Category: Tennis

2016 US Open Betting Field Narrows at Flushing Meadows

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The 2016 US Open is well into its second week and many of the main contenders are still left standing. This represents the final Grand Slam event of the tennis calendar and Flushing Meadows is still considered one of the stellar venues in professional tennis. Some of the greatest names in the sport have been victorious there and in the men’s’ event, this was the venue that saw Andy Murray break through into the elite of the men’s game in 2012 when he secured his first slam.

Murray can now be considered a great player with three slams in total including two Wimbledon titles, two Olympic Gold medals, a Davis Cup victory and numerous other ranking titles. However, it is the threat from Novak Djokovic that poses the biggest obstacle to Murray landing a fourth slam. Murray first has to navigate his next hurdle though against Kei Nishikori, but SunBets don’t think that will be much of a problem quoting Murray at a very short 1/7.

Can Djokovic be Stopped?

Many people consider Djokovic at his best to be on a par with Federer at his peak, and given his phenomenal athletic ability, it is difficult to argue. Djokovic is rightly so the favourite and is a best priced 19/20 on Betfair in the overall winner market. With no less than 12 slams already in the bag and looking good to soon surpass players like Emerson, Nadal and Sampras to become the second highest slam winner in men’s Tennis, the question is will the 2016 US Open be slam number thirteen?

However, this tournament isn’t just about Djokovic and Murray, and there are a few who could spring a surprise in the men’s tournament should the two favourites fail to deliver. One such player is Stan Wawrinka, but that kind of depends on which Wawrinka turns up.

Wawrinka is twice a semi-finalist in New York and has two slams to his name after winning the Australian Open in 2014 and the French Open the following year. He faces Juan Martin Del Potro though, a very stiff test for him with Del Potro a firm favourite on this surface after winning here in 2009. In fact Del Potro can be backed at 8/13 with SunBets with Wawrinka at 5/4.

Overall though, the betting market doesn’t seem to see beyond Djokovic and Murray, and it’s hard to argue with that.

In the women’s event all eyes will be on Serena Williams to see if she can finish off yet another remarkable year. In what could be her final US Open she is well in contention and is 4/5 with Betfair. After winning three consecutive titles from 2012-2014 and six titles here in total, it’s hard to back against what could be the greatest female tennis player of all time.

Who Could Upset the Odds?

It was Flavia Pennetta who upset the odds last year in what was an all-Italian ladies final, and so Williams isn’t a cert here by any means. Williams faces Simona Halep next on Thursday September 8, and it is difficult to see anything other than a Williams victory. Halep has yet to win a slam, but did reach the French Open final in 2014 and the US Open semi-final in 2015. She is well respected on the ladies circuit and the price of 33/10 with Sporting Bet and 13/4 with 888 Sport may attract a few punters who may believe that Williams’ best days are behind her.

Second favourite Angelique Kerber may attract a few punters with many firms going 3/1 on her chances of landing her second slam following her win at the Australian Open in January this year. Kerber has never gone past the semi-finals here in New York and Ladbrokes, Boyle Sports and Betfair have her at an attractive 3/1 to take the tournament come Saturday. One thing is for sure though, as long as Serena Williams has a tennis racquet in her hand, she will still be the one to beat.

Wimbledon 2016: Did Tsonga’s Wimbledon Marathon Make Him a Title Challenger?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Week two of Wimbledon is when the cream often rises to the top, and that was certainly the case on June 3 when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga came through a gruelling third round match against John Isner.

With the likes of Andy Murray, Milos Raonic and Bernard Tomic all comfortably through to the fourth round, the pressure was on Tsonga to deliver against the 18th seed Isner.

Despite starting the match as the higher ranked player, Tsonga certainly didn’t look as though he was the superior player after dropping two straight sets.

Fortunately, Tsonga is made of stern stuff and, after rallying in the third to take a vital set, the Frenchman stormed through the fourth 6-2 before winning one of the most epic Wimbledon tiebreakers in recent memory.

