US Open Day 12 Tennis Picks 2026 (Thursday 10th September)

One of my personal criticisms of recent years on the Tour in relation to the WTA half has been that there have not been the standout dominant players who have made a significant separation from the pack.

It has meant Grand Slams have felt very open for any player to come through with a solid two week run to earn a Major, which can be a positive once in a while, but not for every tournament.

2026 feels different and that is underlined by the top four Ranked players all reaching the Semi Final at the US Open.

Both Mirra Andreeva and Linda Noskova reached the Quarter Final and will feel they should have beaten higher Ranked players, but those runs are also a positive seeing as the two youngsters won the French Open and Wimbledon respectively. Instead of being a 'flash in the pan' like some recent Grand Slam Winners have felt, both Andreeva and Noskova look like they will be playing amongst the elite of the Tour for many years to come and are almost certainly going to add to the Slams already won.

Three of the four Semi Finalists at the US Open will be searching for at least a third Grand Slam title with the exception being Jessica Pegula.

An all-American Final can still be the outcome on Saturday, but the two big hitting World Number 1 and World Number 2 stand in the way and those having tickets for the Evening Session are going to be in for a fun day on the grounds.

Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 games v Jessica Pegula: Both of these Semi Finalists are going to feel they showed plenty of character to come through awkward moments in the Quarter Final and that should give them confidence as the US Open begins to reach its climax.

The top Seed in the draw has officially lost the World Number 1 Ranking, but Aryna Sabalenka likely made peace with that happening considering how the Ranking Points were shaking out. Instead the only focus for the Belarusian is winning a Grand Slam title in 2026 and she will simply be glad to still be involved in New York City after the narrow win in the Quarter Final.

To be fair to Aryna Sabalenka, she had been the better player in the match against Linda Noskova, but the two time defending US Open Champion did not play the big points as well as she would have liked, at least not until the final set tie-breaker. The Noskova serve made a big impact at the big moments, but Aryna Sabalenka will be aware that her opponent in this Semi Final is not going to serve as big as the Wimbledon Champion.

Another year looked to be passing Jessica Pegula by as she trailed in the US Open Quarter Final and her hopes of winning a first Grand Slam would have faded a little more.

Before it was too late, Pegula started to find some of her best tennis, but she will be the first to admit that the last three Rounds have not been good enough from a serving perspective. Jessica Pegula is a very good return player, which has made up for the serving problems, but she cannot hope to get away with such a drop in standard against someone who serves as well as Aryna Sabalenka does.

There is also the mental obstacle of having been beaten by Aryna Sabalenka in the last two years at the US Open.

Those losses have been in the 2024 Final and the 2025 Semi Final and Jessica Pegula will believe that she should have the last of those matches. However, she ultimately did come up short and has now lost five of the last six hard court matches between these players since August 2024.

The last three of those matches have needed a third set decider, while Jessica Pegula beat Aryna Sabalenka on the grass courts of Berlin in the sole match played between these top WTA players in 2026.

It is a win that will give her confidence, but Jessica Pegula is going to have to dig in and find another level if she is going to beat Aryna Sabalenka on this court.

The service numbers have fallen away dramatically in the last three Rounds and it is very difficult to see how Jessica Pegula can find her way into another US Open Final without improving that part of her game dramatically. That feels unlikely right now and Aryna Sabalenka can take advantage of that to tip the scales in her favour in this big match.

No one can say that Aryna Sabalenka has fully convinced at the US Open having had a difficult year overall, but she is playing at a superior level compared with Jessica Pegula. Those back to back US Open wins over the World Number 3 will also give the top Seed that much more belief in the tighter moments of this Semi Final and that may end up being a key reason for Aryna Sabalenka to reach yet another Final at this Grand Slam.

Elena Rybakina v Coco Gauff: The come from behind win in the Quarter Final means Elena Rybakina has secured the World Number 1 Ranking regardless of how this tournament is concluded. However, she looked to be taking in that achievement in her stride and the focus is on backing up the success at the Australian Open by adding this hard court Grand Slam to the collection.

It is fitting that the top four players in the World Rankings are all involved in the final four at the US Open after Coco Gauff also rallied for a Quarter Final win.

The American is one of two former Champions still in the tournament and Coco Gauff continues to dig deep and win matches even when not at her best. This is a strong character trait and even seeing the run of sets won come to an end did not stop Coco Gauff from believing she could turn the Quarter Final back around.

At the same time, Coco Gauff will be the first to admit that she was not at her best in the win on Wednesday and she will have to improve significantly to beat someone in the form of Elena Rybakina.

Both of these players reached the Final of different WTA 1000 tournaments in the lead up to the US Open, although Coco Gauff won the title in Cincinnati and Elena Rybakina came up a little short in Toronto.

However, Elena Rybakina did beat Coco Gauff in her run in Toronto and used her superior serve to earn the edge in that match.

This has to be the approach to this Semi Final and Elena Rybakina has found her easy power working very well on the New York City hard courts. The performances have been impressive and it is a real surprise that she had not been beyond the Fourth Round at the US Open previously, but Elena Rybakina has looked more comfortable here this year and it is the serve that is going to set things up for her.

Coco Gauff has been serving pretty well herself, but was put under a lot of pressure by Mirra Andreeva in the Quarter Final before turning things around. There is little time between the Quarter Final and Semi Final to make big adjustments and it could be another difficult day for the American with the pressure that Elena Rybakina can create with her own delivery.

The fans are going to give Gauff a boost and this is a player that never knows when they are beaten, which makes her dangerous.

In saying that, Coco Gauff will know she needs to improve significantly on the performance produced against Elena Rybakina last month in Toronto and the future World Number 1 looks the right play. The money has come in on Rybakina which has shifted her from an opening 2.20 outsider to a 1.85 favourite, but she does look to be the right player to back even if Coco Gauff is a fighter who is unlikely to wilt under the lights.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Elena Rybakina @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 29-21, + 4.58 Units (100 Units Staked, + 4.58% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2025 (Thursday 4th September)

The last four days of the US Open begin with the spotlight on the final four women with both Semi Final matches scheduled for the night session.

They will then have a day of rest before the Final on Saturday and it will be the men who play the two Semi Final matches on Friday before the last Grand Slam of the season is completed at the end of the weekend.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Jessica Pegula: Twelve months ago, Aryna Sabalenka vs Jessica Pegula was the US Open Final and they meet again in New York City, albeit a Round earlier than in 2024.

Out of the two players, Jessica Pegula has been more impressive in her run to the Semi Final, but this has been a tough match up for in recent meetings against the World Number 1 and that is hard to ignore.

The Final was a tight, competitive battle ending 7-5, 7-5, but Aryna Sabalenka was a more comfortable winner in the Miami Final earlier this year. She dominated the number of Break Points created in that latter Final and the top Seed is very comfortable in New York City, even if the fans are likely to be firmly behind the American player.

Jessica Pegula has been serving very well in her run to the Semi Final and that is going to be important for her in this match.

She has to try and keep the pressure on Aryna Sabalenka and not be forced into a position where the World Number 4 has to attack what is a big serve.

The expectation is that Jessica Pegula will have some returning success considering the slightly underwhelming performances we have seen from Aryna Sabalenka in this tournament. Having a walkover in the Quarter Final may mean Sabalenka needs a bit more time to just settle down, and the feeling is that the first set is going to be another tight, competitive battle and four of the last five sets played between these two players have all ended 7-5.

