WTA Championships Odds: Radwanska looks good value

Events / Ben Caudell / 27 October 2011 /

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Agnieska Radwanska in the make-up room before a photoshoot. Thankfully for her backers, not all her pre-tournament training was of this nature.

"Radwanska will be confident in the knowledge that she has a 3-2 head-to-head series lead coming into today match-up against the Russian, with all three wins taking place in 2011."

Two more matches today from Istanbul that should go a long way to deciding who makes the last four. In the second Agnieska Radwanska goes up against Vera Zvonareva and the smart money is on the Pole...

Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v Na Li (CHN)

Ever since Na Li's infamous Grand Slam triumph at the French Open on her apparently least favourite clay court surface, the Chinese superstar has disappeared slightly under the tennis radar. That was thanks to a terrible run of form that has seen her compile a record of seven losses and just seven wins.

However, Li likes a challenge as much as anyone and performs well under pressure in the bigger tournaments where there are greater rewards. Thanks to a gutsy win against world number two Maria Sharapova in straight sets, she'll be going all out in an undeniably tough match against high flying Victoria Azarenka this afternoon.

It's tough to find the best way of approaching this match from a betting angle but the [2.40] on the Li +4.5 Games handicap in my mind represents a good value bet.
Firstly, Na Li has a great record against Top Ten players, winning five of her last six.

More important though is her head-to-head record against the 22 year-old, in which she has a commanding lead of four wins and only one loss. Furthermore, Azarenka has a poor record at the WTA Championships where she has competed on two previous occasions, winning just one match each year.

Recommended Bet: Back Na Li +4.5 Games @ [2.40]

Vera Zvonareva (RUS) v Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)

Agnieszka Radwanska opened up as favourite to win this match but that was before Vera Zvonareva collected her fourth career win over the reigning number one Caroline Wozniacki on Tuesday night.

This slight flip in odds means that there is value in backing the Polish number one at [2.04] to keep her hopes of qualifying from the Red Group alive and almost certainly end any chances of the Russian making it through to the semi-final stage.

Radwanska will be confident in the knowledge that she has a 3-2 head-to-head series lead coming into today match-up against the Russian, with all three wins taking place in 2011. On hard-courts and in straight sets no less. In fact, all five matches between the pair have been won in straight sets therefore the [1.62] available on the 'Number of Sets Market - Two' is also worth taking a look at.

Her head-to-head record against Vera and the fact that the number eight seed and holder of three tournament titles this year ( including Beijing in October and Tokyo in September ) happens to be playing some of her best tennis of her career, edges me slightly in favour of backing the Pole.

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