There is a great WTA tennis betting opportunity this week, as the Tour heads on to the Open GDF Suez in Paris, France. The now retired Elena Dementieva took the title last year, in a brilliant event, and as the popular Russian won’t be back to defend her title, then the door is open for a new winner. Looking at the early release of the players who have signed up for the 2011 event, it looks as if it is going to be a thrilling battle between some of the hottest up and coming stars on the WTA Tour. First and foremost though, the biggest name on the list of participants is that of Kim Clijsters, who picked up her first ever Australian Open title recently. The Belgian is just a sublime performer, and is arguably the best player in the world at the moment, despite the rankings saying that it is Caroline Wozniacki. Watching the performances and in particularly the mentality of the players in action, Clijsters is going to take some stopping. She is just too powerful, to tactically sound and too technically accurate to be pushed over easily. Fully deserving of another Grand Slam title, she will go as favourite in this popular Paris event, which starts on Monday. While at first glance, the field may not look as strong as the Grand Slam (and it is not), it really will be fascinating to watch the players involved shoot this one out. More top players could be joining in the fun from February 5th to 13th, as there are wildcard entrant spots open. Justine Henin was supposed to be there, but that was before she retired from the game after her exit from the Australian Open.
Kim Clijsters (1st seed – World 2nd)
13/8 at Paddy Power
Simply head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Has won here before, back in 2004. Has played two tournaments this year and has gotten to the final of both (both against Na Li coincidentally), after losing in the Sydney final to the Chinese player, she came from one set down to rally and take the final of the Australian Open. That was the first set which she had dropped in the entire tournament. This is four time Grand Slam winner, who has picked up a mammoth 41 career titles in the WTA. Has an incredibly 491-115 match record throughout her career, and is 11-1 in the win/loss stats for this year alone. With a place in the semi finals in Paris, Clijsters would return to World Number One and you really have to fancy that happening. She is probably in the strongest form of her career at the moment, and there is a lot of extra incentive for her to go well here. She’ll be helped along by a first round bye too.
Maria Sharapova (2nd seed – World 13th)
17/2 at Paddy Power
Is there a better battler on the WTA Tour than Russian Sharapova? She again showed how to dig deep when she had her back to the wall at the recent Australian Open. She eventually fell to German Andrea Petkovic in the last 16. Truthfully she doesn’t look as if she has the magic to go on and pick up a Grand Slam title any time soon in her career, but she is moving and playing well, nonetheless. If she breaks into the top ten of the world rankings this year, it will be a great achievement for her. This is the first time that she has played at Coubertin during her career, and this is the type of tournament when she will really show well. With not having a full complement of the world’s top ten to contend with, she can pick up titles like this. Will be hanging around second favourite in the tennis betting odds and no reason not to back against her winning really, if Clijsters wasn’t there. Just can’t see her overcoming Clijsters if they meet.
Kaia Kanepi (3rd seed – World 17th)
25/1 at Paddy Power
Improving a lot all the time, and is making a great name for herself at the moment. It’ll be interesting to see what she does for herself this year, and should add to her one career title at some point during the year. She is currently at her highest rank in the world standings, finishing 2010 in 22nd place. She was 27th in 2008 but then fell away down to 61st at the end of 2009. The Estonian though has many good aspects to her game, and although she has been around for a long time, it is just over the last six months or so when she really seems as if she is getting stronger. That having been said, she hasn’t started with a bang this year, falling in the round of 32 in Sydney, and then in the second round at the Australian Open. The thing about Kanepi, is that she has clear potential, but it doesn’t show up quite often enough. Decent level of competition here for her to show up here a little bit more here.
Petra Kvitova (4th seed – World 18th)
7/1 at Paddy Power
Would seriously take a good, long hard look at her as an outside chance on this one. Played some fantastic tennis at the Australian Open, causing upsets along the way. Kvitova was a great tip in her matches going through the Grand Slam, knocking out fifth seed Sam Stosur, 22nd seed Flavia Pennetta before losing to Vera Zvonareva in the quarter finals. In the warm up tournament in Brisbane prior to that, Kvitova won the event, beating Cibulkova, Pavlyuchenkova and Petkovic along the way. In fact, Kvitova destroyed Petkovic in the final. That was the second career title for the 6 foot tall, left handed player. She should get a lot better and this has been a promising start to the season for Kvitova. Should be a big presence at the Open GDF Suez event. Believe that she should be well worth having a dabble in, and that will be because she is just in good form. Would possibly meet Sharapova in the semi’s, with only wild card entrant Yanina Wickmayer looking a threat in her quarter.
Nadia Petrova (5th Seed – World 20th)
18/1 at Paddy Power
A former winner back in 2007, beating Lucie Safarova (who is also in the tournament) . Petrova hasn’t got into the swing of things this season at all. She lost in the first round of Brisbane and Sydney, and then crashed in the round of 32 at the Australian Open to Ekaterina Makarova. Another Russian on the tour, she has slipped backwards from her promising peaks back around 2005 and 2006, where she reached 6th in the world rankings, but ended 2010 down in 15th. She has nine career titles to her name, and a whole host of doubles titles. Really can turn things on the day, but we don’t see enough of her top game to make her a genuine threat very often. Outside chance at best, depending on the level of draw she gets in Paris, unfortunately it’s not been kind as she’d meet Clijsters in the quarter finals. Wouldn’t expect her to win that.
Andrea Petkovic (Seed 6 – World 24th)
10/1 at Paddy Power
German Petkovic had a really mixed Australian Open Grand Slam. She beat Maria Sharapova along the way in the round of 16, before being outclassed by eventual runner up Na Li. She really should have been knocked out prior to that by Britain’s Anne Keothavong, who had her on the ropes but couldn’t finish her off. Petkovic isn’t your typical tennis player, as she has ambitions of being Germany’s Chancellor one day, and is quite forthright in her views. She is quite gutsy and her energy sometimes surpasses her natural talent. Had a good run in Brisbane while warming up for the Australian Open, beating Marion Bartoli along the way, before losing heavily to Petra Kvitova in the final. Petkovic has one career title to her name since turning pro in 2004, but has steadily made her way up the world rankings. Needs to find another gear here, but does make a strong candidate for an outside punt here. Could be the clash against Sharapova, a rematch of the Australian Open match, which makes or breaks her.
Dominika Cibulkova (Seed 8 – World 27th)
18/1 at Paddy Power
The young Slovakian is a huge potential star for the future. She is still maturing at the age of 22, and is clearly working hard on her game. It is almost like the tennis world is just waiting for her to step up and claim her position amongst the top players in the world, and is showing steady, if not spectacular form this season. She reached the quarter finals at both Brisbane and Sydney (losing to Petra Kvitova and Alisa Kleybanova respectively), but in Sydney, Cibulkova beat world number one Caroline Wozniacki and world number 20 Maria Kirilenko along the way. That is the true potential of her, but she couldn’t grind out a three setter against Kleybanova. Wozniacki got her revenge over Cibulkova in the third round at the Australian Open, but Cibulkova still battled well and pushed hard. She, in ways, makes for the romantic bet, the one that you want to see break through and win her first title. It should come at some point, hopefully this year. In same half of draw as Clijsters though. Potential semi finalist.
