NBA Saturday Double Play – Rockets and Bulls Highlight

CJ’S DOUBLE PLAY FOR SATURDAY
February 28

Basketball Sports Betting Matchup #1:

Houston Rockets (37-21 SU, 27-30-1 ATS) at Chicago Bulls (26-32 SU, 28-29-1 ATS)
United Center, Chicago — 8:30 PM ET
(Records good through Thursday games)

Here are some of the NBA basketball head-to-head sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

• HOU has won 11 of the last 12 meetings SU
• HOU is 6-2-1 ATS in the last nine meetings
• Eight of the last nine meetings have gone OVER the total
• HOU has won and covered the last five meetings as the road team
• Five of the last seven meetings in Chicago have gone OVER the total
• HOU has had the shooting edge in eight of the last ten meetings
• HOU has had the rebounding edge in five of the last seven meetings
• HOU has made more three-pointers in each of the last five meetings

It is believed that the Rockets are a better defensive team without Tracy McGrady in the lineup, and that is a perfectly reasonable assumption, since they have won six straight games and have held the opponent to 88 points or less in five of those contests. They’re out on the road now, but that shouldn’t be a big concern for them, since the Rockets have won 11 of 12 meetings and have gone to the United Center and covered on the last five trips. Ron Artest had 26 points against Charlotte on Sunday and added 21 more two days later against Portland, and Aaron Brooks continues to show some leadership at the point, dealing out seven assists without a turnover in Thursday night’s game against Cleveland, which resulted in a 93-74 win in which the Cavs were held to just 34% from the field (33% from LeBron James). There is no way the Bulls, even with new acquisition Brad Miller, will control things on the inside against Yao Ming.

JAY’S PREDICTION:  HOUSTON BY 7 (cover)

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Basketball Sports Betting Matchup #2:

Sacramento Kings (12-47 SU, 27-32 ATS) at Utah Jazz (35-23 SU, 32-26 ATS)
Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City — 9 PM ET
(Records good through Thursday games)

Here are some of the NBA basketball head-to-head sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

• UTAH has won five of the last seven meetings SU
• UTAH has covered four of the last six meetings
• Seven of the last eight meetings have gone OVER the total
• UTAH has won and covered five of the last seven meetings as the home team
• UTAH has had the shooting edge in four of the last five meetings
• SAC has made more three-pointers in four of the last five meetings

This is going to be an emotional game for the Jazz, who have just suffered through the loss of their popular, gregarious owner, Larry Miller, who died of cancer. Miller fostered a great atmosphere around the Jazz organization, creating stability and leaving Jerry Sloan in his job for 20 seasons. Miller and Sloan were loyal to each other. You just know that this team is going to come out fired up, and they’ve got the right opponent, as Sacramento is coming from a game against the L.A. Clippers on Friday night and has won just four road games all season, not to mention just one of their last ten overall. The Kings have had a revolving door going, as they brought aboard Michael Ruffin, Drew Gooden, Andres Nocioni, Cedrci Simmons, Will Solomon and Rashad McCants, waiving Sam Cassell and Mikki Moore, dealing Brad Miller and John Salmons, two stalwarts. I’m sure some combination along the way will work, but not now. On top of that, Utah has won nine of its last ten, and now has Carlos Boozer back in the lineup. Be prepared to lay a big number.

JAY’S PREDICTION:  UTAH BY 25 (cover)

(Charles Jay makes his share of shots from downtown as a contributor to the BetOnline Locker Room)

Saturday Four-Pack of NBA Free Picks

With the regular season moving into further along into what promises to be a fast and furious finish, let’s get started.

Orlando at Philadelphia

Heading into Friday’s action, the Magic had won three of its last four contests, covering the spread in each victory. The Magic have also beaten Philadelphia in three straight and seven of the last eight meetings against Philly while going an impressive 5-2 ATS in their last seven.

The struggling Sixers snapped a four-game losing streak by beating lowly Washington 108-98 to snap a five-game ATS winless streak.

Expect the Magic to win this contest despite being on the road, but don’t expect a blowout as Orlando has won the last two in Philly by two points each time. If the spread tops five points, the Sixers cover. Anything less than that and I say jump on the Magic.