However, it should be noted that Aryna Sabalenka has won all of those sets and she can do the same here, while then taking a similar route to the title win in Miami to cover this big mark.

Naomi Osaka-Amanda Anisimova over 21.5 games: There is so much to admire about the performances of both Naomi Osaka and Amanda Anisimova during this US Open and the winner is going to be very deserving of a place in the Final on Saturday.

After reaching the Wimbledon Final, Amanda Anisimova has to be given credit for backing that up and having such a strong run at her home Grand Slam tournament.

She was crushed without a winning a game in that Wimbledon Final, but Amanda Anisimova my have exorcised any demons by getting revenge on Iga Swiatek in the Quarter Final in New York City. The World Number 9 has long been seen as a player with a huge amount of potential, and Anisimova is now making sure she is fulfilling some of that through her performances at the Majors.

Naomi Osaka is a two time former Australian Open and US Open Champion and is looking to complete a 100% conversion of rate at Major tournaments when reaching the Quarter Final- she has won all of the Grand Slams in which she has reached the last eight and Osaka will certainly feel good about moving through the Quarter Final without needing a deciding set.

Both of these players are serving effectively and that is going to be key to the outcome of this Semi Final.

It does feel like Naomi Osaka has a very slight edge when it comes to the serve and that may ultimately prove to be the difference in this match up.

Dismissing the chances of Amanda Anisimova will be a mistake, especially with the confidence she would have picked up in London and backed up here in New York City.

However, the American is going to have to serve really well to keep the pressure on Naomi Osaka, a player who has been playing with a lot of confidence of her own following the run to the Montreal Final last month.

It would not be a huge surprise if this is a match that needs at least one tie-breaker and there is every chance that both players can find a hot streak within a set to push this into a decider. The lean may be with Naomi Osaka, but the overriding feeling is that this could be a match that surpasses the total line set.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka-Amanda Anisimova Over 21.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 24-16, + 7.86 Units (79 Units Staked, + 9.95% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2025 (Thursday 15th May)

Another mixed day of results at the Rome Masters means the Picks for the tournament remain in the black, although not been able to add to some of the earlier successes.

There are just four days remaining in the Italian capital and then there will be a short break until the French Open begins on Sunday 25th May- the tournaments next week will be left for watching purposes as far as the Tennis Picks are concerned and the full focus will have turned to the second Grand Slam of the season.

Soon enough the Tour will move onto the grass courts and the build towards Wimbledon, but so many are going to be heading to Paris believing they can win a major tournament and that can only be good news for the fans. Grass remains a specialist surface and so the real contenders may be contained to a handful of players, but in Paris there are so many players looking in good shape and this should mean an entertaining viewing tournament, although one that can be tough to negotiate when making daily Picks from the event.

Before all of that, the Rome Masters needs to be concluded and Thursday looks a tough day- four matches are scheduled, but only one selection will be made from the second of the WTA Semi Finals.

Coco Gauff - 2.5 games v Qinwen Zheng: It might have been a win that will put another bit of momentum into Qinwen Zheng's career having got the better of the World Number 1 for the first time. The confidence can only be increased from the fact that she was a deserving winner and the Gold Medal Winner from the Paris Olympic Games will be a genuine threat to win the upcoming French Open.

Qinwen Zheng can really make a statement in Rome if she can back up her win over Aryna Sabalenka by beating the second best player in the world.

Seeing off the Madrid Champion will have been a huge boost for Qinwen Zheng, but beating the Runner Up in the next Round would only see her price shorten for success at a Grand Slam for the first time. Much will depend on the Zheng serve and whether she can continue to back it up as well as she has in this tournament, but this is expected to be a stern examination for the World Number 8.

Coco Gauff had a solid win over Mirra Andreeva in the Quarter Final and she has won three matches in a row without dropping a set.

Much like her fellow top ten Ranked opponent, the key for Coco Gauff is to continue protecting the second serve as she has done in this tournament. The American has clearly shown an aggressive and productive approach to her return of serve, but that is always going to be something Coco Gauff is comfortable doing when she knows she is able to roll through her own service games.

Qinwen Zheng does have a very good first serve, but she is looking for a big opener and that has seen her make 52% of her first delivery in the tournament. It is a number that needs to be improved so Coco Gauff is not getting a foothold in return games, and that is where the Semi Final could be won or lost.

Both previous matches between the players have been competitive, but it has been Coco Gauff who has created the majority of Break Points. One of those matches took place here in Rome twelve months ago and the higher Ranked player was able to come through a competitive opening set before pulling away from Qinwen Zheng and this could be another match that follows that kind of pattern.

Two players who should be there or thereabouts when the French Open reaches the last few days will be looking to lay down a marker here, but the edge feels like it is with Coco Gauff and she can come through a tough Semi Final.

MY PICKS: Coco Gauff - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Rome Update: 11-8, + 1.29 Units (19 Units Staked, + 6.79% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2025 (Thursday 23rd January)

If I am being honest, I am not a big fan of the technology that has infiltrated sport, especially in football where so many subjective decisions are causing controversy.

However, there are certain elements where technology can play an important role- offside is slightly controversial with the line drawing, but goal-line technology is making things much clearer and that is a positive intervention.

With that in mind, it is quite staggering that tennis players are expected to make snap shot calls over things like a double bounce- when the lines were being called by umpires, players were still given a bit of time to determine whether they wanted to challenge calls, but those are much easier to see for a player compared with the number of bounces a ball has taken when it is a bang-bang call.

The reality is that on Day 11 of the Australian Open it was not a bang-bang call when Emma Navarro's drop-shot clearly landed for a second time significantly before Iga Swiatek was able to get to it and the entire Stadium could see what had happened immediately.

However, Emma Navarro was not able to really stop the point where she is expected to and ultimately it has proven to be a controversial moment that will have authorities changing the way they expect the technology to be used.

The match would have still likely landed in Iga Swiatek's direction, but it was a poor look for a sport in a Quarter Final setting and that will be talked about until the Semi Final matches begin on Day 12.

Both Tennis Picks came through on Day 11 and that has moved the number back in a positive direction after a 1-2 record on Day 10.

It has been a really strong tournament and with six matches left it feels more comfortable to say that- however, the focus is to go 6-0 rather than 0-6 over the coming days to give the 2025 year an early boost.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Paula Badosa: In April 2022, Paula Badosa was the World Number 2 and looking like a player ready to challenge the very best for the very biggest prizes in the sport.

Injury pushed Paula Badosa not only down the World Rankings to the point that she was entering the Australian Open in 2024 as the World Number 100, but it also pushed the Spaniard to the brink of retirement.

The last twelve months might have felt like the last roll of the dice for Paula Badosa and any setbacks might have meant retirement was the only real solution to her issues.

Thankfully she has not only largely avoided problems, but Paula Badosa has gradually approached the kind of tennis that took her to World Number 2 in the first place. She reached the US Open Quarter Final in September, only the second time she had made it that far at a Grand Slam event, but Paula Badosa has surpassed that here in Melbourne after the deserved upset of Coco Gauff on Day 10.

Improvements on the court means Paula Badosa entered the tournament as the World Number 12 and she is expected to be back inside the top ten when the new Rankings are released on Monday.

This is a big match for Paula Badosa and she will be hoping that facing a friendly face in Aryna Sabalenka, a good friend off the court, will help ease the tension.

The two time defending Champion came through a tough Quarter Final against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and that will have given Aryna Sabalenka a bit more belief as she looks to win another Grand Slam title Down Under. Her overall performance in Melbourne has perhaps not reached her top level, but that could be a positive for Aryna Sabalenka as she looks to peak in the coming days and try and win the title on Saturday.

