Robson and Mayer to toil under the Melbourne sun

 

With the heat likely to be a factor at the Australian Open tonight, Sean Calvert selects his best bets in the remaining round two singles matches..

 

Tuesday night was certainly an up and down one, as one match went totally as predicted, while the other was most unfortunate.

 

Maria Sharapova delivered another crushing victory and didn't lose a single game for the second time in succession and thus cruising through the minus 7.5 game  handicap mark.

 

Unfortunately, Xavier Malisse suffered an injury to his right forearm and his match against Fernando Verdasco was therefore a stroll for the Spaniard and a painful  loss for backers of the Belgian, who perhaps should have retired.

 

The temperature is set to soar again in Melbourne and that won't please Andy Murray, who takes on Portuguese clay courter Joao Sousa, whose win over John-Patrick Smith  in round one was his first victory in the main draw of any hard court tour level event.

 

He's no match for Murray, who, unless affected by the heat should stroll this and the Scot should cover the minus 10.5 game handicap mark.

 

Roger Federer and Juan Martin Del Potro are also in action tonight, but I don't see much value in any of their prices, so instead I'm going to side with Ricardas  Berankis to beat Florian Mayer at around 1.98.

 

I listed Mayer in my potential first round upsets and it was agonisingly close to coming to fruition when Mayer lost the opening two sets to Rhyne Williams. The 5.1 on Williams proved to be an excellent trade though and I doubt the German will be so fortunate in round two.

 

Berankis is one to side with when he finds his form, as he can be a very streaky player and having taken down Mayer in their most recent meeting in Stockholm at the  end of last season in quickish conditions he'll fancy this one tonight.

 

The players have been saying that the surface is quick and although I don't necessarily agree it still might be too pacy for the elongated backswings of Mayer, who has  never been past the last 32 in Melbourne.

 

Mayer hasn't recorded a decent win on a hard court since beating John Isner in Miami last March and Berankis, fresh from a victory over Sergiy Stakhovsky in the first  round has a decent shot at this tonight.

 

On the women's side there's a fascinating clash between two lefties in Laura Robson and Petra Kvitova at around 10.30am UK time on Thursday morning.

 

And I have to side with Kvitova at a very backable 1.65, a price which reflects the lack of form that the Czech player has been in of late.

 

Since being beaten by Marion Bartoli in New York, Kvitova had won just two matches on the WTA Tour before edging Fran Schiavone here in round one, but I'd be surprised  if Robson was able to get the better of her in this one.

 

They'll both enjoy the relative cool of the night and although I could easily see this going to a decider Robson's form hasn't been much to write home about lately  either.

 

Laura has been beaten by Monica Niculescu and Sloane Stephens this year and I'm not sure that she's in the right form to take down last year's semi-finalist in a Grand  Slam. Her price looks a little too low for me to take an interest anyway.

 

Recommended Bets

Back Berankis to beat Mayer at 1.98

Back Kvitova to beat Robson at 1.65

 

Bet HERE

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