|
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| DAILY TENNIS PICKS |
Presented by
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with OnThePunt's resident Tennis expert
2009 ARCHIVE |
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NOVEMBER 22-28 |
MASTERS CUP
SURFACE: INDOOR HARD - DRAW: 8 |
POSTED BY 2300 AEDT (1200 GMT)
(STARTS 1415 LOCAL = 0115
AEDT/1415 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
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ATP LONDON |
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ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 2300 AEDT (1200 GMT) |
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OCTOBER 25-NOVEMBER 1 |
ST PETERSBURG
SURFACE: INDOOR HARD - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1900 AEST (0800 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 1900
AEST/0800 GMT) |
VIENNA
SURFACE: INDOOR HARD - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1900 AEST (0800 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 2100
AEST/1000 GMT) |
LYON
SURFACE: INDOOR HARD - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1900 AEST (0800 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 2100
AEST/1000 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP ST PETERSBURG |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1900 AEST (0800 GMT) |
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Oct 27 |
Dolgopolov to bt Ginepri |
2 at 2.60 |
 |
2.40 |
Void |
|
Dolgopolov quallied in a breeze and has some
nice winning form to his name at challenger level this year. He should be
well suited to the European indoor conditions. Ginepri has shown a glimpse
of form recently but he is too inconsistent and in his first start here
looks under the odds. |
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Oct 27 |
Marchenko to bt Fognini |
3.5 at 2.02 |
|
1.90 |
 +3.57 |
|
Marchenko has been flying indoors recently,
having gone from quallies to semis at both the top Mons challenger and last
week in Moscow. He will come in very confident against a player with
comparitively minimal indoor experience. |
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ATP VIENNA |
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ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1900 AEST (0800 GMT) |
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Oct 27 |
Darcis to bt Petzschner |
2.5 at 2.48 |
|
2.30 |
Void |
|
Petzschner's solid form evident earlier in the
season appears a distant memory now after poor losses in his last two starts
against Gasquet and F Mayer. He is defending champ here and boasts a wealth
of indoor experience but his form just looks very poor this time around. |
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Oct 27 |
Kubot to bt Stepanek |
1 at 4.00 |
 |
3.40 |
 -1 |
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If Kubot can reproduce the sort of form that
he showed last start in Shanghai then he must be a show here. Stepanek has
been up and down for a while now. He is tough to get past indoors but I have
some doubts about his comparitive motivation levels so I'll nibble the dog
small. |
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ATP LYON |
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ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1900 AEST (0800 GMT) |
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SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 4 |
BANGKOK
SURFACE: INDOOR HARD - DRAW: 28 |
POSTED BY 1200 AEST (0200 GMT)
(STARTS 1200 LOCAL = 1500
AEST/0500 GMT) |
KUALA LUMPUR
SURFACE: INDOOR HARD - DRAW: 28 |
POSTED BY 1200 AEST (0200 GMT)
(STARTS 1000 LOCAL = 1200
AEST/0200 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
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BANGKOK |
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ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1200 AEST (0200 GMT) |
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KUALA LUMPUR |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1200 AEST (0200 GMT) |
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Oct 2 |
Youzhny to bt Gonzalez |
2 at 2.74 |
|
2.40 |
-2 |
|
These two are split 1-1 indoors with Youzhny
winning the last encounter a couple of years ago. Youzhny has looked very
sharp in his wins over Ferrer and Baghdatis and does look suited to the
conditions. Gonzalez on the other hand was no where near his best against
Bopanna and looked a little lacking in the motivation department for mine.
He starts too short today. |
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AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 13 |
2009 U.S. OPEN
SURFACE: HARD - DRAW: 128 |
POSTED BY 2300 AEST (1300 GMT)
(STARTS 1000 LOCAL = 0000
AEST/1400 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
U.S. OPEN |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 2300 AEST (1300 GMT) |
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Sep 13 |
Del Potro to bt Nadal |
3 at 2.25 |
 |
2.00 |
+3.75 |
|
It's been a while between drinks here, but we
are coming out of the NY rain to tip up Del Potro for three wins in a row
against Nadal. There is no question that Nadal is going to give it his best,
but deep down I cant help but feel that he is not capable of his absolute
best at the moment with his ab injury. Del Potro knows how to beat Nadal on
hard and looks primed for a first Grand Slam final. |
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Sep 4 |
Troicki to bt Benneteau |
2 at 2.61 |
|
2.30 |
-2 |
|
Troicki recovered from a serious lapse against
Luczak in the opening round while Benneteau got past Cipolla with as much
ease as he should have. Troicki had a poor injury-affected lead-up -
something that looks to have been factored into his price today - but he
looks to be back to full fitness now. Benneteau turned around an 0-6 record
here with his first round win but I'm not quite sure how he can be such a
big fave here. |
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Sep 4 |
Bellucci to bt Simon |
1.5 at 3.46 |
 |
2.80 |
-1.5 |
|
Bellucci continued his hot form from Gstaad
and quallies with an ultra-impressive win over Lu. It won't be so easy
today, but Simon is certainly nowhere near to the form that saw him shoot up
the rankings last year. It might not take much to see the Frenchman slump
the shoulders. |
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Sep 4 |
Navarro to bt Dent |
2 at 2.77 |
|
2.40 |
-2 |
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Navarro came in with some indifferent form but
he got through a nice warm up for this against Karlovic. Facing another
big-server in Dent - a more inconsistent one at that - should not prove too
troublesome. Looks like a few points here and there could decide this but I
like the Spaniard a bit more should it go the distance. |
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Sep 3 |
Granollers to bt Soderling |
0.5 at 10.22 |
|
6.00 |
Void |
|
Ganollers showed once again that he is more
than capable off the clay with a run away win over the tiring Zverev in the
opening round. Some might find a set or handicap bet might be preferable
here, but I think he is some chance to taking the match. He pushed Soderling
hard at Wimbledon and looks in better form now. The Swede has a history of
struggling in these type of matches and his formline looks to be on a
downward trend. |
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Sep 3 |
L Mayer to bt Stepanek |
1.5 at 3.50 |
|
3.00 |
-1.5 |
|
Stepanek has played sparingly over the past
few months and he looks a long way off his best. Mayer had a nice run in New
Haven last week and while that was a weak event, he is improving all the
time. Can't see much in this one at all. |
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Sep 2 |
Cuevas to bt Guccione |
2.5 at 2.38 |
|
2.20 |
+3.45 |
|
Cuevas was playing very well in New Haven last
week until a shoulder issue forced him out in the second round against
Melzer. I'm assuming that he will be fully fit for this one, but it might be
an idea just to take will a match complete bookie to be sure. Guccione
played well in Cincy but his slam record is ordinary and his return game
will need to be at it's very best. |
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Sep 2 |
Bellucci to bt Lu |
3.5 at 2.00 |
|
1.85 |
+3.5 |
|
Bellucci looks well placed to turn around the
Australian Open result from earlier in the year when he was beaten by Lu. He
comes in here match fit off an impressive run through quallies where he
hardly worked up a sweat. He is sky high on confidence having won on clay at
Gstaad last start. Lu is somewhat of a non-winner at this level and his
recent form is nothing to write home about. |
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Aug 31 |
O Rochus to bt Kunitsyn |
2 at 2.50 |
|
2.20 |
+3 |
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Kunitsyn has played on lot of tennis on
hardcourts in the lead-up. He popped up for a few upset wins but he is a
consistent non-winner in the big matches. Ollie Rochus always does it the
hard way with no real weapon to his game, but I'm looking for him to wear
down his opponent today. His form over the past few months has been much
better so I think he deserves to be a bit shorter. |
|
Aug 31 |
Granollers to bt Zverev |
2.5 at 2.63 |
|
2.20 |
+4.07 |
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Zverev must be low on confidence thanks to an
0-6 run. He has been competitive in most matches, but he is still lacking
consistency. Granollers plays most of his tennis on the dirt but he has a
good record on hardcourts and showed at Wimbledon that he is comfortable in
the fast conditions. I make Granollers my best of day one. |
|
Aug 31 |
Youzhny to bt Mathieu |
3 at 2.10 |
|
2.00 |
+3.3 |
|
Hard to believe that this is the first
hardcourt meeting between these two. Youzhny does lead the series 4-1
however and does have a better record here, even making the semis in '06. A
lengthy match is on the cards but I fancy the Russian to come up with goods
at the important moments. |
|
Aug 31 |
Seppi to bt Kohlshcreiber |
2 at 2.55 |
|
2.35 |
-2 |
|
Kohlschreiber went just 1-2 in the Masters
lead-up events with losses to Hanescu and Guccione. Seppi won a clay
challenger and was competitive on hardcourts with Nadal and Verdasco. Can't
see much in it on form so have to support the dog at this price. |
|
Aug 31 |
Gil to bt Devvarman |
4 at 1.91 |
|
1.85 |
-4 |
|
Gil is coming off a nice confidence building
run from quallies to the third round at New Haven. While neither player is
yet to register a main draw Grand Slam win, Gil has the all important edge
in experience here. Devvarman has posted a few solid wins in the lead-up and
through quallies here but this represents a significant class jump. |
|
Aug 31 |
Ilhan to bt C Rochus |
4 at 1.91 |
 |
1.80 |
+3.2 |
|
The improving Turk Ilhan has accumulated a
solid record this year coming from futures level through challenger and now
qualifying for a Slam with a couple of impressive wins. C Rochus has emerged
from a horror losing streak in the middle of the season, but his form
remains poor and only had one match on hardcourts in the lead-up. He is also
on an 0-5 run at this event. If the youngster can hold his composure he
looks a good thing here. |
|
AUGUST 10-16 |
MONTREAL MASTERS
SURFACE: HARD - DRAW: 56 |
POSTED BY 2300 AEST (1300 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 0100
AEST/1500 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP MONTREAL |
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ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 2300 AEST (1300 GMT) |
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Aug 12 |
Hanescu to bt Kohlsch. |
1.5 at 3.00 |
|
2.60 |
+3 |
|
Both players posted upset wins yesterday,
Kohlschreiber over Berdych and Hanescu over Melzer. Hanescu got the job done
a little more comfortably while the German had to work much harder.
