Category: Tennis

BNP Paribas Open Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells gets underway on Wednesday, with an intriguing battle between the world’s top players set to ensue in the dry heat of California.

ATP World Tour

The top male players in the world reunite for the first time since January’s Australian Open, having each taken in various tournaments in different corners of the globe.

Novak Djokovic is the man to beat. The Serbian is world number one with a monstrous 4000 point cushion ahead of number two, Roger Federer (and a whopping advantage of almost 8000 points over Messrs Nadal and Murray), having won the Australian Open for the fifth time in January. He’ll be eager to defend his Paribas Open title, as well as the Miami Masters later this month, and also grab the 2000 ranking points on offer over both events to further cement his position as the best in the world.

Despite Djokovic’s seeming domination, Federer showed that he still has what it takes to compete with the best when he beat the Serbian comprehensively in two sets in an enticing contest in the final of the ATP Dubai last month. The 33-year-old has won the Indian Wells Masters a record four times, but has he got another in the locker?

Andy Murray was also in Dubai, but suffered a shock straight sets quarter-final defeat at the hands of 18-year-old Croatian, Borna Ćorić. The Scot still hasn’t quite rediscovered the consistency of form that saw him win Wimbledon in 2013, although he did reach the Australian Open final at the start of the year and also helped Great Britain to victory over the United States in the Davis Cup last week with a straight sets victory over John Isner.

Following a disappointing quarter-final exit in the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal is edging closer back to top form after recovering from appendix surgery. Nadal has been hindered by injuries in recent years, but still only 28, it’s certainly possible that we’ll see the Spaniard back challenging for Majors in the very near future. Nadal, along with Djokovic, has three previous Paribas Open titles – can either match Federer’s record of four?

Along with the ‘big four’, eyes will also on last year’s US Open champion, Marin Cilic, and Juan Martin del Potro, both of whom return to the court after lengthy spells out with injuries.

WTA Tour

Serena Williams returns to the place she won her first WTA title way back in 1999. Indeed, it’s been a while for Serena, her last appearance in this tournament came in 2001 when she beat Kim Clijsters in the final. If she marks her return with another Indian Wells title, she’ll become the first female to win three titles here. That said, Maria Sharapova and (albeit less likely) Daniela Hantchova are also in with a shot of a record third title here.

As ever, Serena is the big favourite heading into the tournament, with Maria Sharapova likely to provide some stern competition. However, Victoria Azarenka could certainly do some damage in California following her return from injury. The 25-year-old former world number one is currently ranked a lowly 38 in the rankings, but that position is sure to improve ahead of the summer’s majors.

Will Serena dominate once again, or could Sharapova or Azarenka demonstrate the unpredictability of the women’s game?

BNP Paribas Open Schedule

The BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells starts on Wednesday 11th March, with the women’s and men’s finals bringing proceedings to a close on Sunday 22nd March 2015.

Tennis: Australian Open Finals Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Men’s Final

The Players

Andy Murray – 27 year old Scotland born 6th seed.  Two time grand slam winner, and interestingly, just seven days older than his opponent.  One of the better defensive exponents in the game.  An excellent returner of serve and ball retriever – he has looked in excellent shape at this year’s Open.

Novak Djokovic – The Serbian number one seed is the heavy favourite after not dropping a set until the Semi-Final.  Has history on his side at the Australian Open and already 7 major titles to his name.  Strong, patient player with no weaknesses.

