Tennis best bets for the Italian Open – Saturday, May 13th
The Italian Open, also known as Internazionali BNL d’Italia, is a 1000-level clay-court tournament for both the men and the women. This is one of the most exciting tournaments of the entire year, and we’ll have best bets for it on a daily basis. With that in mind, keep reading for our tennis best bets for Saturday, May 13th. Also, make sure you actively check out our Pro Picks page, as we have been posting plays there regularly throughout the year. We ended up having a very profitable two weeks in Madrid, with a lot of the winners being posted to that page. We’re hoping to keep it up in the last big event before the French Open.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have
Taylor Townsend vs. Xiyu Wang
Townsend comes into this match on a nice little run. The American has won five of her last six matches, with all of them coming on clay. Townsend was also able to earn a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in her most recent match. That should serve as the ultimate confidence booster for the 27-year-old.
The reality is that these courts really make Townsend dangerous. The American has always been a player that can hit with serious power, and she has the ability to smoke winners through these slow courts. However, the courts also give her a better shot at covering the court, which is one of her main weaknesses. Overall, it’s just hard to see Wang having much success making Townsend uncomfortable in long rallies.
It also doesn’t hurt that Townsend is serving at a very high level right now. Her ability to hold makes her a dangerous opponent in Rome. Townsend also beat Wang 6-3, 6-2 the last time they played, which was on the clay courts in Charleston nearly 12 months ago. And Townsend is in much better form now than she was then.
Bet: Townsend ML (-145)
Sofia Kenin vs. Anhelina Kalinina
Kenin is coming off one of the biggest wins of her career, as she was able to knock off Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka had just won a title in Madrid and is clearly one of the best players in the women’s game. Kenin, who was once one of the WTA’s truly elite players, should now have all the belief in the world that she can contend for big titles again. With that said, we’re backing her to beat Kalinina.
It can sometimes be dangerous to back a player after a massive win, but Kenin has won a major before. So, it’d be really disappointing if she let a win over Sabalenka get in the way of her making an extended run in Rome. This tournament really suits her game, and she has a golden opportunity to advance here. Kenin has won two matches in a row against Kalinina, with the most recent one being a 6-3, 6-4 romping at the Miami Open. These slower courts should make for similar one-way traffic, as Kenin’s power can be quite overwhelming and her lack of mobility won’t be as much of an issue with the ball bouncing slower.
Bet: Kenin ML (-110)
Madison Keys vs. Victoria Azarenka
Keys is going to feel pretty good about her chances of beating Azarenka in Rome. The Belarusian did earn a nice win over Sloane Stephens last match, but she has been in a bad way recently. Azarenka hasn’t won two matches in a row since February, and she just hasn’t looked as dominant with her serve of late. Also, Keys beat up on Azarenka in Dubai a couple of months ago, earning a 6-2, 6-1 win in just under an hour.
The reality of this matchup is that Keys is one of the few players on tour with the ability to outmuscle Azarenka. And the American is a little bit more dangerous with her serve at the moment, which makes a big difference in a matchup like this one. So, while this head-to-head series has mostly leaned in Azarenka’s favor, we think the tide is about to turn. Keys got the win in Dubai and she should be able to make it two in a row here.
Bet: Keys ML (-115)