Kohlschreiber's form prior was very average and his medium term hardcourt
form is not great either. Hanescu will keep it in court and has to be
considered value at 2/1. |
|
Aug 11 |
Ferrero to bt Hewitt |
2 at 2.55 |
|
2.30 |
+3.1 |
|
Hewitt pushed Del Potro to a third set break
last week at Washington but he wasn't all that convincing for mine. Ferrero
was competitive last week and eased through quallies here. Not too much
between them in prior North American hardcourt meetings although we are
going back a few years. Just feel that Ferrero could well be more
consistent. |
|
Aug 11 |
Mathieu to bt Davydenko |
1.5 at 3.75 |
|
3.20 |
-1.5 |
|
Davydenko only dropped one set in back to back
clay title wins in Europe, but it won't count for much today back on the
hardcourts where has played sparingly this year. They are 2-2 on hard but
Mathieu has to have the match fitness edge after playing yesterday. Big
price. |
|
Aug 11 |
Levine to bt Isner |
2 at 2.94 |
|
2.30 |
-2 |
|
Speaking of big prices, I just have to get
involved in this one. Isner played well in Washington again, but I just
can't imagine that conditions will be quite as fast in Montreal. Levine has
been a big improver. He quallified well and boasts a handy 2-0 head-to-head
advantage over his lanky countryman. |
|
Aug 11 |
Karlovic to bt Haas |
4 at 2.00 |
|
1.90 |
-4 |
|
Easy to see why some might argue about the
value in this one, but I feel that Karlovic will just be too solid on serve
here. Both made the quarters in Washington last week so they come in with
some matches, but the Haas serve has been the first to break down in the
past (4-1 head-to-head for Karlovic) and I can see the same happening again. |
|
Aug 11 |
Falla to bt Sela |
2 at 2.75 |
|
2.40 |
+3.5 |
|
I only marked Sela up as a slight favourite
here. He plays his first match here but it must be noted that he is
undefeated in Canada with 2x Challenger tournament wins. That being said,
Falla is a fighter and he comes off a good qualifying win over Gulbis on
Sunday. Can easily see a long, tight encounter so this price has to
considered over the odds. |
|
Aug 10 |
Youzhny to bt Cilic |
1.5 at 3.03 |
|
2.70 |
+3.04 |
|
I'm going to give Youzhny one more chance
here. He is 2-0 (both last year) against Cilic and has the patience to hang
tough with the big server. The Croatian is having his first start in
Montreal and hasn't been at his best in recent times. He lost to Devvarman
first up on hard in Washington last week so this won't be any easier.
|
|
Aug 10 |
Lu to bt Chardy |
1.5 at 3.70 |
 |
3.00 |
-1.5 |
|
Lu often struggles to get over the line
(a.k.a. non-winner) but I just have to have a nibble at the odds today. He
has been on the hardcourts Stateside for the past three weeks and he took a
set off eventual Washington winner Del Potro last week. Chardy is first up
in Canada, and first up on hardcourts since way back in March. |
|
Aug 10 |
Dancevic to bt Simon |
2.5 at 2.33 |
|
2.10 |
-2.5 |
|
Dancevic has shown that he can cope with
playing at home in the past. He has good memories here after pushing Nadal
in the quarters two years ago. His lead-up has been solid - he made the
semi's at Indy before a competitive loss to Haas last week. While he has
been acclimatising to the North American hardcourts, Simon is first up since
the clay of Hamburg. The Frenchman has fallen away from his stellar '08
season and low on confidence will be vulnerable again. |
|
JULY 6-12 |
NEWPORT
SURFACE: GRASS - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 2200 AEST (1200 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 0100
AEST/1500 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP NEWPORT |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 2200 AEST (1200 GMT) |
|
JUNE 22 - JULY 5 |
WIMBLEDON
SURFACE: GRASS - DRAW: 128 |
POSTED BY 1900 AEST (0900 GMT)
(STARTS 1200 LOCAL = 2100
AEST/1100 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
2009 WIMBLEDON |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1900 AEST (0900 GMT) |
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Jun 27 |
Ferrero to bt Gonzalez |
2 at 2.71 |
|
2.50 |
+3.42 |
|
Gonzalez's knees looked to hold up okay
against Mayer but one has to expect him to be pushed much harder today.
Ferrero has fared a little better at this tournament over the years and if
he can serve close to his best today he should be right in it. Well over the
odds. |
|
Jun 27 |
Hanescu to bt Simon |
3 at 2.12 |
|
2.00 |
-3 |
|
I'm still not convinced that Simon is over his
form and confidence slump of '09. He is certainly down a level or two on his
stellar '08 season. Both play faster surfaces well, but as far as
consistency is concerned, I have to give the edge to the Romainian. Hanescu
beat Simon in straight sets at the French Open recently so it's hard to see
why he isn't a slight fave here. |
|
Jun 26 |
Sela to bt Robredo |
2.5 at 2.27 |
|
2.20 |
+3.17 |
|
Robredo hasn't done anything of note off clay
for quite some time. He has equalled his best performance here already in
what is clearly his worst slam. He escaped from 2 sets to love down against
Koubek in the last round but I can't see the same happening today. Sela was
impressive last round with a straight sets win over Schuettler and boasts a
2-0 head-to-head (both hard) advantage over Robredo. |
|
Jun 26 |
Fish to bt Djokovic |
1 at 4.33 |
 |
3.75 |
-1 |
|
Djokovic has just been going okay over the
last month or so and does look vulnerable today. He has won all three prior
meetings between the two but all have been very competitive. The serve
should dominate, but given that Djokovic was broken 4 times in a straight
sets win over Gruel last round, the edge in that department might even have
to go with Fish on this surface. |
|
Jun 24 |
Tipsarevic to bt Fish |
2.5 at 2.40 |
 |
2.25 |
-2.5 |
|
This one looks very close on paper. Tipsarevic
has made the 4th round in his last two appearances at Wimbledon whereas Fish
is past the first round for the first time since '06. I just feel that
Tipsarevic will be a little bit more solid should it go the distance. They
are split 1-1 this year, with the underdog winning each time - lets hope for
three in a row today. |
|
Jun 24 |
Darcis to bt Karlovic |
1 at 4.50 |
|
3.50 |
-1 |
|
Karlovic broke his horror run here with a
straightforward win over Lacko in the opening round. Darcis meanwhile got
past the well-backed Dancevic. Winning in straight sets over a big-server
must bode well coming into this encounter. Karlovic has the obvious weapon
to dominate serve, but while the rest of his game has improved, it remains a
big weakness. If this goes the distance I can see him struggling mentally.
