WTA Mutua Madrid Open Betting Info
Gone is the controversial blue clay that was implemented last season, upon which no-one could gain their footing, and the Spanish tournament has reverted to its traditional, and highly praised red dirt. This is a Premier Mandatory tournament on the women’s calendar, meaning that all the big guns are out in this one. The tournament has a short history for the WTA, only getting started in 2009.
WTA Mutua Madrid Open Betting Favourite
Topping the field this week in Spain will be Serena Williams. The American powerhouse has a couple of things in her favour. Not only does she have the power in her game to deliver, she also transitions well to clay. That is not something that a lot of the top players can do. Williams is the defending champion here as well, beating Victoria Azarenka in the final. Williams has the second highest win percentage on clay of all active players on the WTA Tour. She has three titles already this season and hasn’t contested since Charleston at the beginning of April on clay (not counting the Fed Cup). So well rested, history and form. Naturally favourite at a price of 2/1 at online bookmaker Bet365.
Latest WTA Mutua Madrid Open Betting Prices at online bookmaker Bet365
Serena Williams 2/1, Maria Sharapova 3/1, Victoria Azarenka 4/1, Agnieszka Radwanska 16/1, Petra Kvitova 14/1, Angelique Kerber 22/1, Sam Stosur 22/1, Sara Errani 25/1
Online Bookmaker Promotion
Enjoy some live tennis streams from the clay courts of Madrid this week with online bookmaker Bet365. The highly rated bookie is streaming matches this week and is a great partner for live in play betting. New customers registering an account with online bookmaker Bet365 can get up to a free £200 bet as welcome bonus, as new customers will get their initial deposit matched.
Other Contenders
The numbers are all on the side of Russia’s Maria Sharapova on clay. She was dominant on the dirt last season, as she went on to claim the French Open title for the first time in her career. Sharapova has the highest win percentage of all active players on the WTA Tour and that has to count for a lot. The only time she lost on clay last season was against Serena Williams in the quarter finals here. But she delivered with a bang for the first time on clay this season, winning in Stuttgart, beating Angelique Kerber and Na Li along the way. So a big performance from Sharapova, who can battle it out better than anyone from the baseline. Should be strong and avoids Williams until the final this time around.
Hard to decipher Victoria Azarenka in this one. Clay isn’t her strongest surface, but she did go to the final last year in Madrid. She hasn’t been out in action since pulling out of Indian Wells back at the start of March. That was after two successive titles for the Belarusian, including what was perhaps a momentum shifting win over Serena Williams in the final of Doha. Along with Sharapova and Williams, if Azarenka is fit and on top of her game then she should be in the semi final mix. Could clash in the semi finals against Williams.
Germany’s Angelique Kerber, could be worth a little bit of value in this one. She went to the semi finals of Stuttgart and lost against Maria Sharapova there, but put up a superb battle. She just looks to be getting back to her very best form, as that run came on the back of a run to the final in Monterrey. Those could well be confidence-boosting performances from Kerber, who has the natural ability and game to beat Williams, Sharapova and Azarenka. It has been a somewhat slow start to the season from Kerber, but just trending upwards and is an awkward left hander to play against.
Picking out clay court winners is a little tougher than any other surface, because specialists show up. You can take names like Sara Errani, Sam Stosur, Petra Kvitova, Dominika Cibulkova and Na Li and pay more attention to them perhaps than you would at any other time of the season. A good bunch of value players to look at and track through the tournament. Cibulkova is a powerhouse and agile enough to translate on clay, while Petra Kvitova is a dark horse, having been to the final of two tournaments this season (winning one and losing one).
Best Outside Bet
Italian Sara Errani has been supremely busy this season and is one of the best players on clay. However, she crashed in her first match at Stuttgart in a huge shock. That means she is rested but could be value here. She goes in Azarenka’s quarter and not being sure which Vika turns up, Errani could produce a deep run. Errani is prcied at 25/1 at online bookmaker Bet365.
