OTW Extra Email Archive - September 2022
Tonight - your last chance to see Federer...
Friday 23rd September 2022
I’ve got five upcoming tournaments and one big match to tell you about today. But first, a player worthy of note from yesterday’s action…
Don’t forget Stan…
I really enjoyed Thursday’s headline match of the day at the ATP Metz indoors event.
Stan Wawrinka rolled back the years, beating world no.4 and recent no.1 Daniil Medvedev. Stan might be 37 years old, and currently ranked no.284. But there’s still some of the old magic in that sumptuous one-handed backhand. Wawrinka was a 5/1 underdog to win that match, and while I’m a fan of Medvedev, it was great to see the old pro pull off one of his best wins in years.
Of course, there’s another Swiss veteran with a beautiful one-handed backhand who gets a bit more attention that Stan. And rightly so, seeing as Roger Federer has 20 Grand Slam titles to his name. See below for more on Roger. I do however feel that Wawrinka perhaps hasn’t got the praise he deserves…
Along with Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka has won three Grand Slams. A magnificent achievement in any era, let alone one that has been dominated by three of the very best players of all time: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
Your last chance to see Federer…
Now, there’s little to no room for sentimentality when it comes to placing bets. But I’m sure many, many people will be cheering on Roger Federer tonight…
Roger has announced that this weekend’s international team Laver Cup event will be the final competitive appearance of his career. As with Serena Williams at the US Open in New York, it’s a great fit to see a legend of the game go out on their own terms, at a venue that means a lot to them.
Federer knows the O2 Arena well; the host venue for the end-of-season ATP Finals for much of his glory years.
And here in London, the Swiss superstar made Centre Court at Wimbledon his second home, lifting the trophy in SW19 a record eight times in his illustrious career. I was lucky enough to be in the stands when Roger won what turned out to be his final Wimbledon title, in 2017.
Along with those eight Wimbledon titles, here are three of my favourite Federer records (and there are lots to choose from):
Everyone in the O2 will be going Roger-mad this evening, and you can’t blame them. For his last ever match, Federer will be lining-up with his friend and greatest rival, Rafa Nadal. What a doubles dream-team that is – and a fitting send-off for a man that many call the GOAT (‘Greatest Of All Time’)…
Federer & Nadal will represent Team Europe in tonight’s Laver Cup doubles rubber, taking on the all-USA pairing of Jack Sock & Frances Tiafoe for Team World. Sock in particular is a very good doubles player.
As Team World captain John McEnroe said this week, this is a match wherever whoever wins, there won’t be any villains.
The bookies make Federer & Nadal the 8/13 (1.62) favourites. If they can get by on reputation and crowd energy alone, then a fairy-tale win is by no means out of the question. I get the feeling Roger is just happy to be able to play at all, though – he says he’s not fit enough to play a singles match. So, no bet for me, but one to tune in for, 100%...
Farewell, Roger.
Time waits for no man, and the tennis tours rumble on next week – with no fewer than five tournaments for us to enjoy…
Join me for the return of the Sunday night club…
These events all start on Monday, 26th Sept:
Date – Event – Surface:
With a variety of time differences to consider there, I’ll be doing a members-only ‘Sunday Night Club’ edition of Ones to Watch this weekend. With the aim being to get our first Outright Winner bets of the week down nice and early, scooping up the best prices before play begins.
I’ll be working with what markets and prices the bookies put up by Sunday evening, so I can’t put an exact time on that email right now. To be honest, it might be quite late on Sunday night. I’ll send it out as soon as I’ve written it. And if you don’t see it until Monday AM, at least you’ll know it’ll be in your inbox when you wake up.
BUT…
The only way to get that email is to become a Ones to Watch member. And you can do that by signing-up right here, with a Three-Month Money Back Guarantee on offer… AND the chance to save up to 50% off the cost of membership.
Find out more and book your place here >>
I hope to be writing to you again on Sunday night…
Enjoy the tennis!
Best wishes,
Tom Wilson