Australian Open Round 1 - Match Predictions1/17/2016
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Krajinovic v Kudla over 3.5 sets 4/7 - This match could be close. Denis had an awful Auckland qualifying losing 12 games in a row from 2-0 up..... not sure you cant take much out of that match but I think the Serbian can take a set in this match as the outsider, he could even get the win if he wants it
Kovalik v Trungellitti over 3.5 sets 4/9 - Doubt either of these qualifiers can win 3 sets in a row....
Gabashvili v Seppi over 3.5 sets 4/9 - The Russian in good form and Seppi usually loses concentration somewhere in his matches. This could even go to 5 sets but over 3.5 seems safer
Gulbis 9/4 to defeat J Chardy - Interesting match up..... Chardy the big favourite and higher ranked while Ernests has showed poor form in 2016 so far.... However the Latvian will like being underdog in a big event and if he gets confidence he is capable and has the wins over Jeremy. Only very low stakes but worth a punt
Hewitt 8/15 to defeat J Duckworth. No doubt Lleyton is James idol and I cant see Duckworth wanting to end Hewitt's career even if he is capable of it. Lleyton will be hugely motivated not to go out in the 1st round and has plenty of matches under he belt in 2016 already
B Mattek-Sands 8/11 to defeat D Allertova - The American is a good price here and should be too strong for the Czech. The only issue is Bethanie is not in great form, but has still played more than Allertova in 2016 and her all round game should get her the win
K Bertens 2/5 to defeat L Siegemund - The German player has done well to make the main draw with her ITF wins building her ranking up. Kiki should be way to strong & Solid in this match-up
V Lepchenko 4/6 to defeat L Tsurenko - Lots of pressure in 2016 for Lesia to defend her points and WTA ranking. Seeded this year I think she may find Lepchenko too good in this match.
D Kovinic 11/8 to defeat Sam Crawford - Both big serves and I think Sam has been given favourite odds here due to her run in Brisbane. The American has to back that week up and Danka is more than capable of winning this match. Low stakes only though as Crawford may well continue her form if confident
C McHale + 7.5 games 5/6 v A Radwanska - Aga may not be on top form in the first match and Christina is capable of winning 5 games in a say a 2-6 3-6 scoreline...
Y Putintseva + 6.5 games 5/6 v C Wozniacki - Yulia is very talented and often likes being the big underdog. If she can start well against Caro then she can keep at least 1 set close and get this handicap
Kulichkova + 5.5 games 5/6 v Petkovic - Elizaveta is a big talent and won't be over powered by Andrea.... If like other outsiders she can start well then she will get her chances
K Pliskova +4.5 games 5/6 v Stosur - Kristyna will like being the underdog and having come through qualifying will be very confident. Stosur is known to wobble in Australia infront of her supporters so anything can happen
D Thiem 4/7 to defeat L Mayer
As long as the young Austrian is fit then I think he should get the better of Mayer in this 1st round match. They have only played on clay before and Dominic has a 2-1 lead though his wins have been very tight 3 setters. I think this will be close but Thiem's natural quality should be enough to get him through
J Benneteau 3/1 to defeat N Almagro - 2 players struggling with injuries and making comebacks... Both players desperate for a win to boost their rankings and I don't think Nico should be as short as he is.... - only if Julien still has injury doubts having pulled out of a tournament last week. Julien has a 3-1 H2H over Almagro who hasn't won a clash since 2007! Punt but stranger things have happened
G Simon 4/9 to defeat V Pospisil - Vasek has the 1-0 H2H but Gilles retired a set down in that match. Simon likes Melbourne and is a former quarter finalist here and has only failed once to reach at least the second round in his 9 appearances. Vasek is capable but over a best of 5 sets clash I think Gilles will have more opportunities and will take them
Nishikori v Kohlschreiber over 35.5 games 5/6 & over 3.5 sets 5/6 - Tough match here and Philip has a lot of ability and can cause Kei big problems. I expect all the sets to be close and if it goes to at least 4 sets then over 35.5 games is a big possibility
Vesely v Olivo over 33.5 games 5/6 - Renzo has played well in qualifying and will be motivated in this match. Vesely's concentration is likely to lapse during the match and Olivo is capable of making this match tight
Berankis v Dolgopolov over 34.5 games 5/6 & over 3.5 sets 5/6- The Ukrainian is the big favourite but he is very up and down and Ricardas is sure to get chances. I expect a closer match than most here and I think overs is a good price
Krajicek v Wu over 3.5 sets 4/9 - Both players will be nervous. Austin only just made the main draw direct with injuries and Wu qualified. I don't see either player winning in straight sets
M Sakkari 5/6 to defeat Y Wang - 2 qualifiers and not much in this. Either player could win but I think the Greek player was just the better in qualifying.
