WTA Tennis Grand Slam Betting Odds 2012 Preview

A look at head at the 2012 Grand Slams

Kim Clijsters (Winner Australien Open 2011)
Kim Clijsters (Winner Australien Open 2011) © GEPA pictures

We have already taken a look at the ATP tennis betting options ahead of the 2012 Grand Slams. The Australian Open, the first major of the year, gets underway in mid January, so the top class tennis action will be back with us before we know what has hit us. We saw some fantastic WTA Grand Slam tennis action last year, with four different winners adding a great variety to the women’s game. After launching the season off with a win at the Australian Open, Kim Clijsters looked to have the season ahead all pretty wrapped up, with her dominance and class in the game. All that was ruined though with injury problems, which really kept her out of contention. Chinese star Li Na rattled off a win at the French Open, and young Czech star Petra Kvitova picked up the coveted Wimbledon title, while the season’s Grand Slam finale went to the unexpected success of Australian Sam Stosur. Notice some big names missing from the major honours last season? Well, the Williams sisters of course weren’t really around to make their impact as they fought their way back from injury, and then of course there is the enigma that is world number one Caroline Wozniacki, who seems to have a Grand Slam jinx over here.

Unlike the men’s game, the WTA is pretty wide open. There is quite an equal standard of competitors inside the top five in the game, and the seasoned elite like Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters are really under pressure from such a strong youthful movement within the women’s game. It simply makes the Grand Slams on the women’s side far more entertaining than the men’s and stretching out the tennis betting odds because of the competitiveness.

Here we take a look at the 2012 WTA Grand Slam tennis betting options. The market prices listed below are for the market of To Win A Grand Slam in 2012.

Serena Williams: 4/5 at Victor Chandler to win a Grand Slam in 2012
A reasonable shout for the 13 time Grand Slam winner. Serena’s last title came back at Wimbledon in 2010 and missed three of the next five Slams as injury kept her out of the game. She started relaxing back into her power game towards the end of last season, and on her Grand Slam comeback at Wimbledon this year, she reached the fourth round, before stepping up her game further to reach the final of the US Open. She lost against Sam Stosur there in a surprise result, and the final will probably be best known for Williams’ outbursts towards the match umpire. Still has the power to win Grand Slams, and you can’t count her out. The women’s game has really pushed on while she was absent, and so there has been a degree of catching up for her to do. But the natural power in her game is there and would not be surprised to see her grab at least one. She has had the most success in her career at the Australian Open, so it’ll be interesting to see just how she comes out of the starting blocks in January. If she does get that win under her belt, then naturally the confidence will make her a big threat throughout the season for the rest of the Slams. Every chance of at least one.

Petra Kvitova: 6/4 at Stan James
The Czech star was a joy to watch on Tour last season, picking up six titles last year, including Wimbledon and the WTA Tour Championships in Istanbul. An incredible break through year and this young lady should only get better. She has a wonderful left handed serve and such deceptive power and natural ground strokes, she is arguably one of the most complete players on the WTA Tour. Her all round game is so solid. There were lapses in concentration which cost her last season, especially when her form dipped away after her Wimbledon success, but she bounced back with tremendous energy and proved that when she is on top of her game, there are few around who can touch her. Hopefully with another season of experience under her belt, she can become even stronger. She is a true champion and no-one can deny what she has achieved this year. What will be the big test for her is going on and breaking through to that second Grand Slam win. Her best chance is going to come against at Wimbledon on grass. Would totally back her to take another Grand Slam win. Has it all together and is right within her grasp of being one of the games’ greats. Already won out in the race to become world number two. Expect another step forward from her.

