Tennis Betting Advice - October 2018
WTA Moscow – big names dropping like flies...
Wednesday 17th October 2018
In your Ones to Watch email today:
With a prize pot approaching $1 million, it was no surprise that this week’s WTA Moscow event attracted some big names.
However, with some of those star players having (more than) one eye on next week’s big WTA World Tour Finals in Singapore, it’s also no surprise at all to this observer that the big names have departed Moscow early...
World No.1 Simona Halep was the 9/4 (3.25) favourite at the start of the week. Last night she pulled out, citing a back injury. And with the end-of-year top ranking already assured, she could now sit out Singapore, too.
World No.8 Sloane Stephens was beaten in straight sets this morning, losing to World No.101 Ons Jabeur, 6-3, 6-2. Stephens’ place in Singapore was already booked. In other words – she didn’t really need to rankings points on offer in Moscow this week. Stephens started the week at just 9/2 (5.50).
World No.5 Karolina Pliskova has also been sent packing today, and again in straight sets. Pliskova was thumped 6-1, 6-2 by World No.161 and 11/4 (3.75) match outsider Vera Zvonareva. Pliskova had also started the week as a short single-figure price for the Moscow title, at 4/1 (5.00). The Czech currently sits in the qualification places for the big one in Singapore next week, but now she’ll need to wait and see if Kiki Bertens can make the semi finals in Moscow or not, and pip her to it.
All of this means that the price on our One to Watch in Moscow, Daria Kasatkina, has been significantly trimmed – with only one round of matches played.
We backed Kasatkina at 22/1 Each Way on Sunday night. Last night she was down to 9/1. With Stephens and Pliskova knocked out today, the Outright Winner prices will be chopped again – providing Kasatkina wins through her match against Alize Cornet later today...
We have value on our side. And the Moscow draw looks to have opened up nicely.
Our 25/1 pick for WTA Luxembourg, Margarita Gasparyan, also plays again today.
I’ll be back later in the week with more.
Enjoy the tennis...
Best wishes,
Tom Wilson