We’ve seen some exciting tennis so far as the Dubai Duty Free tennis tournament moves into the second round. We’ve already seen one big upset already as Jelena Jankovic upset Belinda Bencic, who was one of the favorites to win it all. The highlight of Wednesday’s card will be No. 1 seed Simona Halep going up against Ana Ivanovic, but of all the matches that will take place in the second round, here are our three favorite tennis picks as the brackets continue to evolve and change:
Sara Errani vs. Yaroslava Shvedova
Odds: Shvedova -133
Errani had been struggling this season, but she notched a crucial win to halt a slide in the first round of this tournament. She eased past Saisai Zheng in straight sets. This should help her settle down and play her way back into form. It’s a basic theme of tennis players and tennis seasons: If you’re struggling, just one win can help a lot, because it creates another match during that week. Players often just have to get through that first match in a tournament. By earning another match and being able to return to the court a time or two, players can regain a groove they might have lost in previous months.
Yaroslava Shvedova took out seventh-seeded Roberta Vinci in the first round. Vinci had just won a tournament in St. Petersburg, so she was tired, but credit Shvedova for nevertheless being able to take advantage of that fact. Shvedova did, however, need three sets to win that match, so Errani – generally a better player – should have the better odds here. Shvedova will need to play at a very high level if she’s going to win – at least, that’s the likely view from here. Take Errani with your tennis picks.
Pick: Errani in straight sets
Carla Suarez-Navarro vs. Caroline Garcia
Odds: Garcia -133
This is a matchup of two talented players, but players who come at tennis from different sides of the tracks in certain respects. Suarez-Navarro is an established veteran who has created a good career. She’s short in physical stature, so her career accomplishments are pretty solid. She has choked away a number of important matches over the years, but on balance, she’s done very well for herself and has gotten more out of her life in tennis than many expected at the start. And it’s worth noting that while she doesn’t have a lot of tournament wins, she does manage to make her way through the events and generate some wins.
Garcia is a young talent whom Andy Murray infamously predicted could be No. 1 in the world one day. That has simply not happened. Garcia has found it hard to crack the upper reaches of the rankings. If you had to trust one player to pull through and win this match, it would not be Garcia. Suarez-Navarro is the better choice. She’s just a solid play and we’re getting her as the dog. It’ll probably be a close match but take Suarez-Navarro with your tennis picks and expect her to survive the battle.
Pick: Suarez-Navarro in three sets
Barbora Strycova vs. Julia Goerges
Odds: Goerges -118
This is a match in which both players are dangerous. Goerges can be a very effective and fluid ballstriker who, when she gets on a roll, can be a legitimate threat to top players. However, Strycova has shown more in her game this year and over the past two years, for that matter. She beat Garbine Muguruza in the Australian Open and has demonstrated more consistency. That has to give her the edge in this matchup, though Goerges is certainly skilled enough to win. It’s one of those situations where Strycova is the one who clearly deserves the benefit of the doubt from a betting standpoint. When you factor in the price too here, you’re looking at Goerges as the small favorite. Since we like Strycova more and we get her with the better price tag, that encourages us to go with her even more.
Pick: Strycova in straight sets
