Day 1 cont'd
 

Bartoli vs Dulko
Dubai

French teenage sensation Bartoli is yet another who has performed well
in qualifying with wins over Talaja, Foretz and Voskoboeva. She's in solid
form this year and has showed considerable fighting spirit and great baseline
play when up against the likes of Sharapova. Bartoli had good showings in Paris and Doha while her opponent Dulko has had mixed results. A good showing in Hobart in January was followed by some very mixed form as demonstrated last week against Medina-Garrigues and her total capitulation to Sharapova.Dulko always seems to play better on the US hardcourt swing so I expect improved resultsin the coming weeks. Despite a slight knee niggle earlier this month (forced retirement), the match-ready Bartoli justifies her odds. I rate her a 71.1% chance.

Bartoli $1.45 @ SportsTab or StanJames
(1.25 hours till game time)

Yeah, all true, but...Dulko is HOT!

And let's face it-that's the only reason we watch women's tennis!

Now, where's Tatiana Golovin???

well done Marcos
 

Excellent work Marcos. 5 from 5.

One last question about Pinnacle if I can be indulgent.

Did u use the Paypal option or the direct deposit through Shanghai. They don't accept direct payments thru my Visa card.

Keep up the good work

Karla

correction
 

Sorry Marco

Pinnacle - should read Netteller (not Paypal)

Update

19 Bets: 14 wins 5 losses
At Flat stakes: Bet 19; Won 3.49; ROI 18.3%.

Slight break as had to have appendics out. Back very soon.

Karla - Neteller option's ok.

Indian Wells
 

A big couple of weeks coming up in the WTA with Indian Wells and Nasdaq
so should be plenty of betting opportunities. This weeks tournament starts
tonight and is 16 hours behind AEST. Website has livescoring:
http://www.pacificlifeopen.com

There's six first round matches tomorrow involving qualifiers that haven't had lines posted yet so I may add extra games later.

Karatancheva v Weingartner
Indian Wells

Bet of the day - Karantancheva is another teenager with heaps of talent. She's 9-3 for the season with good wins over Peer and Linetskya and has a 40/9 hardcourt career record. While many of Karaantancheva's opponents havebeen lowly rated qualifiers, Weingartner - while competent - has had a mixed season and is 85/107 on hard over her career. In fact Weingartner's ranking has been stagnant for over 12 months while her Bulgarian opponent has been moving forward in leaps and bounds. Karantancheva also
made the third round last year being beaten by Sharapova in a hard fought 3-sets - Weingartner didn't play in 2004 and was defeated in first round of qualifiers in 2003.

Karantancheva $1.70 @ William Hill.


Granville vs Irvin
Indian Wells

Granville (rank 87) is having a mixed season, playing ordinarily at
WTA tournaments but winning her last two challenger tournaments -
St Paul and Midlands (both US hardcourts). These include good wins
against the in-form Morigami and up-and-comer Cho in the finals. Irvin
(ranked 71) is, in short, having a dismal year and is 1-4 this season.Her
only win came against the lowly rated Pisnik on clay. Players that have
beaten Irvin include Frazier, Craybas and Haynes all of whom are similar
in class to Granville. Irvin holds the H2H 1-0 but the game was from 2001
and barely rates mention. Both made the fourth round last year though Irvin
entered the tourney in far better form. A close game but Granville to prevail.

Granville $1.70 Gamebookers & 5Dime


Spears vs Kurhajcova

Spears at home and the hardcourt specialist - 86/60 for career - has had a steady 2005 with good wins over Shaughnessy and Craybas and a close loss to the talented Dulko. Spears hasn't played here too often, being knocked out in the first round of qualifiers last year. Kurhajcova made the second round last year but her form this season has been abysmal, going 1-5 with her only win coming on clay. Her record on hard is 43/45 and she definitely prefers the dirt which accounts for most of her ranking. Having said that, she's capable of an upset but it would require a major form reversal. Spears has stated in interviews that this tournament means a lot to her so I expect her motivation to be high. She also won their only H2H, a closely fought Quebec hardcourt match last year.

Spears $1.56 @ 5Dimes


Notes - Steer clear of Kapros who's coming off an injury in Doha 2 weeks ago (Hip dysfunction). If you like
short odds Craybas should demolish her 14-year-old wildcard entry opponent.

