It is women’s semi-finals day at the French Open in Paris on Thursday but those with tickets to the Rolland Garros complex get a bonus as the last two men’s quarter finals still have plenty of juice in them too after rain curtailed Wednesday’s play early.
With those men’s matches, which are beautifully poised it must be said, added to the women’s matches we are all set for a cracking day of tennis in the French capital. Hopefully the rain stays away for us to get it all in.
Day 11 Recap
We’re at a winner and a loser after the completed matches on Wednesday. Maria Sharapova showed nerves but rain into a freight train in the form of Garbine Muguruza but battered her silly but the other quarter final went as expected as Simona Halep beat Angelique Kerber in three sets for the second Slam in a row.
In the outstanding men’s matches Juan Martin del Potro and Marin Cilic are halfway through a first set tiebreak while Rafael Nadal is two points away from levelling up at a set each against Diego Schwartzman, who was blasting the Spaniard off the court before the rain came for the first time. Hopefully del Potro can come through with a bit in hand to give us a profitable look to Wednesday’s bets.
Simona Halep vs Garbine Muguruza
In one of the stranger pieces of scheduling I’ve seen in a while it is the pick of the women’s semi-finals that are up first when the world number one and beaten finalist 12 months ago in Simona Halep takes on the former champion Garbine Muguruza.
Given that these two played on Wednesday they could have been forgiven to have expected to have been on later than they are but that is not the case and you would think that will play into the hands of the Spaniard. Halep went three sets on Wednesday and in truth has seemingly been playing catch up to the rain for much of the fortnight while Muguruza barely broke into a sweat in smashing Sharapova meaning she’s been on the court for around an hour in the last four days all told.
Freshness is often a big thing at this time of a Grand Slam and Muguruza has that but for me she has so much more than that. She handles pressure better and she is smashing the ball so clean right now. Halep will defend all day but her legs will give in eventually and when they do Muguruza can come through.
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Madison Keys vs Sloane Stephens
The second semi-final is a repeat of the US Open final from last year albeit with a much different dynamic. Stephens went into that final as a massive underdog but took advantage of a nerve-ridden Keys to win with plenty in hand. Now it is the New York champion who is the favourite.
I think she is a worthy favourite too but I’m not convinced I want to be backing her at 4/7 against a player like Keys who even on clay can take the racket out of an opponent’s hand when she is firing on all cylinders. I do think this will come down to who defends the best and in my eyes Stephens is much the better defender of the two but the prices are about right so I’ll leave this one alone.
Tips
Back G.Muguruza to beat S.Halep for a 4/10 stake at 1.87 with Boylesports
Back her here:
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