The Road to the Final

Andy Murray

1st round: d. Y.Bhambri 6-3 6-4 7-6(3)
2nd round: d. M.Matosevic 6-1 6-3 6-2
3rd round: d. J.Sousa 6-1 6-1 7-5
4th round: d. [10] G.Dimitrov 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3 7-5
QF: d. N.Kyrgios  6-3 7-6(5) 6-3
SF: d. [7] T.Berdych 6-7(6) 6-0 6-3 7-5

Novak Djokovic

1st round: d. A.Bedene 6-3 6-2 6-4
2nd round: d. A.Kuznetsov 6-0 6-1 6-4
3rd round: d. [31] F.Verdasco 7-6(8) 6-3 6-4
4th round: d. G.Muller 6-4 7-5 7-5
QF: d. [8] M.Raonic 7-6(5) 6-4 6-2
SF: d. [4] S.Wawrinka 7-6(1) 3-6 6-4 4-6 6-0

The Pair’s History

Djokovic leads 15-8 overall and has won on the four most recent encounters.  Three previous Australian Open meetings all won by Djokovic.

The Pair’s Australian Open Record

Andy Murray – Three time finalist (2010, 2011, 2013).  Note, two of the loses to Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic – Four previous titles (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013), including three in a row between 2011-13.  Never lost an Australian Open Final.

The Odds (courtesy of Unibet Australia)

Andy Murray – $2.80

Novak Djokovic – $1.45

The Winner

If Murray plays as aggressively as he did against Tomas Berdych he has a good chance.  He’ll need luck, he’ll need Djokovic to be a little below his best, and he’ll need to keep those fiery emotions in check.  We don’t think he’ll have all those factors in his favour – we’re tipping Djokovic in four.  Check the odds on a tie-break in the first set too.

The Unibet Special

Throughout this year’s Australian Open, you can get your stake refunded as cash if your player goes down in five sets.

This special is available on your first ‘Match’ (head-to-head) bet on all Australian Open matches. Cash refund capped at $50 per match.

Women’s Final 

The Players

Serena Williams – The 33 year old jointly holds the record for the second most number of grand slam titles with Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova at 18 (Steffi Graf has the most at 22).  With a win in the 2015 Australian Open Final she’ll go into second on her own.

Maria Sharapova – At just 27 Sharapova has plenty of time to shake the Serena Williams hoodoo off, but needs to start soon.  Will take heart from Tomas Berdych’s win over Nadal after losing 17 in a row, after she herself has lost the last 15 against Serena.  Will call on her major final experience of which she has won 5.

The Road to the Final

Serena Williams

1st round: d. Alison Van Uytvanck 6-0 6-4
2nd round: d. Vera Zvonareva 7-5 6-0
3rd round: d. [26] Elina Svitolina 4-6 6-2 6-0
4th round: d. [24] Garbiñe Muguruza 2-6 6-3 6-2 (2h00)
QF: d. [11] Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 6-2
SF: d. Madison Keys 7-6(5) 6-2

Maria Sharapova

1st round: d. [Q] Petra Martic 6-4 6-1
2nd round: d. [Q] Alexandra Panova 6-1 4-6 7-5
3rd round: d. [31] Zarina Diyas 6-1 6-1
4th round: d. [21] Peng Shuai 6-3 6-0
QF: d. [7] Eugenie Bouchard 6-3 6-2
SF: d. [10] Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 6-2

The Pair’s History

Williams has totally dominated Sharapova over the years.  She holds an incredible 16-2 winning record against the Russian with the last victory coming in Miami last year.  The two share an incredible rivalry but if Sharapova can’t get another win soon, it will go down in history as an awfully one-sided rivalry.

The Pair’s Australian Open Record

Serena Williams – Has won the tile on five occasions (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010).

Maria Sharapova – One Australian Open title.  Won in 2008.

The Odds (courtesy of Luxbet Australia)

Serena Williams – $1.41

Maria Sharapova – $2.90

The Winner

Sharapova has done it easier than Serena thus far, but the gripping stranglehold might be too much to get past.  We see Serena winning this one in three.

Tennis: Australian Open Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The first tennis major of the year gets underway on Monday in Melbourne.  The 103rd edition of the Australian Open will see the world’s best compete in scorching heat inside Melbourne Park.  Expect drama filled late night tennis sessions and plenty of upsets over the two weeks, and use our guide below to place your bets.  Visit Sportsbet Australia to get a 25% bonus on all 4 leg multi-bets that come in.  They also have a useful Tennis Predictor if the seeds below crash out early.

