Justine Henin highlights first round action at Indian Wells

Indian Wells, California – Justine Henin, a wild card entrant, is set to get her Indian Wells tournament underway and if she does anywhere nearly as well here as she did in her first two comeback events in Brisbane and Australian Open, where she finished runner-up in both, we are in for a real treat. Should she outdo those performances, well, what can we say but that she is amazing. Just as she was when she was the world No.1 in the game, with an untouchable points lead over the rest of the field.

Henin is set to begin her campaign against Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia. Elsewhere, Henin’s compatriot Kirsten Flipkens will take on Timea Bacsinszky.

Tennis Betting Line:

Magdalena Rybarikova +6½ -110 +1000 18 O -110 U -130
Justine Henin -6½ -130 -3000 +1000 18 O -110 U -130

First Set Line: Magdalena Rybarikova +600 Justine Henin -1200

Match Time: 05:30 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: The market take on this match is one-sided, which should come as no surprise to tennis bettors. Henin in her first two events on her comeback trail finished runner-up; she lost to Kim Clijsters in Brisbane and to Serena Williams in Melbourne. Almost two years out of the game and it is as if she had never left. Simply amazing. Henin is not only the favourite but an untouchable favourite and deservedly so.

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Unfortunately, there is no money to be had in betting on her outright odds to win. Better value is found in the odds reflecting the expected performance of Henin in this match. Judging by the market on this, bookies expect a convincing account by Henin and I would agree.

Tennis Free Picks: Henin -3000 | Henin – 6 ½ -130 and Under 18 -130

Tennis Betting Line:

Timea Bacsinszky +2½ -110 +125 21½ O +105 U -145
Kirsten Flipkens -2½ -130 -165 21½ O +105 U -145

First Set Line: Timea Bacsinszky +115 Kirsten Flipkens -155

Match Time: 07:30 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: The match between Bacsinszky and Flipkens should be competitive. The pair are level 1-1 lifetime with Flipkens earning the most recent victory over Bacsinszky in Dubai last month, 6-3, 6-4. Owing to Flipkens recent account over her Swiss counterpart, she is rightly the favourite in this match at -165.

Those are not firm odds though and Bacsinszky, who actually has the ranking edge over Flipkens, is given her due as the mere +125 puppy.

In some ways, this match is a tossup: Bacsinszky might take the lessons from her loss and apply them against Flipkens for a more favourable result this time around. Similarly, Flipkens would have confidence ahead of this match because of her recent win and feel inclined to repeat such a performance. See, a bit of a conundrum deciding which subplot will dominate this match. For my part, I like Flipkens because I believe she is the more complete player and she has more weapons in her game than Bacsinszkydoes.

Tennis Free Picks: Flipkens -165| Flipkens – 2 ½ -130 | Under 21 ½ -145

Tennis Betting Odds: Czink, Hercog, Glatch start Indian Wells bid

Indian Wells, California – Melinda Czink will go head-to-head with veteran Kimiko Date Krumm and Polona Hercog will take on Ioana R Olaru. Elsewhere, Tamarine Tanasugarn and Alexa Glatch are gearing up for a late clash against Edina Gallovits and Elena Baltacha.

Tennis Betting Line:

Melinda Czink -120 21½ O -130 U -110
Kimiko Date Krumm -120 21½ O -130 U -110

First Set Line: Melinda Czink -120 Kimiko Date Krumm -120

Match Time: 07:30 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Tennis bettors cannot be faulted for thinking the bookies are absolutely no help in this match because they aren’t. The odds are equal for both players in every aspect of the game. They are tipped the same to win outright as they are to take the first set.

The Overs and Unders are the only odds to suggest a stance by the bookies; they favour the Under 21 ½ at -110. So how should tennis bettors bet on this match? Well if you ask me, I would go with the veteran Kimiko Date Krumm, and when I say she is a veteran, she is at the very young age of 39-years.

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Krumm enjoyed a Cinderella run last season when she won the title in Seoul. She is in the positive this season with a 6-4 mark. She is one of the fittest players in the game and that is saying a lot considering.

Tennis Free Picks: Krumm in straight sets

Tennis Betting Line:

Ioana R Olaru +3 -125 +140 21½ O Ev U -140
Polona Hercog -3 -115 -180 21½ O Ev U -140

First Set Line: Ioana R Olaru +130 Polona Hercog -170

Match Time: 09:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Polona Hercog was impressive in Acapulco a fortnight ago when she reached the final and lost to Venus Williams in a three-set marathon 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. The 19-year-old Slovenian also won a lower circuit event last month. Over all, she has amassed a 12-6 mark on the season.

With everything going for her right now, she is unsurprisingly the favourite in this match, at -180. Tennis bettors looking to back her in this match should be comforted the bookies are on side. It should be noted that Hercog has had most of her success on clay.