We know there is better to come from the Sabalenka first serve and that is going to be important in this Semi Final, especially if Paula Badosa continues to serve as well as she has.

The most impressive part of Paula Badosa's serving has to be how well she has managed the second serve and she beat an erratic and inconsistent Coco Gauff impressively. There is an expectation that Aryna Sabalenka will offer more of a threat on the return with this aspect of her tennis being key to her run to the Semi Final, while the experience edge cannot be ignored.

Aryna Sabalenka is leading the head to head thanks to five straight wins over Paula Badosa, including all three played in 2024.

They did play out a competitive match in Stuttgart on the clay, which was prematurely ended when Paula Badosa had to withdraw in the third set, but the other two matches on the hard courts of Miami and clay courts of Roland Garros were both won comfortably enough by the Belarusian.

Paula Badosa has a big game and can be very dangerous, but it is an unfamiliar moment for her and that could just see nerves play a part.

Prior to her successes in Australia, Aryna Sabalenka had some of those difficult learning moments in the big Grand Slam matches and she may just have the power and authority on this court to dish out a painful lesson to a good friend.

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 games v Madison Keys: The chances of the Quarter Final moving in a different direction are pretty slim, but Iga Swiatek's win over Emma Navarro had a huge controversial moment in the second set when a clear 'double bounce' was missed by the umpire.

Without an immediate stop of the point, Emma Navarro was not able to review, while Iga Swiatek has had to face some criticism for not showing some sportsmanship to offer the point to her opponent.

It was at a big moment with Navarro looking to move ahead in the second set, but she failed to win another game and Iga Swiatek continues to play at a very high level.

Five wins have been produced at Melbourne Park and the numbers are really impressive, and that means Madison Keys has a huge challenge in front of her as she bids to return to a Grand Slam Final.

The last American female player left in the draw, Madison Keys has played the big points really well in her run to the Semi Final. She has dropped sets in three of the five matches won at the Australian Open, including in the Fourth Round and Quarter Final wins, but credit has to be given to Madison Keys for overcoming tough situations.

Without a doubt she is going to have to pick up her level and Madison Keys is going to have to serve at her very best if she is going to beat Iga Swiatek playing at her current level.

She has being protecting the serve well enough, but Madison Keys is only winning 40% of return points in this tournament and that makes it very difficult to believe in her chances of securing the upset. The fact Keys is now playing an opponent who has just SIX Break Points in five matches won at the Australian Open means the American is likely going to be under significant scoreboard pressure.

Iga Swiatek has not been broken in her last four matches and a dominant first serve has kept her on top of opponents and broken their spirit.

And of course you cannot ignore the fact that the World Number 2 has won 55% of the return points played at the Australian Open, which means Madison Keys is going to have to get plenty of first serves in play and try and move into a position to play first strike tennis. This is going to be very challenging for her and the feeling is that Iga Swiatek will control the tempo of this match and break down Keys physically and mentally during the time spent on the court.

The head to head does not make very good reading for Madison Keys, although both matches played against Iga Swiatek in 2024 were on the clay courts and ended in routine wins for the Polish player as expected.

In two previous hard court matches, both players have won once with the most recent being a Madison Keys win in Cincinnati in August 2022. However, the form of the two players leading into this Semi Final suggests Iga Swiatek is going to avenge that defeat and her return is capable of putting Madison Keys under the kind of pressure that eventually leads to a routine win for the higher Ranked player.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 26-10, + 21.40 Units (69 Units Staked, + 31.01% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 11 Picks 2024 (Thursday 5th September)

By the time Day 11 begins, there will be just eight Singles players left at the US Open.

This is the point in which the women's and men's events separate with each being showcased on different days, beginning with the women's Semi Final matches on Day 11.

Day 12 will be reserved for the men's Semi Final matches before the tournament is concluded over the weekend with the women's Final on Saturday and the men's on Sunday.

The last of the women's Quarter Final matches is scheduled for the opening match of the Day 10 evening session and so any selection from that match will be added to this thread.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Emma Navarro: Twelve months ago, Emma Navarro had just lost in the First Round at the US Open and the World Number 57 made little noise in the tournament.

Fast forward to September 2024 and Navarro is going to be cracking the top ten of the World Rankings for the first time having surpassed her Quarter Final run at Wimbledon. This will mean even more to Emma Navarro who was born in New York and reaching the Semi Final is a big achievement.

She has already beaten the defending Champion and now faces the 2023 Runner Up, although most will feel that Aryna Sabalenka is a much greater test than anyone that Navarro has beaten so far.

After missing Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics, Aryna Sabalenka has shown she is back to her very best with a title win in Cincinnati followed by a very strong run in this tournament. Getting over the Semi Final hurdle had proved too much for Sabalenka to handle mentally, but she is now a two time Grand Slam Champion and did make the Final at Flushing Meadows twelve months ago.

The World Number 2 crushed Emma Navarro at the French Open, but the belief in the lower Ranked player will be fuelled by the win she has over Aryna Sabalenka at the Indian Wells Masters on a hard court. On that day Navarro played well and was the more clinical when the Break Points came up, while she saved 4/6 Break Points played on her own serve.

Creating Break Points against the Sabalenka serve is never an easy task and that is going to be the challenge for Emma Navarro. Aryna Sabalenka has dropped serve just four times in the five wins she has produced at the US Open, which is very strong form, while three of her last four opponents have failed to convert any of their opportunities.

The expectation is that Emma Navarro will be able to have a bit more success considering her ability to get enough balls back into play to create problems. It is key to try and make Sabalenka feel she is working for every point and not having the easy service games to roll through and build confidence and momentum.

Emma Navarro has been serving very well for the majority of matches played in the tournament and maintaining that is also very important if she is going to give the World Number 2 something to think about. An aggressive player, Aryna Sabalenka has been keeping the pressure on her opponent's behind her return and she may just have the qualities to win a tight set before running away with this match.

Her experience is going to be so important, and that may see Aryna Sabalenka have the right tennis at the right moments to win the key points in a solid victory.

Emma Navarro has laid the foundation for more successes to come, but this is where her 2024 US Open may come to an end.

Jessica Pegula - 2.5 games v Karolina Muchova: She has reached as high as World Number 3 in the World Rankings, but the criticism of Jessica Pegula is that she had not made it past the Quarter Final at any Grand Slam.

Six defeats were suffered in that Round between 2021 and 2023 and Jessica Pegula had been set as a big underdog in her seventh attempt to make a Grand Slam Semi Final when facing Iga Swiatek on Day 10 at the US Open.

Not only did she crack through the glass ceiling, but Pegula did it in such style that she has to be feeling very, very confident right now. It has backed up the form shown in the build up to the US Open after Jessica Pegula won the Canadian Masters and reached the Final at the Cincinnati Masters and the American is going to be receiving the lion's share of the support in this Semi Final.

Backing up the Quarter Final win will be a challenge and Pegula will have plenty of respect for Karolina Muchova, who is playing at a very high level herself. They actually played one another at the Cincinnati Masters and the first two sets were very competitive before Pegula was able to pull away for the victory, which will stand her in good stead.

Karolina Muchova was a comfortable winner in the Quarter Final, but she was dealing with some kind of illness and will not have a day of rest between matches to prepare for this contest. That is a potential additional factor at play for this Semi Final, although the overall form during this fortnight has been very impressive.

