The seeds continue to tumble at the first major of the season. Raonic and Bautista-Agut were the latest casualties while on the women’s side former champions Kerber and Sharapova breezed into the next round. Nadal and Dimitrov will feature on Rod Laver Arena on Day 3 while on Hisense it will be that man again – Nick Kyrgios.
Day 3 – Men’s Feature Match Previews
Leonardo Mayer v Rafael Nadal
Nadal was in full flight in his opening round match and there were no signs of injury. What we did see plenty of was forehand winners and some additional pace on the first serve – both excellent signs this early in the tournament. He is a perfect 4-0 against Mayer but he did drop the opening set against him when they met at the US Open late last year. He will go for his shots and will surprisingly target the Nadal forehand with his serve with the intention of opening up the court. He is a pure clay courter and given time can be dangerous. The courts at Flushing Meadows were slower than usual which allowed players to play from well behind the baseline. Mayer will not be afforded that opportunity here and it will hurt him. Rafa to put on another clinic.
Best Bet: Nadal -8.5 ($1.73)
Value Bet: 2nd Set Score After 2 games Nadal 2-0 ($2.60)
Nadal was in full flight in his opening round match and there were no signs of injury. What we did see plenty of was forehand winners and some additional pace on the first serve – both excellent signs this early in the tournament. He is a perfect 4-0 against Mayer but he did drop the opening set against him when they met at the US Open late last year. He will go for his shots and will surprisingly target the Nadal forehand with his serve with the intention of opening up the court. He is a pure clay courter and given time can be dangerous. The courts at Flushing Meadows were slower than usual which allowed players to play from well behind the baseline. Mayer will not be afforded that opportunity here and it will hurt him. Rafa to put on another clinic.
Best Bet: Nadal -8.5 ($1.73)
Value Bet: 2nd Set Score After 2 games Nadal 2-0 ($2.60)
Andrey Rublev v Marcos Baghdatis
The Australian Open is a second home for Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis. He made the final here back in 2006 and despite winning very little in the decade since he is one of a select few to have made the 3rd round or better here on 8 occasions. He has been involved in some real epics at Melbourne Park and this could be another one. Rublev needed 5 sets to get past veteran David Ferrer and most definitely has the edge in shot making ability in this match. He will make errors but can Baghdatis run balls down long enough to stay in the contest… The Wolf doesn’t think so and says if Rublev can get on top early he could run away with this one.
Best Bet: Rublev -5.5 ($1.91)
Value Bet: Sets Rublev 3-0 ($2.60)
The Australian Open is a second home for Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis. He made the final here back in 2006 and despite winning very little in the decade since he is one of a select few to have made the 3rd round or better here on 8 occasions. He has been involved in some real epics at Melbourne Park and this could be another one. Rublev needed 5 sets to get past veteran David Ferrer and most definitely has the edge in shot making ability in this match. He will make errors but can Baghdatis run balls down long enough to stay in the contest… The Wolf doesn’t think so and says if Rublev can get on top early he could run away with this one.
Best Bet: Rublev -5.5 ($1.91)
Value Bet: Sets Rublev 3-0 ($2.60)
Denis Shapovalov v Jo-Wilfired TsongaWolfy has been vocal when it comes to how much he likes the game of Shapovalov and he blasted his way past fellow youngster Tsitsipas. He does however run into a man that has done it all before. The Frenchman claimed 4 titles last season – 3 of which cam on fast indoor courts. Neither man will be taking a step back in this one and it makes for a thrilling contest. The Wolf is expecting Tsonga to be relentless in his attack of the Shapovalov backhand. He will hit a barrage of inside-in forehands and the errors from the Shapovalov backhand will mount. There is a reason why Tsonga has made the quarters or better on 5 occasions here. The conditions suit him and he loves the big stage. The hype around Shapovalov is understandable but we will give Tsonga the respect he deserves.
Best Bet: Tsonga WIN ($1.47)
Value Bet: 1st Set Correct Score 7-6 ($3.90)
Best Bet: Tsonga WIN ($1.47)
Value Bet: 1st Set Correct Score 7-6 ($3.90)
John Millman v Damir Dzumhur
This is the strongest Aussie contingent we have seen at the Australian Open for some time and they are getting a huge amount of support. Millman was flawless against Coric, generating 6 breaks of serve and The Wolf believes that this match will be all about breaks of serve. Neither possess a dominant serve and rely on their consistency in return games to get by their opponents. Dzumhur took a while to get going in his opening match and coming back from two sets down may take it’s toll. Dzumhur was a comfortable winner in their only meeting in Shenzhen last year and has the edge in class. He will have to deal with the crowd and potential fatigue but The Wolf has him scraping home in a marathon.
