Tennis Betting Advice - September 2018
Ones to Watch this week – at 8/1 and 10/1…
Monday 17th September 2018
In your Ones to Watch email today:
Asia and Indoors…
There are five tournaments on this week’s schedule. Three of them are indoors, including the men in Europe in France & Russia (ATP Metz & ATP St Petersburg).
The women are on the Asian Swing of the WTA Tour, with a Premier event indoors in Japan (WTA Tokyo) and two smaller-scale International events outdoors on hard courts in China & South Korea (WTA Guangzhou & WTA Seoul).
We have a couple of different sets of time difference to contend with. The men get underway late morning each day, UK time. With the women out East starting in the early hours, this afternoon is a good time for us to take a look at this week’s Outright Winner markets for the WTA events.
We may get involved with the men over the next couple of days, although right now the Metz draw in particular looks very tricky to pick a winner or price from.
Ones to Watch – 8/1 and 10/1 picks…
The WTA Tokyo field is the strongest of the week, especially in the top half of the draw which contains big names such as World No.2 Caroline Wozniacki and new US Open champion Naomi Osaka. Those two battle it out as the tournament favourites at 11/2 (6.50) each. The likes of Sloane Stephens, Victoria Azarenka and Garbine Muguruza are also in that classy Tokyo line-up.
Over in southern China, the WTA Guangzhou field is the weakest of this week’s events, and the bottom half of the draw looks a tantalising prospect for former US Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova.
The 33-year-old Russian has got over 300 hard court match wins to her name. Her last six finals have come on hard courts, including a title win in Washington this summer – which was her first for almost two years.
Kuznetsova reached the quarter finals here on her only previous visit in 2015. The way this week’s draw looks, she should be aiming to get to the final at least.
WTA Guangzhou – Guangzhou Open
Outright Winner:
BET: Svetlana Kuznetsova @ 8/1 Each Way
BOOKIES: 8/1 (9.00) Bet365, Boylesports, 15/2 (8.50) Coral, Ladbrokes, 29/4 (8.25) NetBet, 10Bet
In South Korea, 2017 WTA Seoul winner and World No.10 Jelena Ostapenko is 9/2 (5.50) at best to defend her title. After a great run of form this summer Kiki Bertens is up to a career-high of No.12 and is the 7/2 (4.50) favourite. Both those prices look a bit short to me…
Ostapenko is a complete hot-or-cold kind of player, so you don’t want to follow her at short odds.
Bertens is currently hard to get a value price on, with that 8-match summer hard court win streak fresh in the minds of bookies, bettors and pundits alike.
The player for me here is one very much still on the up – 23-year-old Maria Sakkari has hit the edge of the Top 30 this season and I’m expecting her to go higher.
The Greek youngster possesses plenty of firepower (she’s got some serious muscles). And has a strong competitive streak in her – as showcased by her dramatic fightback from 3-6, 1-4 down v Danielle Collins in the WTA San Jose semi final this summer. At the time, that match turnaround cost us a 33/1 shot getting to the final.
Sakkari was the only player to take a set off Naomi Osaka when the Japanese youngster blazed through the Indian Wells draw on hard courts back in March. And Maria went one better, beating Osaka in Cincinnati on hard courts this summer in the build-up to the US Open.
This week is a great chance for Sakkari to get to a second final – and claim a first WTA title. She’s made the best possible start, winning her 1st Round match today 6-0, 6-1.
WTA Seoul – Korea Open
Outright Winner:
BET: Maria Sakkari @ 10/1 Each Way
BOOKIES: 10/1 (11.00) Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook, Betfred, 188Bet, 9/1 (10.00) Bet365, William Hill, BetVictor, Boylesports, Betway, NetBet, 10Bet
I’ll be back soon with more on this week’s tournaments.
Enjoy the tennis…
Best wishes,
Tom Wilson