PLISKOVA V WATSON OVER 22.5 GAMES @ 11-10 UNIBET

PLISKOVA V WATSON OVER 22.5 GAMES @ 11-10 UNIBET 

Watson leads the h2h 2-1 with 2 of the 3 matches played going three sets including here last season. Pliskova has a good serve and is hard to break but does not have an all round game to dismantle her opponents and Watson is steady but lacks power to be able to overpower opponents so I am expecting two close sets possibly a tie break or three sets.

WTA ABU DHABI: PERA TO BEAT SORRIBES TORMO @ 6-5 (8th January)

WTA ABU DHABI 

PERA TO BEAT SORRIBES TORMO @ 6-5 

62 ranked Pera against her opponent ranked 66 both players happier on clay and have very similar records on hard courts so no real reason why Pera is available at these odds as it really is a thin cost of a match. 

BONDARENKO + 5.5 GAMES TO BEAT JABEUR @ 7-5 

Bondarenko has a good serve and a decent all round game and while she may struggle to beat an in form I am hopeful her serve will keep this close enough to cover a generous handicap start. 

SABALENKA V TOMLJANOIV OVER 19.5 GAMES @ 21-20 

Both have good serves with powerful groundstrokes, Sabalenka should come through as she is the better player but Tomljanoivc has enough to power to keep this close. 

BADOSA TO BEAT CORNET @ 6-5 

Badosa has a good 90-45 record on hard courts compared to Cornet’s 193-157. Cornet can get very emotional on court and Badosa far more likely to play yer more consistent tennis here.

WTA ABU DHABI (6th January 2021)

WTA ABU DHABI 

It is the first tournament of the new season so stakes should be kept fairly small as no one is sure as to how players have been and what sort of form they will be in once they get on court but the upsides is that is also factored in the prices as we see Sabalenka the favourite at a widely available 7-1 while if she hits form she could easily run through this field she is also wildly unpredictable so not worth the risk. Kenin is second favourite around the 9-1 and she is more likely to give her true running as she is more consistent and I expect her to go close to the title here but again with no form to go on the price is a little skinny. I want to look a little further down the list and the one who stands out is Pavluchenkova who is more than happy on hard courts, strikes the ball powerfully well and I have. Feeling the early part of the season could be time to catch her as she can have slight issues with fitness as the season wears on and being available at 70-1 I think she is worth a punt on the outright market. Karolina Pliskova is a consistent and I expect her to mop up just below the Grand Slam level and also going to take her at 9-1 as her serve if working will prove problematic to all players.

On the individual games again it is tough as we have no form to go on but I am taking a couple matches that are of interest. 

Kudermetova to beat Kontaveit @ 6-5 

Kudermetova leads the head to head 2-0 winning both matches in straight sets one on grass and one on hard courts. Bot have very similar records on hard courts. Kudermetova 116-73 compared to Kontaveit 128-76. Kontaveit is a player that hits the ball flat, hard and very attacking and if she hits form then she looks a great player but she is prone to making a lot of unforced errors and I am happy to take her on at the price.

Potapova to beat Sakkari @ 11-4 

Potapova is the junior Wimbledon champ of 2016 and I expect her to make great strides this season and possibly mark a mark at Wimbledon this year, She leads the head to head 1-0 and is too big a price here against a consistent but limited opponent.

Professional Women Tennis Players & Their Amazing Pets

So you love tennis? 

WTA Pro is dedicated to women's tennis. No surprise there, hey. In fact, we leave all those men to get on with their tennis elsewhere. This is the realm of the woman. The only man around here is the author (me). 

Now, this may sound rather strange but I don't know much about women's professional tennis. Sounds strange, hey. Considering I help run this website with the major contributor, Mark, who knows everything about women's tennis because he gives his free tips and he is exceptional at what he does. 

I can almost hear your brain digesting these words as you think well, what do you do?

I run the blog, help promote the posts, and answer any question (pass them on to Mark) if someone asks an inspired question. We (the royal we) don't receive many questions which may be a good thing. 