S Errani 2/5 to defeat M Gasparyan - Errani very experienced and should be able to find a way to defeat the Russian even if she gets into trouble. Margarita has the game but this is a tough opener
D Kasatkina 11/10 t defeat AK Schmiedlova - The Russian RET in her last tournament which is a concern while Schimedlova was thrashed by Puig in Sydney.... Both have big careers ahead of them but I think the Russian may just be more confident if fit..
A Konjuh 8/11 to defeat U Radwanska. - Have not seen much of these 2 recently but they have some big battles already in their careers. I expect Ana to come good in 2016 and a win here would start her off. Very powerful just needs to know when to use it
A Tomljanovic 11/8 to defeat K Bondarenko - Alja out of form but with Aussies behind her could find some confidence.... Kateryna is powerful and a very even match. I think value lies with the Aussie but only a punt and low stakes
E Kulichkova 7/2 to defeat A Petkovic - Big Punt here but Elizaveta very capable. The young Russian is a name for the future and although her rankings rise has stalled she has power to hurt Andrea. Experience lies with the German though. Very low stakes as again it would be a big upset.
K Pliskova 5/2 to defeat S Stosur - Sam often struggles in Australia..... Kristyna has 3 wins in qualifying and we all know is much better than her ranking.... she just doesn't prove it that often..... Could be tight match especially if Pliskova is serving well
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Krajinovic v Kudla over 3.5 sets 4/7 - This match could be close. Denis had an awful Auckland qualifying losing 12 games in a row from 2-0 up..... not sure you cant take much out of that match but I think the Serbian can take a set in this match as the outsider, he could even get the win if he wants it
Kovalik v Trungellitti over 3.5 sets 4/9 - Doubt either of these qualifiers can win 3 sets in a row....
Gabashvili v Seppi over 3.5 sets 4/9 - The Russian in good form and Seppi usually loses concentration somewhere in his matches. This could even go to 5 sets but over 3.5 seems safer
Gulbis 9/4 to defeat J Chardy - Interesting match up..... Chardy the big favourite and higher ranked while Ernests has showed poor form in 2016 so far.... However the Latvian will like being underdog in a big event and if he gets confidence he is capable and has the wins over Jeremy. Only very low stakes but worth a punt
Hewitt 8/15 to defeat J Duckworth. No doubt Lleyton is James idol and I cant see Duckworth wanting to end Hewitt's career even if he is capable of it. Lleyton will be hugely motivated not to go out in the 1st round and has plenty of matches under he belt in 2016 already
B Mattek-Sands 8/11 to defeat D Allertova - The American is a good price here and should be too strong for the Czech. The only issue is Bethanie is not in great form, but has still played more than Allertova in 2016 and her all round game should get her the win
K Bertens 2/5 to defeat L Siegemund - The German player has done well to make the main draw with her ITF wins building her ranking up. Kiki should be way to strong & Solid in this match-up
V Lepchenko 4/6 to defeat L Tsurenko - Lots of pressure in 2016 for Lesia to defend her points and WTA ranking. Seeded this year I think she may find Lepchenko too good in this match.
D Kovinic 11/8 to defeat Sam Crawford - Both big serves and I think Sam has been given favourite odds here due to her run in Brisbane. The American has to back that week up and Danka is more than capable of winning this match. Low stakes only though as Crawford may well continue her form if confident
C McHale + 7.5 games 5/6 v A Radwanska - Aga may not be on top form in the first match and Christina is capable of winning 5 games in a say a 2-6 3-6 scoreline...