Mens Preview

Who won last year?

Something strange happened in mens tennis at the Australian Open last year.  Namely, one of the big four didn’t win.  Instead, Stan Wawrinka shocked Rafael Nadal in four sets.  It was only the second time since 2005 that a player from the big four didn’t win a grand slam final.

Who are the seeds?

1. Novak Djokovic – The number one seed is also the overwhelming bookmakers favourite.  The four time Australian Open champion at all tournaments, on all surfaces, and against every opponent.  Djokovic is the most consistent of the big four, he won seven times in 2014, and after winning his third consecutive World Tour Finals title in London in November will be difficult to beat here.  Odds = $2.00
2. Roger Federer – The timeless gentleman of the game is still one of its best.  The 33-year-old may be without a grand slam win since Wimbledon in 2012, but his competitors will right him off at their peril.  His 2014 featured a runner-up finish at Wimbledon, a Davis Cup win, and semi finals at the Australian and US Opens.  He has also recently chalked up his 1000th career win.  Odds = $6.50
3. Rafael Nadal – Nadal comes into 2015 short of fitness and short of match practice.  That doesn’t necessarily rule him out of contention given he’s battled with knee injuries for much of his career, but it will take every inch of his significant mental ability to make the final rounds.  Nadal started 2015 by being upset in the third round at the Qatar Open where he was defending his title.  On the plus side, he did manage to win the doubles title with Juan Monaco.  Odds = $8.00
4. Stan Wawrinka – With an Olympic gold medal and now an Australian Open in his trophy room, 2015 could be another bumper year for Wawrinka.  The Melbourne courts are also a favourite of the aggressive Swiss veteran. With a bit of luck he’s a big chance to go back to back if he continues his hotmkaing approach.  Odds = $13.00
5. Kei Nishikori – The highly aggressive baseline player from Japan enjoyed a breakout season in 2014.  The peak of which was his runner up effort in the US Open, where he played some sensational tennis in the lead up to the final, but unfortunately let nerves effect him too much in the final where he was cast aside by Marin Čilić.  Nishikori won four times in 2014, defeating quality players on the way including Wawrinka and Djokovic.  Odds = $17.00
6. Andy Murray – The two time grand slam winner did not particularly enjoy 2014.  Amongst major injury and form inconsistency, Murray made only one grand slam semi-final (Roland Garos).  Potentially contributing to the disappointing results was his decision to replace coach Ivan Lendl with Amélie Mauresmo in June.  However, Murray was able to play some better tennis towards the end of the season, making the ATP World Tour Finals and finding a way back up the world rankings.  Odds = $11.00

Who is in form?

Federer, Wawrinka and David Ferrer have all had wins in early 2015.  Nadal and Djokovic lost unexpectedly in Doha.

Who are we predicting?

Djokovic’s record in Melbourne is too good to overlook.  We’re predicting him to take out the 2015 Australian Open from Andy Murray in the final.

Womens Preview

Who won last year?

Last year’s Open final was an affair featuring two surprising names.  They were, 21st seed Dominika Cibulková and China’s 4th seed Li Na.  As it transpired, Li Na was the winner in two sets.  2014 was Li’s final year on tour; she won’t be back to defend her title.

Who are the seeds?

