2009 Tennis Season Bets

Season long bets

The new season is impending with only two and a half weeks till it begins again for another 10 months and many season 'special' bets are available with some fantastic value on offer. Most players will have started to prepare for next season after a short holiday, working on their fitness for the most part and as the new season approaches, their tennis. Credit to Unibet for offering so many unique bets for the coming season, and as they have such a wide variety to choose from, various bets stand out immensely.

Phillip Kohlschreiber.



SINGLES  CAREER TITLES (2): 2007--Munich; 2008--Auckland FINALIST (1): 2008--Halle

DOUBLES CAREER TITLES (5): 2005--Ho Chi Minh City; 2006--Kitzbuhel; 2007--Munich; 2008--Stuttgart, Doha FINALIST (2): 2008--Basel, Rotterdam

One player I expect to definitely make a break through into the top 20 is Phillip Kohlschreiber. I half expected him to make a more substantial rise last year, especially after starting the year is such fantastic fashion by winning Auckland and making the fourth round of the Australian open, when showing such mental strength to battle past Andy Roddick 8-6 in the fifth set. However apart from that great start to the season and a strong run in Halle in the build up to Wimbledon he struggled for the majority of the year with niggling injuries, before finishing the season in strong form. He did miss over a month after the US open, had to contend with first round exits at the French open and Wimbledon which are potentially strong tournaments for him. He battled with injury in the US open before retiring against Victor Troicki in the 2nd round. Therefore he has a substantial amount of points to pick up in three of the big four slams, while also losing surprisingly in quite a few of the masters series tournaments across the year. Yet despite a disappointing six months, from February to the end of July when only managing a 10-12 win/loss record, which looks better than reality due to a run to the Halle final he still managed to finish at a career ending high of 28. He did receive tough draws at Roland Garros and Wimbledon with matches against seeds, Stanislas Wawrinka and Fernando Verdasco as he was just ranked outside the top 32 at the time, something which should not be a factor this year.

I do think he has the talent to finish the year ranked around the 15 mark, yet Unibet make him 1.86 to finish in the top 28. His versatility on all surfaces is a major strength; his one handed backhand is one of the strongest on the tour, and a solid forehand while using great angles works well. He possesses a decent serve and his mentality has improved and should continue to do so. Therefore he has more than enough to cement a place in the top 25 at worst, and should achieve that with ease. Due to his brilliant start to the season last year he may well drop out the top 30 come February but this is not a problem due to the amount of points he will be able to pick up during the spring to early summer months.

Andy Roddick



SINGLES  CAREER TITLES (26): 2001--Atlanta, Houston, Washington; 2002--Memphis, Houston; 2003--St. Poelten, London / Queen's Club, Indianapolis, ATP Masters Series Canada, ATP Masters Series Cincinnati, US Open; 2004--San Jose, ATP Masters Series Miami, London / Queen's Club, Indianapolis; 2005--San Jose, Houston, London / Queen's Club, Washington, Lyon; 2006--ATP Masters Series Cincinnati; 2007--London / Queen's Club, Washington; 2008--San Jose, Dubai, Beijing FINALIST (14): 2002--Delray Beach, ATP Masters Series Canada; 2003--Memphis, Houston; 2004--Houston, Wimbledon, ATP Masters Series Canada, Bangkok; 2005--Wimbledon, ATP Masters Series Cincinnati; 2006--Indianapolis, US Open; 2007--Memphis; 2008--Los Angeles

DOUBLES CAREER TITLES (3): 2001--Delray Beach; 2002--Houston; 2006--Indianapolis FINALIST (2): 2001--Los Angeles; 2004--Doha

Andy Roddick is priced at a baffling 2.25 to finish in the top 8 for a seventh consecutive year. Considering the solid nature of his performances, and his continued hunger for the game, I do find this price quite strange when the more unpredictable Juan Martin Del Potro and Tsonga are priced shorter. They may possess more natural talent but are also far more injury prone, and up and down than the ever consistent American. The bookies assume he’s on the decline due to the fact his year end ranking has gradually declined from a career high ending number 1 ranking in 2003. However for the last four years now he’s finished the year from 4-8, and this year was no different. He did end at eight but an important thing to note is that it would have definitely been seven by simply completing all his matches in Shanghai, and probably six if managing to just pick up a win. It’s a credit to Roddick that he should have finished the year at six in the world because it was a frustrating year for him with rare sublime moments such as Dubai, yet huge disappointments in all of the grand slams. A third round loss to Kohlscreiber in Australia, a second round demoralising defeat to Tipsarevic at Wimbledon, and a poor performance in the quarter final at the US open were all low points for him personally. I would fully expect him to better those performances by quite a margin in Australia and at Wimbledon, while probably making the same stage at the US open so therefore has a substantial amount of points to pick up in the slams, especially with missing the French open through injury.