This is not to say she can’t win this match on hard, but keeping in mind her favoured surface is clay, she might be in for a tougher match than most would expect. The tight line certainly seems to suggest this will be the case.

Tennis Free Picks: Hercog in three sets

Tennis Betting Line:

Tamarine Tanasugarn -2½ -130 -165 21½ O +105 U -145
Edina Gallovits +2½ -110 +125 21½ O +105 U -145

First Set Line: Tamarine Tanasugarn -155 Edina Gallovits +115

Tennis Betting Verdict: Tamarine Tanasugarn is the favourite in this match to win outright and I have to agree with the bookies take here. Tanasugarn, 32, is 5-3 on the season with a 1-0 edge over Gallovits (though dating back to 2007). But these stats are not what convince me that she is the better play.

The intangibles do. Tanasugarn loves to compete and that makes her a tough opponent, even if she is almost ten years senior to her opposite. Put that against Gallovits shortcomings, a ranking outside the top 100 and inconsistent form (which makes her beatable), Tanasugarn’s odds gain even more shine.

Tennis Free Picks: Tanasugarn in straight sets

Tennis Betting Line:

Alexa Glatch +4½ -110 +225 20 O -110 U -130
Elena Baltacha -4½ -130 -350 20 O -110 U -130

First Set Line: Alexa Glatch +185 Elena Baltacha -250

Match Time: 09:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Where these two players are concerned, the match is wide open. Alexa Glatch is American and she will have home edge, which should help her some but I don’t think it will be enough for her to come through for the home crowd. Not only do the bookies stack the odds against her at +225, rightly so, mind, but also her lack of experience does so.

She has only played one main draw match of a WTA event this year; in Memphis, where she lost to Melanie Oudin 6-2, 6-2. All this makes me believe that Baltacha is the better play.

Tennis Free Picks: Baltacha in straight sets > > JOIN to bet!

WTA Indian Wells First Round: Cornet, Kvitova, Mattek Sands and more

Indian Wells, California – The BNP Paribas Indian Wells is set to get underway for the women on the Wednesday and it is an eye-catching menu of billings that is on offer at BetOnline Sportsbook So without further ado, here is a look at some first round matchups, namely those of Alize Cornet, Petra Kvitova and Bethanie Mattek Sands.

Tennis Betting Line: Alize Cornet -125 Carla Suarez Navarro -115

First Set Line: Alize Cornet -120 Carla Suarez Navarro -120

Match Time: 01:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: This is the tightest billing of the first round because these two players are rather evenly matched in that they are both better clay courters than hard courters. Having said that it is Navarro that has the ranking and form edge over Cornet and would consequently appear to be the better play. Navarro is conspicuously disadvantaged in the market on this match. If I were to bet house money, I would back Suarez Navarro to take the first set at -120 and the win at -115.

Tennis Free Picks: Navarro in straight sets

Tennis Betting Line: Alberta Brianti +200 Petra Kvitova -300

First Set Line: Alberta Brianti +175 Petra Kvitova -225

Match Time: 01:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Petra Kvitova and Alberta Brianti collide for the first time at a WTA event in the first round of Indian Wells. Kvitova has only the slimmest on paper edges but bookies award her with a significant edge over Brianti on the odds. I have to agree with their take. Kvitova is a solid hard courter and at -225 to take the first set and -300 to take the victory she is the better play.

Tennis Free Picks: Kvitova in straight sets

Tennis Betting Line: Yaroslava Shvedova -225 Bethanie Mattek Sands +175

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First Set Line: Yaroslava Shvedova -180 Bethanie Mattek Sands +140

Match Time: 01:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Home favourite Bethanie Mattek Sands is not the bookies favourite in her opening match and for good reason. Yaroslava Shvedova is a nice talent and a much better player in my opinion. Shvedova already has the 1-0 edge over Sands having beaten her at the 2007 Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. Granted the mark is old but I think Shvedova can be counted on to come through once again. Because Mattek-Sands will not be without crowd support this match could go the distance.

Tennis Free Picks: Shvedova in three sets

Tennis Betting Line: Barbora Strycova +185 Andrea Petkovic -250

First Set Line: Barbora Strycova +150 Andrea Petkovic -200

Match Time: 01:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday March 10, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and Andrea Petkovic collide for the first time at a WTA event when they open their BNP Paribas campaigns. While Petkovic has the significant ranking edge over Strycova, they are on par on form, 7-6 for the season. Petkovic though is the correct favourite and she should win this match. That said Strycova is capable of upsetting her in my opinion. This is a match for those who would like to buck the trend.

Tennis Free Picks: Zahlavova Strycova in three sets

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