Tennis Betting Advice - April 2018
Smiling all the way to Monte Carlo...
Monday 16th April 2018
In your Ones to Watch email today:
Written in the stars...
Perhaps some things are just meant to be.
You can look at the formbook. You can look at the stats. But sometimes there is so much more to a story.
Last year, Steve Johnson won the US Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston, Texas. The final was to be the last match Steve’s father ever got to see him play, before sadly passing away.
Last week, Steve returned to Houston to defend his crown. And defend it he did.
Understandably emotionally charged, Steve broke down in tears after the final shot last night – comforted across the net by his compatriot and the Houston runner-up, Tennys Sandgren.
A heartfelt reminder there, that tennis players are people too, with real lives and emotions. Next up for Steve and his non-tennis life, he’s got his wedding coming up this weekend. Congratulations, Steve.
Smiling all the way to Monte Carlo...
There’s a different week ahead for Houston runner-up Tennys Sandgren. After reaching his first ever ATP Tour final, he’s due to be straight on a plane to get from Houston to Monte Carlo, for his first ever automatic main draw qualification at a Masters event.
Sandgren is due to play his 1st Round match tomorrow. That’s a fast turnaround. But as Tennys said over the weekend, it’s a ‘champagne problem’ to have.
It was a profitable week for us. Johnson’s win gave us an 18/1 or 16/1 Outright Winner. With that perfect final giving us a 16/1 place payout from Sandgren, who we backed at 33/1.
I almost talked myself out of backing Johnson at the start of the week (when he was 20/1). His draw looked tough. But Steve fought hard all week, with four of his five matches going the distance to a final set. In the end we managed to still get a great price by backing Johnson ahead of the quarter finals.
Sandgren was a classic ‘Ones to Watch’ player for us – backed at 33/1 Each Way early in the tournament, he then went on to win his next three matches and reach the final, when priced as the odds-against underdog each time.
Next bets tomorrow...
This week there’s one tournament on the schedule and it’s a big one, the Monte Carlo Masters which is the first clay-court Masters event of the year, as we build up to next month’s French Open.
I’ll be back with my first Monte Carlo picks early tomorrow morning (play starts at 10am UK time).
P.S
Share your story...
I hope you’re enjoying the tennis. I certainly am. I was up ‘til 4am on Friday night (make that Saturday morning...) watching Johnson beat John Isner. I’m not complaining. It’s all part of the game...
Were you on Johnson and Sandgren last week? What prices did you get? I’d love to hear how you got on. Email me here.
See you tomorrow, bright & early...
Best wishes,
Tom Wilson