Tsonga Records One for the Record Books

At times in the fifth it looked as though Isner’s powerful serve would blow away Tsonga, but as the set wore on, the equally powerful Frenchman began to outmuscle his opponent. Eventually, after 35 games, Tsonga caught a break and clinched the match in the 36th.

Tsonga’s 19-17 victory in the fifth will certainly go down in the annals of time, but has it helped Tsonga’s chances of success at the world’s oldest tennis tournament?

A fourth round tie against Richard Gasquet certainly won’t be a walk in the park. In fact, the odds makers at bet365 can’t squeeze a tennis racket between them with identical odds of 10/11.

However, assuming you believe that Tsonga’s recent performance was good enough to make him a top prospect for the Wimbledon 2016 title, then Ladbrokes’ 40/1 odds should look highly attractive.

While the French pro would have to put in at least one or two more performances like the one he displayed against Isner, the long odds certainly offer some value for canny punters.

When the Favourite Might Not be the Favourite

If you’re looking to back the favourite, Ladbrokes is offering 10/11 on an Andy Murray victory. Of course, if tradition holds then he might struggle in the final stages.

Despite taking the title in 2013, Murray hasn’t managed to make the final since and with British players buckling under the weight of expectation, Murray’s short odds might belie his true chances of winning.

While it’s worth noting that Novak Djokovic is no longer a threat to Murray (he crashed out to Sam Querrey), the Scotsman will still have to contend with the likes of Roger Federer and Raonic if he wants to win Wimbledon.

Indeed, at 7/2 and 7/1 respectively, the odds on a Federer or Raonic win are enticing. However, if Tsonga can pick up where he left off against Isner, he may just be the man to beat.

Naturally, the odds are merely a hint as to what might happen on the courts, but if you’re looking to for a slice of value then Mr. Tsonga looks like he’s ready to serve up some more memorable performances this summer.

(504 words)

Internazionali BNL d’Italia – Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

There’s no pause for breath in tennis at the moment, with the men’s Madrid Masters final still to play, the Internazionali BNL d’Italia starts in Rome.

Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray (my 20/1 e/w tip at the start of the Madrid Open) will battle it out in the final in Madrid, with Nadal (4/11 at Coral) expected to dispose of the Brit (5/2 at bet365) on his favoured clay surface. In the women’s tournament, a series of shocks saw Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova dumped out in the semi-finals, with Simona Halep also knocked out in the second round. That left Petra Kvitova to clear up in the final against the unseeded 29-year-old Svetlana Kuznetsova – dropping just three games in the process.

ATP Preview

Regardless of the outcome in Madrid, there’s one clear favourite in Rome for the men’s title, and that is the returning Novak Djokovic (11/10 at bet365) – who opted out of the Madrid Masters in order to rest.

The Serbian appears unbeatable at the moment, winning every tournament he has entered this year. However, if Rafael Nadal (5/2 at BetVictor) can build on his improving form, he provides the biggest threat to Djokovic on clay.

Nadal holds the records for the most titles at the Italian Open, winning the tournament seven times since 2005. The only other player to have won in that period is, of course, Djokovic, who has won here three times – including last year’s edition in which he defeated the Spaniard in the final.

This year’s tournament could be a repeat of the 2014 final too, with Djokovic and Nadal on opposite sides of the draw. Standing in Djokovic’s way to the final is a tough potential quarter-final clash with Kei Nishikori (10/1 at Betfred), while Andy Murray (16/1 at Betfred) could meet him in the semis. In the bottom half of the draw, Nadal could meet Federer (14/1 at 888sport) in the last four – if all goes expected and they see off Stanislas Wawrinka (40/1 at 888sport) and Tomas Berdych (24/1 at 888sport) respectively in the quarters.

Best Bet: Rafael Nadal to win – 5/2 at BetVictor

WTA Preview

Serena Williams (5/2 at Betfred) has won back-to-back titles in Rome and, after losing her first match in 2015 in Madrid, she’ll be eager to bounce back ahead of the French Open and secure a title here.

