OTW Extra Email Archive - August 2020
Hatching a plan at 40/1...
Wednesday 26th August 2020
In your Ones to Watch EXTRA email today:
New York v Paris…
Good afternoon. New York is my main focus this week, and for the next fortnight. With the re-located Western & Southern Open taking place there as I write. Before the Flushing Meadows venue hosts the US Open, which starts from Monday.
However, before the Big Apple gets all of our attention (and it will). I’ve also been following proceedings elsewhere in the post-lockdown tennis landscape. And there’s a form-line and storyline developing on the clay that it could pay to take note of…
Last week, Stan Wawrinka won the ATP Challenger event in Prague. You don’t often see former Grand Slam winners and Top 5 players on the lower-tier Challenger Tour. But these are strange time in tennis, and right now, players are only travelling to where they feel safe to do so. And picking their ‘comeback’ competitions carefully…
This month’s Prague trip was the first Challenger tournament that Wawrinka had competed in since Lugano on clay in his native Switzerland, way back in 2010 and 2009 (winning the title on both occasions).
Like many players right now, Wawrinka has had to make the decision whether or not to go to the USA and enter the strict New York ‘bubble’ in order to compete in the behind-closed-doors US Open. He’s chosen to avoid America, and focus on getting to Paris in good shape…
Is Stan hatching a plan?
Age 35, with plenty of injury setbacks behind him for now at least, could three-time Grand Slam title winner Stan Wawrinka be gearing up for what could be a final tilt at landing another Major trophy? It certainly looks that way…
Snubbing New York and the hard courts, and opting instead for the off-the-radar Challenger route on clay in the Czech Republic. Wawrinka looks to be giving himself the best chance possible to arrive in Paris in late September, tuned-up on clay for a run at the French Open.
After winning Prague last week, Stan might’ve shaken off a few cobwebs. His first four matches there all saw him taken to a deciding set, coming from a set down to win 2-1 on three occasions. In the final, Wawrinka won, 2-0.
He’s remained in Prague for another Challenger tournament his week. Stan won his opening match in straight sets, and plays again on Thursday for a place in the quarter finals.
Early-bird angle for the French Open…
If Wawrinka goes well again in Prague this week, then his French Open chances might start registering on a few more people’s radar. I’d say he’s already showing enough to make him worthy of an outside interest in Paris this autumn…
Stan’s Roland Garros track record is superb:
2019 – quarter final
2018 – 1st round
2017 – final – runner-up
2016 – semi final
2015 – final – winner
Going back further over the last decade, Wawrinka also made the second week in Paris (reaching the 4th round or better) in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.
The rescheduled French Open 2020 is due to start September 27th. At odds of 40/1 and 33/1, Stan looks a worthy candidate as an early-bird One to Watch…
Outright Winner – Each Way
Each Way terms: 1/2 odds 1-2 places.
Note: the bookies I’ve mentioned there have a ‘non-runner no bet’ policy for Outright Winner bets. Find out more here. That’s a rule worth looking out for more than ever right now, as with the coronavirus situation, you never know if a player will have to pull out before play starts.
Coming soon…
I’ll be back very soon with more for you, when our focus will very much be on New York and next week’s US Open. Keep an eye on your emails.
Enjoy the tennis…
Best wishes,
Tom Wilson