The lower Ranked player has been producing the stronger serving in this tournament, but Muchova has only had to beat a single top 20 Ranked opponent, while Jessica Pegula has beaten two, including the World Number 1.

It can be difficult to trust Pegula considering the amount of times she has thrown in a really poor performance at the business end of a tournament, while a victory over Iga Swiatek has raised the level of expectation around her. This pressure could be an issue, but the performances over the last month may just give Pegula the confidence to reach the US Open Final on Saturday, although it may take another three sets to get the job done.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jessica Pegula - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 26-15, + 14.24 Units (82 Units Staked, + 17.37% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2024 (Thursday 6th June)

There is also the scenario where upsets can turn a tennis draw lopsided and that is something that UEFA may come to understand in the years ahead with their new Knock Out format in the Champions League.

Two upsets on Wednesday has certainly given the end of the Women's French Open that kind of feeling with the first Semi Final likely to send a very strong favourite into Saturday's Final.

Both Jasmine Paolini and Mirra Andreeva have to be given a lot of credit for the runs made, but the winner of Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff is likely going to be adding another Grand Slam to their collection and that may just build further pressure on that Semi Final.

Those two players go up first before the second Semi Finalists both look for a major early achievement in their careers. It should be a good day of tennis for the fans before we get to find out which two players compete for the second Grand Slam of the 2024 season.

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 games v Coco Gauff: This is a match up between two of the top three players on the WTA Tour, but the spread is heavily skewed in favour of the World Number 1.

That isn't a massive surprise with this Grand Slam Semi Final being played on the clay courts in Paris, but there is also the match up problem overall for Coco Gauff who has lost ten of her eleven previous matches against Iga Swiatek.

The one win was on a fast court in Cincinnati, but Iga Swiatek got the better of Gauff in a couple of other hard court matches after that and the World Number 1 has won all four previous clay court matches against the American.

The most recent was in Rome in the build up to this French Open and Swiatek was a more comfortable winner than the final 6-4, 6-3 scoreline might have suggested.

It underlines the huge challenge that Coco Gauff faces- her best efforts have led to very one-sided defeats on this surface, while the overall record suggests Iga Swiatek has the perfect blend of attack and defence to give the World Number 3 fits on the court.

Eight of the previous eleven matches competed between these two players would have seen Iga Swiatek cover this line and she is playing at a remarkably high level since the almost upset Second Round win over Naomi Osaka.

Iga Swiatek's real edge is that she is able to control her points behind serve much more effectively than Coco Gauff and that is likely going to be shown up in this Semi Final.

The American does enjoy the clay courts and she is playing well, but that is not enough to compete with Iga Swiatek alone- Coco Gauff is going to have to find something special to find an upset, but it is unlikely and the expected outcome is a routine win for the favourite to lift the trophy for a third time in a row.

Jasmine Paolini-Mirra Andreeva Over 8.5 Match Breaks: The overwhelming feeling was that we were on a collision course between all of the top four players in the World Rankings when it came to the Semi Finals at Roland Garros in 2024. The World Number 1 and World Number 3 cemented their places to face off against one another on Tuesday, but Wednesday proved to be much different.

First up Elena Rybakina was upset by Jasmine Paolini and then an out of sorts Aryna Sabalenka was beaten by teenage prodigy Mirra Andreeva in the second Quarter Final.

So to say this is an unexpected Semi Final is putting it lightly.

However, both Paolini and Andreeva have to be given a lot of credit for the path they have cut through the draw and both are deserving of their place in the final four. Jasmine Paolini has impressed by showing grit and determination to work her way into the top 10 of the World Rankings, while Mirra Andreeva has heaps of potential and seems capable of fulfilling that very quickly.

Tension will be high in this second Semi Final on Thursday and that is not going to be a surprise.

New emotions will have to be contained with the two players a win away from reaching a maiden Grand Slam Final and the only hope is that both are able to free up and play the kind of tennis they have produced in Paris over the last couple of weeks.

Both of these players are comfortable on the red dirt and the return games have been very impressive and that is the main reason this feels like a match that will produce at least nine breaks of serve. Four of the five matches played by Jasmine Paolini has seen that mark surpassed, although it is only the case in two of the five matches played by Mirra Andreeva.

These two met in Madrid and shared out eleven breaks of serve that day in what was a two set win for the younger player and you do have to appreciate how well both Paolini and Andreeva have been returning in this event.

Mirra Andreeva does have the edge when it comes to the serve and that may ultimately be the reason she is able to reach what should be the first of many Grand Slam Finals, but the 17 year old will have to overcome some nerves. The Italian across the net will fight until the match is over and so this could be a back and forth Semi Final with a huge number of breaks of serve for both players.

MY PICKS: Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jasmine Paolini-Mirra Andreeva Over 8.5 Match Breaks @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

French Open Update: 19-7, + 15.52 Units (52 Units Staked, + 29.85% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2024 (Thursday 25th January)

There have been some remarkable results throughout the fortnight at the Australian Open, but plenty of really good tennis too.

On Day 11 we were treated to a couple of top class men's Quarter Final matches, while also seeing a women's Semi Final line up completed which would have had been predicted by very few people before the tournament began.

No one will doubt the run Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka have had and the winner of that Semi Final is expected to be a strong favourite in the Final.

But how many would have had Qinwen Zheng and Dayana Yastremska coming out of the top half as the other Finalist? At least Zheng reached the US Open Quarter Final and has long been talked about as having massive potential, but Dayana Yastremska's run has really come as a surprise.

She is a former World Number 21, but Yastremska was forced to come through the Qualifiers this year- she had not been past the First Round of a Grand Slam since returning from the ban she had been given after an adverse drugs test. It is a Semi Final that could be nervy for both players and may really come down to which of the two are serving better on the day, although the winner will be an underdog on Saturday in the Final.

Both women's Semi Finals are set to be played on Day 12 at the Australian Open as the tournament winds down and you can read my Picks below.

Coco Gauff-Aryna Sabalenka over 21.5 games: It almost feels like the women's draw should have been re-Seeded considering the amount of upsets we have seen throughout the Australian Open. And so while the top half of the draw is going to give us a first time Grand Slam Finalist, the bottom half has put together a Semi Final between the two players who won their maiden major in 2023.

The Australian Open crown is being defended by Aryna Sabalenka, but Coco Gauff won the US Open by coming from behind to beat the World Number 2 in the Final.

It is perhaps a mental edge the American can take into this Semi Final having struggled in her Quarter Final win over Marta Kostyuk. Prior to that Coco Gauff had been in imperious form on the hard courts, but there were some nerves and the power of her opponent certainly gave Gauff plenty to think about.

Now she has to take on arguably the most powerful player on the WTA Tour and one who has been dominating all that have stood in front of her in Melbourne. There has been little drama for Aryna Sabalenka, but most will feel that there is a massive obstacle for her to overcome if she is going to win a second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

In a warm up event to the tournament, Aryna Sabalenka crushed all opponents before running into Elena Rybakina in the Final and winning just three games. There is no doubting the quality of her front-running, but Sabalenka has yet to show she can handle someone coming at her and Coco Gauff has a history of doing that in their head to head match ups.

Coco Gauff has the head to head advantage on the hard courts with a 3-2 lead over Aryna Sabalenka, but nothing has come easy and four of the previous five matches between these two on this surface have needed a deciding set.

