ATP Miami. Mardy Fish – Mikhail Youzhny preview

I don’t say that Mardy will surely win this one, but the value is surely there. I respect Mikhail Youzhny a lot and I do like backing him, cause most of the time he is underestimated by both bookmakers and other punters (against whom I bet at Betfair). But… Mardy Fish, as I said previously, is very dangerous when reaching a good form on american hardcourts and matches here lead me the thought that he is in descent form recently (otherwise I doubt he would beat Murray in 2 sets).

Youzhny is very interesting type of player. Usually starts slow, but then tries to stay right there behind and uses any opportunity to get back. Don’t know if its his initial tactics or just his psychology, but quite often his matches are a bit like a trap for his opponents – starts slow and weak, stays there and when opponent relaxes a bit he comes back and wins it. Perhaps thats only my thoughts, but thats the way I see Youzhny.

It should an even match, with slight advantage to Fish. And odds of over evens present a real value for me. Especially considering the fact that I there is a big chance of Mardy taking first set.

Pick: Mardy Fish to win

Odds @ Betfair: 2.14

Odds @ bookmakers: up to 2.10 @ Sportingbet and Bet365

Highest odds taken on Betfair: 2.28

Miami ATP: Mardy Fish vs. Feliciano Lopez preview

My original pick and for some other picks @ Blogabet click here.

Mardy Fish on american hardcourts can be very dangerous. He proved that several times and I will just remind you some of them, the most recent.

Indian Wells 2008, 11th week
Defeated Davydenko, Hewitt, Nalbandian, Federer. Lost in the final against Djokovic 6-2 5-7 6-3

New Haven 2008, 34th week
Defeated Gicquel, Levine, Verdasco. Lost in the final to Marin Cilic 6-4 4-6 6-2

US OPEN 2008, 35th week
Reached quarterfinal beating Smeets, Mathieu, Blake, Monfils. Lost to Nadal in 4 sets.

2009 and early 2010 wasn’t as successfull for the american. He had only 2 decent results early 2009 reaching final in San Jose (defeating Blake, Del Potro, Hewitt, Isner) and win in Delray Beach tournament (beating Korolev in the final). Since then he didn’t show much. Here in Miami though he looks much better and is really a generous pick today at that prise.

Mardy Fish in Miami:

Mardy Fish – Andy Murray 6-4 6-4  5.42 – 1.14
Mardy Fish – Leonardo Mayer 7-6 (4) 6-4  1.80 – 1.90

Feliciano Lopez in Miami:

Feliciano Lopez – Michael Berrer 7:6 (2) 7:5 1.69 – 2.15

Odds movement 3 hours before the match:

Highest taken:  1.83

Actual odds now: 1.67

My bet: Fish to win it, odds 1.75

Highest odds at other bookmakers:  1.68 @ Unibet

KHL preview: Take MVD win over Dinamo Riga

Call me a non-patriot, but that’s the way I see this pair. In previous round SKA were taken by shock and they simply didn’t have the game to make it against inspired Dinamo Riga. But MVD games are the other case – they don’t have such stars as SKA team, don’t have same budget, but what they have is more valuable. They have its own game, when everybody knows what to do and where he should be and they have great coach Znarok as well. In first 2 matches MVD looked a very matured team and they controlled it most of the time, even when they have been losing 1:0 in first game, during 2 periods of the game.

Today MVD will be facing another difficulty as well – thats 11 500 spectators, which means 112 db loud crowd cheering for the home team. That’s from what inspiration can come for the home team. But it won’t be enough this time.

Live trading matches and some picks for sunday matches

Today the main football fixture will be Manchester united and Liverpool and I think that this is a perfect game to trade on. oth teams are without any major injury doubts, so at least some goals there will be. At the same time Liverpool are not in that kind of form to score a lot of goals and they are also coming after tough match against Lille. Shall see how it goes, I will start with 40 euro LAY of over2,5 goals. >>> Unfortunately was late for the match for 15 minutes and was already at the point when its 1:1, decided not to get involved in this match (although LAY at such point would be natural).

And now for some picks for Sunday matches.

Hamburger – Schalke04 >>> WON
Over2,5 goals
If Hamburger will start with Ruud in starting line-up then this is gonna be overs. Even if he doesn’t score a single goal, he still brings so much attention of the opponent defenders and makes free spaces for

KHL Preview: Take Salavat Ufa today!