Victoria Azarenka: 10/3 at VC Bet
Ah, our Vika. We have followed the progress of the Belarusian on these pages for a couple of years now and thought it was going to all fall into place last season when we saw her at the quarter final stage of the French Open, and then in the semi’s of Wimbledon. The opportunity was thrown away at Wimbledon it has to be said, but the progress in her game was undeniable. Almost finished the season as number two in the world, and while she clearly has a few question marks over her big match sustainability in the latter stages of Grand Slams, if she would relax a little she can go all the way. Was in blistering form over the second half of the season and on the back of that would expect to her to push forward. Really had the WTA Tour Championship Finals in her hands but again, in the final when it matter most, didn’t get into the match at all against Petra Kvitova. Mental focus and concentration perhaps needs a little tweak, but has the serve to carry her through, perhaps not as much finesse as Clijsters and Kvitova, but a solid all round game. She just needs to get out of her head and she will win Grand Slams.

Kim Clijsters: 7/2 at VC Bet
Hopefully 2012 is going to be an injury free year for the Belgian star. After coming out of retirement and going on to win the US Open in 2009, and then took the title at Flushing Meadows against in 2010, along with the WTA Tour Finals, and then took the Australian Open at the start of this year, she looked on top of the world again. She has so much class does Clijsters and while her 2011 was ruined by injury, if she is fit, then she will win Grand Slams. It is as simple as that. Her favourite of course is the US Open, but would give her a great chance at the Australian Open, especially with the motivation of defending her title there. Definitely worth a punt at these odds for your WTA Tennis betting in 2012.

Maria Sharapova: 5/2 at Stan James
One of the best and most consistent players on the WTA last year, but came up empty handed and you wonder how much that has to effect her. Almost had Wimbledon in her grasp, but couldn’t handle the pressure exerted by Petra Kvitova. There is no-one better on the WTA when their backs are against the wall than Maria Sharapova. Personally think that she deserved a Grand Slam title last year, and we definitely saw the best of her. She should be competitive again in 2012, but if Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters are going to be back in full force, then she may have missed her window of opportunity in 2011. Still, great to watch and expect to see her in the latter stages of most Grand Slams.

Sam Stosur: 7/2 at VC Bet
The fact that she broke free and won the US Open in 2011 was a bit of surprise. She is one of those journeymen types, who are good players but you just never quite expect them to hit the heights of winning too many titles, let alone Grand Slams. Great clay court specialist and will therefore be a danger at the French Open. Really don’t see what more she has in her in terms of development though. Unlikely to take another Grand Slam.

Caroline Wozniacki: 4/1 at VC Bet
And so to the Great Dane. Will she break through. Was thoroughly disappointing in the Grand Slams last year and really can’t put my finger on why. There is no rhyme or reason for her bowing out to opposition which she would normally crush in a regular WTA tennis betting environments. The pressures of being a world number one and not having won a Grand Slam? The press like to throw that in her face, but that takes away from her superb consistency and ability. Think she ran out of steam a little bit and needs to be smarter with her tournament selections. Probably the hardest working player inside the top ten on the WTA, she just doesn’t let up. Needs to pace herself, and while critics are against her, especially as she lost at the US Open badly to Serena Williams in 2011, people are naturally writing her off. She is just too good to not win a Grand Slam and you have to keep up there high on the list of potential. If you think she is going to do it, then taking her at these great odds right now, is some pretty decent value, with another four shots at it in 2012.

Vera Zvonareva: 5/1 at Stan James
Just not going to happen for the Russian in 2012 I don’t think. After hitting the highs of her career in 2012, 2011 was a huge disappointment. She just couldn’t live up to her own standards, while the superb crop of youngster coming through caught her up and even surpassed her. She has spirit and a good game when it gets going, the mental approach and confidence in her game just went AWOL in 2011 and that is going to be a tough thing to get back. If she had taken either Wimbledon or the US Open final after getting to them in 2010, we would have seen a different Zvonareva last year. It didn’t happen and tough to see her bouncing back to claim her first Grand Slam title.

Venus Williams: 6/1 at Victor Chandler
Just don’t see it happen for the great past Grand Slam champion that is Venus Williams. She has already pulled out of Auckland at the start of the year, so is not going to be in great shape for the Australian Open. Struggling with her medical condition, a real battler, but afraid can only see her getting left further and further behind this season. It looks as if there is a long way back for her.