The 'easiest' win came for Sabalenka in Indian Wells in March 2023, but the rest of the matches have been massively competitive and the numbers have backed that up.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Aryna Sabalenka has tended to have more Break Points than Coco Gauff, but the latter has tended to play those big moments a little more efficiently. That has given her the chance to have the lead in the head to head on the hard courts and it is going to be a huge part of this match.

Aryna Sabalenka's level in this tournament has been historically strong and she is certainly capable of blowing past Coco Gauff as she did in Indian Wells. However, the feeling is that Gauff will grow having come through a tough test in the Quarter Final and showed her Champions mentality, while we have yet to see Aryna Sabalenka need to overcome difficult moments.

There is likely to be a number of close games in the match and both players are Grand Slam Champions now- there will be some nerves knowing the winner is going to be a big favourite in the Women's Final on Saturday and that may mean some twists and turns in a match up that has produced them regularly in the past.

Three sets were needed in the US Open Final and this is another match between these two Slam Champions that could need a deciding set.

Dayana Yastremska + 3.5 games v Qinwen Zheng: The top four names on the WTA Tour have been in and around the business end of the Grand Slam tournaments over the last twelve months, but the women's draws continue to throw up new names making strong runs.

The 2024 Australian Open has proven to be no different and the top half of the draw has really seen a surprising Semi Final match up being set.

Both Dayana Yastremska and Qinwen Zheng were able to win their Quarter Final matches on Day 11 of the tournament and that has meant not having a day of rest to appreciate what they have done. Facing one another will certainly build some tension as both players will look at this Semi Final as a very winnable one, while nerves ahead of the biggest match of their careers is going to be understandable.

It is slightly problematic that Qinwen Zheng played in the second Quarter Final and that she had an hour extra on the court, but it was not such an intense match that she can use that as an excuse if Zheng is unable to make the Final. There has been plenty of positive talk around this player over the last eighteen months to believe Qinwen Zheng had the qualities to win a Grand Slam title, but it has perhaps come a little quicker than anticipated.

That won't matter and it does feel like Zheng is building momentum.

After three less than ideal performances, Qinwen Zheng has certainly picked up her level in her last two wins in the tournament, which will give her confidence. At the same time you cannot argue that the draw was anything but kind to the soon to be top 10 Ranked player and Zheng has not had to beat anyone Ranked higher than Number 54.

Coming into the tournament, Dayana Yastremska was struggling down at World Number 93 and had to come through the Qualifiers, but she will be back inside the top 30 at the end of the Australian Open. The Ukrainian is certainly playing much higher than the current Ranking number next to her name and Yastremska is likely taking inspiration from Emma Raducanu who won the US Open as a Qualifier in 2021.

That run truly came out of left field, but Dayana Yastremska is a former World Number 21 and is hitting the ball very big at the moment. The fact is all of her wins in the main draw at the Australian Open have been against top 50 Ranked opponents and so her numbers look pretty impressive with that in mind.

Both of these girls have served very well and that has allowed them to dictate the tempo of their matches.

Out of the two, Qinwen Zheng has been getting a bit more out of the first serve and is a big ace hitter, but she is also only getting 53% of her first serves in play. Allowing Dayana Yastremska to see a lot of second serves will be a problem considering the Ukrainian has been winning more points on the return compared with Zheng, while she has also had a bit more protection of the second serve.

Nerves are the big 'x factor' that really cannot be determined, but Qinwen Zheng did reach the US Open Quarter Final in September and that may help her.

However, Dayana Yastremska has played with a real freedom and having a bit more time to prepare for the match could be the key to keeping this one close and competitive. It has been a long tournament for the Qualifier and conditions will be different in the evening compared with the Quarter Final being played in the day, but Yastremska looks more tested and that may be the big advantage she has over Qinwen Zheng, who is facing a significantly tougher test than at any other time in Melbourne this week.

MY PICKS: Coco Gauff-Aryna Sabalenka Over 21.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Dayana Yastremska + 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 21-46, - 55.20 Units (134 Units Staked, - 41.19% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 11 Picks 2023 (September 7th)

We are down to the last eight Singles players in the final Grand Slam of the 2023 season and it feels like this is a tournament that any of those players can win.

Conditions at the US Open have been brutal over the last few days and it looks like they will go right through to the weekend, which means it has become a battle of fitness as much as having the quality of tennis to earn wins.

That was notable in Daniil Medvedev's win over his good friend Andrey Rublev as both wilted in the unbelievable heat and humidity at Flushing Meadows- it is certainly going to raise a talking point going forward whether players should have to play in such abnormal conditions or whether these big tournaments should use the tools available to them, eg the roof on the main courts in this case, and try and get the temperature regulated to a better level for spectators and performers.

It is not the straight-forward answer some think- personally I love watching players deal with wind and factors that go beyond their tennis, although it also should be noted that this week has been exceptionally hot and perhaps a limit has to be placed on how hot it can be like they do at the Australian Open with the 'heat rule'.

On Thursday we move into the two Women's Semi Finals and it means a late start for the Singles players with both played in the Night Session on Arthur Ashe.

That may be good news with the hottest part of the day out of the way, but humidity is going to be an issue and it has remained very warm through the evening.

After a sweep of the Day 10 Picks, the selections for the week are edging back closer to the black after a really poor Week 1 at the tournament.

Finishing with even a slight profit will be difficult without a perfect end to the US Open, but avoiding huge losses will still feel like a win after the position the Picks were in earlier in the second week.

Coco Gauff-Karolina Muchova over 21.5 games: These two players met in the Final of the big event in Cincinnati and it was won by Coco Gauff for the biggest title of her career. The American is looking to surpass that achievement by winning her first ever Grand Slam title, although Karolina Muchova is an extremely experienced and motivated player having reached the French Open Final in June and only just coming up short against Iga Swiatek.

You cannot ignore what happened in Cincinnati when they faced off, but it would be wrong to completely dismiss the runs the two players had to that Final.

Coco Gauff had been comfortable before an epic Semi Final win over Iga Swiatek, but she had still spent a lot less time on the court compared with Karolina Muchova who had needed almost two plus hours and all three sets to win her four completed matches to earn her place opposite Gauff with the title on the line.

This time Karolina Muchova is arguably the fresher of the two players having made serene progress into the Semi Final with a single set dropped. Compared to that, Coco Gauff has needed three sets three times already, although the dismissal of Jelena Ostapenko for the loss of just two games in the Quarter Final came at a very good time.

The serving numbers of the two players have been decent, but it is the return from where both Gauff and Muchova have been most effective.

It was the case in the Cincinnati Final as the two players combined for eight breaks of serve with Coco Gauff earning the five-three edge on the day. Both struggled win consistently behind serve, but you have to believe they will have a bit more coming out of that shot in this Semi Final with the two players likely to be fresher than they were for the last meeting.

Picking a winner is not easy- Coco Gauff has a 7-5 record against top 20 Ranked players on the hard courts this season, while Karolina Muchova is 5-5 in those matches and with a narrow edge on the overall numbers. Even through the run to the Semi Final, the Czech player has perhaps been a little more consistent than Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova has to be confident she can turn around the result that was set in Cincinnati.

Stronger serving should help both players, but they will also be well aware of the quality that will be coming from the other side of the net.

Whoever falls behind in the match will know there is a mountain to climb, but you do have to respect the fact that Karolina Muchova has been able to work out problems on the court throughout this year. She has pushed top 20 opponents into a final set decider in seven of the ten matches played against those players on the hard courts and Muchova should be much more ready to compete with Coco Gauff compared with the last time they faced off.