So if you can't write about women's tennis, are you just like an ornament sitting on a shelf? 

How did you guess!

You wouldn't want to read my thoughts or tips about tennis regarding man, women or child. So I thought I'd opt out and write a post about Professional Women Tennis Players & Their Amazing Pets. 

That's one way to get out of a tricky situation. 

To be honest, there must be a lot of tennis players with adorable pets. I know of one male player who hides his pet budgie named incognito in his swimming trunks, but that's another story. 

However, today, I am going to detail one of my favourite tennis players Serena Williams and her pets. 

In many ways, Serena's first love was her pet Jack Russell Terrier, Jackie.  

Sadly, Jackie passed away in 2015 at the age of 16. She got her beloved pet back in 1999 when she was 17, in fact, a couple of weeks before she won her first Grand Slam. 

Serena said: ''Jackie Baila Pete Williams, I will miss you and your memory will live forever.''

In addition to Jackie, Serena has two other dogs Lauralei and Chip (pictured at top of page).

That's Lauralei a Shih Tzu and Christopher Chip Rafael Nadal a delightful Yorkshire Terrier.

Who doesn't love their pets? 

WTA French Open - IGA SWIATEK Advised at 25/1

WTA FRENCH OPEN 

We are now sitting in a decent position on the pre match tournament bets with IGA SWIATEK ADVISED AT 25-1 to win quarter one just one match away from completing a victory and she is also the new outright favourite for the title. 

The two selections I advised that are still in the competition are now second and third favourites in the outright market. 

SWIATEK V TREVISAN - BACK TREVISIAN TO WIN @ 4-1 

Please be aware I am backing Trevisian to win this match purely due to the fact of having backed Swiatek to win the quarter so this hedging out and ensuring a profit no matter what. Trevisisian does not have a bad record on clay and has defeated Swiatek back in 2017 on clay in three sets so she is not without hope. 

COLLINS V JABEUR - BACK COLLINS @ 11-10

Jabeur 101-48 record on clay courts compared to Collins 51-25, both have recorded excellent wins in the last round here with Jabeur beating Sabalenka in three sets and Collins defeating Muguruza in three sets. 

KENIN -1.5 GAMES TO BEAT FERRO @ EVENS 

Kenin won their only meeting and that was on the green clay at Charleston in 2017 where she won in straight sets, Ferro has been in superb form winning the tournament in Palermo before playing here but 3 of her last 5 matches have gone to three sets and I have a feeling it may soon catch up with her. Kenin started slowly in this tournament but has been improving the more she has played and dropped just two games in her last match here.

WTA FRENCH OPEN (2nd October)

WTA FRENCH OPEN 

BOUCHARD V SWIATEK OVER 21.5 GAMES @ 21-20 + BOUCHARD TO WIN @ 9-5 

Career records on clay

Bouchard 91-47 

Swiatek 67-12 

Having backed Swiatek to win her quarter I am having a saver on in form Bouchard defeating her even though I think it is unlikely, Bouchard is in good form and think she will push Swiatek hard and certainly cover the games total. 

HALEP V ANISIMOVA OVER 21.5 GAMES @ 7-5 

Career records on clay 

Halep 195-62 

Anismova 31-11 

Anismova can cause Halep problems with her all round game as she demonstrated in last years French Open when she dismantled Halep in straight sets 

GARCIA V MERTENS OVER 21.5 GAMES 23-20 

Garcia leads the head to head 2-0 both on hard courts, career records on clay 

Garcia 101-70 

Mertens 78-48 

Mertens all round game is very solid and should prove too strong for Garcia but Garcia if on form will keep this very close with her strong serve always a weapon

French Open 2020 (30th September)

FRENCH OPEN

STRYCOVA V KREJCIKOA OVER 21.5 GAMES @ 26-25 

Both are steady on clay and this has the makings of a real slug fest with neither player likely to be able to overpower the other. 