|
|
Jun 23 |
Gil to bt Mathieu |
1.5 at 3.49 |
|
3.00 |
-1.5 |
|
Gil is a predominant clay courter but he is
far from the worst going around on faster surfaces. He form is a bit
scratchy but he did take a set of Hewitt at Queens in a fast start. Mathieu
has a decent record here but has struggled to get any decent run going all
year. With the Frenchman low on confidence, I expect them to be fighting
this one out over the distance. |
|
Jun 23 |
Devilder to bt N Lapentti |
2 at 2.90 |
|
2.60 |
+3.8 |
|
Lapentti is coming into this match with a
somewhat limited preparation having not played at this level since retiring
from the French Open with an ankle injury. We know he can play on grass but
I dont like the prep. Devilder posted a tight loss to Schuettler last week
which shows enough for me suggest that he will be very competitive today. |
|
Jun 23 |
Pavel to bt Alves |
3 at 2.11 |
|
2.10 |
-3 |
|
I didnt see myself backing the 35 year-old
Romanian again but I must say that I thought he deserved to start a narrow
favourite in this one. He has a wealth of experience to fall back on and his
form has been satisfactory in his 3x lead up matches. Lucky loser Alves lost
the last two sets 1 & 1 to Peya in final round quallies so he will need to
lift on that form. |
|
Jun 22 |
Seppi to bt Blake |
1 at 5.75 |
|
4.00 |
+4.75 |
|
Blake is coming off the final at Queen's but
I'm not that convinced about his form. He has never done that well here in
the past with some poor losses to the likes of Mirnyi, Ferrero and
Schuettler in recent years. Seppi is no stranger to posting the odd upset
and has been very competitive on grass in the past. |
|
Jun 22 |
Serra to bt Kohlschreiber |
1 at 4.55 |
 |
3.50 |
-1 |
|
The edge in form over the lead up has to go
with the German, but I'm not sure it will have too much of an impact as the
match unfolds. Serra beat Kohlschreiber in straight sets here a few years
ago and while its hard to see the same happening today, I do think Serra
will be right in it. He is often underrated by the bookies and has shown a
new level of self belief at times over the past few years. |
|
Jun 22 |
Schuettler to bt Malisse |
3.5 at 1.90 |
|
1.80 |
+3.15 |
|
Malisse quallied for this and played plenty of
grass court tennis in the lead-up but this is clearly not the ideal match-up
for the sometimes streaky Belgian. Excluding-clay he is 0-4 against the
solid German over the years. Schuettler is defending semi final points from
last year and while its hard to see him going that far again, he should be
good for at least one win against a spasmodic opponent. |
|
JUNE 14-21 |
EASTBOURNE
SURFACE: GRASS - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1900 AEST (0900 GMT)
(STARTS 1200 LOCAL = 2100
AEST/1100 GMT) |
s-HERTOGENBOSCH
SURFACE: GRASS - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1900 AEST (0900 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 1900
AEST/0900 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
EASTBOURNE |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1900 AEST (0900 GMT) |
|
s-HERTOGENBOSCH |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1900 AEST (0900 GMT) |
|
Jun 17 |
De Bakker to bt Schuet. |
3 at 2.20 |
 |
2.00 |
-3 |
|
The local boy De Bakker earnt his spot in the
main draw through quallies and then brushed away a second set lapse to get
past Phau in an interupted first round match. He beat Schuettler 3 & 3 on
clay last month in Munich and should be more suited today with the clear
service advantage. Schuettler was only winning 59% of his 1st serve against
Devilder last round so the Dutchman should get plenty of chances. |
|
Jun 16 |
Sela to bt Kunitsyn |
2.5 at 2.33 |
|
2.15 |
+3.83 |
|
Kunitsyn was convincing in his first round win
over Clement here. He had lost his previous six ATP matches however and is
far from the most reliable player going around. Sela came out on top when
the two met in fast indoor conditions last year and he did not face a break
point in his win over C Rochus last match. |
|
Jun 15 |
Hernandez to bt Koellerer |
3.5 at 2.00 |
|
1.90 |
+3.5 |
|
I never thought I'd be backing Hernandez on
grass - but here we go, the time has come. The Spaniard is winless in six
prior matches on grass but he did enough for me against Youzhny last week to
suggest that he is playing some solid tennis. Koellerer is spasmodic at the
best of times. He just never plays on grass either but his mental
fragilities cause him to lose so many matches he just has to be opposed at
ATP-level. |
|
JUNE 8-14 |
LONDON (QUEENS)
SURFACE: GRASS - DRAW: 56 |
POSTED BY 1900 AEST (0900 GMT)
(STARTS 1200 LOCAL = 2100
AEST/1100 GMT) |
HALLE
SURFACE: GRASS - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1900 AEST (0900 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 1900
AEST/0900 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP LONDON (QUEENS) |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1900 AEST (0900 GMT) |
|
Jun 10 |
Dimitrov to bt Simon |
2 at 3.00 |
|
2.60 |
-2 |
|
I'm still not convinced that Simon is out of
his form slump. He is first up on grass today up against a very promising
youngster in Dimitrov. The 18 year-old Bulgarian had plenty of match last
week in the Nottingham challenger and won the boys title at Wimbledon last
year without dropping a set so he can play on grass. |
|
Jun 9 |
Llodra to bt Fish |
3 at 2.10 |
|
1.95 |
-3 |
|
Hard to see too much in this one given their
suitability to the surface so I would'nt want to be taking too short, but
Llodra with the match under the belt yesterday (d. Korolev) should have some
advantage. He also boasts a 3-0 grass record against Fish, though the last
meeting was back in '02. |
|
Jun 9 |
Anderson to bt Querrey |
1.5 at 3.00 |
 |
2.70 |
-1.5 |
|
Really cant see more than a few points in this
match between two big servers, so the value has to be with the 2/1 dog.
Querrey has won both prior meetings (both went the distance on hardcourt)
but he is an unconvincing 5-8 on grass. Anderson has already won 4 matches
in the last few days and is sure to be high on confidence. |
|
ATP HALLE |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1900 AEST (0900
GMT) |
|
Jun 9 |
Sirianni to bt Zverev |
2 at 2.70 |
|
2.40 |
-2 |
|
The Aussie veteran has quallied with three
solid wins (including one over Dent) so he must be playing well. He is 3-0
against Zverev. The German is 13 years his junior but he has lost his last
four with his last two matches being retirements due to a leg injury. First
up on grass he is sure to take some time to get going and must represent a
good risk. |
|
MAY 24-JUNE 7 |
2009 FRENCH OPEN
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 128 |
POSTED BY 1800 AEST (0800 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 1900
AEST/0900 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ROLAND GARROS |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1800 AEST (0800 GMT) |
|
May 28 |
Tsonga to bt Monaco |
2.5 at 2.36 |
|
2.20 |
+3.4 |
|
Monaco has been one of the best performers on
dirt this year but I think that he will need to be at this very best to
justify this price. A fit and firing Tsonga can beat just about anyone on
his day. He will have the match in his hands to a certain extent as he is
sure to be the more attacking. He must have a huge service advantage also.
|
|
May 28 |
Gicquel to bt A Beck |
3 at 2.10 |
|
1.90 |
+3.3 |
|
As previously mentioned this week, Beck has
been having a great year on all surfaces but this is a big class jump to a
Slam. He has never been past the second round at this level and today he
comes up against a player with a wealth of experience. Gicquel is no
stranger to long and drawn out encounters here and this promises to be
another, but I favour him to come out on top at home. |
|
May 26 |
Benneteau to bt Tsonga |
1.5 at 3.00 |
|
2.60 |
-1.5 |
|
Benneteau is coming off some tough matches
last week, culminating in a lengthy Saturday final loss to Garcia-Lopez. He
has had plenty of time to recover and should be better for the matches.
