Tennis Betting Advice - May 2026
Ones to Watch in Rome at 40/1 and 50/1...
Wednesday 6th May 2026
We’re into May, and that means the next Grand Slam is getting close…
The French Open begins on Sunday 24th May. Before the big one at Roland Garros, there are a few other clay-court trophies up for grabs. Not least the joint men’s & women’s Internazionali BNL d'Italia, AKA the Rome Masters…
This 1000-grade WTA & ATP event follows the new extended, two-week format for Masters tournaments. Meaning the first few days see the lower-ranked players get the limelight in the 1st round, before the star-name seeds join the fray in the 2nd round.
Play continues in the women’s and starts in the men’s from 10am today, UK time. The bookies take down their Outright Winner markets during play each day, and that’s why I’m getting this email to you first thing this morning…
QINWEN ZHENG has a great record here in Rome, without yet going the whole way. The Chinese world no.32 has been on the radar for us in the early part of the season, returning to the tour after injury and surgery in 2025. Zheng has one of the best serves in the women’s game, and she hits the ball as clean as anyone.
The 23-year-old came through in three sets to win her 1st round match on Tuesday. With a track record in Rome of semi-final (2025), quarter-final (2024), and quarter-final (2023), Qinwen Zheng is one to watch here.
Sticking with the big prices for outsiders with serious talent and pedigree, VICTORIA MBOKO is an eye-catcher for me at the prices available…
The Canadian teenager first burst onto the scene for us during last year’s clay campaign, including going in the book as a 100/1+ shot for the French Open (she’s currently just 25/1 for Paris this time). Since then, Mboko has won her maiden WTA title, at 1000 level no less (Montreal – we got on at 28/1 during the tournament).
Age 19, and at a career-best ranking of no.9 right now, Victoria is going places fast. I’m surprised to see her pushed out in the betting here in Italy this week. Granted, she’s played one lost one so far on clay in 2026. But young players with the tools for success can bound into form quick as a flash, and maybe the market is not realising just how dangerous Victoria Mboko could be on clay…
The teenager won 12 out of 16 matches on the orange stuff in 2025. That body of clay-court form includes Mboko pushing eventual Rome runner-up and French Open champion Coco Gauff to the full three sets in the 2nd round at this venue. As well as reaching a final in Parma, before winning five matches in a row at Roland Garros, coming through qualifying to reach the 3rd round proper (only beaten by Olympic gold-medal winner in Paris, Qinwen Zheng).
We’ll take these two women as outsiders in Rome.
We may yet get involved in the men’s event, too. But with the bookies only going 1/3rd odds Each Way, anticipating a home steamroller show from Italian world no.1 and recent back-to-back Madrid and Monte-Carlo Masters winner, Jannik Sinner – we need to tread sensibly there. Still, I’m the first to always say: anything can happen…
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Ones to Watch picks:
See above for full details
WTA Rome – Internazionali BNL d'Italia
Outright Winner – Each Way (1/2 odds 1-2 places):
Play resumes at 10am UK time. Bookies will take down Outright Winner markets during the day’s matches.
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P.S
Were you on Wu?
Our latest spring detour in Ones to Watch Extra produced a 16/1 winner at the Snooker World Championship. Chinese youngster Wu Yize came out on top in a thrilling final at the Crucible theatre on Monday night, having played exciting attacking snooker throughout the tournament.
Enjoy the tennis…
Best wishes,
Oliver Upstone