2012 WTA Championships Betting Info
It is off to Istanbul for the big season-ender of the year’s tennis action from the WTA. This is an eight-woman tournament, who topped the list in the Race to Istanbul. Because of the ranking points earned over the course of the season, you are getting the best of the best going head to head against each other in the exciting tournament which kicks off with a round-robin event before moving on to the knock-outs. The World Number One Victoria Azarenka is there, along with the might of Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams. Who will take the honours in Istanbul this year?
2012 WTA Championships Betting Defending Champion
The Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova took the title here last year in an immense showing of power. The Czech was bang on top of her game last year, and while she has struggled with injury and illness in 2013, she is back and sounding confident of her chances. Even though she has been a bit below par for most of the season, she has still picked up two titles this season and made it to the semi finals of the Australian Open and the French Open this year. Petra Kvitova is a great indoor player. Perhaps the best on Tour. After a slow first half of the season, she was building momentum across the US swing of the season before a stomach bug struck her down on the Asian Tour. She is fit and ready to go though and both Kvitova and her coach know that there is more to come. The 2011 Wimbledon Champion beat Victoria Azarenka in the final of last year’s event. Because she hasn’t been on top form, she is an outside bet, but a good one at that. She will adapt better to the indoor game more than most and on the US swing, she was playing some pretty unstoppable tennis. If that Kvitova turns up, then there is a good chance for her. Petra Kvitova is trading at 11/1 with online bookmaker Paddy Power.
Kvitova has a winning career head to head records against Azarenka and losing ones against Sharapova and Williams.
2012 WTA Championships Betting Favourite
No, the world number one does not go as favourite, instead it is Serena Williams who heads the betting list. Ranked number three in the world, she has had an immense season, running up six titles and a hugely impressive 53-4 match record for the season. Including winning Wimbledon this year back in June, she went on a blistering 19 match winning streak. She responded to having her winning streak snapped by rolling back into action at the US Open and grinding her way past Victoria Azarenka in the final. Devastating power, Serena Williams will bring to the table and will be a force to be reckoned with.
She hasn’t had the easiest time of things in the WTA Championships though, with a 15-5 career record. Three of the last four years she has withdrawn because of injury. She has won this twice before, in 2001 and in 2009 and because she hasn’t played competitively since the US Open, she is going to be hungry and ready to power her way to the title. She has proven this year in consistently getting the better of Azarenka, that she is without doubt, one of the best still in the game. Williams is trading at a price of 5/4 at online bookmaker Paddy Power. Perhaps backing up the case for Serena Williams is this, she is 4-0 against Azarenka this season and 2-0 against Sharapova.
The only player in the field to have beaten Williams this season is Angelique Kerber.
Latest 2012 WTA Championships Betting Prices at online bookmaker Paddy Power
Serena William 5/4, Victoria Azarenka 15/8, Maria Sharapova 7/1, Petra Kvitova 11/1, Angieszka Radwanska 14/1, Li Na 16/1, Angelique Kerber 16/1, Sara Errani 50/1
Online Bookmaker Promotion
Paddy Power have a great in-running money back special betting promotion running for this 2012 WTA Championships. Place a single bet in-running during one the matches from Istanbul, and if the final point in the match is an Ace or a Double Fault, then Paddy Power will refund all losing in-running match bets on that match. Good bit of coverage and Paddy Power provide a great live in play betting portal so that you can track the action and try and pick up some extra profit The promotion does not apply to pre-match bets. Online bookmaker Paddy Power offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account with them, as they will match the value of your first stake on a new account with a free bet.
Other Contenders
Victoria Azarenka has to be counted into action here as she has hit a tremendous patch of form. This will be her fourth appearances at the WTA Championships, having lost the final last year against Kvitova The Belarusian has matched Williams by winning six titles this year, and broke through as a Grand Slam champion in taking the Australian Open. In the build up to the WTA Championships, while others have been taking a break, she has rattled off back to back titles in Beijing and Linz, the latter tournament being an important indoor title as a warm up. She has been delivering immense power and consistency and is looking right on top of her, hitting her peak at the right time. Significantly she beat Maria Sharapova in the final of Beijing easily. Azarenka is the front runner here alongside Williams without a doubt. In great form and looking hot right now.
From al the opponents in the Istanbul field, Azarenka only has a losing head to head against Williams Kvitova.
Maria Sharapova has picked up two Tour titles this year. More often than not this season, her greatest foe and thorn in the side has been Victoria Azarenka, having lost four finals to the Belarusian this season. If Serena Williams and Azarenka weren’t around then you wouldn’t have any problems in getting money down on Sharapova. She is the grittiest fighter on the WTA Tour and will pack a punch. Unfortunately when she goes up against either Azarenka of Williams she just can’t seem to match up well enough, nor consistently enough. No reason why she can’t be there or thereabouts in the final, as she has a pretty good track record at the WTA Championships. She has won it one, finished runner up once and made the semi finals twice. She withdrew from last season’s finals because of an injury.
Sharapova has losing career head to head records against Azarenka and Williams.
Poland’s Angieszka Radwanska has picked up three titles in a big season for her to climb to fourth in the world. She’s also in good form, reaching the final of Tokyo recently. A great player, perhaps not enough power to get through a tough, enduring event. China’s Na Li will entertain and she picked up her first title of the season in Cincinnati recently. Making her first appearance in the WTA Championships is Italian Sara Errani who has won four titles this season (all on clay).
Best Outside Bet
Angelique Kerber will be favourite outside bet all the way here. This is the German’s first crack at the WTA Championships and she deservedly booked her place. She has been the big surprise success package of the season. She was the fifth player to book her place in the end of season tournament, picking up two titles this season,the first of her career. She jumped from a ranking of 32 this time last year in the singles, up to a current high of 6th in the world. She has come that far. There has been few players more consistent than Germany’s Kerber this season. She has scored victories over the best in the world along the way as well If she’s fit (she recently retired from Beijing) then she could surprise the entire field.
Head to Head Stats: This is where the story will tell a big tale for your 2012 WTA Championships betting. You need to look at who has done well against the others of the elite 8 appearance in Istanbul in 2012. Azarenka has a 14-5 record this season against the others in the field, while Serena Williams has a 9-1 record. The only other with a positive record is Maria Sharapova with a tight 11-8.
