Tennis Picks 2018 (September 27th)

Wednesday could not have gone any worse for the Tennis Picks and it has made this a very poor week overall.

The season totals have been given a big dent too by the poor week, but I have been disappointed with the very little luck that has been on my side.

Every player on Wednesday started well but just could not take the opportunities they were creating which is frustrating to say the least.

On Thursday I do have some selections, but I need to have more luck to make sure the day is nothing like as poor as Wednesday turned out to be.


MY PICKS: Ashleigh Barty - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Qiang Wang - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Alex De Minaur - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 4-10, - 12.98 Units (28 Units Staked, - 46.36% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (September 26th)

The week has been a tough one to this point, but the Tennis continues on Wednesday as we move onto the next Round in the tournaments being played this week.

As with the first couple of days, I am going to place the Picks alone in this thread as I battle 'man flu'.

Manchester United's performance in the League Cup has hardly helped either, but my Picks from the Tennis to be played on Wednesday can be seen below.


MY PICKS: Petra Kvitova - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Caroline Wozniacki - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Garbine Muguruza - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Joao Sousa - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 4-6, - 4.98 Units (20 Units Staked, - 24.90% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (September 24th)

Last week was a pretty tough one for the Tennis Picks, but the season results are still in good shape going into the final two months of the 2018 Tour.

There are a number of tournaments beginning on Monday this week too, although the biggest event looks to be the WTA Wuhan event. On Monday my Tennis Picks are focusing on that event and you can see the selections I have made below.

I should be creating fuller threads for the Tennis Picks through the rest of the week, but for Monday it is the selections only being posted.

MY PICKS: Bernarda Pera - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Donna Vekic - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Ashleigh Barty - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Season 2018: + 27.18 Units (1499 Units Staked, + 1.81% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (October 1st)

This has been a frustrating week for the tennis picks with one step forward quickly followed by two steps back and that has seen the losses take over.

While I have accepted that I won't be turning this week around, this is a big month to try and get the season totals back into the black or face having back to back losing records which would be a huge disappointment. There are still a couple of days to go in the tournaments from last week, but the events in Beijing and Tokyo will also get underway and the 2016 is quickly winding down.


Richard Gasquet - 3.5 games v Janko Tipsarevic: The last few months have been difficult for Richard Gasquet with injury taking its toll on his season. I don't think he will have a lot of sympathy from Janko Tipsarevic who has lost a couple of years to injury although he is making the most of his Protected Ranking entry into the tournament in Shenzhen this week.

Both players are looking for a confidence boosting title to take away, but Gasquet is a healthy favourite to at least make it through to the Final. I can understand that as Tipsarevic has struggled to find the consistency that took him into the top 10 of the World Rankings in his prime .

The problem for Tipsarevic has been trying to stay with opponents who have been hitting the ball much harder than he has. He has had some solid wins this week to get into the Semi Final, but Tipsarevic was beaten comfortably by Mikhail Youzhny last week in St Petersburg and Gasquet should have enough pop from the serve to look after that side of his game and allow him to have some shots to try and break the Serb's serve in this one.

Gasquet has won all three previous matches against Tipsarevic and I think he is going to have the majority of break points in this match too. The key will be winning the big points when they come his way and I think he can come through with a 75, 64 win if he is able to take the opportunities when they are presented.


Petra Kvitova - 3.5 games v Dominika Cibulkova: I thought the win over Angelique Kerber in the Third Round would have taken something out of the Petra Kvitova tank, but instead she seems to be boosted by huge confidence levels from that win. Since then she has won two matches without dropping a set and Kvitova looks very comfortable on the surface.

She will be given a test by Dominika Cibulkova who has won the last two matches these two have played against one another but I do think the Slovakian has been forced to work much harder to win her last two matches. Cibulkova's serve could be in big trouble in this one, but her aggression will see her protect that as long as possible although not long enough to win this match as far as I am concerned.

On the other hand everything seems to be working for Kvitova who has been able to punish players behind her big game and it is tough to oppose her when you think of the way she dismissed the challenge of Simona Halep on Friday. This is going to be a similar kind of match for Kvitova and that performance suggests she will be too good for Cibulkova as she is seeing the tennis ball like a football at the moment.

The Kvitova serve is also a bigger weapon than Cibulkova has and I think she can win the tournament and get closer to those players chasing Singapore berths behind a 63, 63 win.

MY PICKS: Richard Gasquet - 3.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Petra Kvitova - 3.5 Games @ 1.73 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 9-11, - 6.74 Units (40 Units Staked, - 16.85% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (September 30th)

There was a much better set of results on Thursday which is helping move the week back in a positive direction, but it wasn't a perfect day and that means room for improvement is there.

We have reached the Quarter Finals in the majority of the tournaments being played this week and the Semi Finals in the Wuhan tournament as the Asian swing gets set to move onto a couple of really big events at the beginning of October.

At this stage of the tennis season the focus is on getting to the World Tour Finals/End of Year Championships for the players at the forefront of the ATP and WTA Tours and that should keep players motivated as they try to secure their positions in the top eight. The WTA Tour comes to an end sooner than the ATP Tour and this is the final month of the 2016 season for the women players compared with the men who have a couple of extra weeks to play.


Grigor Dimitrov - 4.5 games v Diego Sebastian Schwartzman: One of the more memorable moments on the Tour this season has to be the way Grigor Dimitrov forfeited in his defeat to Diego Sebastian Schwartzman in the Final in Istanbul. It was during the height of Dimitrov's poor performances in 2016 when he fell apart in the third set decider but there have been signs over the last couple of months that he is finding his game again.

I am not ready to see Dimitrov take on the best players on the Tour as I do feel he will ultimately come up short in those matches, but he should be confident of earning some revenge over Schwartzman. The match in Istanbul was very close until the final set and Dimitrov is playing at a better level now which makes me think he can have a relatively straight-forward win in this one.

The Dimitrov game is still a little uncertain at times as he is not getting enough of the first serve and continues to make plenty of errors off the ground. However there have been more signs of Dimitrov finding his consistency and the hard courts should favour him more than Schwartzman which should give him the edge in the match.