The Pick: Orlando 103 Philadelphia 98

New York at Miami

The Knicks may be in the process of rebuilding under up-tempo head coach Mike D’Antoni, but they’ve won a surprising four straight over the mediocre Heat and superstar D-Wade.

Miami has alternated wins and losses in a whopping eight consecutive games while going just 3-5 ATS during the span.

While the Knicks can score the ball with any team in the league and are playing respectable basketball at the moment, something tells me Wade and rookie Michael Beasley are not going to let the Heat fall in this matchup.

The Pick: Miami 108 New York 104

Houston at Chicago

The Rockets absolutely pounded the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday and should be well-rested for this matchup against a Bulls team that has gone 1-2 in its last three and just 5-5 in its last 10 contests.

Keep it simple here NBA bettors. If the line doesn’t surpass eight or nine points, take the Rockets to cover. However, anything past 10 points and the Bulls could cover.

The Pick: Rockets 101 Bulls 93

Washington at Milwaukee

The Bucks have dropped of its last four but should be able to take down a Washington Wizards team that has dropped two straight and four of six overall. If Milwaukee loses to New Orleans on Friday night as I expect, they could rout the Wiz behind terrific point guard Ramon Sessions and blossoming forward Charlie Villanueva.

If the line doesn’t go over five or six points at the maximum, I say take the Bucks to cover.

The Pick: Milwaukee 107 Washington 101

NBA Weekend – Houston and Chicago Saturday and Lakers vs. Phoenix on Sunday

Another weekend in 2009 and two more terrific games for BetOnline online sportsbook NBA betting fans to wager on!

The Houston Rockets take on the Chicago Bulls on Saturday in a game where the Rockets will be looking to continue their torrid pace after the All-Star break. The Chicago Bulls are fighting for a playoff spot.

On Sunday the Los Angles Lakers visit Phoenix to take on the suddenly running and gunning Suns. L.A. throttled Phoenix by 26 points on Thursday beating the Suns cold by a score of 132 to 106. Phoenix will be looking for revenge.

Let’s analyze both games.

NBA: Best Saturday Betting Game

Houston Rockets vs. Chicago Bulls

Analysis: The Rockets are on fire. Maybe, their front office is just smarter than me but I really thought this team was done for after they lost Tracey McGrady for the season and traded Rafer Alston to the Orlando Magic. Not so friends, not so. The Rockets have won 6 games in a row with Ron Artest at guard. I didn’t just make that up. Houston is using Ron Artest at guard. They’re also getting a bunch of points from bench player Von Wafer. Wafer racked up 19 in the Rockets’ last game, a victory at home versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Chicago has been off and on lately. They beat Orlando by 18 and Denver by 17 but then lost to Indiana by 7 and to New Jersey by 12. There’s something wrong with Chicago. They can be a very good team if both Ben Gordon and Derrick Rose are hitting their shots, but if either one of those guys goes cold, then Chicago packs it in and loses. Of course, the Rockets have to play the Bulls on the road. It will be Houston’s first road game since going on the 6 game winning streak. My gut tells me that the Bulls, as home underdogs, pull off the upset.

Pick: Chicago Bulls to beat a spread of +2 ½ or higher in the BetOnline sportsbook.

NBA: Best Sunday Betting Game

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns

Analysis: The Los Angeles Lakers takes on the Phoenix Suns in a game where the Suns will once again try to find an identity. The Suns are a mess. Ever since general manager Steve Kerr took over, Phoenix has been nothing but a disaster. They’ve gone from being a run and gun team, to a defensive team, to a run and gun team again. What’s going on Steve? Obviously, Phoenix is no where to close to the Lakers in terms of talent. The main reason is because with the exception of Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix’s line-up is full of old-timers. Shaq, Steve Nash and Grant Hill are all way past their primes. Phoenix just can’t keep up with a team like the Lakers.

Los Angeles takes on the Denver Nuggets on the road on Friday before traveling to Phoenix. I believe L.A. probably doesn’t play as well as expected against the Nuggets. Against Phoenix, they should have a field day. Kobe could put up 40 against the Suns this Sunday.

Pick: Los Angeles Lakers to cover a spread of -8 ½ or lower.

NHL Saturday – Western Conference Race Heats Up

The race for the final playoff spots in the Western Conference gets the spotlight treatment on the NHL betting schedule Saturday as Anaheim takes on Dallas and Minnesota faces Edmonton.

