Monday sees the remaining fourth round matches taking place and I like Stan Wawrinka to continue Richard Gasquet's appalling record in the fourth round of majors and poor record here at his home grand slam.
Gasquet has failed to make it past this stage in his last 18 straight majors since his appearance in the Wimbledon semis in 2007 and he's lost in the fourth round in 10 of those tournaments.
He lulls you into backing him by showing good form in Masters 1000s and other tournaments, but he's never been past this fourth round stage at Roland Garros and I have to side with Wawrinka today in what will be only their second meeting.
Their only previous encounter was also in Paris, but indoors on carpet in Bercy back in 2006 and that has no relevance to today's match, which should be a treat for fans of stylish shot making.
There should be plenty of flashy single handed backhand winners in this one and it could well go over the 39.5 total games mark, but Wawrinka has been superb at times this season and after reaching the final of Madrid he'll be playing with confidence and freedom, which Gasquet's record here suggests he won't.
Rafa Nadal hasn't exactly exuded much confidence and enjoyment here at Roland Garros so far this year and he's looked vulnerable in all three of his matches so far and punters will be well advised to have a close look at the weather before betting today.
Nadal really has been below par in the damp, slow conditions, but he's often a very different animal with the sun on his back when the courts are dry enough to allow him to dominate with his topspin lefty forehand that kicks like a mule and rears up off the court.
Kei Nishikori is more than capable of taking down the top stars if they have off days, but I'm not sure he was the raw power to defeat Rafa even if he's having another off day.
The Nishikori +8.5 games looks a decent option on the handicap from all we've seen from Nadal so far, but I'd be checking the weather before I put any money down on this match.
Recommended Bet
Back Wawrinka to beat Gasquet at 1.75
Milesey
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
Youzhny to beat Haas @1.9 (Bet365)
Elderly Haas played 5 sets vs Isner, so he’s not so fresh for this game. Youzhny played really good so far, blazed with 3-0 past Tipsarevic last round. Note that weather predicts no rain for today (which would suit Haas better), so that is one more nodge towards Youznhy winning this one.
Kirilenko to beat Mattek Sands @1.53 (Bet365)
Kirilenko hasn’t lost a set so far, and though Sands did land a surprise blow at Li Na in 2nd round, this should be as far as she goes in Paris. Kirilenko beat this same opponent in March in Miami in two sets.
Monday, as Maria Sharapova continues the defence of her title when she takes on Sloane Stephens.
The Russian ace had a mid-match struggle in the last round against Jie Zheng, but ultimately continued her record of having not dropped a single set in the French capital thus far.
Meanwhile 17th seed Stephens wasn’t quite as impressive last time out, and she now faces Sharapova at exactly the same stage she was defeated in Rome a fortnight ago.
The American won just three games in that contest, suggesting she has little chance of pulling off a shock this time round and as a result the odds favour another win for her opponent.
World number three Victoria Azarenka wasn’t as convincing in the last round though as she eyes a potential semi-final clash with Sharapova further down the line.
She was forced to fight back from a set down against home favourite Alize Cornet, while admitting to struggles with her serve after the match.
History suggests that the Belarusian knows exactly what it takes to beat Francesca Schiavone on this surface, having won both their previous meetings on clay.
Considering their last clash came almost five years ago, the ascent up the world rankings Azarenka has enjoyed since would suggest another win lies ahead.
However, Schiavone is clearly in confident mood, and her record of winning 18 of her last 20 matches at Roland Garros will give her the belief of progressing further.
While there may not be much value to be had in those two matches, the other four players in action on Monday will arguably provide closer contests.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands still has the prize for producing the biggest shock of the tournament thus far, following her second round upset of No.6 seed Li Na.
The American has talked up her chances of winning the tournament as she enjoys the second week of a major for only the second time in her career, but she will have a tough task of advancing any further when she takes on Maria Kirilenko.
Kirilenko has gone about her business quietly but effectively during the first week in Paris, but the Russian 12th seed will hope to now kick on and set up a quarter-finals clash with Azarenka.
She has yet to drop a set, but has also come through testing times against Stefanie Voegele in the last round. Therefore, she will be confident of being able to avoid becoming Mattek-Sands’ second major scalp of the tournament.
In contrast, Jamie Hampton will hope to extend what has been a memorable time in the French capital when she comes up against Jelena Jankovic.
While the latter has also impressed by playing some of her best tennis on this surface, Hampton has stormed through the field and clinched her biggest win in the last round as she overcame seventh seed Petra Kvitova.
Back the American to have the best chance of pulling off an upset on Monday, although it won’t be easy against her Serbian rival.
