Shows
The Saif SpaceWTA Finals - Day 1 Recap & Day 2 Preview - Iga Swiatek SpecialDedicated portion to preview Iga Swiatek on today's episode, as promised. I also recap day 1 of single's action and discuss soem possible scenarios in 'the group of death'. The other group kicks off today, doesn't offer much promise or excitement, but good luck to us!
Reminder: Nobody is worried about Coco Gauff, except for her dad.
2022-11-011h 21The Saif SpaceWTA Finals Preview - Group Stage - Day 1Welcome back. I talk about the 8 participants in this year's WTA finals. I also preview the groups and provide a short commentary on each player and what their chances look like.
Nobody is worried about Coco Gauff, except for her dad. Put it on a T-shirt.
2022-10-311h 16The Saif SpaceWTA US Open Draw Preview & Round 1 Day 1US Open SZN is upon us and we have a lot to get to. I summarize the NA hardcourt swing, and preview the entire draw and fill out the bracket. I give my opinion on future bets, talking about who I think you SHOULD and SHOULDN'T bet on. Samsonova isn't going to win the USO, but Sabalenka might.
2022-08-291h 092022-08-1822 min2022-08-171h 052022-08-1655 min2022-08-1559 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Toronto - Round 2Shelby Rogers was, at one point, the greatest tennis player on Earth, but not anymore.
Elena Rybakina plays today, in one of many blockbuster matches, against Coco Gauff. Serena x Bencic, BHM x Leylah, Anisimova x Pliskova all matches to look forward to as well.
2022-08-101h 082022-08-0640 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Washington & San Jose - QFShelby Rogers is the best American WTA player, change my mind.
2022-08-0553 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Washington & San Jose - Round 1 Day 2Elena Rybkaina is back, and she came and went. Be careful what you wish for, I suppose. Worry not, this page will continue to operate as an Elena Rybakina fan page disguised as a Tennis Betting podcast.
2022-08-0252 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Washington & San Jose Draw Preview - Round 1 Day 1Real Tennis is back, The Saif Space is back, and most importantly, ELENA RYBAKINA IS BACK!
2022-08-0159 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Hamburg & Lausanne - Round 2I need to come up with a name for these sort of matches, any ideas?
It's another one of my nameless 'lists', of brutal matches with unreal sequences.
I really, really, really miss Elena Rybakina.
2022-07-201h 09The Saif SpaceWTA Hamburg - Round 1 Day 2, WTA Palermo Draw Preview & Round 1 Day 1Olga Danilovic, is she going to be a great player, or is she already a great player?
How would you rate Bernarda Pera?
I really really miss Elena Rybakina.
2022-07-1837 min2022-07-1745 minThe Saif SpaceWimbledon Recap, WTA Lausanne & Budapest - Round 2Congratulations to Elena Rybakina. Back to the European dirt for a little bit, then it's to the North American hardcourt swing. A LOT we need to catch up on and discuss!!!
2022-07-131h 22
The Saif SpaceWTA Wimbledon - FinalI am so so so sorry for my prolonged absence, and even more-so for the horrible audio quality. ELENA RYBAKINA though....!!!
2022-07-0939 min
The Saif SpaceWTA Wimbledon - Round 3 Day 2Kerber is out, and I'm not surprised. Sakkari lost to Tatjana Maria, and honestly, I'm not moved by it, and you definitely shouldn't be either. Ons Jabeur stays winning, Kaja Juvan dissapoints and in turn Watson impresses. Marie Bouzkova moving quiet and will be tasked with beating a red-hot Caro Garcia. What's good?
2022-07-0149 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Wimbledon - Round 3 Day 1Iga won't win Wimbledon, surely not, right? Okay, but who will? Elena Rybakina will, say it with me. You can just feel that we are just one or two days (one round) away from things getting REALLY REALLY good and interesting. Watch out for Kaja Juvan.
2022-07-0139 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Wimbledon - Round 2 Day 2Saiffers Ones to Watch:
1. Kvitova
2. Pegula
3. Rybakina
4. Simona Halep
5. Kaja Juvan
2022-06-3050 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Wimbledon - Round 2 Day 1Bencic, BHM, Collins, Serena out. Swiatek doesn't look too comfortable, Kvitova passes a huge test. Andreescu and Rybakina through comfortably. Ons jabeur has the draw wide the fuck open for her, and same for Kontaveit, and Simona Halep looks scary. Kaja Muchova is no longer, in more than one way!!!
