OTW Extra Email Archive - June 2020
The Alternative Summer of Tennis…
Wednesday 3rd June 2020
In your Ones to Watch EXTRA email today:
We should be in Paris right now…
This time last year, Marketa Vondrousova was catapulted into the bigtime. We were on the then 19-year-old as our 40/1 Ones to Watch outsider, as she made it all the way to the final at the French Open.
Twelve months later, and there’s no French Open action for Vondrousova or anyone...
Instead, she lines up as one of six women taking part in the LiveScore Cup in the Czech Republic this week. (*Update – as I write, I’m just seeing that Vondrousova has pulled out of her match in Prague today, to be replaced by Tereza Martincova*)
That’s just one of the new tournaments I’m monitoring right now…
The Alternative Summer of Tennis…
The new schedule continues to take shape, with exhibitions and events popping up all over the place. I spent a bit of time yesterday afternoon scooping up as many of the start dates and details as I could.
Here’s how the calendar is looking for the next two months. Our ‘alternative summer of tennis,’ if you will…
Generali Austrian Pro Series (Austria)
Started 25th May, continues through June – men & women
GST Tours Matchplay 120 Series (USA)
Started 25th May, running for six weeks – men & women
LiveScore Cup (Czech Republic)
3rd – 6th June – women
Ultimate Tennis Showdown (France)
Starts 13th June, running over five weekends – men
Schroders Battle of the Brits (London)
23rd – 28th June – men
Credit One Bank Invitational (USA)
23rd – 28th June – women
LTA British Tour (London)
Starts 3rd July, running throughout July – men & women
Progress Tour Women’s Championships (London)
14th – 18th July – women
Adria Tour
Starts 13th June, running across four weekends – men
There are nine new events named above, and that list is by no means exhaustive. There will be more to come.
Many of these will be available to watch live online or on TV, too…
The Ultimate Tennis Showdown is promising every match will be streamed live online. This week’s LiveScore Cup is on the Premier Sports channel. The Battle of the Brits will be on Amazon Prime Video. The GST Tours Matchplay 120 can be viewed live on their official website. And pretty much all of the events will have live streaming on various online channels, and on bookies’ websites such as Bet365 and Skybet.
Some big-name players are starting to get involved, too. Including: Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu, Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys, David Goffin, Grigor Dimitrov, Karolina Pliskova, Petra Kvitova.
Andy Murray will be the headline name at the Battle of the Brits event, which has been organised by his brother, Doubles specialist Jamie Murray.
Novak Djokovic has been the driving force in setting up the Adria Tour series.
How to bet on these new events…
In a parallel world, I’d be covered each day of the French Open right now. That’s not to be for 2020.
But while these new exhibitions and alternative tournaments are never going to be the same as Paris in spring, over on my members-only Ones to Watch service, we’ve dug in and churned out some decent prices and results recently…
I’ve got to say I’m enjoying the challenge of looking at these new, behind-closed-doors events. It’s new ground, and that means there’s an element of the unknown for everyone – and that includes the bookmakers.
Our time spent focusing on the match markets, prices and lower-tier players has so far proved a worthwhile exercise. Overall, since the start of May, to level stakes, my ‘lockdown’ list of daily match picks is running at a respectable 19% ROI.
And members are enjoying the ride…
“Thanks for the shrewd advice... I wasn’t going to bother with these events but your write up tempted me into two singles and a double … thanks again” – Tony R (May 2020)
“Congratulations again Tom - even in lockdown and sifting through the more minor players you still have it. Even with my modest betting you have boosted my account by around GBP 180 this month - thanks again, best wishes and hope we return to the real world soon” – Steve (May 2020)
Join us…
I’ll be doing my research and keeping a close eye on all the new events listed above. If you’d like to join to get all my analysis and bet advice throughout each week, jump onboard my Ones to Watch service here.
Enjoy the tennis…
Best wishes,
Tom Wilson