I do think the Schwartzman serve can be vulnerable even if he has recorded two very good wins already in Chengdu this week. I am expecting Dimitrov to have his chances to break serve in the match and I think he is going to be strong enough at the key moments to come through with a 63, 64 win.


Dominic Thiem - 4.5 games v Albert Ramos-Vinolas: There is every chance that Dominic Thiem is going to be a part of the World Tour Finals for the first time in his career, but he still has work to do if he wants to make that a reality. Winning the tournament in Chengdu would be huge for him as he tries to improve from his current position of Number 7 in the Race to London and also to earn some momentum to take into the big events coming up.

2016 has already been a memorable year for Thiem and he was a fairly routine winner in the Second Round to move into this Quarter Final. He will have to be better if Thiem is going to find a way to get past Albert Ramos-Vinolas even if the Spaniard is most happy on the clay courts.

However his lefty serve will always be awkward for players to deal with even if it isn't the most powerful shot on the Tour. When Ramos-Vinolas is not able to hit his spots, I do think the serve is going to be attacked by Thiem who won't be afraid of using his backhand to hit heavily into the Ramos-Vinolas forehand and earn something from that.

Thiem will need some time to adjust to what he is seeing from Ramos-Vinolas in their first match on the Tour. He has shown he can do that and begin to turn matches in his favour and I think that is what happens here as the young Austrian comes through a tight first set to win this one 76, 62.


Dominika Cibulkova + 2.5 games v Svetlana Kuznetsova: The first Semi Final in Wuhan is perhaps a surprising one that not many would have picked before the tournament began. Both Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dominika Cibulkova are solid players on the Tour, but have come through a half of the draw that did contain Agnieszka Radwanska and Karolina Pliskova so their presence in the Semi Final is unexpected.

This match will have a big impact on the Race to Singapore though with Cibulkova going into the tournament in Number 7 spot and Kuznetsova Number 11 and the winner will believe they have made a huge step to playing in the elite eight. However there is plenty of the line with a place in the Wuhan Final at stake so I am not going to believe the players are worrying about their position in Singapore instead of the immediate match in front of them.

I can't imagine this will be anything but a close and competitive match between two players who have played seven times previously but not since the 2011 season. Both Kuznetsova and Cibulkova came through tough matches on Thursday to get to the Semi Final and you have to think Kuznetsova is favourite as her opponent had to win two matches on Thursday to get through to this one.

I do have to respect the fact that Cibulkova had those tough matches on Thursday, but this is not a match that will have too many gruelling rallies with both players big time shotmakers. I think Kuznetsova has the edge on the serve, but she has lost four in a row to Cibulkova and that will be something these players might remember even if it was five years ago when they last met. I am a fan of Cibulkova and I think she can make this competitive by forcing Kuznetsova into some mistakes as she fights fire with fire and I will take the games being offered.


Simona Halep - 2.5 games v Petra Kvitova: It will be strange to watch the WTA End of Year Championships and not have Petra Kvitova involved, but her 2016 has been one of disappointment. This week has been far from a disappointment though and Kvitova has been in impressive form, although the challenge in front of her is arguably the most difficult one she will have faced.

That might sound funny considering she has beaten the US Open Champion and current World Number 1 Angelique Kerber, but physically I don't think Kvitova can be anything near where she wants when taking on Simona Halep. Beating Johanna Konta in straight sets was very important for Kvitova to get some more time to rest, but someone like Halep can force her into the really long rallies she would like to avoid.

Halep also has won all three previous matches between these players including when they played in the Fed Cup earlier this year. The Romanian will be playing in Singapore at the end of October and she has been in fine form over the last two months while her confidence should mean she is not going to be intimidated by the raw power Kvitova has been displaying in Wuhan.

I do think there will be moments that Kvitova is able to penetrate the Halep defences and the serving edge definitely goes to the former too. She has been playing well enough to win this match, but I think Halep is in the better place physically and has the mental edge having won all previous matches against Kvitova and I like Halep to come through with a 36, 63, 63 win.

MY PICKS: Grigor Dimitrov - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Dominic Thiem - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Dominika Cibulkova + 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Simona Halep - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 8-8, - 2.56 Units (32 Units Staked, - 8% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (September 29th)

It has been a frustrating week for the picks with a lot of early winners followed by poor afternoon results.

The same happened again on Wednesday with the first two picks coming in as winners before the final three picks circled the drain. It is a little annoying, but that is the way it goes sometimes and it can quickly be turned around over the last four days of the events taking place this week.

Like the majority of the rest of the picks that I have made this week, I am going to be sticking with the event in Wuhan which has reached the Quarter Final stage. One of those Quarter Final matches are yet to be set thanks to the rain in the area, but all four will be played on Thursday as this tournament reaches the final couple of days.


Simona Halep - 3.5 games v Madison Keys: These players met in the Final of the Canadian Premier Event and Simona Halep was not as favoured to win that Final as she is in winning this Quarter Final against Madison Keys. A part of the reason was the form that Keys had shown that week in reaching the Final and Halep had also had a very difficult Semi Final against Angelique Kerber, but I think the Romanian is much fresher for this match and so the layers are asking her to cover an additional game.

I do think Halep is able to do that against a player she has beaten twice already this season including on the grass courts of Wimbledon where most would have expected Keys to come through. In both wins Halep has been able to cover this number with her superior movement and ability to make Keys play more balls than normal has helped her break down the power of the American.

Halep is capable of putting Keys in some really awkward positions on the court and I am still not convinced Keys has enough planning in her game to win a really big title. We know what we are going to get from Keys and that is some big time tennis beginning with a powerful serve and followed by heavy groundstrokes.

When that is a tactic that isn't working as effectively as usual, Keys can struggle to move to Plan B and I do think that is why Halep has got the better of her in their recent matches. Halep will know that her serve can be attacked by someone with the power Keys has, but she won't get too down on herself and will try to drag Keys into the longer rallies that Halep will expect to win more often than not.

Both wins have seen Halep cover this number against Keys and I also think she has shown much more consistent form over the last couple of months so I will back the World Number 4 to have a little too much in her locker in this one.