Williams is lined-up for a potential semi-final clash with either Sharapova (6/1 at BetVictor) or Caroline Wozniacki (33/1 at SkyBet) but, given the unpredictably of the women’s game this year, that could easily change. On the other side of the draw, other likely finalist candidates are Simona Halep (5/1 at bet365), Eugiene Bouchard (80/1 at 888sport), or Madrid winner, Petra Kvitova (12/1 at BetVictor).

Outsider Tip: Eugiene Bouchard to win (E/W) – 80/1 at 888sport)

Mutua Madrid Open 2015 – Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The 2015 Madrid Open starts on Saturday. But world number one, Novak Djokovic, won’t be competing due after he pulled out for a second consecutive year, citing he seeks a period of rest ahead of the Rome Masters and the French Open later this month.

That gives the rest of the men’s field a hope of finally grabbing a title in 2015, a year in which the Serbian has totally dominated so far – breaking records to become the first player to win the first three ATP titles of the season, as well as the Australian Open in January.

Meanwhile, in WTA, can Serena Williams maintain her unbeaten start to 2015?

ATP Preview

Despite Djokovic’s current domination of the men’s game, clay belongs to Rafael Nadal. And it is unsurprising to find that the Spaniard has won the last two tournaments here in his homeland – along with victories in 2005 and 2010 – making him the 7/5 favourite (888sport) to triumph here once more.

The Spaniard is still well off peak form though and there will be a host of challengers ready to put the pressure on him for the title.

Kei Nishikori, last year’s finalist who was forced to retire in the third set, will be eager to show he is ready to break the ‘big four’, and is available at just 3/1 (888sport).

Then, of course, there is the small matter of Roger Federer (4/1 at 888sport) and the newly-married Andy Murray, who is remarkable value at 20/1 (888sport) to win the tournament. Admittedly the Scot has been off the pace in recent months, but 20/1 is simply stunning value for the 2008 winner and certainly worth a few quid each-way – especially considering Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are on the other half of the draw.

Best Bet: Andy Murray e/w – 20/1 at 888sport

WTA Preview

Serena Williams (5/2 at 888sport), the only female player to win here more than once, has a favourable draw, with her greatest rivals up to the semi-finals likely to come in the form of Anna Ivanovic, and then either Petra Kvitova (20/1) or Eugenie Bouchard (40/1 UniBet).

Things are certainly harder to call on the other side of the draw, with Caroline Wozniacki (20/1 888sport), last year’s winner Maria Sharapova (13/2 BetVictor) and Simona Halep (5/1 bet365) all battling it out for the other final place.

Best Bet: Serena Willliams outright – 5/2 at bet365

2015 Monte Carlo Masters Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

After winning the first two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles of the year, can Novak Djokovic continue his supremacy in the Monte Carlo Masters as the clay season gets underway?

A strong field is lined-up, with 16 of the top 20 players in men’s tennis set to take part. Although Andy Murray – finalist at the last ATP Masters tournament in Miami – is a notable absentee as he will be getting married.

Novak Djokovic – 6/4 at Betfred

Djokovic is the man of the moment. Dominating the ATP Masters tour to date, and soaring clear as number one in the world.

The French Open has thus far evaded the Serbian – the only major that has – and he will be eager to wrench that title from Rafael Nadal’s almighty grip when the tournament gets underway in May. There’s a strong correlation between success at the Monte Carlo Masters and the French Open though – in that the winner at the Monte Carlo Masters tends to duplicate that success at Roland Garros – although that is based almost solely on Nadal’s dominance.

Djokovic did end Nadal’s stronghold on the Monte Carlo Masters in 2013 when he beat him in the final, however he crashed out at the semi-final stage to Roger Federer last year.

There’s no doubt that Djokovic is the man to beat here, although he does lie in the same half of the draw as Nadal – potentially lining up an epic semi-final encounter.

Rafael Nadal – 15/8 at 888sport

Much like the French Open – which is also played on clay – Rafael Nadal has been the dominant force at the Monte Carlo Masters for the best part of a decade, winning the tournament for a remarkable eight consecutive years from 2005 to 2012.

Nadal’s reign of terror in Monte Carlo ended in 2013 after being defeated by Novak Djokovic in the final, while he slumped to a disappointing quarter-final straight sets defeat to compatriot David Ferrer at last year’s competition.

