RAFA NADAL begins his Hamburg Open title bid today as he tries to find from after an awful first half of the year.
The former world No.1 – now languishing at No.10 following his Wimbledon woe – has accepted a wildcard to the clay-court event and faces a tricky opener against fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.
Nadal leads the head-to-head 14-2 but has lost the last two and on current form is unbackable at best odds 1-5 with Boylesports. Some punters might be tempted by the 9-2 offered by BetVictor for a Verdasco win.
Three of the pair's last four meetings have gone to a deciding set and over 2.5 sets pays 25-11 at 10bet.
There's plenty more action from Hamburg and also the Atlanta Open – where big-serving John Isner is the 5-2 title favourite at Betfair – as well as WTA matches.
In the cricket one-day Cup, Glamorgan host Kent and the Major League Baseball has its usual batch of fixtures.
Good luck with your bets and let's hear your sporting tips and thoughts.
In December 2020 we sadly 
Royal London ODI
Yorkshire 1/2
Surrey 4/6
Double 6/4 – 5 points **WON**
Both teams out of the t20 cup so will have full focus on this now. Surrey made a slow start in the t20 and wil not want to make the same mistake twice. Yorkshire playing derbyshire, yorkshire have a much better side on paper and are rightfully 1/2 in my opinion.
Also advised a large bet on yorkshire as a single which won so a very good day.
One game tomorow
Kent 10/11 – 3 points
Looks a steal to me as. However only 3 points because they have a t20 quarter final this week and they may have their eyes on that.
Young’s woeful Atlanta form continues!
6-2, 6-1 Muller!
A nice start to the morning :D
Donald Young – Donald duck more like ;-)
Perfect analysis Ad right on the money and my mystic feeling about Young and his American revival LOL!
Money line Single
Royals @ Indians
Royals @ 1.95 *won*
Add
Ml Cardinals @ 1.5
Ml Giants @ 1.6
Treble @ 4.7 (25% stake) *won*
Team to score first wins double
Brewers @ Giants @ 1.4 *won*
Red @ Cardinals @ 1.4 *lost*
Double @ 1.97 *lost*
2/3 will do.
12-30 Gstaad
M Granollers 2-0 v R Haase 3/1 william hill
10-00 Hamburg
M Klizan 2-0 v A Seppi 2/1 william hill
13-00 Hamburg
Haider Maurer 2-0 v Y Vesely 7/2 william hill
1 point trixie (4 points)
Tonight’s mlb
Tigers @ Rays
Tigers @ 1.87
Reds @ Cardinals
Cards & u7.5 runs @ 3.0
Double @ 5.61 (50% stake)
ATP Hamburg
Fognini 14/1 2 points win
ATP Gstaad
Delbonis 18/1 2 points win
tennis 4 fold
savchuk (inplay)
flipkens
nadal
robredo
£5 returns £20.88 @betfair
Considering Nadal’s recent bad run and the fact Verdasco has won the last two would anyone recommend Verdasco +5.5 games as a nice bet? Good stuff with Muller AD, never in doubt
Juan- what price is Verdasco + 5.5? I’m expecting him to come closer than that, if all goes to plan!
Delbonis looks a good shout De Niro, I’ll have a small go on that. The draw could open up very nicely for him indeed. Carreno busta @ 20/1 is the other I’m considering a small flutter on, but they’re in the same quarter so nieut an ideal combo. One of them can take down a slightly hungover Thiem though hopefully. But he recovers well Thiem could be looking at consecutive titles.
IF he recovers well*
On Reister -3.5 in play @ 10/11. Looks to have the handle on this matchup after dropping first game. Should get at least a break in each set. I’d be v surprised if he didn’t.
The commentators curse! Come on Reister, i know you’ve got this. Should’ve waited and taken 2-0 @ 5/2. Maybe I will!
Great research & tip Ad even tho my over bet lost :(
Young is a joke!!
Thanks Mark and others. Nice when a prediction along with the reasoning comes off, a rare thing!
Got away with one slightly there on Reister -3.5. Voided after Kavcic retirement.
3 sets is good price at 21/10 if you think will take him close. +4.5 is evens at sky bet
***Posted Yesterday***
MLB Bets For Tonight
Underdog Treble
Treble @ 9/1 (£5) LOST
Chicago White Sox ML (Win 10-8)
Texas Rangers ML (Lost 6-2) after leading 2-0
Arizona Diamondbacks ML (Win 4-3)
3 out of last 4 nights 1 team lets me down again
Fav’s Double
Double @ 2.55/1 (£10) WON
St Louis Cardinals ML (Win 4-1)
San Francisco Giants & Over 5.5 Runs (Win 4-2)
Nice 2 out 3 profit @ Dazzler
2 close games going to extra innings on your underdogs with 1 winner @ Jaseos
GGL just retired against Munar. Wonder if Nadal had a word in his ear haha.
Okay so I know I tipped Kohli in my acca, but Gavin seem how relaxed and on it Paire looks I have to take him @ 2/1. And 2-0 @ 7/2. Might all change quickly but looks like he’s carrying his form forward so far
Just broken right on cue. A few quid going on Paire outright @ 40/1 too! Egg on face in half an hours time for sure….this is Benoit!