The NHL the Ducks, Stars, Wild, and Oilers were in a tight battle for the final two playoff spots in the West with all four teams sitting just a few points out. All four teams also have their sights on Columbus, who are anything but safe with 66 points in sixth place. In other words, who’s in and who’s out in the West will most likely come down to the final day of the regular season.

That being said, Saturday’s two matchups mean even more in the fight for the postseason. Minnesota heads to Edmonton on Saturday after taking on Los Angeles on Friday. The Oilers had Friday night off after battling Columbus on Thursday. This is the fourth time this season the Wild and Oilers will meet up. They last clashed in early February in Minnesota when the Wild pulled out a 3-2 shootout win as a -200 favorite on the NHL odds. In previous matchups the Oilers defeated Minnesota 3-1 in Edmonton and the Wild crushed the Oilers 5-1 in Minnesota. The home team has won all three matchups, which would benefit Edmonton on Saturday night if that trend continues.

The Ducks visit Dallas on Saturday night after taking on the Bruins on Thursday, while the Stars are coming off a Thursday night game against St. Louis. This is also the fourth time the Ducks and Stars will clash this season. Their last matchup was back in December in Dallas, where the Stars recorded a 4-3 overtime win and Mike Modano scored the game-winning goal. Anaheim earned their lone win against Dallas with a 2-1 win in November, while Dallas won the first matchup of the season earlier in the month 5-2 behind a Mark Parrish hat trick.

Anaheim will likely have defenseman Ryan Whitney in their lineup for the first time on Saturday night, and they need every point they can get right now with fewer games remaining on their schedule than the Stars, Oilers, and Wild.

Acapulco Tennis Betting – Williams Vies for a Spot in the Final

Acapulco, Mexico – The Abierto Mexicano Telcel is playing host to both the men and women this week. On the women’s front, the most prestigious player competing is Venus Williams. The American entered the main draw as the top seed and she has held her weight through the course of the week, pushing to the semis. Mind, did tennis bettors expect any less of this proven champion. Second seed Flavia Pennetta (Italy) and fourth seed Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) have punched at their weight class in the marketplace as well to take their appointed slots in the semi. Joining the trio is Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic. The unseeded player punched above her weight class in the marketplace to seize a spot in the final four.

Therefore, with the line-up set, here is a look at the semi-final showdown of this last South American clay court event of the season.

Tennis Betting Line:

Venus Williams -5½ -125 -1000 19 O -125 U -115

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova +5½ -115 +500 19 O -125 U -115

Match Time: 7:30 P.M. Eastern Time Friday 27 February 2009

Head-to-Head Stats: This is the first time they have ever met at a WTA event.

Tennis Betting Analysis: Waxing lyrical about Venus Williams is unnecessary. Most tennis bettors, even novice bettors, would be familiar with the American’s resume. Therefore, the question in this matchup is whether any credence should be given the underdog. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova is a surprise semi-finalist. She ranks No.71 in the world and prior to Acapulco she owned a 2-4 mark on the season. She has since improved to 5-4. She is a baseliner who prefers clay and grass. Strycova was most impressive in the quarters when she stormed back from 6-4, 4-1 down to beat Maret Ani 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Tennis Betting Verdict: On paper, there is no basis to assume Strycova would beat Venus Williams. It is billed a whitewash affair. Venus Williams won the title in Dubai last week and she is 9-1 on the season, coming into the semis. She has lost only one match this season. But it was a huge loss and more importantly, a momentous upset. Williams was ousted at the Australian Open by Carla Suarez Navarro in the second round 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. Can Strycova accomplish what the Spaniard did in Melbourne. In a word, no – so most sports bettors would think. It is rare to see Williams flunk against a lesser opponent; but it does happen on occasion – especially on her least favourite surface, which is clay and slow hard courts. They are playing on clay in Acapulco. So maybe (even if it goes against all reason) a small bet on Strycova is in order. Heck, I will go for the underdog.