Best Bet: Dzumhur +2.5 ($1.83)
Value Bet: Sets Total – 5 Sets ($3.10)
This is the strongest Aussie contingent we have seen at the Australian Open for some time and they are getting a huge amount of support. Millman was flawless against Coric, generating 6 breaks of serve and The Wolf believes that this match will be all about breaks of serve. Neither possess a dominant serve and rely on their consistency in return games to get by their opponents. Dzumhur took a while to get going in his opening match and coming back from two sets down may take it’s toll. Dzumhur was a comfortable winner in their only meeting in Shenzhen last year and has the edge in class. He will have to deal with the crowd and potential fatigue but The Wolf has him scraping home in a marathon.
Best Bet: Dzumhur +2.5 ($1.83)
Value Bet: Sets Total – 5 Sets ($3.10)
Viktor Troicki v Nick Kyrgios
Troicki faces an Aussie for the second straight match. He broke local hearts on the outside courts on Monday when he came back to win in 5 after losing the opening two sets to Bolt. He cannot afford to do the same against Kyrgios who possesses one of the biggest games in tennis. If Kyrgios continues to make over 70% of 1st serves he will be very hard to stop. Five breaks of serve is not something we are used to seeing from him and he looks more focused than we have ever seen. He make Troicki look second rate when they met in Montreal last year in a 6-1 6-2 demolition. Kyrgios is on a roll and it should continue.
Best Bet: Sets Kyrgios 3-0 ($1.44)
Value Bet: Kyrgios -7.5 ($1.73)
Troicki faces an Aussie for the second straight match. He broke local hearts on the outside courts on Monday when he came back to win in 5 after losing the opening two sets to Bolt. He cannot afford to do the same against Kyrgios who possesses one of the biggest games in tennis. If Kyrgios continues to make over 70% of 1st serves he will be very hard to stop. Five breaks of serve is not something we are used to seeing from him and he looks more focused than we have ever seen. He make Troicki look second rate when they met in Montreal last year in a 6-1 6-2 demolition. Kyrgios is on a roll and it should continue.
Best Bet: Sets Kyrgios 3-0 ($1.44)
Value Bet: Kyrgios -7.5 ($1.73)
Day 3 – All Men’s Tips
| Match (Time AEDT) | Tips |
| (11:00) Nishioka v Seppi | Best Bet: Nishioka +3.5 ($1.83) Value Bet: Sets Nishioka 3-1 ($5.50) |
| (11:00) Carreno-Busta v Simon | Best Bet: Simon WIN ($1.67) Value Bet: Sets Simon 3-1 ($3.80) |
| (11:00) Bemelmans v Basilashvili | Best Bet: Basilashvili WIN ($1.91) Value Bet: Sets Basilashvili 3-0 ($5.00) |
| (11:00) Jaziri v Muller | Best Bet: Jaziri +6.5 ($1.83) Value Bet: To Win A Set – Jaziri ($2.00) |
| (12:00) Edmund v Istomin | Best Bet: Over 38.5 games ($1.83) Value Bet: Istomin WIN ($2.60) |
| (12:00) Shapovalov v Tsonga | Best Bet: Tsonga WIN ($1.47) Value Bet: 1st Set Correct Score 7-6 ($3.90) |
| (13:00) Karlovic v Sugita | Best Bet: Sugita WIN ($1.75) Value Bet: 1st Set Correct Score 7-6 ($2.10) |
| (11:00) Harrison v Cuevas | Best Bet: Under 38.5 games ($1.83) Value Bet: Cuevas WIN ($2.30) |
| (13:30) Sousa v Cilic | Best Bet: Over 32.5 games ($1.91) Value Bet: Sets Cilic 3-1 ($4.20) |
| (14:00) Mayer v Nadal | Best Bet: Nadal -8.5 ($1.73) Value Bet: 2nd Set Score After 2 games Nadal 2-0 ($2.60) |
| (15:00) Dzumhur v Millman | Best Bet: Dzumhur +2.5 ($1.83) Value Bet: Sets Total – 5 Sets ($3.10) |
| (13:00) Rublev v Baghdatis | Best Bet: Rublev -5.5 ($1.91) Value Bet: Sets Rublev 3-0 ($2.60) |
| (15:30) Schwartzman v Ruud | Best Bet: Under 35.5 games ($1.83) Value Bet: Sets Schwartzman 3-0 ($2.30) |
| (18:45) Troicki v Kyrgios | Best Bet: Sets Kyrgios 3-0 ($1.44) Value Bet: Kyrgios -7.5 ($1.73) |
