The Overrule

By Sports Magician

ATP BELGRADE

Novak Djokovic returns home to defend the title he won last year at the event which he and his family have helped bring to light. The tournament in Belgrade celebrates its second birthday and much of the Serbian crowd will be cheering on another Djokovic triumph. The field and draw is comfortable for Djokovic who has fallen to Fernando Verdasco in both clay court Masters Series events this year. Verdasco won’t be in Belgrade which will be of relief to Djokovic. Igor Andreev is likely to represent Djokovic’s biggest challenge before the final where he may meet Stanislas Wawrinka.

PICK: 4*NOVAK DJOKOVIC WIN BELGRADE @ 1.73 (BETFRED / LADBROKES)

ATP ESTORIL

Roger Federer’s clay court season got off to a dreadful start with a three set defeat against Ernests Gulbis in Rome, but the Swiss world number one has a very weak field to deal with in Estoril to help him get back to winning ways. David Nalbandian and Nikolay Davydenko, regular participants in Estoril over the years are both out with injury, thus weakening a field that possesses no genuine threat to Federer.

PICK: 5*ROGER FEDERER WIN ESTORIL @ 1.5 (BETFAIR)

ATP MUNICH

Tomas Berdych can justify his tag as tournament favourite to defend the title he won in Munich last year. The Czech poor man’s Marat Safin has been playing consistent tennis for a couple of months and has a very easy first few rounds to negotiate. In the last four he may face Mikhail Youzhny and a prospective final could see him up against Marin Cilic or Nicolas Almagro. Berdych’s easier half of the draw is appealing to the Overrule as we are almost certainly guaranteed a deep run where he will be favoured in the latter stages.

PICK: 3*TOMAS BERDYCH WIN MUNICH @ 3.25 (LADBROKES)

WTA ROME

Serena Williams returns to the tour in Rome where she will be pleased to have seen Vera Zvonareva suffer a shock first round loss. The Russian was due to face Serena in the third round but was surprisingly knocked out on day one of the tournament on Sunday. Sam Stosur, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Venus Williams and Jelena Jankovic are the likely contenders in the top half of the draw, but it’s the bottom half where our interest lies.

The bottom half features defending champion Dinara Safina, Victoria Azarenka and of course, Caroline Wozniacki. The young Dane seems intent on injuring herself, having been forced to retire in Charleston; she picked up an injury in Stuttgart that played a part in her loss to Lucie Safarova. And yet here she is, in the midst of yet another draw and failing to allow her body some rest and recuperation. I’m amazed at her poor scheduling and if she is determined to continue at this rate for her career, it may well be a short one.

Message to Caro - STOP PLAYING SO MUCH.

Elena Dementieva could benefit from the rustiness of Safina, the fragile state of Wozniacki and the disappointingly inconsistent form of Azarenka. The Russian moves well on clay and seems to be overpriced.

PICK: 1.5*(EACH-WAY) ELENA DEMENTIEVA WIN ROME (1/2 ODDS 1-2 PLACES) @ 17.00 (BET 365 / BOYLESPORTS / WILLIAM HILL)

Sports Magician