masters event that has First Round matches beginning on Thursday.

It has been a solid tournament for the Tennis Picks, but the expectation is that the first of the Cincinnati Masters selections will be when the Second Round begins on Sunday.

Naomi Osaka - 2.5 games v Victoria Mboko: There is no doubting the talent that Naomi Osaka has displayed on a tennis court in her career and the potential of Victoria Mboko is exciting for her team and Canadian tennis in general, but they are still considered surprising Finalists in Montreal.

It has been a huge tournament for the pair of the players and a strong conclusion would offer a big boost to the World Rankings, which can be crucial in helping a player build forward.

Naomi Osaka has pushed into the Seeding spots for the US Open, but a win for Victoria Mboko would see her crack the top 30 of the World Rankings.

She was perhaps a little fortunate to beat Elena Rybakina in the Semi Final considering the former Wimbledon Champion served for the match on two occasions in the final set. A Match Point was also missed, and Rybakina will feel that she blew the match as much as Victoria Mboko was able to will her way through to win it.

The teenager spent a long time on the court, which could be a factor with no rest day between the Semi Final and Final, while there was also some issues with the wrist that could compromise Victoria Mboko's chances of winning a massive title.

The crowd support could be a big confidence booster for Victoria Mboko and these are emotions that she has to use if she is going to earn the upset.

However, it will also mean fending off a Naomi Osaka playing about as well as she has since returning to the Tour. Earlier this year she won a title for the first time on her return, albeit at a much lower level than this, and Osaka could be a real threat at the US Open if she is able to secure a Masters trophy ahead of a tournament she has won twice before.

The serve is always a big weapon for Naomi Osaka, but she has really impressed with her returning in Montreal and that could be key for her if Victoria Mboko is not able to improve on her numbers from the match against Elena Rybakina. The younger player did manage to get a lot of first serves in play, but she was only winning 57% of the points behind that shot and Osaka is offering up plenty on the return, which feels like a big edge for her in the match.

All credit has to be given to Victoria Mboko for the fight and character she has shown, but needing almost three hours on the court on Wednesday should show up during this Final.

It would be a surprise if Mboko does not have some big moments, as she has had throughout this Masters tournament, but Naomi Osaka should be able to use her big serve and aggressive groundstrokes to win the biggest title since the Australian Open in 2021.

MY PICKS: Naomi Osaka - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 14-6, + 5.65 Units (20 Units Staked, + 28.25% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 13 Pick 2025- Women's Final (Saturday 12th July)

At the time of writing, the Men's Semi Final matches have yet to be completed, but the Ladies Final is know and will take centre stage on Saturday, albeit at a later start time than usual.

That may help as the main heat of the day is avoided and it should be a decent Final between two players who may not have felt they were going to be involved on the final Saturday when the tournament began.

Iga Swiatek - 3.5 games v Amanda Anisimova: Anyone who picked this as the Ladies Final at the start of the Wimbledon tournament would deserve a lot of praise, but to most, it is a surprising match up to determine the Champion of the third Grand Slam of the season.

Out of the two players, there is no doubt that former World Number 1 Iga Swiatek has the experience having won multiple French Open titles and also the US Open. She would become the only active player on the Tour that has won Grand Slams on all three surfaces if she can pick up the title on Saturday, although the run has surprised considering how little success Iga Swiatek has previously enjoyed at Wimbledon.

Prior to this season, Iga Swiatek had only reached the Quarter Final once as her best effort, but she has looked completely at ease on the surface having played well at Bad Homburg in the last warm up event on the grass.

The only 'negative' to her run through to the Final is that Iga Swiatek has only beaten one player Ranked inside the top 20 and you do have to wonder if that is going to be a potential problem. Yes, she has not really been pushed by opponents and the quality behind the serve has been really impressive, but it could also mean Swiatek is not as well prepared to play the Final as she would have been by beating stronger players.

Being prepared to face some of the best feels more comfortable for Amanda Anisimova having already seen off the World Number 1 in the Semi Final.

