Tennis Picks 2016 (February 13th)

The tournaments have moved onto the Semi Finals on the Tennis Tour this week and we will also have the draws for next week events taking place on the Saturday.

The business end of events are usually slowing down the picks because there aren't as many options with limited matches to be scheduled and there is no guarantee that I will see any matches that stand out for me.


Ana Ivanovic - 2.5 games v Roberta Vinci: The first Semi Final in St Petersburg looks an interesting one on paper as we see the power of Ana Ivanovic go up against Roberta Vinci who relies so much more on her variation and ability to outlast opponents.

It has been a much tougher week so far for the Italian who was fortunate to beat Timea Babos on Friday, while Ivanovic has gotten through her first two matches very easily. Perhaps that means Ivanovic is a little undercooked at the Semi Final stage of a tournament, but I think it also builds her confidence which is huge for the former World Number 1.

Vinci had a really physical match on Friday and I do wonder if that has sapped some energy ahead of this Semi Final. She will look to frustrate Ivanovic by offering her no pace off the backhand wing where Vinci is content to simply slice and dice the ball around the court, but Vinci will need to serve better than she did against Babos.

This is the first time in three seasons that Vinci and Ivanovic have run into each other, but I still think it is worth noting how competitive their matches have been. I can't see this one being run away by either player, but I think Ivanovic is more likely to come away with more breaks of serve and I can see that helping her to a 75, 46, 63 kind of win.

MY PICKS: Ana Ivanovic - 2.5 Games @ 1.73 William Hill (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 13-10, + 2.18 Units (46 Units Staked, + 4.74% Yield)