The reason why he has managed to maintain a top eight place for so long is because of his performances in many of the ‘lesser’ ATP events in America. He is such a force against the players who lack the ability to outplay him on the American hard courts and with the weaker entries in such tournaments like San Jose in February and Los Angeles in the summer he is always likely to pick up lots of points in the ‘best of other countable tournaments’ section. In 2008 he also missed three masters’ series events. Along with many of his fellow Americans he’s always missed the Hamburg and Monte Carlo clay events but this could well change this year, with the schedule around that time changing which is another positive for him. New coach Larry Stefanki has been hired who will no doubt be a calming influence on Roddick and therefore I do think this relationship will flourish. Roddick needs someone who is a laid back and happy character and as Stefanki possesses these qualities I’m sure he will create an easy ambience and relax Andy for the crucial matches which he’s tightened up in, in the past. It also shows his desire for the game isn’t crumbling one bit which is fantastic for tennis and I do believe he will finish from 6-8 once again in 09.

Juan Monaco



SINGLES  CAREER TITLES (3): 2007--Buenos Aires, Poertschach, Kitzbuhel FINALIST (3): 2005--Casablanca; 2008--Vina del Mar, Poertschach

DOUBLES CAREER TITLES (2): 2008--Valencia, Auckland FINALIST (1): 2008--Vina del Mar

Juan Monaco is priced at 1.75 to finish in the top 37 which is also quite bizarre. This is because before Roland Garros in which he lost in the first round, he was ranked at a career high 14. He then missed Wimbledon, played one more clay event after that before he became ill with pneumonia. This subsequently kept him out till the Beijing Olympics in August and he was clearly still recovering at the time as he only managed to win two more matches till the end of the season. However when beating Safin in Paris it was the first time he looked fully fit and unfortunately for him it came right at the end of the season. However it does certainly mean he’ll be raring to go at the start of next year, which is backed up by the fact he’s already competing in exhibitions. Maybe Unibet have overlooked the fact he missed such a large section of the season, as creating a line (despite only 1.75) at 37.5 is way above what I would make it. He’s a solid competitor, one who clearly takes pride in his superb work rate on the training court, which subsequently does result in him starting off the year in fine form. A very strong backhand, superb grit, and no obvious weaknesses means he has more than enough to end the year inside the top 30. I’m not sure if he’ll ever better his career high ranking of 14, but he definitely has the mentality and ability to reach the top 20 again next year if remaining injury free.

Katerina Srebotnik



SINGLES CAREER TITLES (4): 2005 - Auckland, Stockholm; 2002 - Acapulco; 2001 - ITF/Lexington, KY-USA; 1999 - Estoril, ITF/Dubai-UAE, ITF/Bratislava-SVK; 1998 - ITF/Sibenik-CRO; 1997 - ITF/Zadar-CRO; 1996 - ITF/Ismailia-EGY.

DOUBLES CAREER TITLES (20): 2008 - Miami, Charleston, Linz (all w/Sugiyama), Moscow (w/Petrova); 2007 - Gold Coast (w/Safina), Amelia Island (w/Santangelo), Toronto (w/Sugiyama); 2006 - Antwerp (w/Safina), Amelia Island (w/Asagoe); 2005 - Auckland (w/Asagoe), Stockholm, Budapest, Hasselt (all w/Loit); 2004 - Tokyo [Japan Open] (w/Asagoe); 2003 - Bogotá (w/Svensson); 2001 - Hawaii (w/Krizan); 2000 - Estoril (w/Krizan); 1999 - Antwerp (w/Golarsa), Palermo, ITF/Rogaska Slatina-SLO, ITF/Bratislava-SVK (all w/Krizan), ITF/Miami, FL-USA, ITF/Boca Raton, FL-USA, ITF/Clearwater, FL-USA (all w/Valekova); 1998 - Makarska, ITF/Rogaska Slatina-SLO (both w/Krizan), ITF/Makarska-CRO, ITF/Hvar-CRO (both w/Kostanic Tosic), ITF/Cardiff-GBR (w/Huber), ITF/Porto-POR (w/Feber), ITF/Otocec-SLO (w/Woehr), ITF/Sibenik-CRO (w/Kovacevic), ITF/Buenos Aires-ARG (w/Noorlander), ITF/Lima 2-PER, ITF/Bogotá-COL, ITF/Cali-COL (all w/Valekova); 1997 - ITF/Beograd-CRO, ITF/Zadar-CRO (both w/Kostanic Tosic); 1996 - ITF/Ismailia-EGY (w/Nedeva).

