Tennis Betting Advice - January 2023
Ones to Watch in Lyon this week - at 18/1 and 33/1...
Sunday 29th January 2023
Good evening. A 'Sunday Night Club' email for you here. With two picks to start us off for the week at the women's indoor hard-court event in Lyon.
Play starts from Monday 10.30am, UK time.
As I write, a handful or so bookies are up with their initial Outright Winner prices. More firms should appear by breakfast time - try Skybet, BetVictor, Unibet, Betfred, Boylesports, Betway. I've listed the current best prices below, from the bookies that are already up.
As you can imagine, I'm a bit frazzled after two weeks of very late nights covering the Australian Open. So I'll be recharging the batteries a bit over the next couple of days.
There are two tournaments on the calendar this week, both on the WTA Tour. With the men (ATP) returning a week after.
The women are in Hua Hin, Thailand. And in Lyon, France...
It's the European indoor event that I'm interested in tonight, with play starting from Monday morning. If you miss these picks before the 10.30am cut-off, look again when the updated markets appear on Monday evening, once the opening day's matches have all ended.
The two I like at decent prices, one from each side of the WTA Lyon draw:
REBEKA MASAROVA @ 33/1
Spain
Age 23
Rank 93 (career high)
Rebeka Masarova is on the up, and one to watch this season. The young Spaniard has started the new year by reaching a first WTA final. Winning six matches in a row to come through qualifying in Auckland, and make it all the way to the championship match.
Rebeka has also come through the qualifying rounds here in Lyon over the weekend. Suggesting she's in good shape to build on that early January form. As well as a title won on indoor hard courts on the lower-tier ITF Tour at the back-end of last season.
Odds of 33/1 and 28/1 stand out.
ANASTASIA POTAPOVA @ 18/1
Russia
Age 21
Rank 43 (career high 42)
In the opposite half of the Lyon Indoors draw, Anastasia Potapova is one who looks to have a very winnable path through to the latter stages of this event. And a maiden WTA title won last year suggests the 21-year-old Russian might be able to step up the consistency from now on.
Anastasia should like these conditions; I've backed her before on indoor hard courts. She can be hit or miss with her big shots, but has the power to do well here. Odds of 18/1 and 16/1 are available.
Avoiding the short prices...
Finally, a note on the favourites in this tournament. Caroline Garcia remains hard to trust, and odds of 3/1 won't have me rushing to the cash machine. Garcia is in the top half, where she could face the fast-court specialist Alison Van Uytvanck (those two have met twice before right here in Lyon, and it's one win apiece).
Linda Noskova is 9/1 at best. Last time we backed the teenager, it was at 100/1. I'm happy to wait for bigger tournaments to come along - and bigger prices. At just 18 years of age, we should get plenty of opportunities.
And in the bottom half, reigning Lyon champion Shuai Zhang is 10/1 to defend her title. She has the ability to do it, for sure. But that price isn't particularly inviting for me about the 34-year-old.
As ever, then, lots to consider. But I like the form of Masarova at 33/1, and the route through the draw for Potapova at 18/1. Both have the potential to do well this week - and this season.
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WTA Lyon - Open 6E Sens Metropole de Lyon
Outright Winner, Each Way (1/2 odds 1-2 places):
Rebeka Masarova @ 33/1 Bet365, 28/1 William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral, 25/1 Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook
Anastasia Potapova @ 18/1 Bet365, 16/1 William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral, 14/1 Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook
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Enjoy the tennis…
P.S
Want to get in touch? You can email me at:
tom.wilson@oxonpress.co.uk
Best wishes,
Tom Wilson