OTW Extra Email Archive - February 2024
Notes from the tour - week 9...
Wednesday 28th February 2024
Good afternoon. Lots to catch up on from the tennis notebook today, as I was off sick last week…
150/1 champs…
After a dry January, last week the fledgling 2024 season came alive with the first couple of triple-figure odds finalists in the Outright Winner markets…
Teenager Jakub Mensik made his debut in an ATP final, with the 18-year-old finishing runner-up in Doha – having gone off at 150/1 at the start of the tournament.
Not to be outdone, the women went one better – with 150/1 shot Jasmine Paolini winning her maiden WTA 1000 title. Beating 33/1 qualifier Anna Kalinskaya, in a final contested by two ‘Masters’ 1000 final debutants.
The queue for Queen’s…
Anyone get lucky in the Wimbledon Ballot? I haven’t heard anything yet. Seeing as notifications start from November, it looks like my Centre Court streak might be over (streak of getting tickets that is – I’m not a naked protester!).
All is not lost, though. There is still time for rejected ticket offers to get passed on to people like me waiting in the ballot. And the quest for the English summer grass-court tennis viewing experience doesn’t just revolve around SW19…
Queen’s Club tickets went on sale this week. There are still some available as I write. Although you’re looking at north of £100 for a ticket to watch the main-court action from the annual Wimbledon build-up event – which is an ATP 500-grade tournament in its own right (sponsored name: the Cinch Championships. Was the ‘Stella Artois’ in my day…).
I joined the online queue for Queen’s on Tuesday morning. When I finally got through to the ticket-choice page, my five-minute window timed-out before I had a chance to select the specific dates that would work for me. I was swiftly sent back to the virtual waiting room. Deep breath. Never mind…
Next month, the ‘Rothesay Series’ tickets go on sale. Including WTA Birmingham, which I had a grand day out at a couple of years ago.
The Prince of Monaco…
I love a winning run. Monaco is never going to be a tennis superpower. But one of their own is enjoying a great start to 2024 on the men’s lower-tier, ATP Challenger Tour…
Valentin Vacherot has won three Challenger trophies in a row. Putting together a silverware-laden winning streak (that word again) on hard courts since the turn of the year…
He’s up to a new career-high of no.147 in the world. But the 25-year-old Monegasque (I’ve been waiting for a reason to use that word) saw his winning run come to an end this week…
Valentin managed one more match victory, in the 1st round of New Delhi. Taking his overall streak to 17 wins in a row on the Challenger circuit. Before withdrawing from the tournament, handing his next opponent a walkover.
March madness on the horizon…
The March tennis calendar is a simple one – and all the more exciting for it…
Two massive, 1000-grade ATP & WTA tournaments – only the four Grand Slams are bigger. Men and women both in action. And a cracking recent history of big-odds winners and finalists…
6th March: Indian Wells
19th March: Miami Open
The March madness begins with Indian Wells next week. Over on my members-only Ones to Watch service, we had one of our all-time greatest wins at Indian Wells the other year, with 100/1 shot Taylor Fritz taking the 2022 men’s title, beating Rafael Nadal in the final.
In 2019, Bianca Andreescu was a 100/1 winner of the women’s event. We got on at 30/1 halfway through the tournament…
P.S
Don’t forget that you can get my select list of exciting young players to follow in the betting markets this season, in your FREE Ones to Watch in 2024 Report – view it here.
Enjoy the tennis…
Best wishes,
Oliver Upstone