With events taking place more or less every day of the year, tennis is one of the most popular sports people bet on. During the four Grand Slam events on the calendar, interest heats up even further.
If you have never placed a bet on tennis before, and are looking for some advice, here are some tips to follow.
Surface Could Prove Key to the Match
One of the great things about tennis is the variety of surfaces the world’s top players compete on. Clay, grass and hard courts are all used across the year, including at the Grand Slam tournaments.
The surface in a match is very important when it comes to selecting who will win. Some players are specialists on one type of court. For example, Rafael Nadal is nicknamed the ‘King of Clay’. He has won the French Open a record 12 times as his game is perfectly suited to the slower surface.
Before placing your bet, have a look at how the players have fared on the surface over the last couple of years, particularly in big tournaments. This will give you a good idea about how comfortable they are on it.
How Many Sets Is the Match?
The majority of tennis matches are played over a best-of-three sets format. In Grand Slam events though, the men’s players compete in best-of-five sets matches. The latter really favors the best players as they feel they will get the better of their opponents over a longer contest.
In events like the Australian Open, you do not see as many upsets. Novak Djokovic won the event in 2020 and he is once again the favorite in the tennis betting at +210 to prevail in Melbourne in what will be his ninth title in the tournament if successful.
Some punters like to place bets in-play during a five-set match. They often back one of the top players if they drop the first set as their odds are much bigger than pre-match. With a possible four more sets still to come, they hope the elite player will eventually find their best form and go on to turn the match around.
Head-to-Head Records
Like many sports, tennis is very psychological. If a player has a losing record against a certain opponent, they are fully aware of that before they go onto the court. Overcoming the mental challenge can often be just as tough as the physical one.
Head-to-heads with all the leading players on the ATP and WTA tours can be easily accessible. It is good practice to check this before placing your bet. For example, Nadal has a 3-0 record over Daniil Medvedev. This would be concerning if you were planning to back the latter.
When you do look through this data, be mindful of the date of the matches. Some players obviously become stronger as they get older. You can forgive certain results if a player had just broken onto the tour in the early stages of their careers.
Enjoy your next flutter on tennis. Hopefully the above tips help you hit an ace with your next bet.
