Wimbledon Betting / Ben Caudell / 29 June 2009 / Leave a comment

Back experience over youth today, says Ben Caudell, who served up five winning tips of his own on Saturday.

Today's Selections:
Dinara Safina (RUS) v Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)
Safina has been playing at Wimbledon in the women's singles for the last seven years and the furthest she has gone has been the third round, a feat she has achieved on three occasions. The Russian lost to Shahar Peer (2008), Ana Ivanovic (2006) and Lindsey Davenport (2005), she lost in the first round in 2003 and 2004 and the second round in 2007. Now ranked number one in the world and still to win a Grand Slam final, Safina will hope to improve on her disappointing Wimbledon record by defeating Amelie Mauresmo a former Wimbledon Champion (2006) on centre court today.

In complete contrast to her younger opponent, Maursemo has an outstanding record at the All England Championships. She has reached the semi-finals on three occasions (2002, 2004, 2005) and became champion in 2006 defeating Justine Henin in the final. She has played Safina six times before and leads the head-to-head series 4-2. The former world number one and two time Grand Slam winner Mauresmo has the type of game suited to the faster grass courts, she has a great serve and often serves and volleys or approaches the net from the back of the court, constantly applying pressure on her opponents to hit passing winners. I believe that Amelie Mauresmo will make it extremely difficult for Safina to get through to the quarter-finals and with more experience of playing on centre court and the better form on the grass, the value definitely lies with the French player.
Selection: Back Amelie Mauresmo @ [2.5] to win match


Juan Carlos Ferrero (SPA) v Gilles Simon (FRA)
The 29-year-old Ferrero has always performed well in Grand Slams and this year's Wimbledon has been no different. The Real Madrid fan and former world number one, had a dramatic five set encounter with Fernando Gonzalez in the previous round eventually winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Now fully rested after middle Sunday he will be confident in the knowledge that Simon has never been past the fourth round at Wimbledon and hasn't fully acclimatised to the surface. Simon's performances in his previous rounds have shown me little about is grass court game and the current form he is in. All three opponents have been poor in comparison to Ferrero's and with the stats favouring the Spaniard I see no reason to go against him.
Selection: Back Juan Carlos Ferrero @ [1.95] to win match