Coco Gauff will have the home crowd behind her, but has had one or two nervy moments in this tournament already. There is a lot of expectation on her shoulders to reach the US Open Final as soon as Iga Swiatek exited the tournament and Karolina Muchova is expected to make things much more awkward than Jelena Ostapenko, who is temperamental and liable to making a huge amount of errors like we saw in the Quarter Final.

Nerves will be an issue and this is a match that may need all three sets to find a winner, although two competitive sets might be enough to cover the total games line.

Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 games v Madison Keys: These two players met at Wimbledon in the Quarter Final Round and now meet again at the next Grand Slam, although this time for a place in the US Open Final.

Both Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys may feel their very best tennis is played on the hard courts, but there is no doubt that the new World Number 1 has an edge having dismissed the Keys challenge as effectively as she did in SW19.

In reality, Aryna Sabalenka is the deserving favourite having played some strong tennis in her five wins in New York City and she has looked every bit the World Number 1 she is set to become. Of course, the Belarusian player would love to do that having put a second Grand Slam title in the trophy cabinet after winning the Australian Open back in January, but there are still a couple of mental demons that will need exorcising on Thursday evening.

Aryna Sabalenka has now reached the Semi Final in seven of the last nine Grand Slams she has played, but it cannot be ignored that five of the six matches played have ended in defeat. That includes at the French Open and Wimbledon since breaking through the Semi Final Round and winning the Australian Open so there are still one or two issues that need to be sorted out, the majority of which are going to do with handling the pressurised situations.

Despite her strong tennis and her successes, you cannot ignore how those Semi Final defeats have played out.

In 2021 Aryna Sabalenka was a set up at Wimbledon before losing that Semi Final, while later in the same year she came from a set down and then lost the decider at the US Open Semi Final against Leylah Fernandez.

In 2022 she took the first set in the Semi Final against eventual winner Iga Swiatek, but lost that US Open Semi Final.

Earlier this year Aryna Sabalenka came through a tight first set to beat Magda Linette in straight sets in the Semi Final in Melbourne, but she led by a break twice and served for the match in an eventual deciding set loss to Karolina Muchova at the French Open. A similar thing happened at Wimbledon where Sabalenka was a set and a break up against Ons Jabeur before losing yet another deciding set.

All of this cannot be ignored and it would be a surprise if this match does not get tight at some point considering how big Madison Keys has been hitting the ball. However, the American has not been nearly as convincing through her run at Flushing Meadows and was perhaps fortunate to get through her Quarter Final in straight sets, while that loss at Wimbledon to Aryna Sabalenka will be something that Madison Keys will have to try and forget.

On that day it was the Sabalenka serve that dominated the match and Madison Keys felt under pressure on her shot, which eventually broke down.

Madison Keys might not have the same mental scars from Semi Final losses as Aryna Sabalenka, but mainly because the latter's have all come in a relatively short period across the last two years. It should be remembered that Keys has played five Grand Slam Semi Final matches of her own and has only won one of those back in 2017 when she was eventually beaten in the US Open Final by compatriot Sloane Stephens.

In her last Semi Final appearance at a Grand Slam in Australia in 2022, Madison Keys was swatted aside by the then best player in the world in Ashleigh Barty.

While it can be difficult to be completely convinced by Aryna Sabalenka, the feeling is that she is serving at a higher level than Madison Keys and that is going to make a big difference in the outcome of this match. The expectation is that she can expose the Keys return game, and that should lead to what could be another strong win for Aryna Sabalenka against her American opponent at consecutive Grand Slam events.

If it gets tight, Sabalenka will have to prove to all that she is ready to become the dominant player on the Tour by pushing through, but the feeling is that she can use her serve to good effect and ultimately a place in the Saturday Final.

MY PICKS: Coco Gauff-Karolina Muchova Over 21.5 Games @ 1.85 Coral (2 Units)

Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

US Open Update: 37-33, - 5.04 Units (140 Units Staked, - 3.60% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 11 Picks 2023 (January 26th)

We are down to the final four of both the men's and women's Singles event at the Australian Open and there is every chance we are going to get two quality Finals from here.

Novak Djokovic is the clear favourite to win the men's event, but Stefanos Tsitsipas is a looming threat and I think those two would produce an ideal end to the first Grand Slam of the 2023 season.

The women's event looks much more open- in one Semi Final we have two former major winners squaring off, but the other has a surprising player making their first Grand Slam Semi Final appearance against one who has long been considered a Champion in the making that has come up short.

Elena Rybakina winning is perhaps the best outcome for fans on the WTA Tour- there are simply not many multiple time Slam Champions still playing regularly and Rybakina winning two of the last three Grand Slams may come through to be the rival that Iga Swiatek needs. A win over Swiatek in this tournament and then going on to win it would only build a rivalry that is desperately needed on the WTA side of the Tour and I think Elena Rybakina has all of the tools to be a future World Number 1 and to add many a Slam to the Wimbledon trophy she took home last July.

However, in saying that, I do think someone like Aryna Sabalenka could go strength to strength when she is able to get over the hump and win her first Grand Slam title. Her overall record at this level is actually pretty poor and so it does feel the time may be running out for Sabalenka to do that and push her career forward from there.

Day 10 proved to be another mixed bag for the Tennis Picks, but it could have been a lot worse after the disappointing results through the Quarter Final Round.

With just six matches left at the Australian Open this year, I would be extremely disappointed to go 2-4 or worse and dent the numbers produced from the tournament so far. In reality I am always aiming for six out of six winners to end the first Slam of the year and build some confidence to take into a very long season.

Elena Rybakina - 3.5 games v Victoria Azarenka: It might say 22 next to her name in terms of the Seeding at the Australian Open, but Elena Rybakina is the current Wimbledon Champion and would have entered 2023 as a comfortable top ten Ranked player if that tournament had not had its Ranking points removed by the Tours.

That came in light of the decision to ban players from Belarusian and Russian nationalities from competing in the tournament and so this is a Semi Final that could not have taken place at Wimbledon last July. Victoria Azarenka was not able to compete there, but has found some of her old form in Melbourne where she is a two time former Champion having upset Jessica Pegula in the Quarter Final.

It is a win that has to give Victoria Azarenka a lot of confidence and the women's tournament looks wide open for each of the four players remaining. This is the Semi Final featuring the only two remaining players with at least one Grand Slam title in the bag and so the winner between Victoria Azarenka and Elena Rybakina may enter the Final as the favourite with the experience edge alone.

Neither of these players had much momentum behind them from the warm up tournaments, but they do have a Champion mentality which has proved to be crucial for them in Melbourne. Elena Rybakina has beaten the World Number 1 in very fine fashion, and both Rybakina and Victoria Azarenka have two wins over players currently Ranked inside the top 13.

I cannot easily dismiss Victoria Azarenka's chances after the strong win over Jessica Pegula, but that was also a victory over a World Number 3 that has never reached the Semi Final of any Grand Slam. Stats like that underline why there is a perceived weakness at the top of the women's game, but you still have to beat the player in front of you and Victoria Azarenka did that in fine enough form to be respected, even at this stage of her career.

However, I do think Elena Rybakina is the rightful favourite as someone who continues to showcase her development into one of the premier WTA players around. Winning a second Grand Slam in seven months would certainly mean the Kazakhstan player will enter a lot of tournaments right amongst the favourites to win and Rybakina may also be ready to build a rivalry with Iga Swiatek for the top position on the Tour.

