WTA PALERMO (20th July)

WTA PALERMO 

GERLACH TO BEAT COLLINS @ 8-1 

Collins retired in her semi final match at the weekend against Kailinia with a very heavily strapped arm that looked to be slightly impeding her service arm, she has be taken on here with fitness concerns. 

RAKHIMOVA TO BEAT DANILOVIC @ 11-10 

Both players are decent on clay, but Rakhimova looked in decent form losing last week to eventual finalist Burel and she should prove too strong for Danilovic here.

WTA Budapest (12th July)

WTA BUDAPEST 

Schmiedlova to beat Begu @ 7-4 Bara to beat Errani @ 13-8 Haas to beat Kozlova @ 19-13 Gorgodze to beat Putintseva @ 4-1 

WTA LAUSANNE 

Waltert to beat Diyas @ 15-13 Melnikova to beat Zidansek @ 10-1 

WTA PRAGUE 

Min to beat Stosur @ 13-10 Diatchenko to beat Stojanovic @ 13-8

WTA WIMBLEDON (July 4th)

WTA WIMBLEDON 

RADUCANU TO BEAT TOMLJANOVIC @ 11-10 

The young British player has played outstanding well so far this tournament, providing she can overcome any nerves then she will have far too much power for Tomljanovic who has played well this week but capitalised on Ostapenko’s renowed weak second serve to sneak through her last match in three. 

KERBER TO BEAT GAUFF @ 11-10 

Former champ Kerber has played herself into some form and although it will be a tough test against the young American her forehand if she can keep it working well can prove to be very dangerous and she is decent value here. 

The remaining games all look good from a trading point of view for in play opportunities but I favour the favourites in them all so combining in a multiple 

Keys 1-2 

Sabalenka 8-15

Swiatek 8-11 

Barty 1-3 

Pliskova Evens 

Keys, Sabalenka and Swiatek should all prove too powerful for their respective opponents although I do think they will likely need three sets or at least two close ones to come through. Pliskova has served exceptionally well and if she carries on like that then she will prove very tough to beat and Barty should have too much for a tired looking Krejcikova 

10.52-1 Betfair

WTA WIMBLEDON MARTINCOVA (2nd July)

WTA WIMBLEDON 

MARTINCOVA + 3.5 GAMES TO BEAT PLISKOVA @ 6-5 

Martincova has been in excellent recent form with a 10-2 win loss record, Pliskova may have too much for her if she serves well but Martincova’s recent form means I am expecting her to keep this close.

JABEUR + 1.5 GAMES TO BEAT MUGURUZA 11-10 

Jabeur has been in excellent form on the surface winning the tournament in Birmingham and winning both her matches here in straight sets. Muguruza has looked in decent form and as a former champ has to be respected but I just give the edge to her in form opponent.

MERTENS V KEYS OVER 22.5 GAMES @ EVENS 

Keys has an impressive record on grass with a 35-15 record, Mertens is the better player with greater variety but Keys has a good serve with powerful groundstrokes, tough to pick a winner.

WTA WIMBLEDON FREE TRADING TIPS (27th June)

WTA WIMBLEDON 

GARCIA TO BEAT PEGULA @ 21-10 

Garcia has a great serve if it is on a working day and that could make her price look very silly come the end of the match, Pegula never convinced on grass as shown by her 14-14 win loss record compared to Garcia 35-21 

TAUSON TO BEAT KREJIKOVA @ 13-8 

Tauson has the power to be able to unsettle Krejcikova on her least favourite surface 

MINNEN TO BEAT TOMLJANOVIC @13-10 

Minnen’s grass court record reads 12-5 compared to Tomlanovic 25-23 and her recent form is superior too reaching the QF at Nottingham before coming through qualifying here 

VEKIC V POTAPOVA OVER 22.5 GAMES @ 21-20 

Both are in decent form reaching the QF at Birmingham and Potapovabeing a former junior champion here is fine on the surface and Vekic with her serve and groundstrokes is also very capable on this surface, I have backed both outright so cannot pick the winner but do see a tight match.

