Sunday, June 21, 2009

SISTERS TO CONTINUE SW19 DOMINATION ..........

WIMBLEDON

LADIES SINGLES OUTRIGHT

Wimbledon starts tomorrow and I will be covering the tournament on a daily basis on the email. Going to start today with a look at the Women's event. Dinara Safina is top seed, but I could not back her at any price, this is her least favourite surface, she still bears the mental scars from her devastating loss at Roland Garros and lost to 32 yo Tamarine Tanasugarn in the Ordina Open semis this week. Tanasugarn is a proven grass courter but even so, she should not be beating the world number one in straight sets.

Safina is in the same section as French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is also not totally in love with the surface and with a number of dangerous players in this section, including Eastbourne champion Caroline Wozniacki, 2006 champion Amelie Mauresmo, plus Chakvetadze and Vaidisova. I would not be surprised to see both RG finalists long gone by the semis. I was tempted to take a couple of players in this section to win the quarter at big odds but decided to pass. Vaidisova has been plaqued by injury and is a forgotten woman, but has made the quarters here in the last two years and is 50-1 to go a stage further. I would not put any of you off risking some loose change on her, at such rewarding odds.

The Williams sisters look, once again, head and shoulders above all their rivals. Serena lost to eventual champion Kuznetsova in three sets in the French Open quarter finals and arrives here in good shape, looking fit and ready to go a stage further than last year. She has made four finals in her last eight appearances, winning twice.

If her record here sounds good, what about her sister ! Venus has made the final in seven of nine apperances, winning five times and some $6m in prize money in SW19 alone ! Only Serena has beaten her in the final here and the older sibling is clearly the best grass court player of her generation. The draw has been faily kind to her, she is a little vunerable in the early stages of any tournament, but I see little to trouble her early doors here and Ivanovic and Jankovic the "big names" in her section, have lost their way, Ivanovic in particular looks a shadow of her former self.

I feel that we might well see a repeat of last year's final and the fourth all Williams grass court final in total. Hills offer a standout 4.50 quote and I will start with a little on that and an each way bet on Venus, who I expect to win a third straight All England Championship.

4 points Williams Sisters final 4.50 William Hill

5 points each way Venus Williams 4.33 1/2 odds a place to win outright general quote.

Good Luck.

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