Tsonga continued his average form in Düsseldorf and is just 1-3 against his
French countryman. A big centre court crowd might fire him up but in what
are expected to be slower and cooler conditions today, I have to have
Benneteau right in it. |
|
May 26 |
M Gonzalez to bt Fish |
2 at 2.60 |
|
2.30 |
+3.2 |
|
Fish is another player who would have
preferred to play in yesterdays hot and sunny conditions. The Argentine clay
specialist notched up very solid wins over Bolelli and Korolev last week in
Germany. Fish has been better in recent times, but at just 1-5 here and up
against a player with clay savvy, must be a big risk. |
|
May 26 |
G-Traver to bt Korloev |
2 at 2.50 |
|
2.30 |
+3 |
|
Gimeno-Traver might be on an 0-4 run in the
lead-up but his form actually reads quite well. He is 0-3 against Korolev on
dirt, but the last two encounters, most recently in Houston, have been very
tight. He will appreciate the slower conditions against Korolev who
certainly likes it fast. The Russian remains a most inconsistent type and is
well under the odds today. |
|
May 26 |
Navarro to bt A Beck |
1 at 4.33 |
|
3.50 |
-1 |
|
Beck has been on a huge run this year, tasting
success on hard, indoor and clay, but there have been some signs in the last
few tourney's that all the tennis is starting to take a toll. The clay
grinder Navarro will hang around all day and isn't one to give in without a
big fight. |
|
May 25 |
Machado to bt Vliegen |
3.5 at 1.83 |
|
1.75 |
+2.9 |
|
Machado has notched up two very solid
Challenger tournament wins on clay this year and is a clear improver. He
quallied here without too much fuss so he comes in match fit. Vliegen hasn't
done anything of note recently and is a long way off the sort of form that
saw him defeat Gasquet here a few years ago. |
|
May 25 |
Andujar to bt Ginepri |
3 at 2.11 |
|
1.90 |
+3.33 |
|
Ginepri lost all three round robin matches
last week in Düsseldorf in what was his only tournament play since
mid-February. Now he starts a favourite over best of five against a Spanish
clay-courter? Andujar pushed Gonzalez here last year and if he can play
close to his best today, he should be far too solid for the American. |
|
May 25 |
Massu to bt Koellerer |
3 at 2.20 |
|
2.00 |
+3.6 |
|
Koellerer has been priced up as a favourite
here on form and it's hard to argue with that formula, but the Austrian is
just far too volatile to justify starting a fave in what is his first main
draw Grand Slam encounter. He got into the draw due to a recent clay
challenger win, but it must be noted that he has attempted to qualify for a
Slam on no less than twelve occasions without success. Everyone is dropping
off Massu these days, but if he can keep it in play, he should be able to
use his experience to good measure. And a 3-0 head-to-head (all clay) wont
hinder his prospects either. |
|
May 25 |
Ventura to bt Acasuso |
2.5 at 2.32 |
|
2.15 |
-2.5 |
|
Ventura quallied impressively without dropping
a set. The qualifiers didn't have a good day yesterday, but the matches must
help in this one. Acasuso has been in dreadful form in the lead-up with only
a win over Sela from five lead-up matches on the dirt. I just cant see how
he can turn his form around so quickly. Value with the Spaniard. |
|
May 24 |
Gulbis to bt Querrey |
3.5 at 1.93 |
|
1.80 |
+3.25 |
|
Gulbis has struggled to get the wins on the
board in the lead-up but he has been competitive in most matches so I don't
think he is far away. He returns to the venue where he powered to the
quarters last year and has a lot more clay experience than Querrey. The
American's form is just okay, but over best of five his lack of clay skills
should be exposed. |
|
MAY 17-24 |
KITZBUHEL
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1800 AEST (0800 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 1900
AEST/0900 GMT) |
WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: RR |
POSTED BY 1800 AEST (0800 GMT)
(STARTS 1200 LOCAL = 2000
AEST/1000 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP KITZBUHEL |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1800 AEST (0800 GMT) |
|
ATP WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1800 AEST (0800 GMT) |
|
MAY 10-17 |
MADRID MASTERS 1000
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 56 |
POSTED BY 1730 AEST (0730 GMT)
(STARTS 1000 LOCAL = 1800
AEST/0800 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP MADRID |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1730 AEST (0730 GMT) |
|
May 13 |
Haas to bt Roddick |
2 at 2.51 |
|
2.25 |
-2 |
|
There is a lot of history between these with
very little separating them over the years. Roddick would generally hold the
edge these days but he is first up on clay here. Haas qualified and then
earned a hard fought win over the up and comer Gulbis in the opening round.
I marked this one a lot closer to take your pick. |
|
May 12 |
Fish to bt Robredo |
1.5 at 3.21 |
|
2.80 |
-1.5 |
|
If Fish can serve to the same standard as he
did yesterday then he must be a huge show here. It's taken the likes of
Monaco, Ferrer and Djokovic to get past Robredo in his last three starts on
dirt, but I don't quite think the Spaniard is back to his best. Fish has the
conditions to suit and he has beaten the Spaniard on clay in the past. |
|
May 12 |
Melzer to bt Montanes |
3.5 at 2.10 |
|
1.90 |
+3.85 |
|
Montanes is coming off his tournament win at
Estoril, but it's fair to say that he will need some time to acclimatise to
playing in somewhat faster conditions at altitude now. Melzer played well in
Rome and he leads the head-to-head of completed matches 4-0 (8-0 sets) and
3-0 clay. And conditions should be suitable. |
|
May 12 |
Ljubicic to bt Tsonga |
2 at 2.85 |
|
2.50 |
+3.7 |
|
I'm not writing off the Croatian just yet and
in these conditions, he should be right in it. The #2 court looked to be
playing quite fast yesterday so the draw looks good for him. Can see a
couple of breakers on the cards and Ljubicic playing solid and hoping to
draw the Frenchman into error. Well over the odds at this price. |
|
May 12 |
Benneteau to bt Karlovic |
2 at 2.55 |
|
2.30 |
-2 |
|
I must say I cant really justify Karlovic as
such a short priced fave here. Yes, he has the conditions at altitude to
suit but this one is being played on the outside court so the advantage wont
be great and it is clay after all. Benneteau lost a 3rd set breaker to
Brands in the 2nd round of Munich, but he should be strongly motivated to
bounce back here. |
|
May 11 |
Fish to bt Tipsarevic |
2.5 at 2.30 |
|
2.15 |
+3.25 |
|
I could well be questioned for supporting Fish
on European clay, but he looks to have conditions to suit here. Madrid is
played at around 500m altitude so we can expect balls to be flying here and
Fish must be given the edge in the service department. His form through Rome
and Estoril is solid. Tipsarevic has never played well in Spain and has to
be a risk here. |
|
May 11 |
F Lopez to bt Monaco |
2 at 2.67 |
|
2.40 |
-2 |
|
There are a couple of factors pushing me
towards Lopez here. Playing at altitude in what are expected to be fairly
fast clay conditions has to be of assistance. And secondly, the Spaniard
loves a big stage and having been given the first night at the new venue on
centre court he should be in his element. Monaco has had a fine clay season
to-date but he is coming down from that form and he wont get the rhythm that
he usually enjoys. |
|
MAY 3-10 |
MUNICH
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1830 AEST (0830 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 1900
AEST/0900 GMT) |
ESTORIL
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1830 AEST (0830 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 2000
AEST/1000 GMT) |
BELGRADE
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 28 |
POSTED BY 1830 AEST (0830 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL = 1900
AEST/0900 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP MUNICH |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1830 AEST (0830 GMT) |
|
May 6 |
Chardy to bt Kiefer |
3 at 2.08 |
|
2.00 |
+3.24 |
|
Kiefer hasn't looked close to being back to his
best this year and could be considered a bit lucky to get past a faltering Gulbis on Monday. The young up and coming Frenchman Chardy is clearly better
than his recent clay results indicate. He should be able to expose the
German here. |
|
May 5 |
De Bakker to bt Schuet. |
2.5 at 2.46 |
|
2.20 |
+3.65 |
|
De Bakker notched up some solid hard fought
qualifying wins which should augur well for a top showing today. Some might
think of the Dutchman as a fast court player, but it must be noted that he
plays the majority of his tennis on clay. Schuettler is a poor 0-2 this clay
lead-up and is on a 0-5 run at this venue. |
|
May 5 |
A Beck to bt Zverev |
3 at 2.10 |
|
1.95 |
+3.3 |
|
Zverev went on a tear in Rome by taking out
the likes of Ferrero, Berdych, Mathieu and Simon in a stellar run from
quallies to quarters. That form has to be respected but Beck has a few more
runs on the board from the last month or so. He leads the head-to-head 2-0
and should be a bit fresher. |
|
ATP ESTORIL |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1830 AEST (0830 GMT) |
|
May 6 |
Blake to bt Gil |
2 at 2.60 |
|
2.30 |
+3.2 |
|
Gil is coming off a Challenger final loss to
Gaudio on Sunday but I'm assuming that conditions are a little warmer and
faster here. Blake has played sparingly recently but he is usually just
about the best American going around on clay and conditions should suit. |
|
May 5 |
Kukushkin to bt Ferrero |
1 at 6.00 |
|
4.00 |
-1 |
|
Ferrero is coming off some very poor results
from Barcelona and Rome so his confidence must be low. The Kazak Kukushkin
took a set off Ferrer in Barca after qualifying and has once again come
through in Estoril with three straight forward matches. This will be tougher
but he is clearly in some form. |
|
ATP BELGRADE |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1830 AEST (0830 GMT) |
|
APRIL 27-MAY 3 |
ROME MASTERS 1000
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 56 |
POSTED BY 1930 AEST (0930 GMT)
(STARTS 0100 LOCAL = 2100
AEST/1100 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP ROME |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1930 AEST (0930 GMT) |
|
Apr 30 |
Cilic to bt Monaco |
2 at 2.64 |
|
2.50 |
-2 |
|
Monaco staged a great comeback to get past
Murray yesterday but he looks to have been priced up a bit short on that
win. The Argentine has clay form dating back to February but Cilic should
provide a stern test. Rome has been know as one of the fastest clay venues
over the years and the well suited Cilic hasn't done much wrong over the
first two rounds here. |
|
Apr 28 |
Bellucci to bt F Lopez |
3.5 at 2.15 |
|
1.95 |
-3.5 |
|
Bellucci took Lopez to two breakers at the
Sunrise challenger recently (hardcourt) and now on clay its easy to make a
case for him today. He comes in having qualified whereas Lopez is 0-5 at
this venue (winning just one set agaisnt Wayne Ferreira back in '03). |
|
Apr 28 |
Gasquet to bt Tsonga |
2.5 at 2.28 |
|
2.10 |
+3.2 |
|
Gasquet came back in Barcelona last week and
had a somewhat unexpected loss to C Rochus but despite an average record
here, he should appreciate the matches. Tsonga is first up on clay and
doesn't play much on the surface. He is stronger mentally, but cant start a
fave for me on the dirt. |
|
Apr 27 |
Cipolla to bt Cilic |
2 at 3.66 |
|
3.00 |
-2 |
|
Cipolla went down to Cilic in Monte-Carlo a
few weeks back but he did break the Croat three times. Conditions are
normally quite fast here but damp and heavy is expected to be the order of
the day today and playing at home should also give Cipolla a lift. Given
that he was around the 2.80 mark last time they met I have to support
Cipolla again today. |
|
Apr 27 |
Crivoi to bt Blake |
2 at 2.60 |
|
2.30 |
+3.2 |
|
Blake certainly isn't the worst of the Yanks
on dirt, but he comes here with a very limited preparation - just a loss to
Canas at Houston. Crivoi had two very solid straight sets qualifying wins
over N Lapentti and Gabashvilli and while this is a jump in class, he should
go very close. |
|
APRIL 20-26 |
BARCELONA
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 56 |
POSTED BY 1800 AEST (0800 GMT)
(STARTS 1030 LOCAL = 1830
AEST/0830 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP BARCELONA |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1800 AEST (0800 GMT) |
|
Apr 23 |
Almagro to bt Nalband. |
2 at 2.54 |
|
2.30 |
-2 |
|
We are all expecting big things of Almagro
this clay season and while he has been pushed by Hanescu and Chela in the
first two rounds here, he should be well and truly match fit. Nalbandian has
been patchy in early clay season form and he has dropped his only two
meetings to Almagro on clay. I had this much closer to take your pick. |
|
Apr 23 |
F Lopez to bt Davydenko |
1.5 at 3.81 |
|
3.25 |
-1.5 |
|
Big head-to-head advantage in favour of Lopez
here - 5-0 dating back to their first and only meeting on clay in 2002.
