JACOB HANSEN is Unibet's WTA tennis tipster and runs the rule over today's women's action at Flushing Meadows..
Jacob says: It looks like a very tough day for the gamblers on the women’s side of the draw at the US Open today. Not that one can’t speculate a bit here and there, but in my honest opinion, none of the matches offers any really outstanding value.
Makarova leads Sevastova 3-1 in their head-to-head games, all wins coming on hard courts, but Sevastova won the latest encounter and has reached the quarter-final here the past two years. No wonder the match is priced evenly at 9-10 both players and it looks like one to avoid.
Pliskova has shown some good tennis and won both rounds rather comfortably, but she is also prone to the odd relapse in focus from time to time. She should win tonight, but perhaps a 2-1 set betting punt at 3-1 is the best way to go?
One could make a point for a similar bet with Svitolina playing Wang. Twice they have met on hard courts with both going the distance in a Svitolina-win. Odds on history repeating today? 39-10
I am a bit surprised to see Elise Mertens still in the tournament, and Strychova for that matter, but I would rather go with the latter tonight. Strycova is 19-20 to win, Mertens 7-4
Sloane Stephens takes on Viktoria Azarenka in what has the potential to be a thriller of a fight. Their previous five encounters were all fought out on hard courts, with Azarenka winning the first three, funnily enough all at the Australian Open three years running. Stephens has taken the last two though, both this year in the big hard court tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami.
She has the backing of the home crowd, she is the defending champion and I am siding with the American in this one at 3-5.
Kaia Kanepi beat Halep in the first round, she reached the quarter-final here last year and it is hard to build a case for Peterson here. She's currently 21-50, but be quick, those prices are dropping rapidly!
I simply refuse to believe that Muchova is capable of pulling off another upset, Ashleigh Barty is not prone to big fall outs like Muguruza, but at these prices you have to go with the handicap -(5.5 games on Barty) for any kind of value. 10-13 on that outcome.
And then we have the biggest match of the tournament so far. The type of match that whets the appetite and fires the imagination…
It marks the 30th time the Williams sisters are squaring up against each other when Serena and Venus go head-to-head tonight at midnight UK time. Remember: you can WATCH and BET on the match at Unibet TV.
It is the sixth time they face each other at the US Open with Serena leading the head-to-head by 3-2. They first played each other in 1998, 20 years ago, while their first match at the US Open was back in 2001.
Serena is 17-12 in their head-to-head stats overall and 10-5 at Majors. Venus has not beaten Serena at a Major since 2008. She won their latest meeting though, at Indian Wells back in March, and they know one another's game inside out.
Thirteen of their encounters saw a tie-break which pays out at 27-10 this time, while 11 of their 29 meetings went the distance. If you fancy it, odds of 31-20 can be had on another 3-setter, which would probably see the crowd go ballistic.
Serena is the favourite at odds 31-20 with Venus paying 43-20 but it looks a tough one to call. Is Serena her usual self? Has Venus still got it? Perhaps the best option is Venus winning on +4.5 games. Serena leads 2-1 in their three most recent matches and Venus stayed inside this handicap in both defeats. Odds of 37-50 can be had on that outcome.
Best bets
- Stephens to beat Azarenka (3-5, Unibet)
- Venus Williams + 4.5 games to beat Serena (37-50, Unibet)
- Strycova to beat Mertens (19-20, Unibet)