Tennis Betting Free Picks: Strycova +500 in three sets

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetOnline.com Locker Room

Delray Beach Championships Quarterfinal Picks

Delray Beach, Florida – The Delray Beach Championships enters the quarterfinal round today. Headlining the late action is top seed Mardy Fish who will battle sixth seed Florent Serra for a spot in the semis. Also in action for a spot in the semis are Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Evgeny Korolev. So with lots of tennis betting action on the books today, here is a look at one of the quarterfinal clashes at Delray Beach.

Tennis Betting Line:

Mardy Fish -4 -140 -325 22 O -115 U -125

Florent Serra +4 Ev +210 22 O -115 U -125

Match Time: 07:00 P.M. Eastern Time Friday 27 February 2009

Head-to-Head Stats: Mardy Fish leads the head-to-head series 1-0. The only match they played was in 2008 in Los Angeles. Fish won in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.

Tennis Betting Analysis: Typically, Fish has posted mixed results in 2009. He opened the season with back-to-back first round exits in Brisbane and Sydney before pushing into the R32 at the Aussie Open. Immediately afterwards, he followed up with a runner-up performance in San Jose (l. to Stepanek). In Memphis, he swooned in the second round. Delray Beach is his sixth tournament of the year. He reaches his second quarterfinal of the season here. He beat Frank Dancevic and Vincent Spadea to book his place in the final eight. He is 9-5 on the season.

No.51 Florent Serra has steadily climbed the ranks this season. He started the year ranked No.60 but on the strength of a quarterfinal appearance in Brisbane and three consecutive second round appearances in Zagreb, San Jose and Memphis, his inched up the ranks. In reaching the quarterfinal, he improves to 7-6 on the season.

Tennis Betting Verdict: Fish has all the pluses to make him the better play. He has home edge, which is huge for the American as he typically performs best on home soil. Fish is a momentum player. When he is on a run, he can be devastating. On the flipside, he is streaky. His run can end and any moment, sometimes to the unlikeliest of players. The unpredictable nature of Fish would give Serra a chance. On his own merit though, Serra is a long shot.

Tennis Betting Free Picks: Fish in straight sets

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetOnline.com Locker Room

Pistons Stumble into Tough Weekend

The only good thing going for the Pistons right now is that February is the shortest month of the year. Detroit has slumped through the month, having gone 2-9, which includes losing their last eight games. Things don’t get much better for Detroit on the NBA betting schedule this weekend as they prepare to face powerhouses Orlando and Boston.

Detroit dropped their eighth straight on Wednesday after losing to New Orleans 90-87 as an 8.5-point underdog on the NBA odds. Richard Hamilton led Detroit with 24 points and Rasheed Wallace netted 16 points before getting tossed in the fourth quarter for a pair of technicals. Allen Iverson also exited early after re-aggravating a back strain. Wallace’s ejection was supposed to earn him a one-game suspension, but after having a few of his technicals from earlier in the season rescinded he will play Friday night against Orlando. However, Iverson could be out if his back doesn’t improve.

The Magic got past the Knicks on Wednesday night in a 114-109 win as 3-point favorites. Hedo Turkoglu scored a game-high 33 points, while Dwight Howard delivered another 20-20 with 24 points and 21 rebounds.

In their lone matchup this season the Pistons upset the Magic 88-82 as a 3.5-point home underdog in late December. Rodney Stuckey led Detroit in that win with 19 points, but don’t expect that to happen again on Friday as he’s only averaging 8.5 points per game in February.

From Orlando the Pistons head to Boston on Sunday for their fourth game this season against the Celtics. Boston hasn’t been the same with Kevin Garnett sidelined, and they showed it on Wednesday night after being upset by the Clippers 93-91 as 10-point favorites. Paul Pierce led Boston with 20 points, while Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo each had 17 points. By Sunday the Celtics roster is expected to look different with recent signee Mikki Moore ready to go and Stephon Marbury possibly set to play his first game as a member of the team.

In their three previous matchups this season Boston has won all three games. Their last matchup was on January 30 when Boston got past Detroit 86-78 as a 5.5-point road favorite. Garnett led Boston with 22 points, while Iverson had 19 points for Detroit.

Boston also knocked off Detroit 98-80 as a 6.5-point home favorite in November, and picked up an 88-76 win as a pick’em earlier in the season.