WTA BIRMINGHAM 2021 (13th June)

WTA BIRMINGHAM 

POTAPOVA TO BEAT STOJANOVIC @ 11-10 Potapova is a former junior world number one and while not too much can be read into the junior tour results the fact she won junior Wimbledon in 2016 shows that she has a liking for the surface and odds against just seem wrong to me.

BRENGLE TO BEAT KOSTYUK @ 9-4 Brengle is a safe and steady player and should be too consistent for Kostyuk 

Also Wimbledon outright bets below as I think these prices could shorten in the next few days WIMBLEDON OUTRIGHT WINNER 

Petra Kvitova 11-1 Unibet 

Karolina Pliskova 33-1 Unibet 

Donna Vekic 200-1 Unibet 

Anastasia Potapova 400-1 Unibet

FRENCH OPEN DAY 3 (2nd June)

FRENCH OPEN DAY 3 TIPS BELOW 

Hercog to beat Garcia @ 7-4 

Both had impressive first round wins but Hercog is the more accomplished player on clay and providing she can make inroads into Garcia’s serve then her odds look very generous 

Tauson to beat Azarenka @ 13-8 

Tauson has the power to unsettle Azarenka and with Azarenka’s ongoing back problem I am more than happy to take a chance on her dangerous young opponent 

Kasatkina to beat Bencic @ 11-10 (NAP) 

Kasatkina is by far the better player on clay and should come through this match

Pavlyuchenkova V Tomljanovic Over 22.5 Games @ 6-5 

Both evenly matched and unpredictable so likely to see three sets here 

Gracheva to beat Giorgi @ 13-10 

Giorgi wonderfully erratic, she rarely plays two points the same let alone a whole match, Gracheva will be the more consistent here and providing she keeps her unforced error count down then she is good value to sneak through. 

Collins V Kalinina Over 22.5 games @ 6-5

WTA FRENCH OPEN (29th May)

WTA FRENCH OPEN 

Kalinina to beat Kerber 13-10 

Kalinina been superb on clay, albeit at a lower level than this but Kerber has struggled for consistency and odds are wrong. 

Burel to beat Kovinic 10-13 

Collins to beat Wang 4-5 

2.26-1 Double 

Kuznetsova + 4.5 Games to beat Azarenka 21-20 

Kuznetsova while not the players she once was, she is more than capable on clay and should be able to keep this contact closer than the handicap. 

TUESDAY 

Sevastova to beat Brady 68-67 

Sevastova more at home on clay and I think she will prove too strong for Brady on the dirt.

Andreescu V Zidansek Over 22.5 Games @ 5-4 

Bertens V Hercog Over 22.5 Games @ 6-5 

Arrubarrena V Gracheva Over 22.5 Games @ 5-4 

The following three matches are all very closely matched and I can see them all going three sets or worst case scenario two very tight sets, all players very much at home on clay and happy to grind out matches.

WTA Rome Alexandrova to beat Pegula @ 11-8 (13th May)

WTA ROME 

Alexandrova to beat Pegula @ 11-8 Tight match and Alexandranova has the better career record on clay and I feel the odds are the way way around.

Zvonareva to beat Pliskova @ 13-10 Zvonareva’s defensive sills can keep the rallies long here and the surface is a leveller as it is Pliskova’s least favourite as tends to negate her serve somewhat. 

Muguruza -1.5 Games to beat Svitolina @ Evens Muguruza leads the head to head 7-5 and on clay she leads 2-0 winning both those matches in straight sets and covering this handicap easily. 

Krejcikova + 4.5 Games to beat Swiatek @ Evens Krejcikova has played well in her two matches here and her variation can cause Swiatek some problems early in this game.

WTA MADRID MASTERS (1st May)

WTA MADRID MASTERS 

BERTENS TO BEAT KUDERMETOVA @ 11-8 

Bertens has reached the final on her last two approaches in Madrid and although she has struggled since her injury she is the better clay court player as shown by her career record of 184-71 compared to Kudermetova 68-48 career record. Kudermetova is in the better recent form certainly but in my opinion this has been overplayed in the respective odds and Bertens is far too big a price here.