Strong performances on the grass ahead of Wimbledon will have given the American a lot of confidence, and that has shone through at tough moments with the win over Sabalenka meaning Amanda Anisimova has needed three sets in half of the six victories put on the board. However, that also means she will not be too concerned if this match gets tight having shown her character throughout the last fortnight.

It should be noted that Amanda Anisimova had enjoyed a pretty comfortable draw before the win over Aryna Sabalenka, but had made harder work of her run compared with her opponent in this Final.

There is a lot to like about the Anisimova game- she has a decent serve and aggressive groundstrokes which makes her dangerous on the return. The margins have felt tighter in her wins though and it is going to be tougher for Amanda Anisimova if she is not able to get plenty of first serves in play and try and shift the pressure onto Iga Swiatek.

The latter has been serving really well and looks to be about as comfortable as she has ever looked on the grass.

With the superior experience of Grand Slam Finals, Iga Swiatek may not make the mistakes that Aryna Sabalenka felt she did in the Semi Final and that could see her get the better of the lower Ranked player.

MY PICK: Iga Swiatek - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 5-4, + 0.52 Units (18 Units Staked, + 2.87% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 14 Pick 2025- Women's Final (Saturday 7th June)

The French Open comes to a conclusion this weekend and we should have two quality Finals to watch, beginning with the Women's Final on Saturday.

Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 games v Coco Gauff: Moving into the World Number 1 spot should have been an indicator as to who is the best WTA player in the world, but there have still be some vulnerabilities around Aryna Sabalenka. She has won Grand Slam titles, but has perhaps not been the kind of dominant Champion that most would associate with the clear top player in the world.

Things may be changing after her run at Roland Garros, although Aryna Sabalenka has to get over the line to prove the point.

She reached the Australian Open Final earlier this season, but was upset by an American in that Final and Aryna Sabalenka will be much more wary of the abilities of Coco Gauff compared with Madison Keys.

They are different players- Keys is a big hitter capable of taking the ball away from any opponent she faces, while Gauff has a much more all around tennis style. However, it is a style that has seen Coco Gauff beat Aryna Sabalenka in a Grand Slam Final before and she is playing with plenty of confidence having beaten the last home hope in the Semi Final.

Coco Gauff will know that this is a much tougher challenge compared with the Semi Final, but she will be confident in the way she is playing. She will need to serve more effectively to just contain the threat that is going to be coming from the other side of the net, but the Coco Gauff movement and ability to get the ball back into the court when seemingly beyond most players can be hugely effective tools on the clay courts.

Throughout the French Open, Coco Gauff has been able to get into return games and put immense pressure on her opponents, and that is something she will feel she can do even against a top server like Aryna Sabalenka. She will have taken some encouragement from the way Iga Swiatek was able to create pressure on the Sabalenka serve, although the win over the three time defending Champion will certainly give the World Number 1 all of the confidence she needs.

As good as Aryna Sabalenka is, there are still some vulnerabilities about her, especially from a mental point of view.

If Coco Gauff can keep the sets competitive, Aryna Sabalenka could be put under some pressure and she has had a number of disappointing results late in Grand Slam events.

However, Aryna Sabalenka has won four of the last six matches against Coco Gauff and that can be a factor.

The serve has ended up being a key weapon in those matches and Aryna Sabalenka may have that edge again in this Women's Final to round out the second Grand Slam of the season. It is unlikely to be a match that doesn't have some swings and roundabouts, especially at the French Open in 2025, but the repeat of the Madrid Final may end up with the same winner and with a similar margin, which would be good enough to cover this handicap mark set.

MY PICK: Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 Games

Miami Masters Tennis Picks 2025 (Saturday 29th March)

We are down to the final couple of days at the Miami Masters.

Saturday will place the spotlight on the two WTA Finalists as Aryna Sabalenka prepares to face Jessica Pegula and the tournament is going to be rounded out by the ATP Final on Sunday.

A win for Novak Djokovic has just pushed the Miami totals back in the right direction after his convincing win over Grigor Dimitrov in the Semi Final, although his opponent in the Final will be determined later on Friday evening.

This thread will be posted before that result is official, and the focus here is on the WTA Final.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Jessica Pegula: The WTA Final in Miami will be competed by two of the top four players in the World Rankings and so it should be a decent contest.