Celtics vs. Pacers – Injury Bug hits Boston

The defending champion Boston Celtics are at home tonight to face the Indiana Pacers and will do so with some injuries to key players.  Kevin Garnett has missed a week with a knee injury and will miss at least one more, and now Paul Pierce has dislocated his thumb and may have to miss time.  Down the depth chart a little bit, the recent starter for Garnett, Brian Scalabrine strained his neck and will be out.  If Paul Pierce does play he will not be at 100% and with KG already out the Boston Celtics depth will be tested against the Pacers.  Since Stephon Marbury negotiated a buy-out with the Kincks, sources indicate he will be signed to add depth to an aging Boston team.

Indiana is getting 25 points per game and 1.5 blocks out of the freaky athletic Danny Granger.  Granger is having an All-Star season, but he’s recently been bitten by the injury bug, suffering a tendon tear in his foot forcing him to miss 4 straight games and possibly the next month or so.  Mike Dunleavy will miss the next couple of months with a knee injury, so the outlook on the rest of the year for the Pacers is bleak.  With an overall record of 25-35, including a 7-24 road record, Indiana will have there hands full with the defending champs who have a 24-4 home record. 

Boston has proved they can win without Garnett, playing well above .500 without him since he joined the team.  Celtics head coach Doc Rivers demands defense first from his team no matter who is on the floor, a big reason for their success playing through injuries, and a big reason why the raised the NBA championship trophy last season.  GM Danny Ainge should be given much of the credit for Boston’s recent success.  He stuck with head coach Doc Rivers through the losing seasons, not making a rash decision when trying to evaluate the many, many losses.  He utilized that young talent as trade bait when he pulled off blockbuster trades bringing in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.  The rest is history, Double-P, KG and Jesus Shuttlesworth brought a championship to the city of Boston.

Indiana has not been the same team since Reggie Miller retired.  A decline in productivity from Jermaine O’Neal led to him being traded in the off-season for TJ Ford from the Toronto Raptors, and a few seasons earlier it was Ron Artest who was traded with no improvement to the squad.  Indiana will be looking to build around Danny Granger for the future and this year’s draft will be an important one for the Pacers. 

Boston has won 2 of 3 games head-to-head with the Pacers this season, and 5 of their past 6 dating back to 2007.  Go to BetOnline Sportsbook now to get in on Boston improving their already stellar home record.

West Bromwich Albion are Still Rock Bottom – Everton vs. West Bromwich

West Bromwich Albion are still on the butt of the Premier League table and that does not look to be about to change as they make the trek to Goodison Park for their upcoming fixture against a red-hot Everton. West Albion is desperate to win a match. But they can’t seem to buy a win even when they try. They are in the hot seat and the pressure is all on them to show improvement.

By contrast, Everton is secure in their Premier League position, occupying a spot in the top ten. They are sixth, four points shy of Arsenal FC and six points clear of nearest rivals Wigan. They are not in the title race – but who is these days with Manchester United dominating the proceedings convincingly. The flipside though is that without the quest for the title exerting pressure on them they can look forward to their next match with relaxed optimism.

Soccer Betting Line:

Everton FC -1 -130 -220 2½ O -105 U -115 Draw +280

West Bromwich +1 +110 +700 2½ O -105 U -115 Draw +280

Match Time: 07:45 A.M. Eastern Time Saturday 28 February 2009

Soccer Betting Analysis:

Everton FC -220: Everton FC is on a good run of results. They are sixth in the league, four points shy of fifth placed Arsenal FC and six points clear of Wigan Athletic. On the season proper, Everton are 11-8-7 for 41 points.

They are coming off a disappointing stalemate away to Newcastle but more concerning is the injuries they sustained during the match. Playmaker and joint leading goal scorer Mikel Arteta ruptured his knee and he is ruled out for the rest of the season. Prior to the Newcastle meet, they beat Bolton 3:0 at home. They are undefeated nine out of 13 matches at home.

West Brom +700: West Brom season is in a word, abysmal. They have occupied the bottom of the table for some time and with no improvements in sight, it looks like they will continue to hold the dubious honour. Their highlight reel reads excruciatingly; in their last six matches, they are 0-2-4 and on the road, they are 0-3-3. No encouragement at all. In the season proper, they won just six matches, of which only one was on the away. As for the draw, they managed only four – two at home and two on the away.

