Tag: Tennis tips

Veterans Turning Back The Clock at 2017 Australian Open

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The quarter-final line-ups in the Australian Open men’s and women’s draws have been decided, and they look nothing like the expectations that most pundits held a little over a week ago. On the men’s side, unseeded German Mischa Zverev faces the giant task of defeating Swiss great Roger Federer (17) to reach the semis while another former Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka (4) takes on Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12). In the bottom half of the draw, Rafael Nadal (9) will meet the highest seed remaining in the tournament, Canada’s Milos Raonic (3) with the remaining semi-final berth going to the winner of the David Goffin (11) v Grigor Dimitrov (15) match-up.

In the women’s tournament, a Williams v Williams final is still in play but it’s Serena who faces a tougher path through the next two rounds. She plays in-form Brit Johanna Konta (9) in the quarters with Karolina Pliskova (5) taking on Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in the other quarter. In the top half, it’s CoCo Vandeweghe v Garbine Muguruza (7) while Venus Williams must defeat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach the last four.

Swiss on a roll

Four of the eight quarter-finals will be played today, with Wawrinka v Tsonga the last game of the day session on Rod Laver Arena with Zverev v Federer first-up for the night session. There’s not much to take from the head-to-head history between Wawrinka and Tsonga as five of their seven match-ups have been on clay. Their only clash on a hard court was a decade ago! Statistically, Tsonga has slightly better numbers on hard courts – he holds serve 91 percent of the time compared to Wawrinka’s 85 per cent while their ability to break opponents is almost identical. A four-set contest is a reasonable expectation at $2.35 (thanks to bet365).

Federer is not surprisingly priced at $1.13 to defeat Zverev, although the quote would have been way shorter only days ago. Their previous two meetings are inconsequential (Halle on grass in 2013, Rome on clay in 2009) with Federer winning both. Zverev stunned Murray with his serve and volley game but the Swiss master will be wary should he attempt this strategy again. Credit to the German for his run here after a long run of injuries but Roger gets this done comfortably (3-0 at $1.67 with William Hill).

Venus rising

Venus Williams is first up on Rod Laver Arena today against the Russian 24th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, with the CoCo Vandeweghe-Garbine Muguruza quarter-final to follow immediately after. As Federer, Nadal and Lucic-Baroni have shown, age doesn’t seem to be a barrier at this year’s Open and the 36-year-old Williams is yet to drop a set against Kateryna Kozlova, Stefanie Voegele, Duan Ying-Ying and Mona Barthel. Pavlyuchenkova is an improved player compared to 12 months ago, but her return statistics are considerably inferior to those of Williams. We’re staggered to find Williams rated the underdog here, and will be taking a fair slice of the $2.00 available at Sportsbet. Vandeweghe ($2.60) will be on a high after her straight-sets upset of world No.1 and defending champion Angelique Kerber. Meanwhile, seventh seed Garbine Muguruza ($1.50) has progressed to her first Australian Open quarter-final without the loss of a set. They’ve played three times, Vandeweghe winning twice. The market looks about right for this one with a slight lean to the American at the game-total line (+3.5 at $1.80 with Crownbet).

Angelique Sent To The Kerb As CoCo Pops Major Surprise

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CoCo Vandeweghe is the WTA’s version of the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Her on-court demeanour and blistering serve is in stark contrast to the self-deprecating 25-year-old that greeted the media late last night. That was after she’d made a mockery of the rankings and wiped the court with world No.1 and defending champion Angelique Kerber, storming into the quarter-finals 6-2, 6-3. Kerber’s shock loss comes on the same day that men’s top seed Andy Murray was also sent packing, beaten by unheralded German Mischa Zverev.

It’s the first time in Australian Open history that both no.1s have failed to reach the quarter-finals. Five of the past seven newly installed world no. 1 female players have been dumped from their first major as top seed earlier than the quarter-finals. Earlier, Mischa Zverev (older brother of Alexander, who pushed Rafael Nadal to the wire in the third round) prevailed over Murray after three and a half hours to win 7-5 5-7 6-2 6-4. Heading into week 2 of the tournament, Serena Williams heads the market for the women’s title at $2.50 while Roger Federer leads a very tight field in the men’s competition.