The World Number 1 and top Seed in Miami, Aryna Sabalenka, has looked the more confident of the two players with the way she has dismissed all challengers to reach the Final. She has not lost a set, while Sabalenka has beaten three players that are Ranked inside the top 15 in the last three Rounds and that will give her plenty of confidence as she looks to win her first big title in 2025.

Nothing can be taken for granted by Aryna Sabalenka who has lost the Australian Open Final and Indian Wells Final already this season, but the match up has been one that she has enjoyed.

Jessica Pegula will point out that she has beaten Aryna Sabalenka twice on the hard courts and she was considerably lower Ranked when upsetting the Belarusian in Cincinnati in August 2020. She also lost 7-5, 7-5 in the US Open Final in September 2024 to show she can compete with the World Number 1, but Jessica Pegula is going to have to serve well and try and put Sabalenka under some pressure.

Her run through to the Miami Final has had more challenges and Jessica Pegula has dropped three sets in her five wins, including in each of the last two Rounds. And that may be a concern when you think that only player beaten in this tournament has been Ranked inside the top 30 and so Aryna Sabalenka represents a major step upwards in terms of an opponent.

The serve has been important for Jessica Pegula, but she has to find a way to be more consistent on the return if she is going to upset the top Seed.

Aryna Sabalenka has perhaps not served as well as Jessica Pegula as far as the numbers are concerned, but she is not that far behind and especially when you factor in Ranking of opponents faced. Where the World Number 1 has looked much more effective compared with Jessica Pegula has been on the return and she can certainly put the home player under pressure if she is not hitting her marks on the serve.

In their head to head matches on the hard courts, Aryna Sabalenka has been the stronger returner and she can show that here, while covering the handicap number set for the Final.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Miami Update: 13-9, + 1.99 Units (22 Units Staked, + 9.05% Yield)

Indian Wells Tennis Picks 2025 (Sunday 16th March)

The tournament has proven to be the first of the 2025 season that will finish with a significant dip, but it was never going to be an eleven months where only ticking in a positive direction was going to be the outcome.

There is one selection from the WTA Final at Indian Wells before thoughts will turn to Miami and the opportunity to bounce back, and Picks from that Masters event will begin on Tuesday or Wednesday. The second of the hard court events played this month will round out March and then everyone will begin preparation for the French Open at the end of May with European clay court tournaments helping the players every step of the way.

Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 games v Mirra Andreeva: If you think the Australian Open Final defeat did not hurt Aryna Sabalenka after winning that title twice in a row, her Semi Final performance will have made no doubt about how much she thinks about Melbourne 2025.

That defeat came at the hands of Madison Keys, but Aryna Sabalenka crushed the American for the loss of a single game in the Semi Final and admitted afterwards how much the match meant to her.

It is only part of a run of five strong wins and Aryna Sabalenka continues to show she is the player to beat on the hard courts.

Taking up the challenge is 17 year old Mirra Andreeva who has to be given all credit for beating Iga Swiatek in the Semi Final, despite having a tough second set. Any time a player beats someone as good as Iga Swiatek, they are going to be feeling good about their tennis, but Mirra Andreeva is becoming accustomed to beating the biggest names on the Tour having done the same on her way to the Dubai title last month.

Mirra Andreeva has continued her fine serving here in Indian Wells and she is going to need all of that if she is going to beat the World Number 1.

She played the key points well behind that shot in her Semi Final win with five of six Break Points saved, but Andreeva will need to find a way to be a bit more productive on the return. In that Semi Final win over Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva won 39% of return points played and she is facing a much bigger server with the title on the line in Indian Wells.

The World Number is always going to be a tough server to face, but Aryna Sabalenka is backing that up with aggressive returning and that may just give her the edge in the Indian Wells Final.

Last year Mirra Andreeva upset Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open, but it is the latter who has won both matches played in 2025 on the hard courts, including a crushing win at the Australian Open.