Even without handicap, just take it. They will bounce back from yesterday defeat and will finish the series today! For those who want bigger odds, take -1,5, although value is gone there already…

The latest news: they will play in the same arena and with spectators. There will be only some bodyguards (cops and security stuff) surrounding Salavat Ufa bench.

KHL Livestream of the game: http://www.khl.ru/video/1291/26780/

Live betting returns: Liverpool – Portsmouth

Well, live betting experiments return and I will do it on the most interesting fixture today, Liverpool – Portsmouth. Interesting match to come, as nobody knows what kind of Liverpool it turns up today. I only know one thing, Portsmouth is one of the most dangerous sides in Premier league – they are dead last and has nothing to lose. No pressure at all on them, they just play their football and do it quite nicely sometimes. Today I also rather expect Portsmouth to keep it close (e.g. Portsmouth (+2) ), then Liverpool to blow them out.

So those who are interested, please welcome to follow my twitter account, twitter.com/Zenitushka.

KHL Play-off preview, 3rd match: SARAUJ DINAMO RIGA!!!

All the talking are now about Dinamo Riga and SKA. And all the KHL observers including me can’t say that it was kind of unlucky for SKA. They were completely outplayed in both matches and you couldn’t recognize SKA team in those matches. I was trying to find reason for that and I guess I found: Russia is very match affected by the performance at the Olympics hockey tournament, they were completely destroyed by the Canadian team. Today they will have to get over it, otherwise they will be out of much wanted cup. SKA should win today, but I won’t bet against Dinamo Riga today. Today will be a great atmosphere at Arena Riga and I will just enjoy the moment. Although I hope they will lose today, so I will be able to see the 4th game here in Riga. Today I will just share with you the atmosphere of Arena Riga from last year play-off game against Dinamo Moscow. Watch and enjoy! Sarauj, Dinamo Riga!

KHL Play-off: Metallurg – Tractor, preview and history stats

I’m a bit late with this information, but life rhythm sometimes doesn’t allow to do everything in time. This is an interesting match facts, that were prepared before the 1st match started between this 2 teams (provided by Tractor home page editors). I still would like to share it with you, cause i find some of those facts very useful.

Match background

This will be the 15-th and 16th match in the modern history between “Magnitogorsk” and  “Tractor” and 33-rd and 34th in the history of the championships together with USSR. In its modern history “Tractor” beat Magnitogorsk Metallurg only 2 matches out of 14. Both times – in Chelyabinsk. March 8, 2007 1:0, thanks to a goal from Alexei Zavarukhin, and in the opening match of the Arena Tractors, January 17, 2009 – 3:2, thanks to a goal from Andre Lakosa and clone Oleg Kvasha.

Also worth mentioning that the “Tractor” in modern history never scored “Magnitogorsk” more than three goals in a official match and only once scored three in unofficial – in the same game at the opening of the Arena Tractor.

KHL Play-off tips, Day 2 at eastern conference

Usually it is East that is considered to be mystery. In hockey it is West that looks mystery for me. Although after some analysis I’ve got my mistakes, both on Dinamo Riga and MVD unders and will get back to them in my preview for tomorrow games. But now I will focus on 2 matches in eastern conference Day 2 matches.

Salavat Ufa – Avtomobilist

Pick: Salavat (-2,5)

Chances to progress: 100/0

1st match between this 2 teams proved me right immediately from the start of the game. Avtomobilist was no where near Salavat and they were blown away in yesterday game. Ekaterinburg wasted too much energy, both physical and moral, to get to the play-off

KHL Play-off tips, Day 2

Day 1 showed us what can do an inspired team against team who underestimated its opponent. Dinamo Riga was fired up for the 1st game, at the same time SKA was looking like a team, that somewhere deep inside thinks that whatever happens in the match, they will still win it. That kind of attitude is always dangerous and Dinamo Riga showed just why. Today we will see another scenario – angry on themselves big SKA team against the Dinamo Riga who will be starting to believe that they can make it through to the next round. By all rules it is better to stay away from that kind of back-2-back matches, I will just share my thoughts on some of the fixtures today. Here are my predictions for today games.