Svetlana Kuznetsova + 2.5 games v Agnieszka Radwanska: This Quarter Final looks to be a very good one between Svetlana Kuznetsova and Agnieszka Radwanska and I think it is going to be a close and competitive match.

Picking a winner is difficult with Kuznetsova having a clear edge on the head to head, but the last of those matches taking place last year. Going back to 2009, Kuznetsova has won seven of the last eight matches between these players, but Radwanska might feel she is the better form over the last couple of months which will give her the edge.

The match up is going to be Kuznetsova's power and aggression against Radwanska's ability to get around the court and make plenty of defensive plays and try and extract errors from the Kuznetsova game. There will be times when the Pole is very successful at doing that, but I think at other times it will be Kuznetsova dominating rallies and forcing breaks of serve.

I got it wrong yesterday when backing Caroline Wozniacki as the underdog with the games against Radwanska. However Wozniacki might not have been at 100% and had plenty of chances to get ahead in the match and Kuznetsova is in stronger physical condition at this moment with a solid couple of wins behind her.

Taking the games in this one should be important if Kuznetsova can win a set as I think that can inspire her to win this one outright too.


Johanna Konta v Petra Kvitova: Johanna Konta is the slight underdog in this match against Petra Kvitova and that has got to have something to do with the fact the latter was playing for over three hours in an epic match with Angelique Kerber on Wednesday. While Kvitova has been given twenty-four hours to get ready for this match, I can't help but feel that something has been taken away from Kvitova from that Third Round win.

This is a player that has won big tournaments before so I know Kvitova won't be unfamiliar with the situation of back to back matches, but she won't have spent that time on court too often. Kvitova has to be feeling it physically and mentally having come from a set down to beat the World Number 1 and I do think Konta has a chance to 'pick the bones' of the player that does come out to face her on court.

Konta can't just think she has to turn up to win this game as a tired player might be more likely to hit out when the short ball comes their way. A player like Kvitova is happy to play with that aggression in mind and she is more than capable of blasting off anyone when on her day so Konta will have to be smart with the way she plays this match.

If she can put together a game plan where Konta executes by serving well and forcing Kvitova to move from side to side I think she has a great chance of winning this match. That should open up the drop shot that Konta loves to play and she has to play tight and not give away too many unforced errors to make Kvitova feel the match pressurising her from a mental point of view as well as extending the rallies to physically wear her out.

I do think Konta is able to do that and move into the Semi Final where she is earning the Ranking points to challenge for a top eight place in Singapore at the end of October.

MY PICKS: Simona Halep - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)
Svetlana Kuznetsova + 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Johanna Konta @ 2.00 Boyle Sports (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 6-7, - 3.98 Units (26 Units Staked, - 15.31% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (September 28th)

It was another frustrating day for the tennis picks with the matches on Tuesday going 2-2 for the second time in a row.

A 50% hit rate is no good for the picks and keeping the momentum rolling from the US Open as I look to end 2016 with positive results and try to get the season totals back into a positive position.

On Wednesday the tournaments are beginning to move into the later stages of the events being held in Asia, but the majority of my picks will once again come from the tournament being held in Wuhan where the top WTA players have been taking part.


Madison Keys - 3.5 games v Daria Kasatkina: This has been a very good year for Daria Kasatkina but the feeling is that she might have hit the wall that many youngsters do in their breakthrough on the main Tour. She had been in poor form prior to the tournament in Wuhan, but Kasatkina should have earned some confidence having come through the Qualifiers and then won two matches in the main draw.

Kasatkina has been a pretty strong favourite in every match she has played so far this week, but that won't be the case when she faces Madison Keys in the Third Round. The American is still trying to find the consistency that will see her take the next step in her career, but she has the power to make life very difficult for Kasatkina.

When they played at the Olympic Games, it was Keys' extra ability to hit through a slow court that hurt Kasatkina in the straight sets win and I think something similar will develop here.

The Keys serve has to be firing because that builds the confidence in her entire game and her power makes her a dangerous returner on the Tour. I do think she served well enough against Caroline Garcia to suggest she will have a little too much for Kasatkina and I expect Keys will earn at least three breaks of serve in this one which should lead to a 64, 64 win for the American.


Johanna Konta - 1.5 games v Carla Suarez Navarro: It will take a couple of really big tournaments for Johanna Konta to work her way through to the top eight in the Race to Singapore, but she did make a good start to that with a comfortable win in the Second Round in Wuhan.

Finishing in the top eight places in the Race to Singapore will begin this week for Konta who faces Carla Suarez Navarro in the Third Round, the player who currently is 8th in the leaderboard. This is a big test for Konta because Suarez Navarro is capable of beating the best players on the Tour when she is finding her best tennis, although the serve remains the big hindrance to her winning a really big tournament.

When on top form, Suarez Navarro is capable of looking after the serve even if it isn't going to produce too many cheap points from that shot. She is very capable off the ground and Konta can't afford to give up too many unforced errors to the Spaniard if she is going to avoid defeat in this one.

The backhand to backhand battles are going to be beautiful to watch with both players more comfortable from that wing. There won't be much between them, but I think Konta's stronger groundstrokes and first serve can be the difference maker in this one as long as she stays emotionally and physically invested in the match. It might need three sets, but Konta can battle through to the Quarter Final behind a 63, 46, 64 win.


Angelique Kerber - 3.5 games v Petra Kvitova: After winning the Australian Open back in January, Angelique Kerber struggled with the new expectation of being a Grand Slam Champion going into any tournament she played. The German didn't have the same struggles after reaching the Final at Wimbledon, perhaps showing Kerber was ready to play at those levels consistently.

Now she comes into Wuhan as a two time Grand Slam winner following her success at the US Open, but also a new pressure of being the current World Number 1 having overtaken Serena Williams in New York City. Kerber came back from a set down to beat Kristina Mladenovic in her first match here in Wuhan and I think she is going to have a strong end to the season although her match with Petra Kvitova is going to be a real test for her.

It has been an impressive tournament for Kvitova so far which has followed some strong runs over the last couple of months. However she is still trying to find the confidence you need when taking on the very best players on the Tour and I think that is where Kvitova has fallen short more often than not.