In those two hard court matches this season, Aryna Sabalenka's serve has been strong enough to just contain Mirra Andreeva and allowed the World Number 1 to play with attacking intent on the return. This has led to a couple of pretty straight-forward victories and the feeling is that Aryna Sabalenka can win and cover in this Final on Sunday.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Indian Wells Update: 5-8, - 3.93 Units (13 Units Staked, - 30.23% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2025 (Saturday 15th February)

It has been a disappointing end to the week for the Tennis Picks and that was not helped with one losing selection and one player withdrawing after falling behind to the other selection made.

These things happen in a long season, but it does not lessen the frustration considering the start that was made to the week.

We still have time to turn things around across the weekend, although it does depend on the right spreads/prices being set by the layers as far as the selection criteria goes.

Jelena Ostapenko - 2.5 games v Amanda Anisimova: There were plenty of big names involved in the tournament in Doha this week, which is no surprise as a WTA 1000 event, but the Final has to be considered an unexpected one.

Both Jelena Ostapenko and Amanda Anisimova have done very well to get to the Final and there is plenty on the line other than the title for the two players.

If Amanda Anisimova is able to win the title on Saturday, she will crack the top 20 of the World Rankings for the first time and the potential that many believed the American holds will perhaps begin to turn into on-court success. There is no doubting the talent, and all of Anisimova's wins in Doha have been against players Ranked at least 30.

This deserves respect and Amanda Anisimova has served with some consistency and that has allowed her to attack the return and put herself in strong positions in matches. Her performances here in Doha have also backed up a solid start to the 2025 season with big events in Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami to be played on the hard courts before the clay court season gets underway.

All of the matches won and the level produced will give Amanda Anisimova a lot of confidence, but there is no doubting the same can be said for Jelena Ostapenko, who is a player that can be very difficult to stop once she gets on a roll like she has this week.

The fiery Latvian is a former Grand Slam Champion and reached as high as World Number, but only winning the title here on Saturday will push Jelena Ostapenko back into the top 20. She had not won a match before arriving in Doha, but you would not have guessed that having won every set at the tournament.

Making it more impressive is the fact that only two sets have seen Jelena Ostapenko give up more than three games.

You could accept that if Jelena Ostapenko had been given a kind draw, but she has beaten two of the top four and Ons Jabeur in the last three matches and none of those players have won more than four games against the former French Open Champion.

Jelena Ostapenko has crushed World Number 4 Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2 and did the exact same to Ons Jabeur in the Quarter Final.

Perhaps most impressive is beating Iga Swiatek, the World Number 2, 6-3, 6-1 in the Semi Final and Jelena Ostapenko is making hay behind the first serve. Backing that up is the aggressive mentality on the return, which has seen Ostapenko win 55% of return points played in Doha and you have to give her the edge in the Final.

These two players actually met here in 2022 and it was Jelena Ostapenko who came through a very competitive match that needed all three sets to separate her from Amanda Anisimova.

It was the Jelena Ostapenko first serve that might have been the key shot in that Second Round match three years ago and the feeling is that it could just see the Final edge towards the Latvian too.

MY PICKS: Jelena Ostapenko - 2.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 3-4, - 1.43 Units (7 Units Staked, - 20.43% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 14 Pick 2025- Women's Final (Saturday 25th January)

Injuries might have been the headlines on Day 13 of the Australian Open, although one of the Semi Final matches was completed and the other ended prematurely.

The fans were extremely upset with Novak Djokovic's decision to pull out of his Semi Final against Alexander Zverev moments after losing the first set tie-breaker, but booing him off the court is not really acceptable behaviour.

Maybe I am getting older, but a dominant, long time Champion and an all time great surely deserves more respect than he was afforded in Melbourne, while it truly feels like something that would not have happened a decade ago.

These days being a troll seems like a big career move for so many, but giving that kind of energy the oxygen it does not deserve has perhaps filtered into society in general. Instead of empathy and understanding, people feel like they own some of the great entertainers of our day and so 'deserve' to be given 'value for money'.

Don't misunderstand the situation, of course you're going to be disappointed if you had paid money to sit on the Rod Laver Arena and the match ended in that manner.

