The Overrule: WTA Miami

By Sports Magician

Wednesday March 31st

Yesterday Marion Bartoli benefited from Svetlana Kuznetsova's shoulder injury to advance to the last eight, but her journey is likely to come to a shuddering halt against the impressive Belgian Yanina Wickmayer. The focus in Belgium is constantly on Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, allowing Wickmayer to fly under the radar and get on with her business without any commotion. She is hitting the ball very cleanly in Miami and obliterated Timea Bacsinsky in the last round. The Overrule will back Wickmayer on the handicap as we expect her to oust Bartoli at a very good price. The selection is a loser if Wickmayer wins by a solitary game.

Kim Clijsters ended the Miami reign of Victoria Azarenka in blustery conditions last night 6-4, 6-0. Clijsters failed to serve out the first set, but broke immediately to win it and then allowed Azarenka to implode as the Belarusian lost her cool in the wind. Clijsters’s defence was outstanding, but she will be more on the offensive against Aussie Sam Stosur in the quarter-finals. The Overrule backed Clijsters to win the tournament at 9.80 at the start of the tournament and she has now been installed as a 3.75 favourite. We’ll back the match to end in less than 19.5 games instead of taking the handicap of -5 or -5.5 games as the handicap seems a tight squeeze, but a 6-4, 6-3 win for Clijsters is very much on the cards.

PICK: 4* YANINA WICKMAYER (-1 GAME) BEAT MARION BARTOLI @ 1.91 (BET 365)

PICK: 3*KIM CLIJSTERS / SAM STOSUR TOTAL MATCH GAMES UNDER 19.5 @ 2.00 (PADDY POWER)

Sports Magician