Recommended Bets
Back Hampton to beat Jankovic @ 3.2
Back under 18.5 games in Sharapova-Stephens @ 1.87
Milesey
stuck 20 on stephens to beat sharapova 6/1 shes not bad if she wins the first set who knows lol
TUESDAY 4TH JUNE 2013
********************
It would appear that world number one Serena Williams is a woman on a mission in the French capital, as she continues to display the type of tennis that has many suggesting this tournament is a foregone conclusion.
The American has hardly been tested in her run to the quarter-finals, with her straight-sets win over Roberta Vinci making it 28 victories in a row, the third longest streak in the recent history of the women’s game.
Having won tournaments in Madrid and Rome, Williams has extended her scintillating form when it matters most, and while her next opponent had the glory of beating her at this stage back in 2009, it will only serve as further inspiration.
It is clear it is going to take something incredibly special to deny the American yet another title, as she puts the disappointment of her first round exit last year firmly to the back of her mind.
Svetlana Kuznetsova is unseeded this time round, but the former champion has enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance over the past week or so and has nothing to lose.
The Russian world number 39 dispatched of eighth seed Angelique Kerber in the last round and despite being a heavy underdog knows that when she brings her game to the court she can compete.
Nevertheless, the odds are stacked well against her and it is difficult to see anything but another Williams triumph.
The other quarter-final on Tuesday promises to be slightly more competitive, as fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska looks to prolong her impressive form through to the last four.
The Polish ace will play in her first French Open quarter-final as she begins to display signs of coming to grips with this surface, and hailed her win over Ana Ivanovic in the last round as one her “best matches of the year”
Her build-up to the tournament was far from ideal, winning just one game across two tournaments ahead of the trip to Paris. However, it clearly hasn’t affected her, as she has rattled off the wins without dropping a set.
However, in Italian star Sara Errani, she faces her toughest test yet as she aims to secure a date with Williams in the semi-finals.
Errani is still on course for an immediate return to the final after her heroics last year, and overcame a tough match against Carla Suarez Navarro last time out as she had to battle both injury and the Spaniard to prevail.
History does not favour her though, as Radwanska has won their last five meetings, with two coming on clay.
However, Errani has won 35 matches so far this season, the second most across the entire field on the WTA. She remains a tough competitor, and while she doesn’t start this match as the favourite, it would come as little surprise were she to come out victorious.
Recommended Bets:
Back over 17.5 games in Williams-Kuznetsova @ 1.75
Back Errani to beat Radwanska @ 2.42
Milesey
I said yesterday that the clash between Stan Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet would most likely be entertaining and long, with the Swiss coming out on top and that was the case, but I underestimated the entertainment factor in what was an outstanding match.
Wawrinka had to come back from two sets down, but it was always likely that Gasquet, once again, would choke and somehow find a way to lose and so it was, but anyone that witnessed it on TV or live on Court Suzanne Lenglen would have been enthralled by over 150 clean winners – 92 from the flashing blade of the Swiss.
It was the second time in two days that the French crowd had seen their player beaten by a Swiss from a dominant position, but it won’t have done Wawrinka any good to play four hours ahead of a quarter final clash with Rafa Nadal, who eased past Kei Nishikori.
That’s for tomorrow though and first up is another marathon man, Tommy Robredo, who takes on David Ferrer on Court Suzanne Lenglen at around 3pm UK time today.
Having backed Tommy Haas as one of my back-to-lay outsiders pre-tournament I’m clearly hoping that Robredo can somehow summon up some more energy from his exhausted limbs to beat Ferrer, but it seems highly unlikely.
Having to come from two sets down three sets down in hardly great preparation for facing the indefatigable Ferrer and in any case Robredo has taken just one set from the last six contested against his countryman.
A fit Robredo would be an outside bet, but a tired one seems destined to fail and the last set or so could be a complete capitulation unless Robredo has been studying at the Nadal/Djokovic school of recovery.
The first set will be vital and really Tommy’s only chance lies in the opener, which is the logical place for a bet in a match with few realistic options unless you fancy piling in on Ferrer at 1.07 or hoping for a physical miracle from Robredo at 14.5.
Tommy has started so slowly in his last three matches that he’ll be very aware that that needs to stop today and he’ll surely be coming out of the blocks fast to take advantage of any nerves from his opponent, who does suffer from nerves on the big occasion – and a Roland Garros quarter final is certainly that.
The Robredo +2.5 games is available to back at around 2.1 and that seems like a good wager and the set three total games at under 9.5 is a good option at around 1.7 as well, with Tommy surely being cooked by that stage of the match.
Recommended Bet
Back Robredo +2.5 games in set one at 2.1
Milesey
I don’t normally do tennis bets but your tips follow my thinking- Williams will definitely find it harder today and will probably go to three sets- while Errani is a tough little nut and I don’t trust Radwanska to win very much. That looks like a decent double for today.
Double placed on Errani to win at 11/8 and Serena to win
two sets to one. 11/2.