But it is not the first time this has happened and in previous years you would see the injured player given a warm applause rather than the disdain that seems to be reserved for Novak Djokovic, despite his obvious talents and impressive achievements.

Later in the evening, Jannik Sinner moved through to the Final for a second year in a row as he looks to defend the title won last year, but the World Number 1 definitely picked up an injury scare in the third set against Ben Shelton. Fortunately for the Italian, Ben Shelton could not avoid the Unforced Errors that just prevented him pushing the top Seed a little more having served for the first set and come up short.

It should be a good Men's Final on Sunday to round out the Australian Open, but before that we have a big hitting, potentially fun Women's Final to look forward to.

The fan in me hopes for a tight, competitive Final between Madison Keys and Aryna Sabalenka, although the head is suggesting something a little different.

You can see the train of thought below where the Pick for the Women's Final has been made with just two matches left at the Australian Open in 2025 and with a positive start to the season secured.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Madison Keys: There was a time when Aryna Sabalenka was seen as a player that would struggle to get over the line when it came to the absolute business end of Grand Slam tournaments.

A similar feeling had been around Madison Keys, but the difference between the two players is that Aryna Sabalenka kept getting into those Semi Final spots in the Grand Slams. This gave her the experience to eventually deal with her nerves and find a way through to the Final and then go on and win two Australian Open titles and one US Open.

The World Number 1 is still only 26 years old and the two time defending Australian Open Champion is the favourite to complete a hat-trick of titles here. Over the next twelve months, Aryna Sabalenka is going to be amongst the favourites to win every Grand Slam that she competes in and she certainly looks the clear best player in the world on the hard courts.

When Madison Keys reached the Australian Open Semi Final in 2015 just a couple of weeks before she was turning 20 years old, American tennis fans may have felt the next big star of the sport was beginning to shine through.

However, the career has perhaps not panned out as Madison Keys or her supporters would have expected.

She has reached four further Semi Finals at Grand Slams and also played in the US Open Final in 2017, but there has been a lot of disappointing performances in the Majors around those strong runs. And after losing in the Semi Final here in Melbourne in 2022 and at the same stage in New York City in 2023, Madison Keys really did feel her hopes of winning a Grand Slam were over.

The loss at the US Open really hurt- Madison Keys took the first set 6-0 against Aryna Sabalenka that year, but was beaten 7-6, 7-6 in the next two sets and the World Number 14 was clearly devastated in the press conference.

An upset win over Iga Swiatek has given Madison Keys another chance to finally take home a Major, but she is still going to have to find another level to beat the peaking Aryna Sabalenka.

Madison Keys is going to have to find her best serving to try and keep Aryna Sabalenka under pressure, especially as her own return is going to be tested by the World Number 1. Making a fast start is important just to settle some nerves, but even in that US Open Semi Final that Madison Keys came so close to winning, it was a match that Aryna Sabalenka deserved to win even after dropping the first set without winning a game.

A much more routine win was produced by the Belarusian when these two players met in Beijing on the hard courts at the back end of last year and Aryna Sabalenka is producing at a higher level in this tournament. You have to believe the top Seed is very comfortable on the Rod Laver Arena these days and Aryna Sabalenka will know all about the occasion, which are factors that only strengthen her edge.

Once again, it is Aryna Sabalenka who has the edge on protecting the second serve as well as on the returning numbers and the two time defending Champion should have the qualities to break down Madison Keys in a competitive, but solid enough victory for the World Number 1.

MY PICK: Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 27-12, + 19.40 Units (75 Units Staked, + 25.87% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 13 Pick 2024- Women's Final (Saturday 7th September)

The tournament had been in a very strong position after the Quarter Final matches had been played, but the Semi Final results have been a blow to the overall numbers.

Two more matches are to be played, beginning with the women's Final on Saturday, and a strong end to the US Open would be welcomed.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Jessica Pegula: Both of these players will feel they have overcome some tough challenges and mental obstacles in their run to the US Open Final.

Nerves are going to play a part for both Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka as they bid to win a maiden US Open title and in the case of Pegula, a maiden Grand Slam title full stop. There have been some criticisms faced by both players after coming up short in the business end of events time and again and that is going to be a test for either player if the winning line draws over the horizon.

