LOSS
WTA Rome, 3.10pm.
£20, Oprandi, 2.12.
I feel a little uneasy about backing against one of my safe bets in Novarro, but I feel the demolition by Oprandi of Pavlyuchenkova tips the scales in her favour. Let's have some background. In Portugal Oprandi won three games including a defeat of Kuznetsova before being derailed in three sets by Pavlyuchenkova. After winning the first set 6-0, she lost the next two 6-3, 6-1. Most players may have crumpled after that, at least for a few matches or so, but in the very next match she drew Pavlyuchenkova again, where she demolished her opponent 6-2, 6-0. This shows not only that she is in great form, but that she is developing a mental toughness.
Suarez Novarro is a fine player and I like her a lot, but she's lost 2/4 (including a straights loss to Pavlyuchenkova), and won the last match 2-1 v Petrova which lasted two and a half hours yesterday. Whilst she is a battler no doubt, I feel at 2.12 Oprandi is plenty value here.
WTA Rome, 3.10pm.
£20, Oprandi, 2.12.
I feel a little uneasy about backing against one of my safe bets in Novarro, but I feel the demolition by Oprandi of Pavlyuchenkova tips the scales in her favour. Let's have some background. In Portugal Oprandi won three games including a defeat of Kuznetsova before being derailed in three sets by Pavlyuchenkova. After winning the first set 6-0, she lost the next two 6-3, 6-1. Most players may have crumpled after that, at least for a few matches or so, but in the very next match she drew Pavlyuchenkova again, where she demolished her opponent 6-2, 6-0. This shows not only that she is in great form, but that she is developing a mental toughness.
Suarez Novarro is a fine player and I like her a lot, but she's lost 2/4 (including a straights loss to Pavlyuchenkova), and won the last match 2-1 v Petrova which lasted two and a half hours yesterday. Whilst she is a battler no doubt, I feel at 2.12 Oprandi is plenty value here.