PERA V ANISMOVA OVER 21.5 GAMES EVENS 

Only 30 places separate these two in the world rankings but clay is most definitely Pera’s favoured surface as highlighted by her career record of 213-81. Both players won their first matches here in straight sets and while I favour Anismova to come through being on clay evens it up enough for Pera to keep it close.

WTA French Open 2020

FRENCH OPEN 

Outright I think this years tournament is primed for a surprise winner, Halep is obviously a huge contender but with not a particular easy draw I am not at all interested in her at her current price. My pre tournament bets are advised below. 

OUTRIGHT

PETRA KVITOVA 22-1 

ELINA SVITOLINA 16-1 

DAYANA YASTREMSKA 80-1 

QUARTER 1 WINNER

IGA SWIATEK 25-1 

QUARTER 2 WINNER 

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA 25-1 

QUARTER 4 WINNER 

SLOANE STEPHENS 22-1

Siegmund V Mladenovic OVER 21.5 GAMES EVENS Siegmund leads the head to head 2-1 with two of the three matches having gone to three sets, average games per match is 24.66.

Kerber V Juvan Over 21.5 GAMES EVENS Juvan enjoys playing on clay as shown by her 95-26 win loss record, Kerbers greater experience and excellent defence will counter this and a tight three set encounter is what I am expecting. 

Bolsova V Paolini - OVER 21.5 GAMES Paolini leads the head to head 1-0 winning on clay in two tight sets, the players are very evenly matched as showing in their respective ranking of 97 against 94 and clay is their best surface. 

Van Uytvanck V Peterson OVER 22.5 GAMES 6-5 Head to head is tied at 1-1 with their most recent meeting going three sets with Peterson coming through. They have never played on a clay surface but looking at their win loss record on this surface they are almost identical 88-59 and for Peterson it is 96-63.

Kalinskaya V Bouchard OVER 21.5 GAMES 23-20 Both players at ease on clay with Kalinskaya win loss record 63-32 and Bouchard 89-47 Bouchard looked in good form at her last tournament reaching the final on the clay of Istanbul and I expect a close contest here and three sets.

Niculescu V Collins - OVER 21.5 GAMES Both players happy on clay, Sakkari won their only meeting in three sets on clay in 2017 and I expect something similar here.

Puig To Beat Errani PUIG TO WIN 13-10 - Puig leads the head to head 4-0 including twice on clay and three of those meeting have been over in straight sets, Puig’s flat hard attacking play has int he past overpowered Errani and I expect more of the same here.

WTA Rome - KONTAVEIT V KUZNETSOVA Over 20.5 games EVENS (17th September)

WTA ROME 

KONTAVEIT V KUZNETSOVA Over 20.5 games EVENS 

Kontaveit leads the h2h 1-0 having won a tight two set match here two seasons ago, both players are very happy on clay and Kuznetsova although not quite the player she was is still very dangerous on clay with her great variety and this looks set for three sets.

BERTENS V HERCOG Over 22.5 Games 21-20 

Both clay court specialists with Bertens 237-87 win loss record through her career compared to Hercog 281-113. Both are happy playing long rallies and in the only match they have completed Bertens won in three sets and I expect the same again.

WTA Rome - ERRANI TO BEAT BEGU @ 5-2

WTA ROME

ERRANI TO BEAT BEGU @ 5-2 

Errani leads the head to head 3-0 with two of those meetings on clay and has yet to drop a set. Errani is not the player she was but still a threat on clay and she should not be this price in what could be a tighter contest than the odds imply.

KALINSKAYA TO BEAT DIYAS @ 4-5 

Kalinskaya has a win loss record on clay of 62-31 compared to Diyas 46-44 who is far more at home on the harder surfaces 

SAMSANOVA TO BEAT RUS @ 6-5 

Samsanova has a 8-2 win loss record on clay this season and has a decent 20-9 win loss record so far and has looked in decent form, Rus relies on her serve quite a bit and if it is firing then she will be hard to beat but again at the odds the potential and better form of Samsanova has to be the call