We saw some of those nerves from Aryna Sabalenka in her Semi Final win over Emma Navarro having led 6/3, 4/2, but ultimately being dragged into a second set tie-breaker. You would have worried for Sabalenka if she had dropped that set and there is a feeling that the World Number 2 doesn't have the same kind of mental fortitude as other top players of the past, especially when someone is able to stay with her through her hot periods.

That will be the test for the home player who came through in three sets against Karolina Muchova having lost the first set 6/1.

Jessica Pegula was able to fight back in style, but it was a very close match that could have easily gone the other way and the feeling is that she will be the one that needs to raise her tennis levels more than the Belarusian standing across the other side of the net.

It was Aryna Sabalenka who was the stronger of the two players in the Cincinnati Final last month, which was won in straight sets, and that means Sabalenka has won five of the last six between the players. Things have been a bit more even on the hard courts with that victory in the Final meaning Sabalenka and Pegula have both beaten the other twice on this surface, and that should at least give the American some real hope.

Dealing with the nerves of the occasion will be the test for both- we have seen those pressures hindering Sabalenka and Pegula at different times throughout their careers and the New York City crowd can make it tough. You have to feel Aryna Sabalenka has the edge if she can serve near her best and that will put pressure on Pegula to keep up on the scoreboard, which can lead to cracks.

We have seen Jessica Pegula serving well enough to keep her opponent off balance, but the edge has to be with the World Number 2 and she can cover this line as long as the nerves do not get to her as the chance to add to her two Australian Open titles nears.

MY PICK: Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 2.05 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 26-19, + 6.24 Units (90 Units Staked, + 6.93% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 14 Pick 2024- Women's Final (Saturday 8th June)

We are down to the final four players at Roland Garros in 2024 and there are three players vying for a first title in Paris.

Two are going for a first Grand Slam full stop, but it will be a tough ask in the Women's event with a dominant Champion in the way.

Iga Swiatek - 6.5 games v Jasmine Paolini: You can only be warmed by the infectious smile and the clear joy Jasmine Paolini feels when she is on a tennis court and a strong tournament for Italian tennis has been put together on both sides of the Tour.

On Monday we will have an Italian World Number 1 on the ATP Tour for the first time and Jasmine Paolini's run to the French Open Final has moved her into World Number 7, while an upset on Saturday will mean she will be the new World Number 5 when the Rankings are released following the tournament.

It is a remarkable rise for a 28 year old who had never been beyond the Second Round at a Grand Slam before reaching the Fourth Round at the Australian Open in January. She has won a big hard court title in Dubai, but Paolini had not really been in the best of form on the clay courts before arriving in Paris, despite most feeling this would be her best surface.

That form has counted for little as she has worked her way through the bottom half of the draw to reach the Final, including beating a couple of former Grand Slam Champions on the way. Jasmine Paolini dominated Mirra Andreeva in the Semi Final to earn her place in the showpiece event on Saturday, but another level is going to have to be found if she is going to prevent Iga Swiatek from joining legendary names like Monica Seles and Justin Henin in winning the French Open three times in a row.

It will actually be a fourth title in five years for Iga Swiatek and the World Number 1 has cruised through the draw after facing Match Points in the Second Round against Naomi Osaka. There is little doubt that Swiatek has been the best clay courter on the WTA side of the Tour for some time and she does go into this Final as a massive favourite.

Pressure and tension may be the biggest threat to Iga Swiatek who has produced really strong numbers throughout the tournament with the exception being the win over Osaka in the Second Round. The serve is really functioning well and the Pole has dropped this shot just twice in four matches after losing serve five times in the Second Round match, and that is going to be key for Iga Swiatek to try and keep the pressure on her inexperienced opponent.

You have to credit the grit and the defensive ability of Jasmine Paolini and that has helped her produce plenty of breaks of serve in this tournament, but this is an entirely different challenge, even compared with the multiple Breaks earned against big serving Elena Rybakina.

And the pressure that will be put on the Paolini serve cannot be underestimated with Iga Swiatek having broken every opponent at least four times, except for Naomi Osaka.

