Tennis Betting Advice - February 2022
Can't resist this teenager at 50/1...
Monday 21st February 2022
A decent week last week, thanks to Tuesday’s seven-fold match acca paying out as an 11/1 winning six-fold – after Jenson Brooksby withdrew from Delray Beach.
In the tournament outright markets, we’ve been close without landing a big one. It’ll come. Sebastian Korda made the quarter finals for us last week, losing on a tiebreak in the final set after having served for the match against eventual Delray Beach champion, Cameron Norrie.
This week there are five tournaments on the calendar. Today I’m looking at the women’s event in Mexico. WTA Guadalajara, otherwise known as Abierto Akron Zapopan…
This is a 250-grade event, the smallest category on the full senior WTA Tour. As such, the field isn’t as glamourous as at this week’s 1000-level tournament in Doha. The 250 events are often good pickings for following a big-price outsider and/ or a relatively unknown or low-ranked player to have a good week…
Trust in youth…
Earlier this month we talked about Brenda Fruhvirtova. I highlighted the 14-year-old Czech as she was hitting some form on the lower-tier ITF circuit in Argentina.
Brenda went on to win back-to-back tournaments in South America, becoming the youngest woman to win an ITF Tour event for over six years.
The younger of the two Fruhvirtova sisters, Brenda has made an exceptional start to 2022. And it could get even better this evening, as the young teenager makes her debut in a main WTA draw, becoming the first player born in 2007 to do so.
Brenda Fruhvirtova 2022 form to date:
Over the weekend, Brenda came through the qualifying rounds here in Guadalajara. Beating the 34-year-old former world no.5 Sara Errani, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2. And then 21-year-old current world no.314 Leonie Kung, 6-2, 6-1.
Don’t write her off…
I’ve read a couple of match previews writing off Fruhvirtova’s chances of beating Sloane Stephens today. I disagree.
Stephens has always been hit or miss, as we’ve discussed many times in this column. The 28-year-old American has only played one match so far this season, and she lost that.
The one-time world no.3 is now ranked no.57. In non-Grand Slam events, Sloane has failed to get past the 2nd round in seven of her last eight attempts. She seems more likely to ‘turn up’ for a big event. For example, I wouldn’t rule out Stephens putting together a run out of nowhere in the States at Indian Wells or Miami next month. Indeed, the Miami Open in 2018 was the last time that Sloane lifted a singles trophy.
Ones to Watch is all about finding and following new players that can deliver at big odds. With Brenda Fruhvirtova in the form of her (admittedly very young) career. And Sloane Stephens hard to trust in a small tournament like this outside of the USA. The teenager as the underdog is the one to follow for me.
And in the Outright Winner betting, I can’t resist covering the 14-year-old at big Each Way prices, too. Bet365 are a standout 50/1 for Fruhvirtova this week. If she does go on to make headlines, then I don’t want to miss out.
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Ones to Watch picks:
WTA Guadalajara – Abierto Akron Zapopan
Match Winner:
Outright Winner – Each Way (1/2 odds 1-2 places):
Also available @ 33/1 Ladbrokes, Coral, 20/1 Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook.
Note: 888Sport have a Win Only market (eg. not Each Way), with Fruhvirtova @ 49/1.
Other bookies to check later today, not listing Fruhvirtova in their Outright Winner market at time of writing: William Hill, Skybet, BetVictor, Unibet, Boylesports, Betway, Betfred.
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Play starts from 8pm, UK time. With Fruhvirtova v Stephens due on court from 10pm+.
You can watch live on Amazon Prime Video. I’m excited to get a first glimpse of this youngster as she makes her WTA Tour debut.
Enjoy the tennis…
Best wishes,
Tom Wilson