Men’s market split wide open

Rafael Nadal (now a $6 hope for the title behind Federer, Stan Wawrinka and Milos Raonic) continue his charge toward a second Australian Open title against Gael Monfils in the second match at Rod Laver Arena tonight. The Spanish ninth seed faces another stern test against the sixth-seeded Frenchman. Giant-killer Denis Istomin will be hoping to cause another upset when he takes on 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov later in the day while ground pass holders are in for a treat with big-serving Canadian Raonic taking on Spanish 13th seed Roberto Bautista Agut. Raonic has won all four head to head matches but five of the nine head-to-head sets were 7-5 or 7-6 scorelines, including four tiebreaks. Bautista-Agut has broken opponents in almost 30 percent of his games played on hard court in the past 12 months so the Spaniard is worth a punt at the +5.5 game- total line at $1.73 on Centrebet. Dominic Thiem and David Goffin not only share a close friendship but close contests too. Goffin has the 4-3 edge in their head-to-head record but Thiem won their last match at the 2015 French Open. The +40.5 match total line appeals at $1.83 (Ladbrokes).

Hopes dashed for Gavrilova?

Australia’s last remaining hope Daria “Dasha” Gavrilova will again take centre stage when she opens tonight’s session against fifth seed Karolina Pliskova. Serena Williams headlines the day session against 16th seed Barbora Strycova, At Margaret Court Arena, ninth seed Johanna Konta is in action against Russian Ekaterina Makarova, followed by the only remaining match that doesn’t feature a seed with American qualifier Jennifer Brady and Croatian veteran Mirjana Lucic-Baroni battling it out. Pliskova looked gone a double break 2-5 down against Jelena Ostapenko in the third round, but the Czech (now second favourite behind Williams) ground out a 10-8 win. She now faces the pressure cooker of a Rod Laver Arena packed with Aussies cheering on their final hope in the tournament. Gavrilova has been riding her luck and it’s likely to run out tonight despite the massive support – take Pliskova 2-0 sets at $1.80 (Crownbet). In two matches, Strycova hasn’t claimed a set over the world No.2 – it’s a trend that will likely continue when they meet today. There’s a little more value in the -19.5-game match total, which $1.83 on Luxbet.

Nadal Turns Back Clock To Prevail in Marathon Five-Setter

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The 2009 Australian Open will always hold a special place in the scrapbook of Rafael Nadal. Already anointed the “King of Clay”, Nadal defeated Roger Federer in five sets to earn his first hard-court Grand Slam singles title. He was the first Spaniard to win the Australian Open title and became just the fourth male tennis player (with Jimmy Connors, Mats Wilander, and Andre Agassi) to win Grand Slam singles titles on three different surfaces. Nadal also became the first to hold Grand Slam singles titles on three different surfaces at the same time. Pickings have been slim for the Spaniard on his past eight visits to Melbourne but he turned back the clock yesterday, staging an incredible comeback after teen sensation Alexander Zverev looked odds-on to send the world no. 9 packing. The ninth-seeded Nadal came from two sets to one down to win 4-6 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-2 in an epic third-round encounter which lasted four hours and six minutes. Coincidentally, Zverev had butchered a match point before losing his only previous encounter against Nadal last year at Indian Wells.

Sir Andy to barely raise a sweat

Fresh from his dominant win over Tomas Berdych on Friday night, Roger Federer returns to Rod Laver Arena tonight to take on fifth seed Kei Nishikori. Federer holds a 4-2 head-to-head record over Nishikori, but the pair has never met in a Grand Slam. The 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka faces Andreas Seppi at Margaret Court Arena while ground pass holders will be able to see French star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga against Brit Dan Evans in the fourth match at Hisense Arena. Men’s top seed Andy Murray highlights the day session as he meets Mischa Zverev, the older brother of Alexander. Zverev has maintained a spot just inside the top 50 for several years but has never risen to the ranks of Murray, who presents a poor match-up for the Russian-born German. The Scot is a prohibitive $1.25 to win this in straight sets but backable at the -9.5-game handicap ($2.00 with William Hill). Having endured that circus that comes with Nick Kyrgios, Seppi enters his match-up against Wawrinka full of confidence. He has enough game to frustrate the Swiss from the baseline and should force this to a minimum of four sets +34.5 games is $1.80 with Unibet).

Sun hasn’t yet set on Venus

Women’s top seed Angelique Kerber takes on big-hitting American CoCo Vandeweghe after she dispatched Eugenie Bouchard in the previous round. Russian veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova opens the day session against compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, followed by Venus Williams against qualifier Mona Barthel. Seventh seed Garbine Muguruza will also be in action against Sorana Cirstea. It’s incredible to think the 36-year-old Williams first played this tournament in 1998, and she’s still knocking opponents off the court with some blistering groundstrokes. Barthel, who silenced the local crowds with her win over Ashleigh Barty, has already played and won six matches at Melbourne Park after coming through the qualifiers. Let’s ride this Williams bandwagon for at least one more round (2-0 sets at $2.10 on Crownbet). Vandeweghe is a dominant player when her serve is on song but not so hot when her opponent fires serves back with similar enthusiasm. That’s the case as the American takes on defending champ Kerber today. The German should have this decided inside 20.5 games ($1.83 with Ladbrokes).