Soccer Betting Verdict: This season is not a good time to be a West Bromwich fan. (Mind, I don’t suppose there will be any left after all is said and done.) The fact is West Brom are downright abysmal and they are in danger of being demoted. The only way to avoid such a fate would be to do what they have not been able to do up to this point. Win matches. Easier said than done. And with no change in tactics planned, there is no basis on which to expect such a turn of events.

Some sports bettors point to Everton’s injury problems as an edge for West Brom. But I ask you, how are they supposed to capitalize on such an edge, which is slim at best, if they lack an essential ingredient – confidence? West Brom beat Everton. Ha! Let us call it what it is – a pipedream. Even a weakened Everton should have no trouble against West Brom.

Soccer Free Picks: Everton -220 | 2.5 Over -105

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetOnline.com Locker Room

ATP Dubai Final – Djokovic and Ferrer looking for First Title in 2009

Dubai, UAE – The Dubai title match this weekend promises to be a blockbuster showdown and the plum pick in the marketplace. Top seed Novak Djokovic and fourth seed David Ferrer will do battle for the Barclay’s Dubai Tennis Championships crown. Each player is seeking his first crown in 2009. So which player will join the winner’s circle this week? Care to bet on it? Here is a breakdown of their matchup for all ye tennis-betting faithful at BetOnline Sportsbook.

Tennis Betting Line: Novak Djokovic vs. David Ferrer

Match Time: 05:00 A.M. Eastern Time Saturday 28 February 2009

Head-to-Head Stats: No.3 Novak Djokovic and No.14 David Ferrer are level 3-3 in head-to-heads. Djokovic owns the most recent victory; he beat Ferrer in the quarterfinal round of the 2008 Australian Open en route to winning his first-ever Grand Slam title. Four of their six matches were contested on hard courts; Djokovic has a more decided edge as he leads 3-1. The only time Ferrer beat Djokovic on a hard court was during the round robin stage of the 2007 Tennis Masters Cup. Ferrer finished runner-up at the time, lost the title match to Federer.

Tennis Betting Analysis: This is the seventh career meeting between the two players and the most significant as the winner will lift his first title of the 2009 season. They have never met in the final of an event before. The deepest they clashed in a tournament was the US Open semis. Djokovic won in straight sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

Djokovic: As the top seed in Dubai, Djokovic is on paper the favourite. He is also the bookies favourite as a result. However, if we were to be critical, Djokovic has not had a remarkable season, enjoying less success than he did last year – a term that saw him win both the Australian Open and the Masters Cup along with two Masters Shields in Indian Wells and Rome). Djokovic started his season on the wrong foot, losing to Ernests Gulbis in Brisbane. He went on to fall to Nieminen in Sydney in the semis and withdraw against Andy Roddick at the Aussie Open. In Marseille, he was dismissed by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semis – a player he beat in the Aussie Open final but has since loss to on four different occasions.

Ferrer: The Spaniard entered the main draw as the fourth seed. He brought a 7-4 mark to Dubai and has since improved to 11-4 on the season. Ferrer’s 2009 highlight reel includes two semi runs in Auckland and Johannesburg, a R32 at the Australian Open and a R16 in Rotterdam. Ferrer ranked as high as No.4 in the world early last season but a curious slump followed and he swooned in the ranks. Currently, he weighs in at No.14.

Tennis Betting Verdict: As mentioned above, Djokovic on paper would appear to be the clear favourite. However, his form, which has been off for most of the season, has barely struck an audible note in Dubai. He opened well enough against Flavio Cipolla but struggled against Jan Hernych, taking three sets to close the match 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. He bounced back against Marin Cilic in the quarters. But once again, he slipped against Simon, needing three sets to beat the Frenchman 3-6, 7-5, 7-5. Djokovic will have to raise the level of his game if he wants to beat Ferrer. The Spaniard has hit fine form in Dubai. Since opening the tournament against the tough competitor, Ivan Ljubicic and dropping the first set, Ferrer has not come close to dropping another set. He beat Kohlschreiber 6-4, 6-2; Andreev 7-5, 6-1 and Gasquet 6-2, 6-2. His last performance his most convincing. If Ferrer takes the same form that saw him destroy Gasquet, Djokovic (the player he has shown to be lately) would not stand a chance.

Tennis Betting Free Picks: Ferrer in three sets

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetOnline.com Locker

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