07/01/08 Full Card
WTA Hobart: Emilie Loit (FRA) vs Meilen Tu (USA) - Today, 00:45 GMT
Emilie Loit is one of the most consistent players in the circuit and she is the kind of player that can obtain good results in any kind of surface. Her serve isn't spectacular, but her movement on court is very good, which allows her to wait until her opponent commits an unforced error or until she has an opportunity to attack, in order to win the point. Loit prefers technique over power and she gets very good results with this, in a circuit where there is a huge number of players that their only tactic is to hit the ball the strongest they can. The French player has a nice record on Australia and after a loss last week against an in-form Ashley Harkleroad, she will want to get a win before the Australian Open begins.
Meilen Tu has a terrible record on hardcourt against Top 50 players (2-8 last season) and she hasn't performed well recently. After losing her last two matches in 2007 in straight sets against two players with a ranking lower than her, Tu began this season with another straight loss and again against a player with a lower ranking than her. Tu served very poorly in that match and I think that will happen again today, as her service problems isn't exactly something new for her. She is a baseliner just like Loit, but she doesn't have the consistence that the French player has. Tu is one of the players that can play very well when she has some momentum, but when she has a bad phase, she can collect several losses in a row, unlike Loit who is too experienced to allow something like that to happen to her.
Loit is in my opinion the better player of the two and also the player in better shape right now. The French player lost in the first round of Auckland just like Tu, but she has more weapons than the American player to get her first win of the season today. Take Loit to win in here.
Play 1* unit on Emilie Loit to win @ +100
WTA Hobart: Ashley Harkleroad (USA) vs Yaroslava Shvedova (RUS) - Today, 02:00 GMT
Ashley Harkleroad seems to be ready to have her best season ever in 2008. The American player after a good week in Auckland, where she defeated Emilie Loit by 6:4 6:1 and already in here, she has passed the qualifying round with three good wins, especially the last one in straight sets against Sorana Cirstea. The American finished last season in style, with great results on challengers played on hardcourt and she seems to have carried her momentum to this season. She is a nice baseliner, with some power combined with so nice technique shots and she is certainly one of the players to watch this season.
Yaroslava Shvedova after an amazing beginning of 2007 simply collapsed and she is now on a terrible phase of her career. She has reached the main draw, thanks to the withdrawal of Julia Vakulenko and in the last round of qualifying, she was destroyed by Jelena Dokic, on a terrible service exhibition by the Russian player, where she has only won 45% of the points played on her service games. She is lacking confidence, while Harkleroad is having an amazing moment of her career.
Harkleroad is in great shape and certainly she will take advantage of the bad phase Shvedova is dealing with at this moment. The American player is too hot for Shvedova to handle and I think Harkleroad is going to take this one in straight sets.
Play 1* unit on Ashley Harkleroad to win 2-0 @ +162
WTA Hobart: Jelena Dokic (AUS) vs Martina Muller (GER) - Today, 02:30 GMT
Finally Jelena Dokic has made her real comeback. After several weak attempts, she has trained hard and now she comes from beating Top 100 players in a row in straight sets. She is ultra talented and a former Top 3 player and with the crowd supporting her, I can her making some noise in the Australian part of the season. Dokic combines power and technique very well and this surface is just perfect for her. She cruised in qualifying, just dropping the 1st set in the 1st round and now she has the confidence she needed to perform well today.
Martina Muller is a claycourter and nothing more than that. Muller is 2-11 since August and 5-19 outside clay in 2007. Muller has no business on a hardcourt surface and she is going to be slaughtered by the powerful game of Dokic. She got destroyed by Camille Pin (6:3 6:0) in Auckland and I wouldn't be surprised if this happens again, this time at the hands of the homecountry girl Jelena Dokic.
Dokic is coming back to the circuit and she is extremely confident right now. She has finally defeated two Top 100 players and now her talent and love for competition will just do the rest. Muller is the ideal opponent for her to destroy in front of her people. Take Dokic to win in straight sets in here.
Play 1* unit on Jelena Dokic to win 2-0 @ +125
Small plays:
Play 0,5* units on Dudi Sela to defeat Julien Benneteau @ +144
Good luck!