Lopez at home in some warm and fast conditions must be right in the mix
again today. Davydenko took a while to get on top of Clement in the last
round and clearly doesn't enjoy the lack of rhythm that the Spaniard dishes
up. |
|
Apr 21 |
A Martin to bt Andreev |
1.5 at 3.50 |
|
3.00 |
-1.5 |
|
Martin got the job done for us yesterday with
a convincing win over Gicquel. Andreev meanwhile, lost more points but still
managed to edge Seppi. Andreev has come out on top in the two prior clay
meetings, but I'm not 100% convinced that he is at his best at the moment.
As I said yesterday, Martin has a lot of experience at this venue and is
highly motivated at home. |
|
Apr 21 |
F Lopez to bt Nieminen |
3.5 at 1.98 |
|
1.90 |
+3.43 |
|
As long as the 0-6 head-to-head doesn't prove
a psychological hurdle, this looks Lopez' best chance to notch up a win on
the Finn. Both players had a poor showing in Monte-Carlo but I expect Lopez
to bounce back here. Nieminen likes clay but he form over the past few
months has been very average for mine. |
|
Apr 20 |
Ventura to bt Granollers |
2.5 at 2.55 |
 |
2.20 |
+3.87 |
|
I can understand how Granollers has been
priced up a clear favourite based on his superior ranking, but I had this
one much closer to take your pick. Granollers stayed with Nalbandian for a
while in Monte-Carlo but ended up fading badly. He is 0-7 here (inc.
quallies) and has lost 3 of the last 4 against Ventura on clay (the only win
coming via retirement). Add the fact that the Ventura has 2x matches here
from quallies and the case is compelling! |
|
Apr 20 |
A Martin to bt Gicquel |
3.5 at 2.05 |
|
1.90 |
+3.67 |
|
Two veterans go head-to-head here but I'm
going to side with the ever reliable Martin to produce the goods at home.
He has an immense amount of experience here and is sure to have the edge in
motivation. Gicquel was smashed 1 & 0 by Ferrer last start at Monte-Carlo
while Martin's form has been satisfactory. I expect him to lift a level or
two at home. |
|
APRIL 12-19 |
MONTE-CARLO
MASTERS 1000
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 56 |
POSTED BY 1800 AEST (0800 GMT)
(STARTS 1030 LOCAL = 1830
AEST/0830 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
MONTE CARLO |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1800 AEST (0800 GMT) |
|
Apr 16 |
Nalbandian to bt Davy. |
3.5 at 1.85 |
|
1.80 |
-3.5 |
|
Nalbandian had another early round fight
against Granollers but once he got on top he was never headed. He should be
better for two tough matches coming into this where as Davydenko just has
the win over Karlovic as his only match since February. They've spilt 3-3 on
dirt over the years but Nalbandian's superior match fitness must be worth
something today. |
|
Apr 15 |
Kohlsch. to bt Verdasco |
1.5 at 3.75 |
|
3.25 |
-1.5 |
|
Verdasco is in great form this year of course,
but first up on clay at a venue where he is 0-4, has to be a risk.
Kohlschreiber has the class to beat anyone on his day and boasts a 3-2
head-to-head advantage over Verdasco, inc. 1-0 on clay. After easing past
Gulbis in the first round, he looks ready for this. |
|
Apr 15 |
Seppi to bt Federer |
0.5 at 7.35 |
|
5.00 |
-0.5 |
|
Federer took a late wildcard to come to
Monte-Carlo and I cant help but think that he might not be 100% into this
after his wedding last weekend. Seppi too him to 2x breakers when they met
here a few years ago and this time Seppi is coming off a 2 & 0 drubbing of
Melzer. Handicaps are probably well worth a look as well, but I have to have
a nibble at this price. |
|
Apr 15 |
Karlovic to bt Davyd. |
2 at 2.88 |
|
2.50 |
-2 |
|
Davydenko is sure to be rusty after a two
month layoff. Karlovic beat him in their only clay meeting in Barca a few
years ago and he wont give the Russian any rhythm at all. A solid win over
Serra should give him plenty of confidence coming into this one. |
|
Apr 15 |
Ljubicic to bt Del Potro |
0.5 at 7.25 |
|
5.00 |
+3.12 |
|
Del Potro might have been close to unbeatable
on this surface last year but he is first up on the clay here and I'm not
convinced that he is going quite as well as he was when in peak form last
year. Ljubicic has had three competitive clay matches in the last week or so
and if he can serve well, figures to be right in the mix at the business end
of each set. |
|
Apr 15 |
N Lapentti to bt Safin |
2.5 at 2.38 |
|
2.10 |
+3.45 |
|
Safin was his usual volatile self against
Hewitt but was helped by the fact that the Australian had a very limited
preparation having been delayed in his travel from Houston. Lapentti has
played three good matches here already this week and should be a slight fave
for mine. |
|
Apr 14 |
A Beck to bt Simon |
1 at 6.55 |
|
5.00 |
+5.55 |
|
Great effort from Beck yesterday to put a
terrible first set behind him and get past Kiefer. Winning form is good form
and Beck has done a lot of winning in recent times. Simon is sure to be a
little rusty first up on the dirt and he has lost his last three here
despite the local support. |
|
Apr 14 |
Vassallo-A to bt Andreev |
1.5 at 3.80 |
|
3.25 |
+4.2 |
|
Andreev comes in with four matches in
Casablanca last week which has to give him some edge, but he has come up
very short for my liking. Vassallo has moved on from the dark days and his
form has held up well over the last few months. He beat Andreev on dirt in
their last two meetings back in '03 and while the Russian has improved
since, its a good psychological advantage. |
|
Apr 14 |
Monaco to bt Robredo |
2 at 2.83 |
|
2.40 |
+3.66 |
|
Just a few points in a third set tiebreaker
separated these two when they met in the Buenos Aires final a few months
ago. Robredo has to have a slight edge given his experience in these
conditions but I can easily see this one going the distance again. |
|
Apr 13 |
A Beck to bt Kiefer |
2 at 2.53 |
|
2.40 |
+3.06 |
|
Andreas Beck has been one of the big improvers
of late on the Challenger and ATP Tours. He has been winning a lot of
matches and having quallied here with good wins over Navarro and Devilder,
his confidence should be high. Kiefer played two matches at each hardcourt
Masters Series event but hasn't played on clay for about nine months. I cant
see much in it. |
|
Apr 13 |
Cipolla to bt Cilic |
2 at 2.89 |
|
2.55 |
-2 |
|
Siding with another qualifier at juicy black
odds. Cipolla quallied very well with wins over Starace and Nieminen. He
beat Cilic on clay last year and Cilic is just 0-2 at this venue. Cilic has
all the class but his form of late has been a little less convincing and
Cipolla will get a lot of local support from the Italians. |
|
APRIL 6-12 |
CASABLANCA
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1900 AEST (0900 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL =
2100 AEST/1100 GMT) |
HOUSTON
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 0000 AEST (1300 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL =
0200 AEST/1600 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP CASABLANCA |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1900 AEST (0900 GMT) |
|
Apr 10 |
Gil to bt Montanes |
3.5 at 1.85 |
|
1.80 |
-3.5 |
|
Gil has been a big improver in recent times.