Like a few players before her, Elena Rybakina possesses a dominant serve- you can't put it up there with Serena Williams' serve right now, but it is a weapon that has proven to be essential to her game. If she serves as well as she can, there isn't a player on the Tour that can beat Elena Rybakina, but the key for her will be to find the consistency to produce week after week.

The serve has been a massive threat for Elena Rybakina throughout this tournament and it can be the key to breaking this Semi Final open. In her sole previous meeting with Victoria Azarenka in Indian Wells last March, Elena Rybakina only offered up a single Break Point in a straight sets win and she won 77% of her service points played on the day.

Victoria Azarenka's first serve can help her get in front of a rally, but she does not have the most effective second serve and she will not earn as many cheap points as Elena Rybakina is expected to in this Semi Final.

The return edge is with Azarenka, but I am not sure she will be given the time to really try and impose that on this match and I do give Elena Rybakina an edge in earning a place in the Saturday Final.

Elena Rybakina could become a truly exceptional player if she can find a stronger return game, but it has been plenty strong this week in Melbourne and I think she beats the veteran in a fun, but ultimately in a largely dominant display.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Magda Linette: Both of these players won in straight sets on Day 10 at the Australian Open, but Aryna Sabalenka was a clear favourite in her Quarter Final. That makes her win no less impressive, although the headlines will have been written by Magda Linette who continues making surprising progress at Melbourne Park.

If someone had told you that a women's Polish player will make the Semi Final at the Australian Open two weeks ago, you would have had a lot of money on that being Iga Swiatek. Instead of the World Number 1, Magda Linette has made a number of firsts in her career at the tournament- it has been the first time she has reached the second week of a Grand Slam, the first Quarter Final at a Slam and now a first Semi Final at a Slam.

She will not want the run to end and even the poor head to head with Aryna Sabalenka is not likely to upset Magda Linette considering she beat Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday having lost seven of the previous nine against the Czech player. A lot of those losses had been in one-sided fashion too so the fact the four sets played against Aryna Sabalenka have ended 6-1 (twice), 6-2 and 6-3 may not be as big a factor as you would expect.

Ultimately the pressure is on Aryna Sabalenka who has long been considered a Grand Slam Champion in the making and found a way to falter when the winning line has approached. Despite the obvious qualities, Sabalenka has yet to make the Final of any Grand Slam and has lost all four Semi Final matches played at this level, a fact that will not have been lost on her.

Like her opponent, Aryna Sabalenka has surprisingly not made it to the Quarter Final at the Australian Open before and she has led in two of her previous three Semi Final matches at Grand Slams before losing. Having come close to reaching a Final, I expect some nerves to be at play compared with Magda Linette who may feel she has nothing to lose having completely moved past her expectations here.

The lower Ranked player is going to have to serve well and see whether she can build some pressure on her opponent in this Semi Final. So far, Magda Linette has been able to look after her second serve and that has led to dropping serve just ten times in her five wins at the Australian Open so far, while then allowing her to take a few more risks on the return.

Serving well has to be the key against an aggressive Aryna Sabalenka who looks to attack that shot constantly.

Aryna Sabalenka has been dominating on the return throughout this month and has pushed her numbers to winning 50% of return points played in the tournament. That is an incredible level and maintaining that for seven matches will never be easy, but Sabalenka is playing with a real confidence and has not really been pushed in any of her matches in the draw.

She has not played the same level of opponents as Magda Linette, but Aryna Sabalenka also won a tournament ahead of the Australian Open and there is no doubting her level right now. The serve was something of a hindrance at times last year, but Sabalenka looks to have gotten control of the second delivery and that has rebuilt the confidence in that shot and has led to losing serve just five times in five matches.

Donna Vekic had her chances in the Quarter Final, but I expect Aryna Sabalenka to largely contain the threat in this Semi Final as she did in her last match. The power and aggression should favour the World Number 5 and I think Aryna Sabalenka will make her way into a maiden Slam Final with a strong victory in the second Semi Final to be played on Thursday.

MY PICKS: Elena Rybakina - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 39-30, + 7.04 Units (134 Units Staked, + 5.25% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2022 (June 2nd)

It has been a very difficult few days for the Tennis Picks, but it was pleasing to put a sweep together on Wednesday as the Quarter Finals were completed.

On Thursday we are down to the Women's Semi Finals before the Men take centre stage on Friday.

Hopefully the momentum of Wednesday can carry forward through to the Semi Final Picks, which can be read below.

Martina Trevisan + 4.5 games v Cori Gauff: It isn't often that a player will have the opportunity to reach a Grand Slam Final and I think both of these players involved in the final four at Roland Garros will be looking at the other as a really good draw.

When I say that, I mean no disrespect to Cori Gauff or Martina Trevisan who have both had strong clay court seasons in the build to the French Open and who have looked sharp in the tournament. Both will feel they have performed at a strong level to deserve their spot in the last four in the second Grand Slam of the season and I can't really argue with that at all.

Between the two players, they have only dropped a single set.

That came in Martina Trevisan's Quarter Final against Leylah Fernandez having served for the match before going down in the tie-breaker, but the Italian showed character and composure to eventually break through in the final set decider.

Cori Gauff has had it easier with a single set won on a tie-breaker, while a couple of other sets have been won 7-5, while the numbers have been slightly stronger than Martina Trevisan in the French Open and I do think the young American is the more likely to make the breakthrough and reach a maiden Grand Slam Final.

The younger player has been a little stronger when it comes to the return of serve in the last two weeks and she has a big hitting game that will put Martina Trevisan under pressure.

It sounds like the weather is heating up considerably over the next two days in Paris and that may suit the aggressive game of Cori Gauff with a little more chance to hit through the court. The serve can also be an important weapon for her and I do think Cori Gauff is going to have more faith in that shot picking up cheaper points than Martina Trevisan, whose serve is all about placement.

Under pressure that could potentially go awry, as it did when serving for the match in the Quarter Final, and Martina Trevisan is going to have to find a way to drag Cori Gauff into longer rallies and see if her clay court nous can pay off.

In this French Open, both have been explosive return players and I do think this is going to make this a tight and competitive Semi Final.

They have met once before here at the French Open in 2020 and it was Martina Trevisan who edged past Cori Gauff in three sets having created more break points in the match. It was played in the Autumn and the conditions are going to be vastly different on Thursday, while both players are going to have to deal with different nerves in a Semi Final compared with the Second Round meeting a little over eighteen months ago.

Nerves make it a little harder to predict, but I do think Martina Trevisan is being underestimated with the amount of games she is being given. The time spent on the court in the last two Rounds may also go against the Italian, but she is given every chance to recover with this being the second Semi Final on Thursday and I think there are enough games here to see Martina Trevisan keep this one competitive, even in a losing effort.

Iga Swiatek - 6.5 games v Daria Kasatkina: This has to be one of the biggest spreads we have seen in a Women's Grand Slam Semi Final for a long time, but you can't really argue against it.

After a stellar clay court season leading into the French Open, Iga Swiatek has looked the best player in the draw even though there has been a few more mistakes coming out of the racquet than we have become used to seeing. The problem with setting such strong standards is that any slight drop looks surprising, but Iga Swiatek is still playing at a really strong level.

While the serve has been working well for the most part on the clay, the World Number 1 has continued to dominate the return numbers and I expect she is going to be able to put a lot of pressure on Daria Kasatkina's vulnerable serve.

The lower Ranked player had a decent clay court season herself, while Daria Kasatkina has been competitive even in the three losses she has suffered on the surface. It was important for her to get through her Quarter Final in straight sets to make sure she is ready to compete with this being a rare moment in the Grand Slam when two players have to go out on court without any rest days.