These players met at the US Open and it was Kerber's superiority in the rallies that proved to be the difference maker on the day. If Kerber can take advantage of the second serves she will see in this one, I think the new World Number 1 can stamp her authority on the women's game with an impressive win against a big name on the Tour.


Caroline Wozniacki + 2.5 games v Agnieszka Radwanska: There is no doubt we are going to see plenty of breaks of serve when Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska play one another in the Third Round in Wuhan. They combined for 13 breaks of serve when they played in the Semi Final in Tokyo last week and it was Wozniacki who got the better of Radwanska on that occasion.

It has been a match up that Wozniacki has enjoyed with nine wins to four and she has won the last four matches between the players over the last two years. Out of the two players, I do think Wozniacki has a little more pop in her shots which can help her wear down Radwanska and this is a match that has the potential of going into a third set where the Pole has not been at her best.

The confidence has been flowing through Wozniacki who has had three really good tournaments in a row to keep her World Ranking moving back in the positive direction she would be expecting. That confidence makes her a dangerous player this week although she has had more tennis over the last couple of weeks than most others left in the draw.

One of those is not Radwanska though and I think the mental edge belongs to Wozniacki in this one. It could easily be another match that goes the distance and that makes this number of games very appealing to back the underdog and I think Wozniacki can keep within the number even if she is on the wrong end of the final result this week.


Paolo Lorenzi - 2.5 games v Diego Sebastian Schwartzman: Both of these players are much more comfortable on the clay courts than the hard courts, but I think the veteran Italian Paolo Lorenzi can get the better of Diego Sebastian Schwartzman in this one. While both are happier on the clay, Lorenzi has at least put some more wins together on the hard courts and he did reach the Quarter Final on an indoor hard court event in St Petersburg last week.

It is also Lorenzi that has two wins over Schwartzman under his belt in the 2016 season, although both of those have come on the clay courts, and that can give him another mental edge in this Second Round match.

Even though this match is being played on the hard courts, I do think there will be plenty of long rallies and chances to break for both players. However I think Lorenzi is the more confident player on this surface at the moment and the wins he has over Schwartzman will make him believe he can win this one when the big moments come along.

There is a chance this will need three sets to separate the players, but Lorenzi is capable of winning one of the sets with a couple of breaks of serve more than Schwartzman manages. That should help him cover this number in a winning effort even over three sets and I will back Lorenzi to do that.

MY PICKS: Madison Keys - 3.5 Games @ 1.73 Bet365 (2 Units)
Johanna Konta - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Angelique Kerber - 3.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Caroline Wozniacki + 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Paolo Lorenzi - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 4-4, - 1.26 Units (16 Units Staked, - 7.88% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (September 27th)

It was a mixed bag of results on Monday with the picks going 2-2, but I am disappointed Lucie Safarova couldn't stay within the number by making some critical mistakes in the big moments of that match.

This is only the start of the week with the tournaments picking up some pace from now, but I am sticking with the event in Wuhan for my picks on Tuesday.


Petra Kvitova - 3.5 games v Elina Svitolina: With a strong end to the season, Petra Kvitova could end 2016 with the most Tour wins in a single season since 2013. Inconsistent results have blighted her throughout the year, but I do think Kvitova can come through another match with Elina Svitolina and earn her third win against her in the last six weeks.

The wins came in big events at the Olympic Games and the US Open and Kvitova won both fairly comfortably as they came in straight sets. There were a number of break points for both players in the match at the US Open, but the difference was the power that Kvitova could get from the first serve which was making life easier for her in shortening the points.

Svitolina has some form behind her by getting to the Semi Final last week in Tokyo and she did have three really good wins under her belt in that tournament. Going deep into that event does mean that Kvitova is likely to have an edge when it comes to the physical fitness in this match and I do think she is the superior player on the court.

You never know if Kvitova is going to throw in a really poor performance, but she seemingly enjoys the match up with Svitolina and I will look for the Czech player to move into the next Round behind a 64, 64 win.


Caroline Wozniacki - 4.5 games v Katerina Siniakova: It isn't that long ago since Caroline Wozniacki was rumoured to be thinking about retirement as the World Ranking plummeted. A strong showing at the US Open was unexpected, but Wozniacki has backed that up by winning the title in Tokyo last week and a strong run this week would see her back into the top 20 in the Rankings.

A solid win over Samantha Stosur in the First Round has kept the positive run going, but this is going to be a test for Wozniacki when she takes on Katerina Siniakova who has won three matches here in Wuhan already. Siniakova also reached the Final in Osaka since the US Open before falling short.

However it has been a memorable season for Siniakova already in 2016 and she has some under-rated power off the ground that might surprise Wozniacki at times. I think the key to this match will be the fact that Wozniacki can get enough balls back in play which will frustrate a young player that perhaps isn't used to having to hit so close to the lines as often as Wozniacki will force her to.

That will lead to errors and Wozniacki is playing a little more aggressive which should see her get into a position where she can keep the winning run going behind a 64, 63 success.


Johanna Konta - 4.5 games v Shuai Zhang: I would love to see Johanna Konta finish in the top 10 of the World Rankings to end 2016, but I am sure the British player has bigger aims and that is playing in the End of Year Championships. Both will only be achieved with some big runs over the next month and this tournament in Wuhan is providing plenty of Ranking points for her to pick up the rest of the week.

Konta hasn't played a lot of tennis since the US Open and her win over Annika Beck in the First Round is the only competitive match she has had since a surprising loss in the Fourth Round at Flushing Meadows. That is in complete contrast to Shuai Zhang who has reached two Semi Finals in back to back weeks before coming from a set down to beat Shuai Peng on Monday.

If Zhang is serving well, she can be a real threat on the tennis court as the rest of her game seems to pick up confidence from that shot. However she is going to have some issues dealing with Konta who is fairly solid off both wings and has a very good serve of her own which sets up plenty of cheap points.

When they played at the Australian Open, Zhang's run of wins got the better of her physically, but I do think Konta is the better player. I think Zhang can fall away mentally when things start getting a little challenging on the court while Konta is a much more emotionally secure player these days and I think she moves through 64, 63 in this one.