Book Far From Closed On Career Of Swiss Master Federer

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The bookies didn’t have much love for Roger Federer when the markets opened on the 2017 Australian Open men’s singles title. To make the final he would most likely need to top Tomas Berdych, Kei Nishikori, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka. And if he could win through all those matches, Novak Djokovic would await in the final. Good luck Roger. Suddenly, Novak’s gone, Federer has dismantled Berdych and he’s been slashed from $21 to $13 to go all the way. What was supposed to be the real test of Federer’s first official tournament since last year’s Wimbledon and his recovery from knee surgery more closely resembled a walkover. The world No.10 Berdych was completely wiped off the court by a vintage Federer display, Roger winning 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in 90 minutes. Berdych found himself laughing at some of Federer’s groundstrokes as they sailed past. Federer was two sets up inside the hour mark without facing a break point on his dominant serve. He wouldn’t all night, winning 39 of 41 points when his first serve landed.

Will Denis menace Spanish opponent?

On the other side of the men’s draw, Rafael Nadal has looked solid in his return to Grand Slam play, but rising German Alexander Zverev will offer a stern examination of his progress in the final game of the day session. Grigor Dimitrov and Richard Gasquet are scheduled to meet tonight with other action featuring Gael Monfils and Philipp Kohlschreiber while eighth seed Dominic Thiem takes on Frenchman Benoit Paire. The match that really catches the eye today is the battle of Denis Istomin and Spain’s Pablo Carreno-Busta. Backing up from a career-defining victory, as was the case with Istomin’s upset of no. 2 seed Novak Djokovic, is generally a tough ask in Grand Slam tennis. Remember that Istomin needed four hours and 48 minutes to dispatch Djokovic. Lower ranked players have a lousy record backing up after a long five-setter, and there is little reason to expect that Istomin won’t struggle today. Take the Spaniard at the handicap (4.5 games) at $1.73 on Sportsbet. We’ll also be taking the Canadian Milos Raonic to claim victory in straight sets over Gilles Simon – it’s available at $2.10 with bet365.

Aussie ‘Dasha’ to again prevail

Serena Williams will continue her charge for a record-breaking 23 Grand Slam titles when she takes on Nicole Gibbs on Day 6 of Australian Open 27. Williams’ clash with compatriot Gibbs is the second match at Rod Laver Arena with sixth seed Dominika Cibulkova opening the day session against 30th seed Ekaterina Makarova. Aussie hope Daria Gavrilova is first up at night against Timea Bacsinszky, Barbora Strycova will take on Caroline Garcia, former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki faces ninth seed Johanna Konta, with Karolina Pliskova and Jelena Ostapenko in action tonight. Some reporter was silly enough to accuse Williams of a scrappy performance in her previous outing (and was duly delivered short shrift). Serena may flex a little muscle today, and it’s worth a play at the handicap (-6.5 games at $1.83 on Luxbet). The final Aussie in either singles’ draw is the Russian-born 22-year-old Gavrilova. She’s a scrapper and a fighter in the Lleyton Hewitt mould so had quickly become a fan favourite. She’s beaten Bacsinszky in both of their prior meetings, including their most recent in Beijing. Take ‘Dasha’ at $3.75 to win in three sets with William Hill.

Wildcard Sends Defending Champ Djokovic Packing In Second Round Shock

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Denis Istomin is coached by his mother and is one of the few players on Tour who needs glasses when he plays. Today, he’s celebrating the biggest win of his career after ensuring the earliest exit of a reigning Australian Open champion in 20 years. The Uzbek wildcard has blown the men’s draw wide open with a gruelling five-set win over second seed Novak Djokovic, which drastically boosts the title chances of No.1 seed and five-time runner-up Andy Murray and those of former champions Stan Wawrinka and Rafael Nadal.

The 30-year-old thanked his mother Klaudiya, who’s always been beside him as coach. Istomin had only claimed one set in five previous matches against Djokovic. Making his win over four hours and 49 minutes more remarkable was the Uzbek’s past year. Injuries and a seven-match losing streak left him out of the top 100 for the first time in six years and battling for an Australian Open spot through December’s Asia-Pacific wildcard playoff. He warmed up for his 11th Australian Open in humbling conditions at the $70,000 Bangkok Challenger!