Daria Kasatkina's serve did show vulnerability against Veronika Kudermetova, but like Iga Swiatek, the Russian has been returning very effectively and that will give her confidence in her maiden Grand Slam Semi Final. She has been Ranked in the top ten on the WTA Tour in her career and that is going to be important for Daria Kasatkina to have the confidence to try and compete, but this has been a terrible match up for her in 2022.

Last season Daria Kasatkina came from behind to crush Iga Swiatek on the grass courts in Eastbourne and she had lost just a single game in the final two sets on that day, but it has been much different in 2022.

These two have met three times this season and Iga Swiatek seems to have taken offence to the way she was beaten in Eastbourne having won all three matches and lost a total of eleven games in those wins. The win at the Australian Open was the toughest of the three wins with five games given up that day, but Swiatek has clearly gotten well on top of this opponent.

The clay courts could give Daria Kasatkina more of a chance, but she has seen her serve crushed by the World Number 1 and I think we are going to see more of the same on Thursday.

I do think Daria Kasatkina can have more success on the return of serve than she has had in their three matches in 2022 with all of those being on the hard courts, but even then it will be hard to stay with someone playing at the level that Iga Swiatek has produced.

A big number like this can be difficult to overcome with one or two mistakes or missed game points/break points likely to prove costly, but I do think Iga Swiatek will be tough to contain for an opponent like Daria Kasatkina. As well as the latter has played in this tournament, it feels like she will struggle to look after her serve and I think Swiatek wins widely as long as she can stay in the moment and not think too far ahead of herself.

MY PICKS: Martina Trevisan + 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 6.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

French Open Update: 51-53, - 12.77 Units (206 Units Staked, - 6.20% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2021 (June 10th)

Day 12 of the French Open is reserved for the Women's Semi Finals and both are going to be played back to back on the main show court in Paris.

It should be a decent day after four surprising names have made their way into the Semi Final and all four should be full of belief that they can pick up the title on Saturday.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova - 2.5 games v Tamara Zidansek: Both of these players spent well over two hours on the court on Tuesday and both were rewarded with a first ever Grand Slam Semi Final.

It has been a long time coming for Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova who has lost multiple Grand Slam Quarter Finals through her long career as she has perhaps failed to reach the kind of level some had predicted for her. That isn't to say it has been a bad career, but a peak World Ranking of Number 13 and failure to reach a Grand Slam Semi Final before this tournament in Paris is perhaps not as successful as Pavlyuchenkova looked like she could be when dominating the junior world.

Breaking through the Quarter Final barrier in a long match against friend and Doubles partner Elena Rybakina may give Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova a 'nothing to lose' attitude for the remainder of the French Open, but there is some pressure on her. The Russian will go into this Semi Final as a considerable favourite which is perhaps not a surprise when you think of how far out of left field this run has been for Tamara Zidansek.

The Slovenian has played in eight Grand Slam tournament main draws before the French Open and she had won a total of three matches, but Zidansek has won five in a row in Paris and battled through a tough Quarter Final to take her place in the final four. She has played the big points really well and Tamara Zidansek has won a number of matches as the underdog which will give her a lot of confidence going into this match.

Tamara Zidansek certainly has the edge when it comes to the movement around the court and that can be very important on a clay court, but she will have to serve well to keep Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at bay.

In this tournament, it is Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova who has impressed more consistently with her return and she has broken at least five times in each of her five wins. Most impressively, the Russian has created at least ten break points in each of her last four matches and that kind of pressure will be tough for Tamara Zidansek to deal with, especially as she has given up more break points than she has created in each of her last four wins.

Both players have battled hard in the tournament, but you would think there will be a few more cheaper points coming from the Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova racquet and that can be a key in a match that is going to see plenty of nerves from both sides of the court. A real opportunity to not only reach a Grand Slam Final, but also perhaps win a Major tournament will be heavy on the minds and I think Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has more to prove in that regard as she could see this as a last chance to play in a showcase match in her career.

However, I think the experience has to help her and I think Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has been playing the superior return tennis in the French Open which is going to be key to the outcome of the first Semi Final on Thursday. There will be swings in momentum, but I think Pavlyuchenkova will have a little too much for a solid Tamara Zidansek who has seen her serve attacked regularly and perhaps just had the fine margins on her side so far in Paris.

Barbora Krejcikova + 3.5 games v Maria Sakkari: All four Women's Quarter Finals were won by the underdog and that means the defending Champion Iga Swiatek has been beaten.

Once again a new Grand Slam Champion is going to be announced on Saturday as the top of the Women's game continues to be tightly contested with many players capable of putting seven wins together to win a Major tournament. The winner of this Semi Final is likely going to be the favourite to win the title and both Barbora Krejcikova and Maria Sakkari will be feeling very good about their tennis after their wins on Day 11.

Unlike the other two Semi Finalists, Barbora Krejcikova and Maria Sakkari had to play their Semi Final on Wednesday rather than Tuesday, but I don't think that is going to be a major factor. Fitness should not be an issue that hurts either player and I do think there is every chance that the underdog could win this one outright.

Maria Sakkari will have grabbed the headlines for her strong win over Iga Swiatek, although you do have to wonder how much an injury was a factor for the defending Champion. It has continued what has been a strong tournament for Greek tennis, while Sakkari has been playing at a really good level at the French Open which makes her dangerous.

The serve has been a key factor for Sakkari through the five wins she has had in Paris, but that has only helped her return game with more break points created than her opponent in each Round of the tournament. It is encouraging tennis from a player who needed a break after a relatively low-key clay court season and makes the run to the Semi Final even more impressive.

It will be difficult to match her level from the win over Iga Swiatek though and Maria Sakkari will be well aware of how improved Barbora Krejcikova is as a Singles player. The clay court season has been a strong one for the Czech player that flies under the radar somewhat behind the likes of Karolina Pliskova, Karolina Muchova and Petra Kvitova as the top names from that nation, but Barbora Krejcikova showed a strong mentality to beat Coco Gauff in the Quarter Final in the manner she did.

There has been a pretty good consistency with the serve, but Barbora Krejcikova knows there may be more to come from that shot if she is going to surprisingly go on and win the French Open. However, she has been really effective on the return and much of this match is going to come down to which of these players is able to take control of rallies behind heavy groundstrokes.

The 2-0 head to head in favour of Barbora Krejcikova includes a solid win over Maria Sakkari on the Dubai hard courts earlier this year, a match in which she dominated the break points and was ultimately a comfortable winner. That will help, but both players will need to get on top of their nerves knowing a huge opportunity is in front of them in the same manner the two players in the first Semi Final are going to have to manage.

Both players have shown enough on the clay courts to believe they can win, but this handicap looks a touch too big in favour of the underdog considering how well Barbora Krejcikova has played here in Paris and on the clay in general over the last couple of years. She can certainly match Maria Sakkari who will have to get over the emotions of a big upset win against the defending Champion and has to deal with the expectations that come after a win of that magnitude.

It certainly feels like a handicap will be difficult to overcome even if Maria Sakkari wins the match as I expect Barbora Krejcikova to push her all the way. The underdog is certainly capable of winning this Semi Final at her best too and the games are tempting enough to get behind.

MY PICKS: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Barbora Krejcikova + 3.5 Games @ 1.75 Coral (2 Units)

French Open Update: 47-41, + 0.70 Units (176 Units Staked, + 0% Yield)