WTA Madrid (28th April)

WTA MADRID 

PAVLYUCHENKOVA TO BEAT KEYS @ 7-5 

Both have been in poor form of late, Keys leads the head to head 2-1 on clay it is one win a piece and both places are fairly evenly matched so I have to go for Pavlyuchenkova at generous odds as her flat hitting can expose Keys movement which can be suspect. 

BADOSA TO BEAT KREJCIKOVA @ 11-10 

Never bet before but both are happy on clay I just feel Bados’a greater weight of shot will be able to overpower the greater variation of Krejcikova in what should be a tight encounter.

WTA Charleston (5th April)

WTA CHARLESTON 

PERA TO BEAT CORNET @ 11-10 

Cornet is far too unreliable to be taking odds on about especially against a player who is very much at home on clay and faster clay of Charleston. 

VIKHLYANTSEVA V DIYAS OVER 21.5 GAMES @ EVENS 

PETKOVIC TO BEAT PUTINTSEVA @ 7-4 

DAVIS V BRENGLE OVER 22.5 GAMES @ 5-4 

Two players lacking power but happy to grind out results here points to overs 

WTA BOGOTA 

FRIEDSAM V TOMOVA OVER 22.5 GAMES @ 6-5 

SCHMIEDLOVA V BOLSOVA OVER 21.5 GAMES @ EVENS 

Both players are happy on clay with Schmiedlova coming back into the sort of for of three/ four years ago when she was a force on clay, Bolsova is also at home on clay and while Schmieldova should come through I suspect it will be tighter than the odds suggest.

ZIDANSEK V KALINSKAYA OVER 21.5 GAMES @ EVENS 

Zidansek leads the head to head 1-0 winning last season in straight sets on hard courts, both are happy on clay courts as shown by career win loss records of 57-33 for Kalinskaya and 107-40 for Zidansek.

The First Woman to take Part in the Grand National 1977

It may seem a long time ago. 

1977.

I was just seven years of age. A 70s child with long hair, shirts with big collars and my favourite toy was an action man with flexible hands. 

For horse racing fans it was a vintage year. A historic day when Red Rum, trained by Ginger McCain, in the ownership of Noel Le Mare, won the Grand National for the third time ridden by Tommy Stack.

It was a day when a legend came into being. Red Rum the only horse to win the National three times (1973, 1974 & 1977). 

The 1977 Grand National was historic for another. It was the first time a female jockey competed. Charlotte Brew rode her own horse Barony Fort . This was as much to do with the passing of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. Horse and jockey qualified for entry of the Grand National because Barony Fort finished fourth in the Fox Hunters Chase. 

He refused to jump the 27th fence, just four fences from competing the most grueling contest for horse and jockey.

However, her achievement paved the way for female riders to compete at the highest level.

Times are changing, for the better.

The old days of limitation which saw hundreds of male jockeys ride to success are being surpassed by a league of female riders who relish the opportunity to compete.

Katie Walsh has set the level for others to achieve after she finished third on Seabass in the 2012 Grand National. 

Watch this fascinating video detailed by Betway which tells the history of female jockeys in the Grand National. 

It's only a matter of time before the Grand National tells its greatest story. The first female jockey to win the race of races.     

Get ready for the Aintree Grand National on the 10th April 2021. 

WTA MIAMI PLISKOVA TO BEAT PEGULA @ 11-8

WTA MIAMI 

PLISKOVA TO BEAT PEGULA @ 11-8 

Pliskova has struggled for form this season and lost twice to Pegula this season both in straight sets and both easily but in her last match here there was shoots of recovery as she served well and her groundstrokes seemed to have more fizz about them and her best form is better than Pegula and at today’s generous odds she is worth taking a chance on to continue her recovery into form. 

SAMSONOVA TO BEAT SAKKARI @ 11-5 

Samsonova has been in excellent form of late especially in her last two matches here beating Giorgi and Bertens both in straight sets and could overpower Sakkari here at generous odds.

Another Belarusian in the last 16 in Miami 🇧🇾@SabalenkaA takes down Kudermetova in straight sets.#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/icxPgMohW2

— wta (@WTA) March 27, 2021