Two hard fought wins over the likes of Beto Martin and Ljubicic bode well
for this one. Montanes usually gives a good account of himself on dirt but
his recent form is not quite as impressive and he was broken six times in
his last match against Ventura. |
|
Apr 10 |
Hanescu to bt Ferrero |
2 at 2.82 |
|
2.60 |
-2 |
|
Ferrero is by all accounts fit and raring to
go after a six-week injury layoff but Hanescu was in fine form with an
annihilation of Navarro in the second round. Ferrero on the other hand gave
up a lot of chances in a tight win over Starace and might struggle a little
too much on his own service game. |
|
Apr 10 |
Gicquel to bt Andreev |
2 at 2.65 |
|
2.35 |
-2 |
|
Gicquel took care of Andreev fairly
comfortably on the dirt in Bucharest a few years ago and while the Russian
has undeniably improved since, Gicquel doesn't represent the easiest
match-up. Andreev had a big fight against Devilder yesterday for his second
straight 3-settler and this does look tougher than both of those matches. |
|
Apr 9 |
O Rochus to bt Serra |
1.5 at 3.00 |
|
2.80 |
-1.5 |
|
Serra turned around an 0-2 Masters Series run
with a first round win over Bellucci here. I'm a fan of his, but he is
susceptible to the grinding and retrieving style. Ollie Rochus has shown
some signs that his form is turning around, and while dropping a set to
Ziadi doesn't read well, I do think that he will be better for the run. |
|
Apr 7 |
Hernandez to bt Starace |
2.5 at 2.50 |
|
2.10 |
-2.5 |
|
Hernandez beat Ljubicic and took a set off
Safin on the hardcourts in Miami, so he looks to be playing well coming onto
the clay. Starace lost a poor match in the opening round of his home
challenger last week and hasn't been close to his best all year. His is
playing his first match at this tourney where as Hernandez has made the
quarters on his last two starts here. |
|
Apr 7 |
Devilder to bt Koellerer |
3.5 at 2.01 |
|
1.90 |
+3.53 |
|
Devilder has only won a couple of matches
since last August, but he was competitive against some higher ranked
opposition on the dirt in February. Koellerer is one of, if not, the most
mentally challenged players on the tour and coming off a 1 & 0 drubbing to
Cuevas last start at a challenger, I have to have Devilder a clear fave
despite his horror recent win rate. |
|
Apr 6 |
Martin to bt Gil |
1.5 at 3.10 |
|
2.80 |
-1.5 |
|
Gil quallied in Miami and posted a credible
loss to Nadal in the third round but he wont have had too much time to
prepare himself for the dirt here. The journeyman Martin has been on clay
for the last two weeks and while he only had a win over Ramirez, he still
has the ability to outlast his younger competitor. |
|
ATP HOUSTON |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 0000 AEST (1300 GMT) |
|
Apr 8 |
Roitman to bt Hewitt |
1 at 4.14 |
|
3.75 |
-1 |
|
Hewitt made quick work of the Argentine
Junqueira yesterday, but I'm not getting too carried away with that one as
his form this year has been bordering on abysmal. Roitman appears to be
playing to win these days. He notched up a solid win over Calleri yesterday
and usually holds his form well. |
|
Apr 8 |
Odesnik to bt Melzer |
2 at 2.71 |
|
2.50 |
+3.42 |
|
Melzer won just his second match dating back
to the Australian Open when he got past Kendrick yesterday. He has a good
record against fellow lefties but he looks unders today. Odesnik is very
serviceable on clay and he should be better for the run against Anderson in
the opening round. |
|
Apr 7 |
G Lapentti to bt G-Lopez |
2.5 at 2.50 |
|
2.25 |
-2.5 |
|
Lapentti comes in having qualified without
dropping a single set and his form over the past month has been more than
satisfactory. Garcia-Lopez went out in straight sets in both Indian Wells
and Miami so he cant be fronting up here with too much confidence or
expectations. |
|
MARCH 25-APRIL 5 |
MIAMI MASTERS 1000
SURFACE: HARD - DRAW: 96 |
POSTED BY 0000 AEST (1300 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL =
0200 AEST/1500 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
MIAMI |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 0000 AEST (1300 GMT) |
|
Mar 31 |
Simon to bt Tsonga |
2 at 2.85 |
|
2.50 |
-2 |
|
Tsonga has the power and shot making ability
to hit anyone off the court, but rather like the Stepanek-Gonzalez match-up
from yesterday, Simon's consistency might prove an advantage today. Simon is
holding his '08 form well and while a fit Tsonga is dangerous, I can see a
close battle here. |
|
Mar 27 |
Santoro to bt Kiefer |
2 at 2.67 |
|
2.40 |
-2 |
|
Kiefer hasn't played a lot of tennis in recent
months and while he looked okay at Indian Wells, I expect him to be fully
tested against the Magician. Santoro has already played a match here and is
sure to be motivated to perform well for the last time at a venue where he
has played okay over the years. |
|
Mar 27 |
Kukushkin to bt Tursunov |
2 at 3.00 |
|
2.50 |
-2 |
|
The 21 year-old Kukushkin is in a rich vein of
form at the moment. His run through quallies and a first round encounter
against Haas without dropping a set has been impressive. Tursunov's form has
been spasmodic and his mental fragility is still an issue when things don't
go all his own way. |
|
Mar 27 |
Benneteau to bt Blake |
1.5 at 3.37 |
|
2.90 |
-1.5 |
|
Blake wasn't all that convincing with three
set win over Nieminen and sharp loss to Gonzalez last week at Indian Wells.
Benneteau is no stranger to an upset and is often underestimated by the
bookies. He can struggle to get over the line at times, but Blake looks
worth opposing today. |
|
Mar 27 |
Youzhny to bt Berdych |
3 at 2.20 |
|
2.00 |
-3 |
|
Youzhny has a good record against Berdych, the
most recent win indoors at Marseille earlier this season. Berdych made the
final at the Sunrise challenger last weekend, but the 1 & 1 loss to
Soderling cant have left him with too much confidence. Youzhny had a good
win over the in-form Chardy in the opening round and looks to have turned
the corner after a slow start to the year. |
|
Mar 26 |
Montanes to bt Koubek |
2 at 2.68 |
|
2.30 |
+3.36 |
|
You think Montanes and you normally think
dirtballer but he really isn't the worst player going around on hardcourts.
That was in evidence last week when he cleaned up Serra and was competitive
against Murray. He should be more suited in the slow conditions in Miami.
Koubek has a terrible record here and might find himself frustrated into
error more often than not. |
|
Mar 25 |
Serra to bt Benneteau |
2 at 2.59 |
|
2.40 |
-2 |
|
I really cant see much between these two and
it does come as some surprise that bookies have Benneteau so short here.
