Tennis Picks from WTA PATTAYA OPEN QUARTERS: Zvonareva, Chakhvetadze and more..

Pattaya, India – The Pattaya Open is one of two WTA stops this week and the tournament has attracted several noteworthy names in the women’s game, specifically Vera Zvonareva and Anna Chakhvetadze.

The tournament into the quarterfinals, both Russian ladies have made appointments. Zvonareva is set to take on Austrian Sybille Bammer while Chakhvetadze will battle Tamarine Tanasugarn. Elsewhere, Yaroslava Shvedova will go head-to-head with Tatjana Malek and Sesil Karatantcheva will battle Ekaterina Bychkova.

Here is a look at the quarterfinal market on the Pattaya Open currently available at BetOnline Sportsbook.

Tennis Betting Line: Sesil Karatantcheva -160 Ekaterina Bychkova +120

Match Time: 03:00 AM Eastern time Friday February 12, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: World No. 121 Ekaterina Bychkova and world No. 185 Sesil Karatantcheva clash for the first time in their careers in the quarters of the Pattaya Open. Karatantcheva is favoured to win outright at -160. She takes a 6-2 mark in the season into her clash. Bychkova has seen limited action this season but that has more to do with being suspended and investigated for match fixing. Bychkova maintained her innocence and is back to prove herself until further notice. There is nothing like wrongful accusation to fuel someone to greater things. I would lay a risk on Bychkova having her redemption.

Tennis Free Picks: Bychkova in three sets

Tennis Betting Line: Vera Zvonareva -700 Sybille Bammer +400

Match Time: 03:00 AM Eastern time Friday February 12, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: The clash between Vera Zvonareva and Sybille Bammer represents the highest quality encounter in the quarterfinals. Zvonareva is ranked No.14; Bammer No.50. Both players are significantly better than their respective rankings would suggest though. Zvonareva ranked in the top ten last year but injuries forced her out of circulation and consequently her ranking slipped. Bammer ranked in the top 20 two years ago but limited play has seen her oscillate in the rankings.

Zvonareva owns the 3-0 edge over Bammer and is consequently favoured to win outright. Their three meetings however were tightly contested, three-set marathons. If their past accounts were an indication, this match will be tighter than the betting line indicates. Zvonareva is indeed the better play at -700 but Bammer will be more in this match than her odds of +400 would suggest. An upset is not out of the question.

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Tennis Free Picks: Zvonareva in three sets

Tennis Betting Line: Anna Chakvetadze -110 Tamarine Tanasugarn -130

Match Time: 04:30 AM Eastern time Friday February 12, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Chakhvetadze was once a player on the up and her ranking on the uptick. She was firmly installed in the top 10 and she was full of confidence and promise. That was until a home invasion in Moscow in December of 2007, during which her and her parents were bound, gagged and robbed, changed everything. Chakhvetadze returned to the Tour but a shadow of her former self. Can you blame her. The horrific experience obviously spilled forth into her professional career and she struggled something huge. She is now ranked No.74 in the world. Credit her for battling through and not giving up.

In Pattaya, Chakhvetadze recorded her first winning streak in six months to reach the quarterfinals. She takes on Tamarine Tanasugarn, No.84, for a spot in the semis. The market, sentimentally, maybe, favours Chakhvetadze to win outright. I certainly do. And I won’t deny there isn’t any sentimentality involved. Wouldn’t you like her to get her life back on track. Here is hoping she does.

Tennis Free Picks: Chakvetadze in straight sets

Tennis Betting Line: Yaroslava Shvedova -200 Tatjana Malek +150

Match Time: 06:00 AM Eastern time Friday February 12, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Yaroslava Shvedova is a burgeoning talent and she is favoured to win outright at -200. Tatjana Malek is the underdog at +150. Very little separates these two players on paper. Shvedova ranks 30 spots better than Malek does, but that edge is negated by her poor start to the season. Shevdova has been as slow to get off the ground as her lower ranked opposite’s has been. Both arrived in Pattaya in the negative, yet both have turned things around to get to the quarters. Alas, for one player the winning streak is sure to end. The bookies say it will be Malek, if the odds are to be believed. And supporting that opinion is the fact that Shvedova owns the 2-1 edge lifetime.

Tennis Expert Pick: Shvedova in straight sets