WTA Memphis First Round Betting: Melanie Oudin begins campaign
Memphis, USA – American hopeful, second seed Melanie Oudin features in first round action on Tuesday at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships. Oudin is after a promising semi-final run in Paris and she will be looking to continue her form on home soil. Also featured in first round action on day two is Nicole Vaidisova. In 2007, Vaidisova was a player to watch and when she made the Aussie Open semis of that year, she looked all but set to make good on those expectations. Things went south instead and she has since fallen off the WTA radar.
Here is a look at Day 2 of the WTA Memphis tournament, with Melanie Oudin, Lucie Hradecka and Nicole Vaidisova in action.
Tennis Betting Line: Laura Granville -175 Nicole Vaidisova +135
Match Time: Not Before 11:00 AM Eastern Time Tuesday February 16, 2010
Tennis Betting Verdict: Czech Nicole Vaidisova has fallen from the enviable upper echelons of the women’s game down to No.194 in the world. What is the most disappointing about her fall is that most are at a loss to explain it. There were injuries and illnesses that factored in her negative trend but they appeared in 2007 so they can’t be held responsible for mediocre 2008 and 2009 seasons. The reason behind her woes doesn’t change the fact that after three consecutive top 15 finishes in 2005, 2006 and 2007, the opportunity was there for the taking but slipped through her fingers. One wonders whether she ever will reclaim glory days.
This season has seen Vaidisova compete in two events. Well, if you could call back-to-back first round exits in Lutz and Midlands competing. Worse, they were lower circuit events. Vaidisova certainly doesn’t look like a player hoping to recover former glory. It is a long way back indeed but a player has to start from somewhere don’t they.
Vaidisova was given a wild card into this event so tennis bettors don’t have the benefit of a qualification round against which to measure her form. More significantly, I am not convinced she wants to win. The manner of her losses is meek, capitulating to the opposition without much fight. As such, her odds although generous are best left untouched. If her negative start on the season is not proof positive, consider Laura Granville, who ranks even lower than Vaidisova, is the favourite at -175. Granville, ranked No.224, takes a 4-2 mark into her first round encounter.
Tennis Free Picks: Granville in straight sets
Tennis Betting Line: Karolina Sprem -145 Lucie Hradecka +105
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Match Time: Not Before 11:00 AM Eastern Time Tuesday February 16, 2010
Tennis Betting Verdict: No.65 Lucie Hradecka takes a 1-0 edge over Karolina Sprem into their first round encounter and a slight ranking edge of more than 20 spots. Yet, she enters this match as the underdog at +105 while Sprem is favoured at -145. Hradecka beat Sprem in Prague (2009), a clay-court event on home soil for Hradecka and a surface she favours. No.87 Sprem is considered the stronger player on hard courts and as such, she receives the favourite nod by the bookies. Both players are in the positive ahead of their first round encounter. While Sprem is favoured, the match is by no means decided. Hradecka is more than a reasonable bet to take this match. And I like her chances to do so.
Tennis Free Picks: Hradecka in three sets
Tennis Betting Line: Alexa Glatch +225 Melanie Oudin -350
Match Time: Not Before 11:00 AM Eastern Time Tuesday February 16, 2010
Tennis Betting Verdict: Alexa Glatch will take on her compatriot Melanie Oudin for a spot in the Memphis second round. Although home edge is cancelled out because both players are Americans, you have to believe Oudin will still have the slight edge with fans. Oudin shot to fame after captivating tennis fans across the country with her inspired run at the 2009 US Open. For Glatch, this could be tough to compete against, if not a little intimidating or irritating. Going against Glatch is a significant ranking disadvantage to Oudin as well as a slow start on the season. Oudin is after a heartbreaking loss to Elena Dementieva in the Paris semis and but there is no shame in losing to the world No.5 player and eventual champion Dementieva. She reached the semis and she will take many positives from that match. All that adds to experience Glatch does not have and gives Oudin that much more an edge. At -300, Oudin is the better play to win outright. Of course, if jet lag comes into play, Glatch might have a shot.
Tennis Expert Pick: Oudin in straight sets
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