That exception was a real one and Iga Swiatek was very fortunate to get through that match against Osaka, but Paolini is not really going to be follow the blueprint left by the former World Number 1. Instead the match is more likely to be in line with others we have seen involving Iga Swiatek throughout this clay court season and the feeling is that she will have too much experience and quality for the Italian to deal with.

Last year's Final was a tighter affair than anticipated, but the previous two French Open titles won by Iga Swiatek have been in dominant victories and she would have covered this line in both.

Make no mistake it is a big line, but a 6-3, 6-2 kind of win has to be expected and the current World Number 1 can underline her status as the dominant clay courter on the WTA Tour.

MY PICK: Iga Swiatek - 6.5 Games @ 1.66 William Hill (2 Units)

French Open Update: 21-9, + 15.66 Units (59 Units Staked, + 26.54% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 14 Pick- Women's Final (Saturday 27th January)

The men's Semi Finals brung the drama in different ways on Friday.

The first of those saw Jannik Sinner crush Novak Djokovic and it was a remarkable performance from the Italian. He did not face a single Break Point and was unfortunate to not win in straight sets, but it was a very impressive performance and Sinner may just be ready to win a Grand Slam title and fulfil all of the potential he has shown.

The second Semi Final was a classic- Alexander Zverev is going to be feeling absolutely sick that he failed to get the job done against Daniil Medvedev having led 2-0 in sets.

He had chances, but Zverev played the big points so poorly in the last three sets, while there isn't much he could have done about the mishit that ended up giving Medvedev Set Point in the Fourth Set rather than the German reaching Match Point. On a number of occasions Alexander Zverev was two points away from really being in control of the Semi Final, but it is the 5-4 lead in the Fourth Set Tie-Breaker with two serves to come, which will really hurt him.

Day 14 is reserved for the Women's Final and it features the defending Champion and a young player looking to become the latest surprising Grand Slam Champion.

My thoughts on that match can be read below.

Aryna Sabalenka - 5.5 games v Qinwen Zheng: Ten years after Li Na won the Australian Open, another player from China will be looking to pick up the title in Melbourne. This time it is Qinwen Zheng, who has idolised Li Na, and who booked her place in the Final behind a strong Semi Final victory over Qualifier Dayana Yastremska.

A tough win was secured in the Third Round in a Super Tie-Breaker, but Qinwen Zheng has been relatively untroubled since then. Early nerves perhaps contributed to a slow start in the Semi Final, but Qinwen Zheng deserved her victory in the end as she now takes aim at her maiden Grand Slam title.

In her way is a mighty challenge.

Aryna Sabalenka has yet to drop a set at the Australian Open and the defending Champion is clearly enjoying her time in Melbourne. She admitted as much after earning a bit of revenge against Coco Gauff, the player who beat Sabalenka in the US Open Final, and the level of performance produce by the Belarusian certainly makes her a strong favourite to win another title here.

The serve has been a huge weapon for Aryna Sabalenka throughout this tournament and her controlled aggression on the return has put players under a lot of pressure. If she serves as well as she has been, Sabalenka will be very difficult to contain and the World Number 2 has shown she can be very hard to peg back once she picks up some momentum.

Two top 11 Ranked players have been beaten in the last two Rounds and that will only further the belief in the Sabalenka camp.

We know that Dayana Yastremska is going to be inside the top 30 at the end of this tournament, but Qinwen Zheng could not have handpicked a better run to the Final. None of the players she has beaten have been Ranked inside the top 50 of the World Rankings before the Australian Open began and there is no doubting that this is a huge step up in class against a Grand Slam Champion.

Qinwen Zheng will be confident in her first serve having won almost 79% of points behind that shot in this tournament, although again you have to note that the level of opponent has not really been that high. Over the last twelve months, that number slips to 68% when only considering Zheng's matches against top 10 Ranked players on the hard courts, while the World Number 15 is just 1-4 against top 5 Ranked opponents in that time.

She would not have covered with this number of games in any of those losses to Iga Swiatek (twice), Elena Rybakina or against Aryna Sabalenka, who crushed Qinwen Zheng for the loss of just five games at the US Open last September.

