THERE are a few favourites that could be worth taking on today and I am sorely tempted to have a small bet on Dustin Brown to beat Andy Murray who reportedly is still struggling with injury after his practice on Tuesday.
I won’t though but Murray and Marin Cilic both look very short in the betting against German opposition in Brown and Flo Mayer, with the latter holding a realistic chance of at least testing Cilic.
The Croat has never found Mayer an easy opponent to deal with and even dropped a set to him when Mayer had played one match in a year due to injury in 2015.
I’ve already taken on Cilic in that quarter though and after the feeble display of Philipp Kohlschreiber against him in round one (Kohli later said he has a back problem) I’m not of a mind to oppose him again in round two.
Simone Bolelli can push Jo-Wilfried Tsonga if the Italian is fit but I’m not hugely confident his knee will stand up to too much more tennis just at the moment.
The Italian can play on grass though and if he’s physically okay he has a chance of taking Tsonga to at least four sets.
The big serves of Kevin Anderson and Sam Querrey should see that pair through to the next round while surely Rafael Nadal will be too strong for Donald Young.
I wouldn’t be stunned if Damir Dzumhur made a match of it against Aljaz Bedene with the latter probably mentally tired after that five-set marathon against Ivo Karlovic in round one and this is a totally different test he’ll face from Dzumhur, who can play on grass.
The other two that could conceivably struggle are Gilles Muller and Steve Johnson, with Muller facing a man who likes the big stage in Lukas Rosol and this sort of match is probably why the Czech is still out there on tour.
Over 3.5 sets at 1.92 looks decent with Muller seemingly never the same force on this slower grass at Wimbledon than elsewhere and in his main draw career here Muller has dropped at least a set in 13 of the 15 matches that have not ended in a set one retirement.
Rosol beat Muller in their two prior career meets but that was when the Czech was the higher ranked player back in 2013, but I think Rosol will fancy this and take a set at least.
Johnson is another that would like it quicker and unless he finds his best form on serve he may well be forced into a bit of a grind by Radu Albot who beat Johnson the previous time they met and makes you really earn your win against him.
Albot has played well this swing on grass having barely played on it and with Johnson hardly a prolific breaker of serve I like the +6.5 games on Albot in this one.
Johnson only just covered that mark against Nicolas Kicker and that was Kicker’s second ever career match on grass (and first since 2015) and I just think that Johnson will have to play well to cover that mark.
Sean Calvert's Day Three Tips
- 1 point double over 3.5 sets in Rosol/Muller and Albot +6.5 games to beat Johnson at 27-10 with Unibet
Freelance tennis writer & broadcaster. 2017: Unibet tennis betting columnist. West Brom fan; Red Bull web editor; Lagen's dad; & a keen blocker of idiots.