Serra leads the head-to-head and while he hasn't been winning some matches
he should he has certainly been very competitive and lifted his level this
year. |
|
Mar 25 |
Dancevic to bt Kohlsch. |
1.5 at 3.55 |
|
3.00 |
+3.82 |
|
Dancevic comes in well acclimatised having
come through quallies very comfortably. He should be well primed for a shot
at his lower ranked opponent today. Kohlschrieber is all class but he can
lose the plot all too easily. With some mental fragilities always a chance
he looks very short against an improver such as Dancevic. |
|
MARCH 12-22 |
INDIAN WELLS MASTERS 1000
SURFACE: HARD - DRAW: 96 |
POSTED BY 0000 AEST (1300 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL =
0500 AEST/1800 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
INDIAN WELLS |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 0000 AEST (1300 GMT) |
|
Mar 15 |
Seppi to bt Wawrinka |
2 at 3.06 |
|
2.60 |
-2 |
|
Wawrinka has been Stateside for a while having
competed in the Davis Cup tie last week (w. Blake, l. Roddick) but that
represents his only play at this level since the Australian Open. Seppi has
won his last three against the Swiss and also has the match under the belt
here having got past Chela. |
|
Mar 15 |
Russell to bt Tursunov |
1.5 at 3.25 |
|
2.70 |
-1.5 |
|
Russell is hard to beat when he gets on a run
and after coming through quallies and round one without dropping a set must
be confident. He loves the conditions here having made the fourth round back
in '07. Tursunov has been up and down all year and could well be frustrated
into error by Russell's solid back court game. |
|
Mar 15 |
Massu to bt Safin |
1 at 4.00 |
|
3.50 |
-1 |
|
Massu has been competitive all year but he
notched up his first match win (1-6) against Schwank in the first round. The
match under the belt is a big plus and he is certainly capable of
frustrating the volatile Russian should be come out a bit rusty. |
|
Mar 15 |
Querrey to bt Stepanek |
2 at 2.98 |
|
2.75 |
+3.96 |
|
Stepanek has a had a huge start to the year
but maintaining that momentum will be a big test over the next two
tournaments. For some reason he is just 1-6 here and comes up against
Querrey who has the match under the belt. If the American can serve well he
should be right in it. |
|
Mar 14 |
Llodra to bt Gasquet |
2 at 3.00 |
|
2.75 |
-2 |
|
Llodra has been playing some very good tennis
this year and once again he was underestimated by the bookies with a first
round upset win over Lopez. He is 1-3 against his countryman, but Gasquet
hasn't been all that impressive in recent times. Cant see a lot in it. |
|
Mar 14 |
Lapentti to bt Soderling |
1 at 5.48 |
|
5.00 |
+4.48 |
|
Lapentti came back to win the last four games
against the dangerous Giraldo which can only add to his confidence building
wins over the Canadian's in last week's Davis Cup tie. He comes in a lot
more match fit compared to Soderling who has just played one match since the
Oz Open. |
|
Mar 14 |
Ljubicic to bt Ancic |
2 at 2.85 |
|
2.40 |
Void |
|
Ancic had a solid indoor run but this is his
first start outside. Ljubicic had a nice warm-up with a 3 & 3 win over
Nishikori in the opening round to show the young up and comer how its done.
He has a great 4-1 record against Ancic so looks well over the odds here. |
|
Mar 13 |
Navarro to bt Widom |
2 at 2.80 |
|
2.50 |
-2 |
|
I'm finding it tough to come up with anything
of value in these first two days at Indian Wells, but the qualifier Widom
looks to have come up a bit short today. Navarro is on 6-match losing streak
but he has remained competitive and should appreciate the conditions here.
Widom had a good tourney at San Jose but that was indoors. |
|
FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1 |
DUBAI
SURFACE: HARD - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 1900 AEST (0800 GMT)
(STARTS 1400 LOCAL =
2100 AEST/1000 GMT) |
DELRAY BEACH
SURFACE: HARD - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 2300 AEST (1200 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL =
0300 AEST/1600 GMT) |
ACAPULCO
SURFACE: CLAY - DRAW: 32 |
POSTED BY 2300 AEST (1200 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 LOCAL =
0400 AEST/1700 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
ATP DUBAI |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1900 AEST (0800 GMT) |
|
Feb 26 |
Andreev to bt Ferrer |
2.5 at 2.50 |
|
2.20 |
-2.5 |
|
Andreev showed a great level of maturity and
patience to come back from losing the first set against Tursunov yesterday.
He should come into this one with great confidence. Ferrer hasn't quite been
his un-penetretable self in recent times and Andreev leads the head-to-head
4-2 (2-1 on hard). |
|
Feb 25 |
Andreev to bt Tursunov |
4 at 2.14 |
|
1.80 |
+4.56 |
|
This is clearly not a great match up for
Tursunov who tends to like a flatter ball with plenty of pace. Andreev's
excessive top-spin makes it hard for the Russian-American, as evidenced in a
1-5 head-to-head record. Andreev had a lean indoor spell, but he is much
more at home in these conditions and lets not forget that he beat Gasquet
here last year. Tursunov got past Seppi in the opening round but his
hardcourt form in recent times has been far from impressive. |
|
Feb 23 |
Recouderc to bt Gabashvilli |
2 at 2.52 |
|
2.40 |
-2 |
|
Gabashvilli has been very average in the last
month or so and for mine it would be no surprise to see him struggle against
an in-form player. Recouderc quallied in Marseille then backed it up in
Dubai with solid wins over Rehnquist and de Voest. He'll be match fit in
these conditions, and this is Gabashvilli's first start here. |
|
Feb 23 |
Santoro to bt Hanescu |
3 at 2.10 |
|
2.00 |
+3.3 |
|
It's one last time around for Santoro and he
looks to have a nice draw here at an event where he is a former winner. The
dry faster conditions should suit. Hanescu has been very up and down this
year and is another player in his first start at this tournament. |
|
ATP DELRAY BEACH |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 2300 AEST (1200
GMT) |
|
Feb 25 |
Kendrick to bt Korolev |
3 at 2.31 |
|
2.10 |
-3 |
|
Kendrick can be a bit of a head case and
Korolev has improved his consistency, but in these conditions I have to side
with the local. Certainly, if he serves like he did in the opening round
against Capdeville, he will be favoured to take out this one. The qualifier
Korolev has four matches under his belt but I made this pick it. |
|
Feb 23 |
Serra to bt Nieminen |
3 at 2.23 |
|
2.00 |
+3.69 |
|
I really don't know what the bookies have
against Serra. He seems to win as an underdog more than any other player. He
has lifted his game this year and based on a recent win over Nieminen I
don't see how this cannot be at very least a "pick-it" match. Nieminen has
lost his last three against Serra and has not won a match since his Sydney
final. |
|
Feb 23 |
Koubek to bt Reynolds |
3.5 at 1.90 |
|
1.80 |
+3.15 |
|
Reynolds doesn't come into this one with much
confidence having gone 0-2 through the brief indoor swing. He should
appreciate the conditions, but Koubek just has a little bit more class. The
Austrian has been a somewhat spasmodic this year, but returning from injury
last year he should be motivated here. |
|
Feb 23 |
C Rochus to bt Karanusic |
3.5 at 1.90 |
|
1.80 |
+3.15 |
|
Rochus got past Young and Fish last week
indoors and I see no reason why he cant bring that form outside at Delray.
After starting the year slowly, he looks to be back into some more reliable
form. Karanusic doesn't have anything to bother Rochus. If the Belgian can
stay patient he should be far too good. |
|
ATP ACAPULCO |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 2300 AEST (1200
GMT) |
|
Feb 25 |
Bellucci to bt Monfils |
1.5 at 3.35 |
|
2.90 |
-1.5 |
|
Bellucci followed up his home Brazil final
with a tight loss to Granollers in Argentina but he looks to be back on
track with an opening round win over Devilder in Mexico. The month on the
dirt must be an advantage today up against Monfils who comes from the indoor
swing. The Frenchman is tough to beat on clay, but preparation must count
for something today. |
|
CLICK
HERE FOR WTA (WOMEN'S)
AUSTRALIAN OPEN PICKS |
|
JANUARY 19 - FEBRUARY 1 |
2009 AUSTRALIAN OPEN
SURFACE: HARD - DRAW: 128 |
POSTED BY 1000 AEST (2300 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 MEL =
1100 AEST/0000 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
AUSTRALIAN OPEN |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1000 AEST (2300 GMT) |
|
Jan 25 |
Cilic to bt Del Potro |
2 at 2.95 |
|
2.60 |
-2 |
|
It's clear that both of these 20 year-olds are
the real deal. But Del Potro has been up for a few weeks now and I thought
he was just going okay in his win over Muller in the last round. Cilic was
ultra impressive against Ferrer and he should be well suited with the fast
conditions at Hisense Arena. Cant see too much in it so the value must be
with the dog. |
|
Jan 23 |
Fish to bt Baghdatis |
2.5 at 2.50 |
|
2.10 |
-2.5 |
|
Baghdatis always seems to raise his level in
Melbourne but I think he'll need more than his vocal army of Cypriot
supporters today. Soderling was mentally inept to let a set and 4-0 lead