A problem for Zheng is that she has struggled on the return when facing top 10 Ranked players on the hard courts and now has to face arguably the best serve on the WTA Tour.

None of Aryna Sabalenka's opponents in Melbourne have been able to win more than 66% of first serve points against her and the likelihood is that the World Number 2 is going to be seeing a lot of second serves. You cannot take anything away from the run the underdog has had in the Australian Open, but she has only gotten 53% of first serves in play and that likely means having to deal with a lot of pressure from the Sabalenka aggression against the second serve.

On the other side of the court, Aryna Sabalenka gets plenty of first serves in play and she has been very strong at protecting the second serve. That serve proved to be key in New York City where Qinwen Zheng was not able to earn a single Break Point and this really feels like a match that the defending Champion can win.

Aryna Sabalenka showed some real mental strength to come through some rocky moments in the Semi Final and that should set her up very well.

Of course she will have to handle the occasion and the pressure, but nothing in Melbourne suggests Aryna Sabalenka is going to falter now and she can pull away for a very strong win and a second Grand Slam title.

MY PICK: Aryna Sabalenka - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 22-49, - 59.54 Units (142 Units Staked, - 41.93% Yield)

US Open Day 13 Tennis Pick- Women's Final 2023 (September 9th)

There are no longer hopes of the 'dream' Final in the men's tournament, but we do have two good looking Finals at the US Open to conclude the final Grand Slam event of the 2023 season.

First up is the women's Final between the new World Number 1 and the top American hope and there is every chance the full three sets will be needed when Aryna Sabalenka takes on Coco Gauff.

Aryna Sabalenka v Coco Gauff: It truly felt like it was going to be another Grand Slam Semi Final in which Aryna Sabalenka underperformed as she trailed Madison Keys 0-6, 3-5.

The frustration was clear with Sabalenka urging her coaches to give her a solution to 'another Semi Final' which had gone from bad to worse.

Despite all that, Aryna Sabalenka showed tremendous grit and character fitting of a new World Number 1 when fighting back and eventually beating the American 0-6, 7-6, 7-6 as she moves into her second Grand Slam Final of the year.

Some of the home fans will have been disappointed that they are not getting an all-American Final, but they will be very pleased to see Coco Gauff making her way through to the last women's Singles match of the tournament. All credit has to be given to a young player who has been under immense pressure since breaking onto the Tour and Coco Gauff has shown she can rally from difficult positions to win matches throughout her run to the US Open Final.

Out of the two players, Coco Gauff had the much more straight-forward win in the Semi Final and that could provide an edge when it comes to the gas tank in this Final. However, Aryna Sabalenka had been making serene progress through the draw before that Semi Final win over Madison Keys and having a Grand Slam winning experience compared to Gauff's Runner Up finish might be an advantage for the Belarusian Number 2 Seed.

You have to imagine that Aryna Sabalenka will have the edge on the serve, but Coco Gauff has enjoyed the returning conditions in the tournament.

It will certainly give the home player every chance of winning this Final, although Coco Gauff was well beaten when facing Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells. The two players have split four previous hard court matches, while Gauff has a clay court win over Sabalenka, but the Indian Wells win for Aryna Sabalenka was perhaps the most comfortable of their previous hard court matches.

Both have to be commended for the hard court form they have produced, but Aryna Sabalenka's win at the Australian Open can stand her in good stead. Coco Gauff has won eleven matches in a row in Cincinnati and New York City and may feel she is operating at her highest level right now, which is perhaps another reason the oddsmakers are finding it hard to separate the players.

However, the feeling is that Aryna Sabalenka will be a little freer now she has made it through what has been a very difficult Semi Final Round at the Grand Slam. It potentially will take all three sets to end up deciding the new US Open Champion, but the lean is with Aryna Sabalenka, who has a serve that can just produce a few more easy points than Coco Gauff's, which can be vital at the big moments in sets.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka to Win @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

US Open Update: 38-36, - 9.34 Units (148 Units Staked, - 6.31% Yield)