Garbine Muguruza - 4.5 games v Jelena Jankovic: Winning the French Open was a huge achievement for Garbine Muguruza and will always make 2016 a memorable year for her personally. However I am looking at the cold hard results and this looks set to be the fewest number of wins on the Tour for her in a single season since 2013.

Muguruza is just 26-15 on the season and has won at least 35 matches on the Tour in each of the last two seasons. The Spaniard may still reach that mark with some good performances, but she is just 8-6 since winning the French Open as Muguruza has struggled mentally with the tag of being a Grand Slam Champion.

Even with that in mind, I do think Muguruza is going to have too much for Jelena Jankovic who I consider to be on a downward trend in her own career. The recent form shows Jankovic reached the Final in Guangzhou last week and has already won a match here, but she has struggled in 2016 for consistency and this looks set to be the fewest number of wins she has had on the Tour since 2003.

The movement is not as strong as it once was and in turn Jankovic has taken some pretty heavy losses on the Singles Tour this season. Her serve can still be decent on its day, but Muguruza brings the power to the court and the conditions must suit having reached the Final here last year. I am anticipating a similar score to the one these players had when they played in the Fed Cup and that is Muguruza winning 63, 64 to move into the next Round.

MY PICKS: Petra Kvitova - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Caroline Wozniacki - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Johanna Konta - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Garbine Muguruza - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-2, - 0.52 Units (8 Units Staked, - 6.5% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (September 26th)

The tennis season enters the final six-eight weeks of the 2016 year and that means one final swing through Asia and Europe for the players on the two Tours. Most of the big names will make sure they continue playing as both the Tour Finals are upcoming, while this week we have one of the bigger events left on the schedule before that at the WTA Wuhan tournament.

Most of the big names on the WTA Tour are in action through the week in Wuhan, but there are three other tournaments that are also being played with two of those on the ATP Tour.

I will have picks through the week if I find any matches that are appealing.


Shuai Zhang - 3.5 games v Shuai Peng: Two compatriots will play one another in their home country in one of the bigger tournaments played in China. It is Shuai Zhang who is far higher in the World Rankings thanks to injuries suffered by Shuai Peng which has seen her own Ranking drop outside the top 200, but that is not reason enough for this pick.

Instead I will point out the superior form that Zhang has been showing since the US Open as she has recorded back to back tournaments with Semi Final runs. Her confidence is much stronger this year heading into the Asian swing thanks to some strong runs in 2016 and Zhang has put together some impressive wins over the last couple of weeks.

On the other hand, Peng has been playing at a lower level than her opponent and has been in a poor run since returning from injury. I do think Peng's movement around the court can extract some errors from the Zhang game, but she will have issues protecting the serve especially with the power she will need to absorb from the other side of the court.

While there will be some frustrating moments filled with mistakes from the Zhang racquet, I do think she will recover deficits in breaks and ultimately will prove a little too strong for her compatriot with a 64, 63 win.


Sara Errani + 2.5 games v Barbora Strycova: Simply reading the head to head record between players is not good enough when making a pick in a match, but there are some which are heavily slanted in one direction that it is hard to ignore. If you look at the way 2016 has gone for Sara Errani and Barbora Strycova, I am not surprised that the latter is the favourite in this First Round match.

However it is Errani who has won seven of their previous eight matches which includes both matches played in 2016. In those two matches, Strycova has won a grand total of SIX games and there has to be something about the Errani game that she can't get her head around.

We know the Italian can play with plenty of variation and is capable of getting to the net, while I think her movement around the court is still good enough to force Strycova to hit closer to the lines and force mistakes. Strycova has a similar style of play to Errani as she looks for opponents mistakes, but she simply hasn't been able to stay in the moment as much as Errani in the long, grinding rallies.

It might be the emotional factor at play here with Strycova more likely to lose her cool than Errani under pressure and I will take the games with the Italian to keep her dominance over Strycova moving through another match.


Caroline Garcia - 3.5 games v Mirjana Lucic-Baroni: There hasn't been much sign of either of these players since the US Open so you can't really point to too much recent form for either. Outside of the US Open performance, there hasn't been too much for either Caroline Garcia or Mirjana Lucic-Baroni to shout about as they begin their Asian swing on the Tour.

It is Garcia who has dominated the head to head thanks to an ability to get more out of the first serve than Lucic-Baroni and that might be a difference maker again in this one. It is the Frenchwoman who has won all four previous matches between the players and the majority of those matches has seen her win a significantly higher percentage of first serve points than Lucic-Baroni.

I am still waiting for Garcia to show the consistency that will see her get closer to fulfilling the potential that so many believe she has. When you watch Garcia play you see all of the tools to become a threat to win any tournament she enters, but she can sometimes wander away mentally which sees her opponents get back into matches.

If she does that here, she will be beaten by Lucic-Baroni, but I think the match up works well for Garcia. She should have the edge in power off the ground and also from behind the first serve which should see Garcia edge past Lucic-Baroni in two tough sets as she moves into the Second Round with a 75, 64 win.


Lucie Safarova + 3.5 games v Karolina Pliskova: There are a couple of Second Round matches to be played on Monday and one of those is between two compatriots from the Czech Republic. It isn't that long ago that Lucie Safarova would be coming into a match with Karolina Pliskova as the favourite to win, but that isn't the case in Wuhan and hasn't been the case in their last three matches.

However all of those matches have been competitive and it is Safarova who won the most recent one in Prague in the build up to the French Open. The Pliskova run to the Final at the US Open might have boosted her confidence levels, but backing up big performances in Grand Slam events can be hard for those having those experiences for the first time.

Unsurprisingly Pliskova was beaten in her first match since reaching the US Open Final, but she has a big serve and can cause problems when that shot is working alone. The hard courts in Asia tend to be a little slower than the North American ones that these players have been playing on, and I do think the slower court might give Safarova the edge in the match.

She too has a very good serve which can provide cheap points when on her game, but I think the slower courts will also take something away from Pliskova who likes to play a lot of short rallies. I am expecting this match to be very close and this looks like too many games for Safarova to be getting in this one.

