WTA Indian Wells: Schnyder kicks off First Round action

Indian Wells, California – Veteran Patty Schnyder officially kicks off the WTA Indian Wells tourney when she begins her campaign against Tathiana Garbin. Meanwhile, Iveta Benesova will be looking to find form when she takes on Olga Govortsova, another player conspicuously off form this season.

Tennis Betting Line:

Patty Schnyder -140 21½ O +105 U -145
Tathiana Garbin Ev 21½ O +105 U -145

First Set Line: Patty Schnyder -130 Tathiana Garbin -110

Match Time: 02:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Patty Schnyder takes a 3-0 H2H edge over Tathiana Garbin into her first round match but the mark is seriously out of date; over eight years ago was their last meeting. As such, it bears no significance on their upcoming encounter.

If there were a tipping balance, it would be form. Schnyder, 31, has seen very little action ahead of Indian Wells and it hasn’t been successful; she boasts a 1-2 mark. Garbin, 32, however hasn’t been exactly impressive herself; she is 5-5 on the season. In some respects, this match is a tossup, open for the taking.

Tennis Free Picks: The market favours Schnyder (marginally so though) and she has been for the most part the more successful of the two players. I suppose bettors could do no worse than falling in line with this market. Schnyder at -140 is a good play and the Under 21 ½ -145 is another good bet.

Tennis Betting Line:

Olga Govortsova -3½ -125 -210 21 O +105 U -145
Iveta Benesova +3½ -115 +160 21 O +105 U -145

First Set Line: Olga Govortsova -180 Iveta Benesova +140

Match Time: 04:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Olga Govortsova takes a 1-0 edge into her match against Iveta Benesova, a mark she earned in Dubai this year when she beat her Czech opposite 6-4, 6-1 in the first round, en route to a third round finish. Because their H2H is recent, Govortsova is the favourite, listed at -210. Benesova naturally weighs in as the underdog at +160.

While the bookies casting for this billing might be correct, I am not so sure such a disparity, though modest, in their odds is warranted. I think this match will be tighter than the betting line suggests and both players more into it, which makes this a bit of a tossup. Very little separates these two players on paper.

They are both off form, 2-6 in play this season, and ranked within a few places apart. This match is for the taking and it remains to be seen which player will rise to the occasion.

Tennis Free Picks: If anything, I fancy Benesova to take this match only because she already lost once to Govortsova and might have figured out how to tailor her game towards a more successful outcome. As such, her +160 odds are more tempting and offer better value for your risk. If bucking the trend is your thing that is. If not, go for Govortsova but hedge your bets with Benesova on the spread at + 3 ½ -115.

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WTA Indian Wells Free Tennis Picks: Aussie’s Molik and Dokic in action

Indian Wells, California – Aussie Alicia Molik continues her comeback trail since appearing at the 2010 Aussie Open and her compatriot Jelena Dokic will be looking to recreate some of the magic of her comeback run at the 2009 Aussie Open when she reached the quarters and lost to Dinara Safina.

Molik’s comeback at the Aussie Open was short-lived as she was bundled out of the tournament in the first round. She is appearing in her sixth tournament and she has played enough tournaments to be ranked – world No. 138. She enters Indian Wells on a well-deserved wild card.

After Dokic’s Cinderella run in Melbourne, things were not easy for the former world No.5. She struggled to win matches at every major event on the WTA circuit and suffered several injury setbacks. Upon her return to Melbourne this year, she was bundled out in the first round by Alisa Kleybanova.

Neither Aussie has had a particularly easy time of reviving her game. As they get set to kick off their campaigns, they come up against some interesting middleweights in the game, Tatjana Malek and Vera Dushevina, respectively. Molik has the easier path in my opinion while Dokic will be made to work hard for the win; that is, if she even can win.

Tennis Betting Line:

Alicia Molik -105 21½ O -110 U -130
Tatjana Malek -135 21½ O -110 U -130

First Set Line: Alicia Molik -115 Tatjana Malek -125

Match Time: 04:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Tennis bettors cannot be faulted for wanting to bet on Alicia Molik in this match, I rather want to, too. There is sentimentality involved when betting on a player staging a comeback indeed, but in this case, I do believe it would be the smart play as well.

Molik started her comeback in Brisbane and reached the second round only to fall to comeback kid Kim Clijsters (where comebacks are concerned, Clijsters set the standard when she won the US Open in her third tournament back). Molik ‘s highlights so far: second round exits at Hobart and Dubai, and first round exits at the Aussie Open and Kuala Lumpur, the most recent result. Overall, she has a 5-6 mark on the season ahead of her first round encounter.

What is obvious: she needs more match play before tennis bettors can bet on her with any confidence and this will hold true when she comes up against better quality opponents. Against No.78 Tatjana Malek, I don’t think her lack of match play will be a factor because she has a wealth of experience that could be enough to overcome her young opposite. Malek is, in my opinion, a beatable opponent. She already struggles against most opponents and her wins (so few there are) aren’t ever convincing. So Molik is a bit rusty, but she has experience and that should hold her steady in this match.

Tennis Free Picks: Molik in straight sets

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Tennis Betting Line:3

Jelena Dokic +3½ -125 +160 21 O +105 U -145
Vera Dushevina -3½ -115 -210 21 O +105 U -145

First Set Line: Jelena Dokic +140 Vera Dushevina -180

Match Time: 04:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Jelena Dokic has not had a good start to her season. She is only 2-4 and ranked just outside the top 100, at No. 101. She is appearing in her fourth tournament, with her personal best so far, a second round appearance in Hobart. She has yet to win back-to-back matches this season. Under current circumstances, I cannot imagine she is overly confident with her game. She is notoriously sensitive and mentally fragile. As such, I don’t think she would be the value bet.

The bookies price her generously, more so than warranted, at +160. This price tag is well within the market for an upset. But is she in the right frame of mind to mastermind the upset? Frankly, I don’t think so.

Dushevina is one of several big-hitting Russians on the Tour. She hasn’t had as much success as some of her better-known counterparts, Dementieva, Sharapova and Safina for example, but she is no less a threat for it. Her game is good and when she is on, she is on. She is not the type of player many want to see in their section of the draw, let alone start against. The bookies correctly fancy Dushevina in this match at -210 and if you ask me, she is the smart play in this match.

Tennis Free Picks: Dushevina in three sets

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