1. Serena Williams – Serena on her day is far better than the other five names on the seeded player list below.  Her dominant serve and power forehand are generally too much for her opponents.  That said, 2014 wasn’t all that kind to her; a win at Flushing Meadows was the only time she made it past a grand slam quarter final.  Odds = $3.75

2. Maria Sharapova – A win in a week ago will do her confidence the world of good and has seen her enlisted as one of the draws favourites.  She also took home $195,000 for the win.  The glamour girl of tennis is big chance to add to her 2008 Australian Open trophy.  Odds = $5.00
3. Simona Halep – If 2014 was unkind to Maria Sharapova, it was generous to Halep.  She made it to the top two ranked players in the world, made her first major, and debuted in the WTA finals debut.  The diminutive Romanian is worth a punt.  Odds = $8.00
4. Petra Kvitova – Winning Wimbledon is the highlight of Kvitova’s career thus far, but that doesn’t mean she’s a one year pony.  Not at all.  Her 2102, featured two semi-finals, a quarter final and a 4th round in the four majors, meaning she has plenty of experience at the business end of tournaments.  Odds = $10.00
5. Ana Ivanovic – The Serbian has bounced around the top echelon of women’s tennis for nearly ten years.  We say bounce because she has yo yo’ed up and down the rankings when confidence and form disappeared, sometimes as low as number 22. However, last years 4th round win against Serena Williams was as impressive a performance as you’re bound to see, so she may be able to feed off that and compete this week.  Odds = $19.00
6. Agnieszka Radwanska – The Polish number 6th ranked player has been consistent over the past few years without being able to find a way to a grand slam final.  After reaching number two in the world, her nation hoped she would become one of their sporting superstars in a similar manner to Robert Lewandowski and Marcin Gortat.  A win at the Australian Open will achieve that.  Odds = $21.00

Who is in form?

Venus Williams won the ASB Classic in Auckland,  Simona Halep the Shenzhen Open,  Maria Sharapova won the Brisbane International, and Petra Kvitova won in Sydney.

Who are we predicting?

Form isn’t always the best indicator in the women’s game.  Conceivably, 15 players have a chance in the sweltering heat.  Probability though tells us Serena and Sharapova will be there or thereabouts, and if we had to pick one we would go with Williams (that’s a way of hedging our bets on either of the sisters).

Wimbledon 2014 Update

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

British hopes at Wimbledon 2014 may have sunk with Andy Murray’s straight sets defeat to Grigor Dimitrov but not those of Betcirca followers! Having tipped the Bulgarian at 20-1, we are now just one match away from a 10-1 pay-out just for reaching the final.

Before getting too excited, Dimitrov’s next opponent is none other than Novak Djokovic. The Serb will probably spoil the party but Dimitrov was so dominant against Murray that he must have a realistic chance of going all the way to the final.

Seven-time winner Roger Federer will be delighted that he is playing Milos Raonic rather than Rafael Nadal, although the Canadian will give him a tough test. The odds are that it will be Djokovic and Federer in the final but Dimitrov will certainly do his best to avoid that scenario. Should he win, it could even be “The Young Federer” against the master himself. Djokovic is a shade of odds-on to win the tournament and 1-4 to beat Dimitrov so not a lot of room for hedging our bets.

We are also well placed in the Ladies with Simona Halep, one of our two pre-tournament picks at 18-1, now a best priced 9-4. Halep was more famous for her controversial breast reduction than her tennis prior to 2013 but has surged into the top ten and was a finalist in Paris. There is no Maria Sharapova to stand in her way this time and I am confident that she can beat Eugenie Bouchard in her semi-final.

Halep knocked out our other each-way selection Sabine Lisicki, thumping her 6-0 in the second set to end our 25-1 hopes. The danger is Petra Kvitova who has been impressive in reaching this stage. She won here in 2011 and was seeded 6 this year but has moved through relatively untroubled.

Her semi-final opponent is her compatriot Lucie Safarova but Kvitova has a great record against her, winning their last five meetings. Kvitova looks nap material for the final and she is still available at 7-4 to win the tournament. That is sufficient to give us a bit of insurance so a saver is advised at that price.

*Ante-Post

Grigor Dimitrov at 20-1*

Sabine Lisicki at 25-1*

Simona Halep at 18-1*

Each-way ½ odds, 1,2

WIN Petra Kvitova at 7-4  Paddy Power, Ladbrokes

Wimbledon 2014 Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Andy Murray defends his Wimbledon title after becoming Britain’s first Men’s Champion in 77-years. He reached the semi-finals of the French Open before being comprehensively beaten by Rafael Nadal but he will be more at home on this surface. He appears to be fully recovered from his back surgery and now has a new coach in the form of former Wimbledon Ladies Champion Amelie Mauresmo.

