Wimbledon Day 8 Preview and Picks
By Ricky Dimon
(1) SERENA WILLIAMS VS. (9) NA LI (OVER/UNDER 20.5 GAMES)
Li has been absolutely destroying people so far at Wimbledon and she is coming off a rout of Agnieszka Radwanska in which she lost only five games. It’s no fluke, either, as the Chinese star also made it to the Australian Open quarterfinals earlier this season and is up to No. 12 in the world.
Still, Li is just 1-4 lifetime against Serena (although she was competitive in most of her losses, including this year in Melbourne). Serena dispatched of Maria Sharapova on Monday and although it was far from a blowout, it should give her confidence. Honestly, it might be wise to avoid this match given Li’s form and Serena’s lack of dominance at the moment, but this is the play if you want the action.
Pick: Under 20.5 games
PETRA KVITOVA (-187) VS. KAIA KANEPI (+137)
Who had this all-unseeded, all-Czech quarterfinal in their bracket before the tournament started? No one, of course. But no need for these two to apologize. Kvitova just dusted the court with Caroline Wozniacki in a 6-2, 6-0 46-minute stunner. Kanepi upset Samantha Stosur in the first round and she has still yet to lose a single set.
These two have faced each other three times before and all three have gone to three sets. Kanepi won twice in 2008 and Kvitova got revenge earlier this season in a third-set tiebreaker. Kvitova had never won a match at Wimbledon prior to this event and Kanepi had never made it past round two. Obviously this one could go either way, but getting Kanepi at this value is enticing.
Pick: Kanepi in 3 sets
(8) KIM CLIJSTERS VS. VERA ZVONAREVA (CLIJSTERS -175 to win 2-0) and (2) VENUS WILLIAMS VS. TSVETANA PIRONKOVA (WILLIAMS -330 to win 2-0)
Clijsters stormed back from a set down Monday to oust fellow Belgian Justine Henin. Zvonareva has not come close to losing a set during Wimbledon but she got a gift in round four via Jelena Jankovic retirement. Clijsters looks like she is on a mission this fortnight and she has a ton of momentum after those last two sets against Henin.
Clijsters-Zvonareva is the testy part of this parlay because Venus to win 2-0 is about as close to a lock as you can get. Venus has not dropped a set and only one has been closer than 6-4. Why should things be any different against Pironkova? The Belarussian took advantage of an easy draw before beating Marion Bartoli on Monday. But let’s be honest – Bartoli is one of the most overrated players on tour.
Pick: Clijsters to win 2-0, Williams to win 2-0 (parlay)