| (19:00) Dimitrov v McDonald | Best Bet: Under 28.5 games ($1.80) Value Bet: 1st Set Score After 2 Games Dimitrov 2-0 ($3.10) |
| (20:15) Dolgopolov v Ebden | Best Bet: Ebden +5.5 ($1.80) Value Bet: Sets Total – 5 Sets ($3.40) |
Day 3 – Women’s Feature Match Previews
Caroline Wozniacki v Jana Fett
Wozniacki didn’t need to get out of first gear in her opening round match and The Wolf is expecting a repeat. She is arguably the form player in the women’s draw having won the WTA Championships to end 2017 and opening this year with a run to the final in Auckland. She has had an ideal preparation and Fett doesn;t possess the power game that she has struggled against in the past. If you start the timer at an hour this match will be over before the alarm goes off.
Best Bet: Under 18.5 games ($1.80)
Wozniacki didn’t need to get out of first gear in her opening round match and The Wolf is expecting a repeat. She is arguably the form player in the women’s draw having won the WTA Championships to end 2017 and opening this year with a run to the final in Auckland. She has had an ideal preparation and Fett doesn;t possess the power game that she has struggled against in the past. If you start the timer at an hour this match will be over before the alarm goes off.
Best Bet: Under 18.5 games ($1.80)
Ying-Yang Duan v Jelena Ostapenko
With no Williams sisters to speak of in the draw, Ostapenko is the biggest hitter remaining in the draw and The Wolf will be backing her the remainder of the way. She will go for her shots and as we have seen, when she is on there is no woman on the tour that can stop her. Aggressive of both wings she plays up the lines and has no regard for small margins. She is a very tough to face as her opponents take time to adjust to her style. Before Duan can find a solution she will be back in the locker room.
Best Bet: Ostapenko -4.5 ($1.83)
With no Williams sisters to speak of in the draw, Ostapenko is the biggest hitter remaining in the draw and The Wolf will be backing her the remainder of the way. She will go for her shots and as we have seen, when she is on there is no woman on the tour that can stop her. Aggressive of both wings she plays up the lines and has no regard for small margins. She is a very tough to face as her opponents take time to adjust to her style. Before Duan can find a solution she will be back in the locker room.
Best Bet: Ostapenko -4.5 ($1.83)
Elise Mertens v Daria Gavrilova
Gavrilova has made RLA her own in recent seasons but The Wolf says Mertens should be the clear favourite for this one. Dasha has looked patchy in her matches while Mertens has been in perfect touch. She rolled through the field to win the title in Hobart and will no doubt look to attack the Gavrilova second serve. That is where The Wolf gives her a real edge and he is happy to take on the Aussie.
Best Bet: Mertens WIN ($1.91)
Gavrilova has made RLA her own in recent seasons but The Wolf says Mertens should be the clear favourite for this one. Dasha has looked patchy in her matches while Mertens has been in perfect touch. She rolled through the field to win the title in Hobart and will no doubt look to attack the Gavrilova second serve. That is where The Wolf gives her a real edge and he is happy to take on the Aussie.
Best Bet: Mertens WIN ($1.91)
Day 2 – All Women’s Tips
| Match | Tips |
| Georges v Cornet | Georges -4.5 ($1.73) |
| Rybarikova v Flipkens | Rybarikova WIN ($1.57) |
| Ying-Yang Duan v Ostapenko | Ostapenko -4.5 ($1.83) |
| Bencic v Kumkhum | Sets Bencic 2-0 ($1.73) |
| Svitolina v Siniakova | Over 19.5 games ($1.91) |
| Wozniacki v Fett | Under 18.5 games ($1.80) |
| Mertens v Gavrilova | Mertens WIN ($1.91) |
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