Rafael Nadal was brilliant in Paris but he is not the same player on grass. He is still good enough to have secured two Wimbledon titles but could be vulnerable in the opening rounds. Roger Federer is still a force to be reckoned with but it is difficult to see him winning at the age of 32 while Djokovic is the man to beat. He was beaten in straight sets by Murray in last year’s final but had been taken to five sets in his semi-final and I believe that proved crucial.

Recent history tells us that it is a waste of time looking beyond the big four but I’m tempted to put up three-time 2014 winner Grigor Dimitrov as an each-way alternative. He won at Queen’s Club last week and arrives here at the top of his game. He is young and fearless and could give us a good run for our money.

There is no doubt that the Ladies provided much the better entertainment in Paris and Maria Sharapova was superb. She fought back from a set down through all of the closing rounds including the final against Simona Halep and thoroughly deserved her second French Open title.

Serena Williams is the short-priced favourite and her early exit from the French certainly helped to make it a more interesting contest. You simply cannot back her at the current odds but she is obviously going to be tough to beat as she goes for a sixth Wimbledon title.

Williams has an incredible record against Sharapova, winning their last 15 meetings and they are due to meet in the quarter-finals. Beaten finalist Halep is the third seed here and she is likely to have another good tournament. She is well worth supporting at around 16-1.

The best value may be last year’s runner-up Sabine Lisicki who loves this surface and has reached at least the quarter-finals in her last three appearances here. There are any number of good players including Li Na, Jelena Jankovic and Agnieszka Radwanska that are capable of doing well in another excellent event.

Grigor Dimitrov at 20-1 Bet365, Paddy Power

Simona Halep at 18-1 Sportingbet

Sabine Lisicki at 25-1 Sportingbet

Each-way ½ odds 1,2

French Open 2014 Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The French Open started this week and has already had its fair share of shock results, none more so than the defeat of World number one Serena Williams.

There had been reasons for anticipating this defeat with a couple of niggling injuries causing her problems in recent weeks and her exit has blown the event wide open. Bookmakers have reacted by installing Maria Sharapova as the hot favourite at around 2-1 but those odds seem very cramped and I believe there is better value elsewhere.

Ana Ivanovic appeared to have the world at her feet when she won here in 2008 but is still seeking a second Grand Slam. It was probably a case of everything happening too quickly for the Serb but she looks a much more relaxed player in recent months and put up a great performance in Rome recently.

She defeated new tournament favourite Sharapova and took Williams to three sets. With Serena out of the draw, Ivanovic must have a terrific chance of having a good run to the semi-finals at least. She dismissed her first round opponent with ease despite huge home support for her rival and looks good value at around 10-1.

Our second selection is Australia’s Sam Stosur who has one of the fiercest serves on the Tour. She can overpower her opponents with her big serve and that gives her some easy rounds. A 6-1, 6-1 win in her first match was a perfect demonstration of her talent and she is over-priced at 50-1, especially with the favourite now out.

The Men’s tournament looks far more likely to go with the usual suspects. Rafael Nadal has won here an incredible eight times and it is surprising that Djokovic has been chalked up as favourite. They are undoubtedly the big two at Roland Garros with Federer and Murray expected to provide the stiffest opposition.

The bookies are giving absolutely nothing away with it being virtually a toss of a coin. If you fancy any other player to break their dominance, you can get around 20-1 and upwards but with each-way terms only applying to a final spot it seems a tall order. We shall stick with the Ladies event and hope that one of our players can make it to the final pairing.

Ana Ivanovic at 10-1 Why Winner

Sam Stosur at 50-1 Totesport, Betfred

Each-way ½ odds, 1,2