We are quickly approaching the business end of the tennis tournament at the Olympic Games in Rio and on Wednesday we will determine the men’s quarter finalists and the four ladies who will battle it out for the medals in their semi-finals. It is also the opening day of the mixed doubles.
Everyone will be on edge after the many shocks that have taken place so far but there is no time for going easy now. Those who are left will need to show their best or they will be going home empty handed.
Tuesday Recap
Tuesday was almost the perfect day for us. It started really well with the Kvitova vs Makarova match going to a third set to bring the overs in that match in and then Madison Keys made it into the quarter final. Unfortunately Svetlana Kuznetsova couldn’t outlast Jo Konta but the day finished well with David Goffin going through and Thomaz Bellucci seeing off Pablo Cuevas.
The big news wasn’t about our bets though. Instead it was the news that Serena Williams exited the women’s singles and that has opened the draw right up. She was beaten in straight sets by Elina Svitolina to send shocks waves through the tennis complex. That wasn’t the only surprise in that draw though as Garbine Muguruza was thrashed 6-1 6-1 by Monica Puig.
In the men’s draw there was a surprise when David Ferrer fell to Evgeny Donskoy but other than that the main players who were in action on Tuesday all came through comfortably enough including Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal.
Men’s Matches
The entire last 16 of the men’s competition will be played on Wednesday and there is no doubt about which match is the pick of them. That is the night session match between Gael Monfils and Marin Cilic. From our outright betting point of view we’re pulling for Cilic there but those who have tickets on Centre Court should get an entertaining match.
Elsewhere Andy Murray takes on the mercurial, maverick Italian Fabio Fognini in a match he should win but you never know if the Italian has two inspired sets in him. Rafael Nadal’s reward for a comfortable win over Andreas Seppi on Tuesday is a clash with Gilles Simon on Wednesday. Our other outright David Goffin takes on Thomaz Bellucci while Novak Djokovic’s conqueror Juan Martin del Potro goes up against Taro Daniel of Japan.
Although there is plenty of talent in these eight matches they all have very one-sided odds about them and while I’m sure a couple of them will be closer than the odds suggest I’m not sure which ones they will be so I’ll take a watching brief on the men’s draw.
Women’s Matches
All British eyes will be on the match between Jo Konta and Angelique Kerber with the winner fancying their chances of going all the way now that Serena Williams is out. Another lady who will fancy her chances from here on in is Petra Kvitova. She has the night session match against Elina Svitolina. The other two matches see our outright punt Madison Keys up against Daria Kasatkina and Monica Puig faces Laura Siegemund with one of those guaranteed at least a bronze medal match.
We’re hopefully going to let Keys win and while I am tempted to take on Puig after her huge win on Tuesday I’d have liked her to have been facing someone better than Siegemund so I’ll leave that game. I fancy Petra Kvitova to see off Svitolina but there’s no value there so I’m going to go for the main attraction for a bet.
Jo Konta and Angelique Kerber meet for the second time in their career with Konta being Kerber’s penultimate victim in her Australian Open success back in January but the first set of that match was very tight before Kerber powered clear.
Konta was inexperienced at that level of tournaments back then but she isn’t that now. She has matured into a very solid player who is improving all the time both in ability and world ranking and I expect her to really challenge the German here, if not actually beat her this time.
Both ladies are playing very well and they both love to scrap so I’m expecting tight sets throughout and whether that is just two sets or all three I think the over 20.5 games line will be covered before this one ends.
Doubles
It is men’s semi-finals day on Wednesday with four good pairings still left in the tournament. The USA pairing of Jack Sock and Steve Johnson go up against the Romania pair of Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau who won’t be very popular after beating the Brazilian duo on Tuesday night while Marc Lopez and Rafael Nadal of Spain go up against the Canadian pair of Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil.
I think the USA vs Romania game could be very close but it is the other one which interests me. Nestor and Pospisil went very well in the Rogers Cup in Toronto where they were only edged out in a champions tie-break by Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares in the semi-final but they have looked good here and I give them every chance in this one.
Marc Lopez is a really good doubles player but I’ll be interested to see how Rafael Nadal goes in this one. It is a busy day for the Spaniard as he plays singles before this match and he has mixed doubles after it too. He might just feel a little jaded.
The Canadians have no such issues on that score and with the confidence of annihilating a decent Italian pair in the last round I fancy Nestor and Pospisil, used to playing together by now, can cause a surprise as far as the odds and seedings go.
The women’s draw and the mixed doubles all continue on Wednesday but nothing stands out to me there so I’ll leave it with just the men’s semi-final bet as far as the doubles are concerned on what should be another excellent day of action.
Tips
Back J.Konta vs A.Kerber – Over 20.5 games for a 4/10 stake at 1.85 with Winner Sports
Back it here:
Back D.Nestor & V.Pospisil to beat M.Lopez & R.Nadal for a 4/10 stake at 2.20 with NetBet
Back them here:
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