Indian wells - Day 1 cont'd
 

Adding a couple of matches involving qualifiers as mentioned in last post.
Lines have now been posted.

Pin v Llagostera-Vives
Indian Wells

Pin's had a couple of solid results from qualifying and should be match ready.
She hasn't done too much this season though had a reasonable tournament in Antwerp and is competent on hard going 72/53 over her career. Her opponent Vives is first up returning from right leg tendonitis which forced her to withdraw from Bogata. She's also more at home on clay and is a more modest 44/38 on hard over her career. Pin with a couple of solid warm up games under her belt should be too much for the underdone Vives.

Pin $1.53 Sportingbet & Sportingodds

Kirilenko v Perebiynis
Indian Wells

Kirilenko's running hot at the moment and deserves to be at short odds. She's had a couple of good matches in qualifying and is in good form going 11-5 this season. This includes wins over Schnyder, Na Li and Shaui Peng - all classy hardcourters and close losses to Hantuchova and Ivanovic. She's 69/28 on hard over her career and has seen her ranking increase more than 30 places this year. Her opponent Perebiynis shouldn't be underestimated as she has the skills to win. However she's had an ordinary 2005 going 2-5 thus far with one of her wins coming on clay. Doesn't seem to play too well on the American hardcourt swing and has a career hardcourt record of 50/52.

Kirilenko $1.40 @ Pinnacle.


Notes: Daniilidou has withdrawn - still suffering inflammed right thumb. Replaced by lucky-loser Bondarenko. Steer clear of Bedanova as first game back since retiring from Ortesi a month ago.

Indian Wells - Day 2
 

Update: 23 Bets, 17 wins, 6 losses
At Flat Stakes: Bet 23; Won 4.15; ROI 18%


A tad lucky this morning with Granville and Spears squeaking home but good win to Kirilenko and poor loss for Pin. Yesterday's pick, 15-year-old Karatancheva, plays tonight.


Cho vs Marrero
Indian Wells

I rate up-and-comer Cho as one to watch. She has a good all-round game, fights for every point and has had a good start to the season in going 11/5 (she's risen approx 60 places in the rankings this season). Cho's also an out-and-out hardcourter (97 wins/64 losses) while Marrero is more at home on clay. Marrero's 46/54 on hard and is 1-4 this season and while she has a considerably higher WTA ranking, this is down to her clay court results. Even so, she's still drifted about 20 ranking places this season. Marrero did qualify here last year and went on to reach the third round so she's capable of winning, however she entered last years tournament in much better form.

Cho $1.80 @ Sportodds (and others)



Vaidisova v Washington
Indian Wells

Red-hot teenager Vaidisova versus struggling Washington. The Czech wonderkid is having a strong 2005 (7/3) with impressive wins over Shaughnessy, Groenefeld and Safina - and close losses to Davenport and Shaughnessy (in Memphis). Washington is 4/4 for 2005 with 3 of those wins coming against lowly rated qualifiers in Sydney. Vaidisova is at short odds but still offers value - I rate her a 76.6% chance of winning.

Vaidisova $1.36 @ Sportodds and Gamebookers
(early line - may be better prices later).


Notes: I'll post extra plays as lines become available around 10.30 AEST.

Day 2 - cont'd
 

Haynes v Santangelo
Indian Wells

Hardcourt specialist Haynes playing in her own backyard should have too much for the erratic and somewhat underdone Santangelo. Haynes has made good progress in the ranking s over the past 6 months and has had steady if unspectacular start. She made special mention in interviews about playing well here in front of her 'home' crowd and family who will be in attendance so Hayne's motivation should be high. Santangelo is best labelled erratic as she seldom wins wo games in a row. She surprised everyone by reaching the fourht round of the Australian Open in 2004 but has achieved little since. Santangelo also showed glimpses of her talent at Auckland in January and as a good vollyer and is capable of an upset, but in the end I think Haynes will have too much power.

Haynes $1.87 @ 5Dimes.

Injury Report
 

Late mail - Angela Haynes has picked up a leg injury and may struggle to complete her match against Santangelo. The game starts in half-an-hour and while the bet stands, it has certainly lost its value.