MY PICKS: Shuai Zhang - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Sara Errani + 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Caroline Garcia - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Lucie Safarova + 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Season 2016: - 12.56 Units (1643 Units Staked, - 0.01% Yield)

Season 2015: - 21.81 Units (1812 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)
Season 2014: + 45.05 Units (1586.5 Units Staked, + 2.84% Yield)

Season 2013: + 21.74 Units (1251.5 Units Staked, + 1.73% Yield)

Season 2012: + 49.21 Units (855 Units Staked, + 5.76% Yield)

Season 2011: + 82.02 Units

Tennis Picks 2015 (October 2nd)

It hasn't been a week to match the last one, but a couple more winners on Thursday at least got this week going back in the right direction.

On Friday we have reached the Semi Finals in Wuhan and the Quarter Finals at the two ATP events in Shenzhen and Kuala Lumpur, but I still have a few picks out of the ten matches that have been scheduled across those three tournaments.


Venus Williams - 2.5 games v Roberta Vinci: Johanna Konta has made life very tough for plenty of players over the last couple of months, but it says something about Venus Williams that she rode through the storm to win the match. It looked like the American was out of it when Konta served for the match in the third set, but Venus Williams won the final three games and now faces the player who ended her younger sister's calendar Grand Slam hopes.

It would have been easy for Roberta Vinci to perhaps have a poor end to the season having put in so much effort physically and mentally into the US Open. She reached her maiden Grand Slam Final as a Singles player, but the Italian is clearly not resting on her laurels with a strong run to the Semi Final here in Wuhan.

Vinci has dropped one set so far this week and beaten players Ranked higher than her in Petra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova in the last couple of Rounds. She has come through first set tie-breakers in both before taking the second set easily and Vinci won't be intimidated by Venus Williams even if she hasn't beaten her before.

Can Vinci bamboozle Venus as she did Serena in the final two sets of their Semi Final at the US Open? There is every chance Vinci can do that, but I think Venus Williams is in fantastic form at the moment and I expect she punishes the Vinci second serve and will be able to break her down in this Semi Final. It might take three sets, but I like Venus Williams to win this one 63, 57, 64.


Garbine Muguruza-Angelique Kerber Over 21.5 Total Games: Angelique Kerber was well on the way to the Semi Final before Coco Vandeweghe retired from their Quarter Final, but now she runs into a player in Garbine Muguruza who is in fantastic form herself.

It is no surprise that the layers are having such difficulty splitting Muguruza and Kerber in terms of a winner, especially as both have had similar weeks. Neither player has dropped more than a single set to a former Serbian World Number 1 and they haven't dropped too many games outside of that set dropped.

Even the head to head suggests this will be a close match with their three meetings in 2015 all needing a final set decider although it is Muguruza who leads 2-1 thanks to wins at the French Open and Wimbledon. Kerber won't be lacking confidence considering her win came on the hard courts and she has been in the better form of the two in recent weeks.

I don't think anyone would be shocked if this one goes three sets two, while this number of games has every chance of being surpassed in a competitive straight sets win. While Kerber is the more consistent, Muguruza has the higher level when she peaks and it is easy to see this match developing in that way which produces a high chance of three sets being needed. The total games is probably two games too low and I will back this number to be passed.


Tomas Berdych - 4.5 games v Jiri Vesely: It looks like another season where Tomas Berdych will finish in the top eight positions in the World Rankings and make an appearance at the World Tour Finals. However, it is another season when he failed to win one of the really big tournaments out there although consistently performing at those events.

He doesn't clean up in the lesser tournaments as much as you might think either and Berdych is a player that is never too far away from a disappointing defeat. That's how it feels anyway and you would make him a big favourite to win in the field put together in Shenzhen although I wouldn't be backing him at the start of the week at short prices.

I will back him to win this match against Jiri Vesely who is still finding the right formula to win matches consistently at the main Tour level despite having plenty of skills. He has the big first serve and heavy groundstrokes, but mentally it is still a struggle for Vesely and playing his higher Ranked compatriot might be too much for him to handle.

Berdych was serving well in his first match in Shenzhen and doing that here will give him every chance of covering this number. He will know that he can create chances against the Vesely serve, particularly when the scoreboard pressure is on the younger Czech player and I like Berdych winning this match 64, 63.


Marin Cilic - 2.5 games v Hyeon Chung: There is no doubting that Hyeon Chung is one of the young players on the Tour who is expected to have a big impact in the coming years. He has begun to produce more consistent results on the main Tour as well as proving too good for tournaments in events lower than the top level and this all bodes well for his development.

He gets a quick chance to see how much his game has developed over the last couple of months as he faces Marin Cilic for the second time in his career. They met in Washington in August and Cilic won that match 76, 63, while the Croatian had a strong run at the US Open which shows he is perhaps returning to form.

It has been a difficult year for Cilic as injury and expectation have just stunted his progress and it is no surprise he has dropped out of the top ten in the World Rankings. However, that run to the US Open Semi Final was a real positive for Cilic and he battled through his Second Round match here.

Chung is a quality player, but has played a lot of tennis over the last two weeks having won a Challenger last week and needing to win two matches here. To be fair to him, he has won matches very easily so I am not worried about physical fatigue, but the level of competition has gone up markedly compared to the players he has beaten the last couple of weeks.

I can see him forcing another tie-breaker against Cilic, but ultimately I fancy the Croatian will prevail 76, 64 and move into the Semi Final here.

MY PICKS: Venus Williams - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Garbine Muguruza-Angelique Kerber Over 21.5 Total Games @ 1.85 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Tomas Berdych - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)
Marin Cilic - 2.5 Games @ 1.73 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 4-5, - 2.76 Units (18 Units Staked, - 15.33% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2015 (September 29th)

It was a very good week for the tennis picks last week and I hope to continue with the moment as we move onto the tournaments taking place this week. I didn't make any picks from the matches in the first couple of days this week, but I am interested in three Second Round matches in Wuhan which will take place in the early hours of the morning UK time.

Suffice to say I won't be doing much watching of the tennis at the moment because of the time differences, but I try and keep as much information together from various avenues to find out how players have played. Using that coupled with other factors means I can continue making the tennis picks as I would for other tournaments even if I don't get to see much of the action at all.

Let us just hope for another positive week to get the season totals moving back into the black and making it another season with a winning record, although I am clearly disappointed that the majority of the hard work was wiped out in the space of six weeks.