WTA Hobart: Emilie Loit (FRA) vs Meilen Tu (USA) - Today, 00:45 GMT
Emilie Loit is one of the most consistent players in the circuit and she is the kind of player that can obtain good results in any kind of surface. Her serve isn't spectacular, but her movement on court is very good, which allows her to wait until her opponent commits an unforced error or until she has an opportunity to attack, in order to win the point. Loit prefers technique over power and she gets very good results with this, in a circuit where there is a huge number of players that their only tactic is to hit the ball the strongest they can. The French player has a nice record on Australia and after a loss last week against an in-form Ashley Harkleroad, she will want to get a win before the Australian Open begins.
Meilen Tu has a terrible record on hardcourt against Top 50 players (2-8 last season) and she hasn't performed well recently. After losing her last two matches in 2007 in straight sets against two players with a ranking lower than her, Tu began this season with another straight loss and again against a player with a lower ranking than her. Tu served very poorly in that match and I think that will happen again today, as her service problems isn't exactly something new for her. She is a baseliner just like Loit, but she doesn't have the consistence that the French player has. Tu is one of the players that can play very well when she has some momentum, but when she has a bad phase, she can collect several losses in a row, unlike Loit who is too experienced to allow something like that to happen to her.
Loit is in my opinion the better player of the two and also the player in better shape right now. The French player lost in the first round of Auckland just like Tu, but she has more weapons than the American player to get her first win of the season today. Take Loit to win in here.
Play 1* unit on Emilie Loit to win @ +100
WTA Hobart: Ashley Harkleroad (USA) vs Yaroslava Shvedova (RUS) - Today, 02:00 GMT
Ashley Harkleroad seems to be ready to have her best season ever in 2008. The American player after a good week in Auckland, where she defeated Emilie Loit by 6:4 6:1 and already in here, she has passed the qualifying round with three good wins, especially the last one in straight sets against Sorana Cirstea. The American finished last season in style, with great results on challengers played on hardcourt and she seems to have carried her momentum to this season. She is a nice baseliner, with some power combined with so nice technique shots and she is certainly one of the players to watch this season.
Yaroslava Shvedova after an amazing beginning of 2007 simply collapsed and she is now on a terrible phase of her career. She has reached the main draw, thanks to the withdrawal of Julia Vakulenko and in the last round of qualifying, she was destroyed by Jelena Dokic, on a terrible service exhibition by the Russian player, where she has only won 45% of the points played on her service games. She is lacking confidence, while Harkleroad is having an amazing moment of her career.
Harkleroad is in great shape and certainly she will take advantage of the bad phase Shvedova is dealing with at this moment. The American player is too hot for Shvedova to handle and I think Harkleroad is going to take this one in straight sets.
Play 1* unit on Ashley Harkleroad to win 2-0 @ +162
WTA Hobart: Jelena Dokic (AUS) vs Martina Muller (GER) - Today, 02:30 GMT
Finally Jelena Dokic has made her real comeback. After several weak attempts, she has trained hard and now she comes from beating Top 100 players in a row in straight sets. She is ultra talented and a former Top 3 player and with the crowd supporting her, I can her making some noise in the Australian part of the season. Dokic combines power and technique very well and this surface is just perfect for her. She cruised in qualifying, just dropping the 1st set in the 1st round and now she has the confidence she needed to perform well today.
Martina Muller is a claycourter and nothing more than that. Muller is 2-11 since August and 5-19 outside clay in 2007. Muller has no business on a hardcourt surface and she is going to be slaughtered by the powerful game of Dokic. She got destroyed by Camille Pin (6:3 6:0) in Auckland and I wouldn't be surprised if this happens again, this time at the hands of the homecountry girl Jelena Dokic.
Dokic is coming back to the circuit and she is extremely confident right now. She has finally defeated two Top 100 players and now her talent and love for competition will just do the rest. Muller is the ideal opponent for her to destroy in front of her people. Take Dokic to win in straight sets in here.
Play 1* unit on Jelena Dokic to win 2-0 @ +125
Small plays:
Play 0,5* units on Dudi Sela to defeat Julien Benneteau @ +144
Good luck!