Tennis: Italian Open Betting
March 25, 2008
TENNIS – May 12-18 – ITALIAN OPEN
HISTORY
The Italian Open is an annual tennis tournament held in Rome, Italy. The men’s competition is a Masters Series event on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour. The women’s competition is a Tier 1 event on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour. Its current official sponsored name is the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The Italian tennis championship was first held in 1930 in Milan, where it was played until 1934. In 1935, it moved to its current venue, the Foro Italico in Rome. The event was not held between 1936 and 1949. It became an event open to amateurs and professionals in 1969. Many tennis fans consider the Italian Open to be the second most prestigious clay court tennis tournament in the world, after the French Open.
Most Successful Competitors
The most successful male players, with 3 wins each have been Rafael Nadal (2005 – 2007) and Thomas Muster (1990, 1995 and 1996). Chris Evert is the most successful woman with 5 wins (1974, 1975, 1980-1982), although Conchita Martinez won 4 consecutive singles titles from 1993 to 1996.
THE ITALIAN OPEN TODAY
Recent Winners
2007 Men’s Singles: Rafael Nadal, Ladies’ Singles: Jelena Jankovic
2006 Men’s Singles: Rafael Nadal, Ladies’ Singles: Martina Hingis
2005 Men’s Singles: Rafael Nadal, Ladies’ Singles: Amelie Mauresmo
2004 Men’s Singles: Carlos Moya, Ladies’ Singles: Amelie Mauresmo
2003 Men’s Singles: Felix Mantilla, Ladies’ Singles: Kim Clijsters
2002 Men’s Singles: Andre Agassi, Ladies’ Singles: Serena Williams
2001 Men’s Singles: Juan Carlos Ferrero, Ladies’ Singles: Jelena Dokic
2000 Men’s Singles: Magnus Norman, Ladies’ Singles: Monica Seles
Spain has had something of a stranglehold on the Men’s Singles event in recent years, providing the last four champions and six of the last eight (Nadal x 3, Moya, Mantilla and Ferrero). The Ladies’ Singles has been a little more open, though Amelie Mauresmo, of France, has been an almost omnipresent force in recent years, winning the title twice and being beaten in the final three times, since 2000. Since the tournament is played on clay courts, players specialising on this surface, which produces less ball speed, but a higher bounce, usually come to the fore in Rome. As a case in point, Rafael Nadal and Amelie Mauresmo can be considered “specialist” clay court players.
BETTING ON THE ITALIAN OPEN
As with all tennis events, online betting will focus around the singles events. No prices are available on the Italian Open at present. Online layers will, however, be offering a range of markets on the event. These are likely to include:
Outright Betting
Individual Match Bets
Correct Score Betting
“In-running” Bets
Online layers will offer a wide range of “in-running” bets on individual matches. These include:
- Fluctuating prices on the match winner
- Predicting the winner of a particular set
- Predicting the score in a particular set
- Predicting the number of games in (i) a particular set (ii) the whole match
BETTING STRATEGY
The following hints and tips may assist in forming a betting strategy for placing bets on tennis matches and tournaments:
Set a Betting Limit
Set aside a betting bank for a particular day or event and do not exceed it under any circumstances. Avoid placing a large number of bets at the same time, as this can exhaust the bank very quickly.
Avoid Odds-on Favourites and Big Outsiders
Backing odds-on favourites is essentially “buying money,” as the stake required is greater than any potential winnings. This practice is fraught with danger, offers no value and should be avoided like the plague! Similarly, backing outsiders at long prices is clutching at straws, with only a minimal chance of a return.
Avoid “Playing Up” Winnings
After a winning bet, avoid the temptation to reinvest on another bet. Plan your bets carefully, and place only those bets. If fortunate enough to win, keep the money for another day.
Focus on Lesser Events
Do some in-depth research and make yourself expert on some of the lesser tennis tournaments. This will give you a marked advantage over any online bookmaker, who will not have your in-depth knowledge. Many value bets can be found in this manner.
Current Form
When looking at the current form of a player, bear these points in mind:
The Psychology of Winning
A “winning run” of tennis matches can put a player at a psychological advantage. Preparation for an important match is often easier off the back of several wins. Examine players’ performances in tournament finals. Players with previous tournament winning form generally have the edge over “maidens.”
Injuries
Even if a player is in the midst of a winning streak, injuries (even minor ones) can adversely affect their performance.
Head-to-Head Form
If players have a long history of playing each other in competition, this should be taken into consideration, along with recent form. A player who has been performing badly may find the chance of beating a long-standing rival a great incentive to play better.
Playing Surface
Professional tennis is played on grass, clay or hard courts. Be aware of which players specialise on which surface(s) when planning your bets.
Fatigue Factor
A player who has been involved in many matches (or some long matches) in a short time, may not be performing at their best, due to the fact that they are simply tired.
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