Ana Ivanovic - 4.5 games v Madison Brengle: One of the most inconsistent players on the WTA Tour has to be Ana Ivanovic who can go from looking like a top five player to one who has barely picked up a racquet before in the blink of an eye. I think that has been a major factor in her inability to put more tournament wins on the board, while I really think she struggles to control her emotional state when things get difficult on the court.

Ivanovic is not the best at making the adjustments she needs to and her serve goes all over the place when under duress... However, I don't think she should be feeling the pressure when facing Madison Brengle and I think Ivanovic can prove too good in this Second Round match.

It has been a good season for Brengle who is up to Number 38 in the World Rankings, while she earned a very positive win over an in-form Dominika Cibulkova in the First Round. The American has decent movement around the court, but Ivanovic should wear her down with the power she possesses and the top players have generally been too good for Brengle.

Ivanovic had a very strong win in the First Round and it is hard for her to maintain that level. I don't think this will be as straight-forward with service breaks for both players, but I still believe Ivanovic will be just a little too much physically and that should see her move through 64, 63.


Angelique Kerber - 3.5 games v Jelena Jankovic: Angelique Kerber has fallen out of the World's Top Ten in the Rankings, but the second half of the season has been much more positive than the first half. I fully expect the German to move back up into the Top Ten in the coming months as she will have little to defend in the first six months of 2016 and she can certainly end 2015 on a high note.

I do think Kerber will be too strong for Jelena Jankovic at this stage of the career, especially as the Serb's consistency is not at the same level as when she reached World Number 1. Her movement is also a little slower than it used to be and that means her defensive skills have just eroded a little, but all of that makes a big difference at this level of tennis.

Jankovic did win a title last week so will be confident, but that also means fatigue can play a part as she was forced to play three sets to beat Heather Watson in the last Round. The increase in competition is fairly high in this one as I think Kerber is unlikely to give too much away for nothing and is a better player than Jankovic these days.

The German has won the last two matches between the two including a thumping win on the grass of Birmingham and Jankovic does find it harder to back up big weeks on the Tour these days. After a tight first set, Kerber might just pull away in this one and move through 75, 63.


Johanna Konta + 5.5 games v Victoria Azarenka: I never doubted that Johanna Konta had the talent to be much higher in the World Rankings than outside the top 100 and it feels good to see her fulfilling her potential.

She will officially become the Great Britain Number 1 female player next week at the end of this tournament and once again has shown she is unafraid of those at the higher level. Coming through the Qualifiers was an achievement in Wuhan, but beating Andrea Petkovic for the second time in four weeks shows Konta's level of confidence.

Now she is facing another level up from Petkovic as she goes against Victoria Azarenka who should be more aware of the Konta game after her run to the US Open Fourth Round. Azarenka has struggled for the consistency to bring her Ranking back up to the pre-injury level, and this is a match that Konta has half a chance if she serves well and puts the pressure on Azarenka.

We have seen Azarenka is not always the best emotionally this season when it comes to pressurised situations and Konta is the kind of solid, level player that might not give too much away. The British player should not be overawed having given Petra Kvitova plenty to think about at the US Open and beating the likes of Petkovic and Garbine Muguruza and this looks like a lot of games for her to be given, one she should stay within even in a losing effort.

MY PICKS: Ana Ivanovic - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Angelique Kerber - 3.5 Games @ 1.73 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Johanna Konta + 5.5 Games @ 1.85 Betway (2 Units)

Weekly Final: 10-4, + 10.22 Units (28 Units Staked, + 36.5% Yield)

Season 2015: - 3.55 Units (1580 Units Staked, - 0% Yield)

Season 2014: + 45.05 Units (1586.5 Units Staked, + 2.84% Yield)
Season 2013: + 21.74 Units (1251.5 Units Staked, + 1.73% Yield)
Season 2012: + 49.21 Units (855 Units Staked, + 5.76% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2014 (September 27th)

The WTA tournament in Wuhan was clearly one of the more important events left on the women's Tour this year and it would be fitting if another play could book their place at the end of year Finals in Singapore this week by winning that event.

While the majority of the big names took part in Wuhan, the ATP Tour had a quiet week which seems to have been taken advantage of by Kei Nishikori and Andy Murray. Both players are chasing a place at the ATP World Tour Finals in London and will be looking to win their respective events at Kuala Lumper and Shenzhen to add a few more points into the pot in the search for that goal.

It does surprise me that more of the players towards the bottom of the eight places chasing a place in London didn't decide to at least compete this week and add 'easy' points when you consider some of the fields that were seen.

There is the possibility that a long week will affect both Nishikori and Murray next week when there are more points to offer, but the latter is in the more difficult position of needing to make up a number of points and I think Murray's fitness can't really be questioned to that extent. Of course he would be keen to avoid a tough start to the draw, but the theory that players don't really push themselves to reach the World Tour Finals has been blown up for good.


Petra Kvitova - 3.5 games v Eugenie Bouchard: The Final in Wuhan is a repeat of the Wimbledon Final from earlier this season and I think we will have the same result, albeit not as easily as Petra Kvitova doubled her Grand Slam titles.

It was a crushing win for Kvitova who showed little nerves in that Final and she can win this tournament and book her place at Singapore. The big-serving Czech player can surpass the power that Eugenie Bouchard brings to the court and I think that makes it very tough for the younger player to win this match.

At the moment Bouchard, who has had a very strong 2014, relies on being able to out-hit her opponents and I don't think she has got the defensive side of the game up to that level. If she is unab;e to keep herself in rallies with little belief in her slice shots, the movement isn't really good enough to keep her in extended rallies against Kvitova.

The latter has been timing the ball so well this week and she has beaten Bouchard comfortably in the two previous matches between these players. Kvitova will have to serve well, but I can see her power worry Bouchard who may look to play first strike tennis, which could lead to more mistakes from the Canadian side of the court.

Like I siad earlier, I don't believe it will be as easy as the Wimbledon Final ended up being, but a 64, 64 win for Kvitova wouldn't surprise me.