Y Putintseva + 6.5 games 5/6 v C Wozniacki - Yulia is very talented and often likes being the big underdog. If she can start well against Caro then she can keep at least 1 set close and get this handicap
Kulichkova + 5.5 games 5/6 v Petkovic - Elizaveta is a big talent and won't be over powered by Andrea.... If like other outsiders she can start well then she will get her chances
K Pliskova +4.5 games 5/6 v Stosur - Kristyna will like being the underdog and having come through qualifying will be very confident. Stosur is known to wobble in Australia infront of her supporters so anything can happen
D Thiem 4/7 to defeat L Mayer
As long as the young Austrian is fit then I think he should get the better of Mayer in this 1st round match. They have only played on clay before and Dominic has a 2-1 lead though his wins have been very tight 3 setters. I think this will be close but Thiem's natural quality should be enough to get him through
J Benneteau 3/1 to defeat N Almagro - 2 players struggling with injuries and making comebacks... Both players desperate for a win to boost their rankings and I don't think Nico should be as short as he is.... - only if Julien still has injury doubts having pulled out of a tournament last week. Julien has a 3-1 H2H over Almagro who hasn't won a clash since 2007! Punt but stranger things have happened
G Simon 4/9 to defeat V Pospisil - Vasek has the 1-0 H2H but Gilles retired a set down in that match. Simon likes Melbourne and is a former quarter finalist here and has only failed once to reach at least the second round in his 9 appearances. Vasek is capable but over a best of 5 sets clash I think Gilles will have more opportunities and will take them
Nishikori v Kohlschreiber over 35.5 games 5/6 & over 3.5 sets 5/6 - Tough match here and Philip has a lot of ability and can cause Kei big problems. I expect all the sets to be close and if it goes to at least 4 sets then over 35.5 games is a big possibility
Vesely v Olivo over 33.5 games 5/6 - Renzo has played well in qualifying and will be motivated in this match. Vesely's concentration is likely to lapse during the match and Olivo is capable of making this match tight
Berankis v Dolgopolov over 34.5 games 5/6 & over 3.5 sets 5/6- The Ukrainian is the big favourite but he is very up and down and Ricardas is sure to get chances. I expect a closer match than most here and I think overs is a good price
Krajicek v Wu over 3.5 sets 4/9 - Both players will be nervous. Austin only just made the main draw direct with injuries and Wu qualified. I don't see either player winning in straight sets
M Sakkari 5/6 to defeat Y Wang - 2 qualifiers and not much in this. Either player could win but I think the Greek player was just the better in qualifying.
S Errani 2/5 to defeat M Gasparyan - Errani very experienced and should be able to find a way to defeat the Russian even if she gets into trouble. Margarita has the game but this is a tough opener
D Kasatkina 11/10 t defeat AK Schmiedlova - The Russian RET in her last tournament which is a concern while Schimedlova was thrashed by Puig in Sydney.... Both have big careers ahead of them but I think the Russian may just be more confident if fit..
A Konjuh 8/11 to defeat U Radwanska. - Have not seen much of these 2 recently but they have some big battles already in their careers. I expect Ana to come good in 2016 and a win here would start her off. Very powerful just needs to know when to use it
A Tomljanovic 11/8 to defeat K Bondarenko - Alja out of form but with Aussies behind her could find some confidence.... Kateryna is powerful and a very even match. I think value lies with the Aussie but only a punt and low stakes
E Kulichkova 7/2 to defeat A Petkovic - Big Punt here but Elizaveta very capable. The young Russian is a name for the future and although her rankings rise has stalled she has power to hurt Andrea. Experience lies with the German though. Very low stakes as again it would be a big upset.
K Pliskova 5/2 to defeat S Stosur - Sam often struggles in Australia..... Kristyna has 3 wins in qualifying and we all know is much better than her ranking.... she just doesn't prove it that often..... Could be tight match especially if Pliskova is serving well