It was so obvious that Benoit was half tanking that second set. Totally ramped it up again now.
Sometimes you know that the tennis Gods are trying to tell you something………
Took Garcia-Lopez at 33/1 for a small interest bet (to win Hamburg ATP) and he retires after 3 games (2-1 up) against a rank outsider in the first round.
I’m going to listen to the Gods and take a wee break from tennis.
gonna see how this second set shapes up before I cash out but rafa is still miles off his best even on clay maybe its time uncle tony got switched for some one else mr nadal..
One point away from 2-0 verdasco coming in there I reckon. That 13 minute service game Rafa eventually held could prove crucial. He was on the brink. We shall see if he can build on this or get pegged back
Ad
The H2H between Rafa and FV is 13-2 but FV has won the last two with similar scores
2012/Clay: 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
2015/Hard: 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Today: 6-3, 0-3
Mr F can we have some little angry icons like a man that goes red then explodes ! Sums up my tennis this week :-(
Came out firing and 4 bets so far and 4 down :-( have to make do with sad face as we don’t have the man that explodes ;-)
Will again take a step back and wait on the outrights AND any more matchbets later in week !
Ad – here’s hoping for Delbonis capable for sure.
The only trouble with Verdasco on this matc up is that he’s a bit of a wet sponge between the ears compared to Rafa. he needs to be aggressive on his first serve but make a lot of then and he really should win. Rafa has to make a high percentage himself of he will get punished. This set seems to have gone. But I’m still hopeful for Fernando.
He’s waiting for the 3rd set. Obviously not trying
De Niro – no horse bets from u today??
That set was more about Fernando stumbling that Rafa suddenly finding form. Still there if Verdasco steps it back up. As well as the outright I’m having a little go on
6-1/ 6-2/ 6-3 Verdasco @ 50/1 50/1 and 10/1. A few pence on 6-0 @ 500 just so I don’t get beat the wrong way!
I guess that’s why verdascos never quite made the A list. Bit of a bottle job when there’s a big win in his sights. Doesn’t look like he’ll come through now. I thought the may well do, but never has the same confidence in his as Dustin Brown at Wimby. That man doesnt doubt himself, tighten up or dial it down a notch at crunch time
Nothing special coming off Nadal’s racket as per usual
game set match I feel now vadasco had his chances but im not complaining only need robredo now for a nice win
This has been so frustrating to watch. Nadal has played some good defence In the third set but other than that, there’s nothing on the other side of the net that Verdasco should be struggling to beat. It’s intensity and belief, and playing aggressively in the big moments (or at least notakimg cheap mistakes if you don’t!)
Rafa has a chance to play his way into a bit of form now before he meets anyone else who might shock him. Though I’d like to see Janowicz make it through to play him. That could be a tasty one
Verdasco’s brain has simply collapsed. Failed to go 40-0 up on nadal’s first service game in the third and just folded
God I can’t watch this any more. So many chances!
That was painful. Winning 2 games in the last 2 sets is pretty embarrassing, even by Verdasco’s standards.
Two other upsets that I’m backing later today (with hopefully more luck!)
Krajicek d Baghdatis @ 3/1
Harrison d Kudla @ 2/1
Krajicek is a pretty dangerous player when he’s fired up and should be here on home turf against a big name. Baghdatis has shown some better form this year that he was before but is still susceptible to throwing in very uninspired performances, such as his shock defeat to some Colombian I can’t recal in Colombia last week. I can sniff an upset here.
Kudla has better recent form than Harrison, but there’s not much between them in terms of level and overall form this season, so this price looks big to me. I’m siding with the value Harrison.
Stakes will be low. I’ve had enough disappointment for one day wth Verdasco folding! Thank god for Gilles Muller.
tennis 4 fold
savchuk (inplay)
flipkens
nadal
robredo
£5 returns £20.88 @Betfair
*WON*
Hope few people were on the 3 sets at over 2/1 think a few mentioned at and to be fair I only Checked the market after you guys were talking so thanks :)
They playing under the roof in the zverev Robredo match?
Krajicek playing quite well, Baghdatis is on form though. Can’t complain. Hopefully he has a dip!
cmon robredo making a meal of it
Harrison you absolute pillock. About four or five incredibly loose and costly points squandered in the tie break and the bet is blown. Not impressed!
Dazid – Yeah pretty close stuff! The aim, when I make an underdog pick, is that they come close, to justify the bet… I got that so I can’t grumble.
How are you and Dazzler doing generally with the betting? I see a few winners fluttering around last night gents!
I try to get on here to post up if something a) gets highlighted b) I see a good case for it and c) are underdogs (it does happen!)
Cheers Dazid, would have been nicer if the Cards could have scored first but can’t win them all.
Jaseos it’s been steady. I don’t think there’s been as many upsets this past month, in the run up to the all star game.
MLB Bets For Tonight
Fav’s Treble
Treble @ 5.05/1 (£10)
NY Mets ML
St Louis Cardinals & Under 9.5 Runs
San Francisco Giants ML
Underdog Treble
Treble @ 9.45/1 (£5)
Kansas City Royals ML
Chicago White Sox ML
Arizona Diamondbacks ML
Jaseos – steady too,been up and down at times, let down by 1 team usually