Gloomy day looms

When it comes to Grand Slam tennis and rain, it’s a combination more associated with south-west London than Melbourne. But a day of delays looms after the Australian Open site was drenched overnight, with showers expected to continue throughout the afternoon. On the men’s side, Roger Federer graces the court against Czech 10th seed Tomas Berdych and enjoys a 16-6 record against the 10th seed, including the past five clashes. Four sets look the key number ($2.50 with William Hill).

World no. 27 Bernard Tomic faces off against Great Britain’s Daniel Evans. The pair shares a win apiece in their past meetings, however, it was the Australian who triumphed last time they met in the 2015 Davis Cup. The Aussie is quietly chipping away and looks nicely priced at the small start of -1.5 games ($1.91 on Luxbet). World no. 1 Andy Murray takes to Hisense Arena to battle American 31st seed Sam Querrey. The market doesn’t appear to be too concerned with Murray after he rolled his ankle in the previous round, installing him a $1.02 favourite to prevail. A nibble on Querry at the handicap might be the value here +7.5 at $2.10 with bet365).

Aussie making waves

In her first third round ever at a Grand Slam after a stirring win over Simona Halep’s conqueror Shelby Rogers, Ashleigh Barty is up against German qualifier Mona Barthel. Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard takes on American firebrand CoCo Vandeweghe, followed by World no. 1 Angelique Kerber battling Czech Kristyna Pliskova. Barty is continuing to prove that she made the right decision turning her back on a cricket career to focus on tennis. She created 13 break point chances in 11 return games against Annika Beck and eight in nine games on Shelby Rogers’ serve. If she can maintain such form, Barty will beat many better players than Barthel (take the Aussie straight-up to win at $1.80 on Unibet). Expect a fiercely competitive and highly entertaining encounter when Bouchard meets Vandeweghe. Bouchard, a Canadian, beat the American Vandeweghe, from California, in their only other encounter at Indian Wells in 2015 but they’ve each come a long way since that match-up. Genie wins this in three ($3.75 on Crownbet).

A Look Ahead at Melbourne Park: Australian Open Tennis

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The sporting compass of Australia quivers in many different directions across the calendar year. But once the New Year is welcomed, true north points to the massive Melbourne Park tennis complex for the first Grand Slam event of the season – the Australian Open. The tournament dates to 1905 and earned Grand Slam status (along with the French, British and US national championships) in the mid-1920s.

However, the tyranny of distance meant that the world’s best players were often reluctant to make the long trip Down Under and, by the late 1970s, the event’s relevance had sunk to an all-time low. Steadily, the game’s elite returned to the grass courts of the suburban Kooyong complex, but that trickle became a flood once the tournament was shifted to the new Melbourne Park complex – firstly on Rebound Ace and since on Plexicushion Prestige. Injury aside, the world’s best players now converge on mid-summer Melbourne to chase a slice of Grand Slam glory.

Arise Sir Andy

Novak Djokovic secured his sixth Australian Open title last year, highlighted by his wins over Roger Federer and Andy Murray, that confirming his status as the world’s pre-eminent player. Victory drew him level with Australia’s Roy Emerson as the most decorated men’s singles champion in tournament history – and in 2017, he goes in search of a seventh triumph.

It’s a two-horse race according to the markets with Djokovic ($2.65 with William Hill) a narrow favourite ahead of Murray ($2.75). Only Stan Wawrinka ($13), Rafael Nadal ($15) and Milos Raonic ($19) are also rated better than 20-1 chances. Djokovic and Murray (who faces a likely quarter-final match-up with Roger Federer) should prevail from their quarters, while Raonic should join them in the semis. The second quarter is a lottery where Wawrinka looks well under the odds. The main local hope Nick Kyrgios is yet to show he has the temperament to prevail on home soil, while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Jack Sock will also make their presence felt in this quarter of the draw. Take Murray to go all the way, with Raonic the value pick.

Angelique set to click

Serena Williams says she will not be distracted by the thought of moving ahead of Steffi Graf’s Grand Slam record at the Australian Open. The American world number two needs one major triumph to go clear of the German’s 22 Open-era titles. She’s played this event on 16 occasions for a staggering return of six titles. Williams is generously priced a $4.00 favourite (on Paddy Power) with defending champion Angelique Kerber a $4.50 chance to go back-to-back. Karolina Pliskova ($8), Garbine Muguruza ($11) and Simona Halep ($12) are also rated realistic chances.

But the value reaches well beyond those five players with Kerber and Williams bowing out early in their respective lead-up tournaments. It may pay to play a little wider here with Agnieszka Radwanska ($26), Dominika Cibulkova ($29) and Elina Svitolina ($34) every chance of upsetting the apple cart in their respective quarters. That trio looks terrific value, while Kerber looks set to go all the way once again.