Andy Murray - 5.5 games v Juan Monaco: Andy Murray is a strong favourite to win the tournament in Shenzhen, but he was not overly happy about his straight sets win in the Quarter Final and I would expect him to kick on over the last couple of days of the event.

Murray feels he gave away the chance to really stamp his authority on the Quarter Final win over Lukas Lacko and I don't think he will be as generous with Juan Monaco. The Argentinian player doesn't have a serve that will offer too many cheap points and that is where Murray will believe his superior hard court pedigree will really shine through.

The conditions should suit Murray better than Monaco, although he will be looking for a better serving day than he produced on Friday, and I can see him being too good when this match is all said and done.

2014 has shown that Monaco is on the way down in his career and he doesn't play much hard court tennis these days so I would fancy Murray to come through 63, 63.

MY PICKS: Petra Kvitova - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Andy Murray - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 6-6, - 1.86 Units (22 Units Staked, - 8.45% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2014 (September 25th)

Yesterday was a pretty terrible day when it came to the picks despite both Alize Cornet and Petra Kvitova winning their respective matches. However, both needed three sets to get the job done and both started strongly and then fell apart in the second set before getting back to the point of where they started and moving through to the Quarter Finals.

The tournament in Wuhan has had so many surprise results this week with Maria Sharapova the latest casualty after her straight sets defeat to Timea Bacsinszky.


Petra Kvitova - 4.5 games v Caroline Garcia: Petra Kvitova came off the boil in her second set win over Kristina Pliskova, but I still think she can overmatch Caroline Garcia with her power in this Quarter Final.

It has been a good tournament for Garcia who has beaten both Venus Williams and Agnieszka Radwanska in three sets and the young Frenchwoman has the talent that suggests she can go far in the women's game.

However, I am not always convinced about her mental fortitude when put under pressure and Kvitova certainly plays tennis in a manner to put as much pressure on her opponent as possible. She can be a little erratic when it comes to her serving which will give Garcia a chance, but eventually she should prove too strong as long as the surprise results don't keep coming.

Kvitova should be able to use her dominant power to frustrate Garcia and eventually lead to a 64, 63 win.


Eugenie Bouchard - 3.5 games v Alize Cornet: I am not convinced that Eugenie Bouchard has the complete mental focus at the events outside of the Grand Slam tournaments, but she has played pretty well in her two wins this week.

It didn't start well as she dropped the first set against Mona Barthel, but she fought back well to win that match and then comfortably dismissed Alison Riske in the last Round.

Her previous match against Alize Cornet was a tight battle at Wimbledon which was decided by the slimmest of margins, but Bouchard could back that up here in this Quarter Final.

Cornet plays hard and is a tough competitor as was shown in her win over Kristen Flipkens from a losing position in the decider. Cornet can serve well at times, but there are points of a match where she doesn't get out of her own way and I can see that being the reason that Bouchard is able to overcome her in this match.

I can't imagine this will be straight-forward, but Bouchard may eventually come through with a 46, 62, 75 win.

MY PICKS: Petra Kvitova - 4.5 Games @ 1.85 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Eugenie Bouchard - 3.5 Games @ 1.92 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-5, - 6.45 Units (13 Units Staked, - 49.62% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2014 (September 24th)

The big tournament on the WTA Tour has seen a number of the Seeded players already exit including Serena Williams who had to withdraw with an illness despite leading Alize Cornet in the first set of their match. The Frenchwoman has won all three matches played against Serena Williams this season, which is a staggering achievement even if the last one came thanks to a retirement, but backing that up is the key in what looks an open tournament.


Both of the men's events are smaller fields which means the Second Round matches will be spread over two days before the bigger events that are coming in the next two weeks.


It was a mixed start for the picks this week with a couple of wins and a couple of losses, but the management meant it was going to be a slight loss. It could have been better, but it also could have been worse and hopefully the next few days changes it all back to a positive.


Alize Cornet - 3.5 games v Kirsten Flipkens: Alize Cornet took advantage of the Serena Williams illness to move through to this Third Round match and I think she can prove to be a little too good for Kirsten Flipkens.

Alize Cornet has won the two previous matches they have played in 2014 and she has been in decent form over the last few weeks to think she can back up the fortune she got in the last Round to beat Williams.

Her opponent has had to come through two matches where she has been taken the distance and Kirsten Flipkens has struggled to back up a strong 2013 season this time around. She hasn't had much to show from her last few tournaments before winning a couple of matches here and I think she will be worn down by Cornet.

There could be a lot of long rallies and a fair few amounts of breaks of serve, but Cornet may eventually come through with a 75, 64 win.


Maria Sharapova - 5.5 games v Timea Bacsinszky: Maria Sharapova was a comfortable winner over Timea Bacsinszky at Wimbledon earlier this season, but that isn't the reason that I think she is going to win this one as easily.

I just feel that Bacsinszky has had a lot of tennis in her legs over the last couple of weeks and might not have the consistency to keep up with the spirited Sharapova, although the latter has to serve better than she has in recent months.

Bacsinszky has been in fine form and can take advantage of any serving problems that Sharapova has, but I also think the Russian will hurt her opponent with her return of serve.

There is just too many reasons to believe that Sharapova is likely to run away with one of the sets and that might see her come through 75, 62.


Petra Kvitova - 4.5 games v Karolina Pliskova: It was a devastating display of power, timing and accuracy from Petra Kvitova in her win in the Second Round against Karin Knapp and something similar to that should prove too much for Karolina Pliskova too.

I do actually think Pliskova has the potential to be moving into the top 20 in the World Rankings in the coming months as she puts the final touches on her best season on the Tour. However, Pliskova has reached the Final of the tournament in Hong Kong before winning in Seoul last week.

Following those tough two weeks with two more wins this week is impressive, but Pliskova has to be feeling some of that tennis in her legs as well as the travelling she has been doing and that is where Kvitova can take advantage.

The pressure that Kvitova can put Pliskova under should contribute to any physical tiredness that the latter may be feeling and that may eventually lead to a 64, 63 win for the former.

MY PICKS: Alize Cornet - 3.5 Games @ 1.77 Unibet (2 Units)
Maria Sharapova - 5.5 Games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Petra Kvitova - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-2, - 0.45 Units (7 Units Staked, - 6.43% Yield)