The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament moves to the second day of the first round in Stuttgart, Germany and so do our tennis picks. This is an indoor clay event before the outdoor clay events in Madrid and Rome. Players want to be able to gain some momentum heading into May.
We haven’t seen a lot of action yet but we did see two matches so far, both of which involved some big-name players. We saw Timea Babos beat Sabine Lisicki 7-6 and 6-3, which has to be disappointing for Lisicki. The German had been hoping for a better showing in her home country but her tournament didn’t last very long. The second outcome we saw was Anna-Lena Friedsam top Johanna Konta 6-3, 6-3. Konta has had an up-and-down year with some great highlights (Australian Open) but she has done some of this too, losing early on in tournaments.
Carla Suarez-Navarro vs. Oceane Dodin
Betting Odds: Navarro -476
This match shouldn’t be too hard to call. Dodin moved through the qualifying rounds to get into the main draw in Stuttgart. She’s done well to get this far and is playing with confidence. However, that’s not even close to the player Suarez Navarro is. The Spaniard is seeded seventh in Germany, and she’s a former quarterfinalist at the French Open. She’s extremely comfortable on clay and should be able to dispose of a player of Dodin’s caliber. Suarez Navarro does get burned out in the second halves of tennis seasons, but that’s a concern after the French Open is over, not now. This is not a time when Suarez Navarro is likely to be fatigued or in discomfort. The fact that this is an indoor tournament should help Suarez Navarro to remain steady throughout the match – she won’t have to deal with oppressive heat or humidity. She should win in straight sets, so take her with your tennis picks.
Pick: Suarez-Navarro in straight sets
Laura Siegemund vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Betting Odds: Siegmund -165
This is a matchup of two very mysterious players, at least in terms of understanding how well they’re going to do in the rest of 2016. Siegemund made it through the first week at the Australian Open and played some of the best tennis of her career. She has to feel she can do some damage in this tournament, especially since it’s in her home nation of Germany. Her court coverage and perseverance should enable her to stay in this match long enough to earn a third set at worst.
Pavlyuchenkova is a 24-year-old, but she’s been on tour for several years, since her teens. She made the quarterfinals of the French Open several years ago and seemed to be on the verge of creating a very impressive career. It hasn’t worked out that way. Pavlyuchenkova will enjoy a good tournament every now and then, but her career ultimately has proceeded in fits and starts, without any constant or continued success. She’ll have these brief moments, but nothing which lasts very long. It’s hard to trust that kind of player in a betting situation, and with Siegemund playing in her home country, give the German a slight advantage here. Take her with your tennis picks.
Pick: Siegemund in three sets
Carina Witthoeft vs. Ana Ivanovic
Betting Odds: Ivanovic -213
This is a match which should be straightforward. As much as Ivanovic struggles and has cost bettors plenty of money over the years by losing matches to players she shouldn’t lose to, this match sets up well for her. Ivanovic has not overplayed – that’s the only benefit of losing early in tournaments – and so she should be ready to make a new start of things in the clay season. She made the French Open semifinals last year before losing to Lucie Safarova, so she’s accomplished on clay. Her lone major title was at the French Open back in 2008. She’s made deep runs in Stuttgart in recent seasons. She should be able to win a few matches this week, and this will be her first one. Take Ivanovic with your tennis picks.
Pick: Ivanovic in straight sets
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