Despite rarely venturing into Women’s tennis for betting one of my favourite WTA players to watch is Katerina Srebotnik. The reason for this is because unlike 95% of the WTA tour she is able to play a variety styles and does possess a complete game. A strong volleyer and a nice slice backhand are two qualities you rarely see in Women’s tennis yet the Slovenian is able to incorporate these shots into her game superbly at times. Occasionally she’s over powered but she is a classy player at best, and I firmly rate her in the top 25, and does have the ability to finish between 15-25 in my view. She finished the year at 20 in the world so I see value in the fact she’s 1.86 to finish in the top 27. Again it’s quite a strange line for Unibet to take in my opinion as her tennis towards the end of last year was fantastic especially in Tokyo when destroying Wozniacki, Dementieva and Schiavone. A solid performer who is never too up and down mentally, which subsequently results in consistent results over the course of the year, and is why she’s finished in the top 30 for four consecutive years now. I see no reason why she can’t sneak into the top 20 for the very first time come the end of 2009.

Guillermo Canas



SINGLES  CAREER TITLES (7): 2001--Casablanca; 2002--Chennai, ATP Masters Series Canada; 2004--Stuttgart, Umag, Shanghai; 2007--Costa Do Sauipe FINALIST (9): 1999--Orlando; 2001--'s-Hertogenbosch, Stuttgart, Vienna; 2002--Casablanca, Stuttgart; 2004--Vienna; 2007--ATP Masters Series Miami, Barcelona

DOUBLES CAREER TITLES (2): 1999--Boston; 2001--Stuttgart

Guillermo Canas has been on the gradual decline over the last year. He started the year ranked around the 20 mark yet currently stands at 79. Having now turned 31 I do feel age is catching up with him as he’s a player who does rely on running down lots of balls, and using his stamina and speed to his advantage. I remember watching him in 07 when he made such a fantastic comeback and when beating Federer twice in two weeks, and the amount of balls he retrieved was astonishing. However I think this quality is long gone in Canas’ game. Renowned for being a clay courter I also feel this is now his most vulnerable surface. When watching him from the clay season onwards last year I noticed how he really struggled to hit through the ball with the lack of power he has, and continuously dropped it short. Coincided with the fact he’s unable to use his once so potent physical qualities he’s incredibly vulnerable on a surface in which he can be run ragged. Towards the end of this year he’s lost nine of his last eleven matches, including challenger tour events and I very much doubt whether that will improve next year. Unibet offer a fair 71.5 line but I do think he’ll slip further and end the year outside the top 80. I just don’t see how he can avoid this when new players are developing at a speed, and he is losing his physical prowess day by day. It used to be his ultimate strength, yet now it’s far from that, and with no other real weapons I see no reason into why his form will pick up next year. Age has simply caught up with him and he doesn’t possess the natural talent or court awareness that someone like Santoro has which enables ‘the magician’ to keep picking up results to remain in the top 70.

Nikolay Davydenko



SINGLES  CAREER TITLES (14): 2003--Adelaide, Estoril; 2004--Munich, Moscow; 2005--St. Poelten; 2006--Poertschach, Sopot, New Haven, Moscow, ATP Masters Series Paris; 2007--Moscow; 2008--ATP Masters Series Miami, Poertschach, Warsaw FINALIST (5): 2003--St. Poelten; 2006--Estoril, Bastad; 2008--Estoril, Tennis Masters Cup

DOUBLES CAREER TITLES (1): 2004--Moscow FINALIST (2): 2005--Moscow; 2008--Warsaw

Nikolay Davydenko is priced at 1.8 to finish in the top 8 and I don’t know why anyone would want to bet against this. He consistently performs, played some of the best tennis of his life towards the end of last year and in Miami, and despite slightly underperforming in the grand slams he finished at five by quite a margin. The top four are a class above, and he seems to have cemented that number 5 spot quite securely. It could well be worthwhile to have a small punt of him to finish higher than Tsonga at 2.09 with Skybet as I simply couldn’t bet on Tsonga against anyone in a season long match bet. He could miss three or four months through injury quite easily, while Davydenko on the other hand will be there week in week out picking up points but I side with the Russian for a top eight finish as I think realistically he should be in the 1.5 region (which he rightly is with some firms).
I see value in each bet I’ve advertised but I understand the reluctance to place such bets as funds are being tied up for 10/11 months which is far from ideal.

Picks:
 
5 pts – Phillip Kohlschreiber – Season end ranking under 28.5 – 1.86 (Unibet )
4 pts – Juan Monaco – Season end ranking under 37.5 – 1.75 (Unibet )
3 pts – Andy Roddick – To finish in top 8 – 2.25 (Skybet)
2 pts – Katerina Srebotnik – Season end ranking under 27.5 – 1.86 (Unibet )
2 pts – Guillermo Canas – Season end ranking over 71.5 – 1.86 (Unibet )
4 pts – Nikolay Davydenko – To finish in top 8 – 1.8 (Skybet)

Joe Simpson

(Tennis stats from www.atptour.com & www.sonyericssonwtatour.com)