slip, but the passive style of play from Baghdatis must be of concern. Fish
has had a good lead-up and was ultra-solid against Bolelli. He should enjoy
the indoor-like conditions for the night match in HiSense Arena. |
|
Jan 22 |
Koubek to bt Monfils |
1 at 6.12 |
|
4.50 |
-1 |
|
Koubek played a very solid game to smash
Youzhny in straight sets in the opening round. While it must be noted that
the Russian was far from his best, Koubek looks to have bounced back well
from his injury hit '08 season. Monfils notched up a big win over Nadal to
start the year but he is still not the most consistent type going around and
Koubek will retrieve all day. The shot-making Frenchman may not enjoy the
forecast high wind either. |
|
Jan 22 |
Ancic to bt Karlovic |
4 at 1.85 |
|
1.80 |
+3.4 |
|
Two big-serving Croatian's go at is what could
well be an extended affair. It's easy to see why the oddsmakers have it
close, but I like Ancic's chances with current form in mind. I like Ancic's
preparation in Brisbane and Sydney. He plays well in these conditions and
has a far superior record at Melbourne Park. |
|
Jan 22 |
Andreev to bt Gulbis |
2 at 2.56 |
|
2.10 |
+3.12 |
|
I must admit to having Andreev a favourite
here. Gulbis is an up and comer but he is still far too inconsistent for my
liking. He has had two good Grand Slam showings already but he still runs
very hot and cold. Andreev has improved his consistency and once the wind
died down against Polansky he was very impressive. He wont want it too windy
again today (some strong winds are forecast) but I just have to support him
as an underdog. |
|
Jan 21 |
Santoro to bt Kohlsch. |
1 at 4.60 |
|
4.00 |
+3.6 |
|
The Kohlschreiber shoulder held up against
Querrey but the American clearly found it difficult backing up from the
Auckland final. The 36 year-old Magician Santoro never ceases to surprise
and he will appreciate the slightly cooler conditions on Wednesday. The
German can show some mental weakness so I don't think he deserves to be
quite so short. |
|
Jan 21 |
Garcia Lopez to bt Safin |
1 at 4.05 |
|
3.75 |
-1 |
|
Garcia-Lopez can be streaky but he came back
from a set and break down to storm home over Calleri in his first match in
over three months. Three-time finalist Safin plays well here, but I'm not
totally convinced by his form. I can see a long tough encounter on the cards
here and I made the Spaniard a bit shorter. |
|
Jan 20 |
Hewitt to bt Gonzalez |
3 at 2.00 |
|
1.95 |
-3 |
|
Cant say I thought that I'd be considering
Hewitt a few weeks ago, but his form has been respectable and he comes in
what must be considered the better preparation. He has the perfect schedule
to be playing in the heat of a 37C day - just don't close the roof! A long
and grueling match is on the cards, and at the death I have to favour the
local lad. |
|
Jan 20 |
Koubek to bt Youznhy |
1 at 4.75 |
|
4.00 |
+3.75 |
|
Koubek comes into this via the Noumea
challenger where he had a few matches while Youzhny beat Andreev before
going down to Hanescu in Doha. The Austrian hasn't done a lot on hardcourts
in recent times, but he is no stranger to long and tough matches in the heat
at Melbourne Park. Youzhny is the class player but I wouldn't be surprised
to see him pushed all the way here. |
|
Jan 20 |
Gabashvilli to bt Gran. |
2.5 at 2.37 |
|
2.20 |
-2.5 |
|
The Spaniard Granollers is capable on
hardcourts but he does play his best on the dirt. I prefer the preparation
of Gabashvilli who has been playing and practising in the heat of Brisbane
and Sydney for the past two weeks. It should be crucial in the expected
extreme conditions today. He also boasts a never say die attitude that bodes
well when considering a punt. |
|
Jan 19 |
Querrey to bt Kohlshc. |
2.5 at 2.35 |
|
2.20 |
-2.5 |
|
Sam Querrey hasn't had a lot of time to
acclimatise in Melbourne and a 33 degree day first up might not be ideal,
but he is match fit and will be riding a wave of confidence from his finals
appearance in Auckland. Kohlschreiber pulled from the same tourney with a
shoulder problem. Querrey should be able to prolong this one and fully test
out the German's fitness. |
|
Jan 19 |
Reynolds to bt Robredo |
1 at 4.30 |
|
3.50 |
-1 |
|
Bobby Reynolds has had plenty of tennis over
the past few weeks having successfully qualified in Brisbane and Auckland.
Robredo was far from convincing in Sydney with a win over Melzer and sharp
loss to Ancic. With some hot weather I expect to the balls to fly and suit
the big serving Reynolds. If he can keep his head he should be very
competitive here. |
|
Jan 19 |
Vliegen to bt Bolelli |
2 at 2.55 |
|
2.30 |
-2 |
|
Vliegen hasn't done anything to set the world
on fire in recent times but he handles these conditions quite well. He
boasts a handy serve and up against Bolelli, one of the poorest returners
going around, he should go deep in each set. His mental fitness being the
only question mark, but I'm willing to give the Belgian another shot. |
|
Jan 19 |
Mathieu to bt Nieminen |
2.5 at 2.20 |
|
2.10 |
+3 |
|
Nieminen will be riding a wave of confidence
from his finals appearance in Sydney, but its a big ask backing up with the
Monday start on limited preparation here in Melbourne. Mathieu put in poor
performances to lose to Verdasco and Djokovic in Brisbane and Sydney but
this is down a class or two. I don't expect and easy match and I'm sure
there will be some nervous moments from both players, but I had Mathieu a
slight favourite. |
|
JANUARY 12-17 |
AUCKLAND
SURFACE: HARD - DRAW: 28 |
POSTED APPROX. 1030 AEST (2330 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 AUCK. =
0900 AEST/2200 GMT) |
SYDNEY
SURFACE: HARD - DRAW: 28 |
POSTED APPROX. 1000 AEST (1000 GMT)
(STARTS 1100 SYDNEY =
1100 AEST/0000 GMT) |
|
Date |
Match |
Units/Price |
Rec Bookie |
Bet to |
Result |
|
NOTE: FROM 2009 ON, IF THERE ARE NO PLAYS
POSTED BY THE SCHEDULE TIMES, THEN ONE CAN ASSUME THAT THERE WILL BE NO
PLAYS FOR THAT EVENT AND DAY. |
|
ATP AUCKLAND |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 0900 AEST (2200 GMT) |
|
Jan 14 |
Lu to bt Almagro |
2.5 at 2.26 |
|
2.20 |
-2.5 |
|
Lu has to have the better preparation here. He
had matches in Perth and beat Darcis in the opening round yesterday. Almagro
is first up and sure take a while to get into match fitness. He hasn't
played on the ATP Tour since mid-October and very little on hardcourts over
the past 12 months. |
|
Jan 14 |
Muller to bt Querrey |
2.5 at 2.25 |
|
2.20 |
-2.5 |
|
Muller has come through quallies and with four
matches under his belt, wont get a better chance than today. Querrey could
have done it a bit easier again the local in the opening round and does look
vulnerable against the lefty. |
|
Jan 14 |
Gulbis to bt Del Potro |
2 at 2.80 |
|
2.50 |
-2 |
|
You never quite know which Gulbis will turn
up, but I've been quite impressed with his start to the season. He should be
better for the match yesterday. Del Potro is first up for the year, so it
will be interesting to see how his motivation level is. |
|
Jan 14 |
Monaco to bt Troicki |
3 at 2.04 |
|
1.95 |
-3 |
|
Monaco posted a nice win over Hanescu
yesterday and looks to have turned the corner after a lean stretch. He has a
good record at this venue. He'll be a much tougher opponent for Troicki than
Kunitsyn was that's for sure. |
|
ATP SYDNEY |
|
ANY PLAYS POSTED DAILY BEFORE 1000 AEST (2300 GMT) |
|
Jan 14 |
Ancic to bt Robredo |
2.5 at 2.25 |
|
2.10 |
+3.12 |
|
Ancic was a little fortunate to get past
Malisse in what was a high quality encounter. Robredo meanwhile, just did
what he had to against an error-prone Melzer. It wouldn't want to be too
windy out on court 5, but I marked up Ancic a bit shorter than this. |
|
Jan 14 |
Tipsarevic to bt Hewitt |
2.5 at 2.40 |
|
2.30 |
-2.5 |
|
Tipsarevic bounced back from a break down in
the 3rd set yesterday against the faltering Fish while Hewitt kept the ball
back at the right time against Benneteau in a less than convincing display.
Tipsarevic should be better for the run and wont mind being against the home
crowd. |
|
Jan 14 |
Gasquet to bt Simon |
4 at 1.83 |
|
1.75 |
+3.32 |
|
Gasquet has a very good record against Simon
and while Simon has improved immeasurably in the past 12 months, I'm not
sure he is near his best now. He was patchy in the indoor exho in Perth and
hasn't looked too confident in practice here. Gasquet has been to the semis
here before and looked sharp against Tursunov yesterday. |
|
Jan 13 |
Benneteau to bt Hewitt |
2 at 2.81 |
|
2.50 |
-2 |
|
Hewitt has a great record here, but better
times have well and truly passed the Australian. I'm not reading too much
into his performances at the Hopman Cup exho. His defensive and scrambling
game might not be enough here as Benneteau looked solid in Brisbane and is
no stranger to an upset. |
|
Jan 13 |
Tipsarevic to bt Fish |
2.5 at 2.20 |
 |
2.10 |
+3 |
|
I really think that Mardy Fish will have to
serve at his very best to justify his prices today. The American wasn't
playing badly in Brisbane by any means and should be better for the run, but
Tipsarevic must have the edge in the rallies. He had 3x good matches in
Chennai and has had time to prepare for this. |
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