The Majorcian left-hander is struggling to get back to anywhere near his peak form after a couple of injury-blighted years, suffering a quarter-final defeat to Milos Raonic at the Indian Wells Masters and a shock third-round loss to fellow Spaniard, Fernando Verdasco in the Miami Open.

He needs to start finding his form soon if he wants retain his French Open title to make it a remarkable 10th title in 11 years at Roland Garros.

Roger Federer – 5/1 at Unibet

Remarkably – despite reaching the final four times – Roger Federer has never won the Monte Carlo Masters.

He must have thought he was finally going to break his duck when he went one set up and reached a tie-break in the second against Stanislas Wawrinka in the final last year, but his compatriot managed to turn the tie on its head and win the trophy after all.

There could be a re-run of that final at the quarter-final stage this year, as Federer and Wawrinka lie in the same section of the draw. If he can by-pass Wawrinka though, you’d expect him to reach the final, where he would likely meet Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal who are on the same half of the draw.

2015 Miami Open Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Formerly known as the Miami Masters, the newly-named ‘Miami Open presented by Itaύ’ gets underway on Wednesday, straight off the back of an entertaining tournament Indian Wells.

BNP Paribas Open Round-Up

The Paribas Open at Indian Wells concluded on Sunday, with Novak Djokovic continuing to demonstrate his supremacy on the men’s side with a three-set victory over Roger Federer in the final. The Serbian barely had to break sweat en-route to the final, winning each of his matches in two sets – defeating Marcos Baghdatis, Albert Ramos-Viñolas, John Isner and Andy Murray easily – and was even handed a walk-over against Bernard Tomic in the quarter-finals to make life very comfortable for him.

On the women’s side, Serena Williams wasn’t able to assert her dominance as she was forced to pull out of the tournament ahead of her semi-final with Simona Halep due to a knee injury. 24-year-old Halep – who is hoping to win her first major in 2015 after making vast progress in the last 18 months – went on to win the tournament, beating Jelena Jankovic in the final. Maria Sharapova, meanwhile, suffered a surprise fourth-round defeat to Flavia Pennetta, despite beating the returning Victoria Azarenka in straight sets in the previous round.

Men’s Preview

The big news coming into the Miami Open is that Roger Federer has said he will miss the tournament as he feels he needs a break from competition ahead of the upcoming clay season. That means Novak Djokovic’s biggest competition is likely to come from Andy Murray – although the Scot is going to need to vastly improve on his performance at Indian Wells in order to do that. Doubts continue to remain over Murray’s mental strength in the big games, and, particularly, whether he has a mental block against the Serb, something that was demonstrated as he buckled under the pressure despite leading in the Australian Open final in January. Murray has lost to Djokovic in each of their last six meetings.

Rafael Nadal still seems some way off peak form having suffered a shock quarter-final defeat to Milos Raonic at Indian Wells. The Spaniard will be especially determined to win the Miami Open having reached the final four times, but suffered defeat in each.

Unsurprisingly, Djokovic is the reigning champion here having won his fourth title in Miami in 2014. Andy Murray has also tasted success in Miami, winning in 2009 and 2013, but it’s hard to look past the in-form Serbian here.

Women’s Preview

After pulling out in the semi-finals at Indian Wells, it looks highly doubtful that Serena Williams will recover sufficiently in time to take part here – especially considering the unforgiving hard court. It will be a shame for the world number one – who has won here a record seven times – but it opens the competition right up.

Simona Halep will be an obvious contender once again, as the 23-year-old looks to claim her 12th WTA title – having already gathered three in 2015 alone. Maria Sharapova is sure to be riled up though, having crashed out in the fourth round at the Paribas Open – she is a renowned fighter and the world number two will be desperate to close the gap on the – almost-certainly – absent Williams.

Maria Sharapova to win – 9/2 at 888sport

2015 Miami Open Schedule

The tournament commences on Wednesday 25th March at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park, Miami, with the women’s final coming on Saturday 4th April, and the men’s a day later on Sunday 5th April.