All eyes on Raducanu, Kontaveit, Kaja Juvan today.
2022-06-291h 00The Saif SpaceWTA Wimbledon - Round 1 Day 2Raducanu, Bencic, Kaja Juvan (and not BHM), Kontaveit, Ons Jabeur, and Bouzkova. Top performers of the day, in an action-packed day one. Hear all about it, as well as a preview of tomorrow's slate!!!
Ones to Watch
1. Kvitova
2. Bencic
3. Rybakina
4. Kontaveit
5. Kaja Juvan
2022-06-281h 11The Saif SpaceWTA Wimbledon Draw Preview & Round 1 Day 1HERE. WE. GO.
Grass court power rankings:
1. Kvitova
2. BHM
3. Ostapenko
4. Jabeur
5. Andreescu
2022-06-271h 52The Saif SpaceWTA Eastbourne & Bad Homburg - SF1. BHM with a much needed day off. That's the good the news. The bad news: She gets Petra Kvtirova next, and she's in the mood.
2. Movement in the 'washed player' power rankings.
3. Caro Garcia and Alize Cornet beat Sabine Lisicki and Angie Kerber respectively? Yeah, okay.
2022-06-2431 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Eastbourne & Bad Homburg - QFTwo things haven't changed in my short absence:
1. BHM stays winning
2. Sakkari and Badosa are still god-awful
A lot to recap and to catch up on, and a lot to discuss and to look forward to, so I'll just leave you with this:
Sabine Lisicki
2022-06-2359 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Berlin - F, WTA Eastbourne & Bad Homburg Draw Preview + R1 D1Overlap of the two weeks. Coco Gauff's character got tested today and she failed miserably. Today we got a chance to see what she was all about, and (spoiler art) it was not much. Bencic x Jabeur final, rematch of Charleston final and the third meeting of the year. Maria Sakkari thinks she's good and that is a huge problem for the world. Two really good draws and 1R action starting on a Sunday. An overlap of the two tennis weeks is never pretty, but I'm not complaining.
Here we go!!!
2022-06-191h 00The Saif SpaceWTA Birmingham & Berlin - SFBHM can't be stopped, and looks like she won't stop. Her SF clash vs Simo Halep is a HUGE test for both players, just to see what they are really about. Coco Gauff looks good and is surely a contender to be the first American woman to win a title in Germany since Davenport in 2005. Despite Bencic's good results, she is still on fraud watch, and her match tomorrow vs Sakkari will tell us everything. Sori Cirstea looks to be in the mood again, and gets the Zhang Banger tomorrow, so let's see.
2022-06-1824 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Birmingham & Berlin - QFWeird stuff has been going on on the grass this week, so it's time for me to get weird myself. Some of the best grass players from last week, BHM, Alexandrova, Martincova, Riske, McNally (?) are no more. Tomorrow, we will know who is really about it from this weeks contestants, who are mostly all fresh faces on the grass this season. As always, I do a full recap of R2 (Wednesday and Thursday) and preview Friday's QFs. I also take a look at the draw, and project what the rest of the two tournaments will look like!
2022-06-1753 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Birmingham & Berlin - Round 2 Day 1Muguruza lost, again. She now has 10 losses on the season, and only 7 wins. Is she finished? Who is more finished, her or Kvitova? Where they do they rank amongst their colleagues Vika, Kerber, in terms of finishedness? Is that even a word? Now it is. What do you make of Kudermetova's win over Sabalenka? BHM stays winning!!! So does Alexandrova, I can't believe she's not playing Wimbledon. McNally has more wins on grass this season than any other player, 7. Can she keep going? I think yes. I recap today's matches and preview tomorrow's slate, as well as look at...
2022-06-151h 03The Saif SpaceWTA Birmingham & Berlin - Round 1 Day 2A bit of an interesting day 1 of week 2 of grass season. A lot of players are making their grass szn debuts, and it sure looks like it. Andreescu did not impress today but somehow. Kaja Juvan is on fraud watch (although I think that is harsh, but I don't make the rules). Jilly Teichmann (formerly on fraud watch (quite generously, might I add)) is now officially finished. Belinda Bencic is on fraud watch, and tomorrow we will get to see what's good. A lot of good though, both today and to come (expectedly) tomorrow. As always, I cover everything!!!
2022-06-1436 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Birmingham & Berlin - Round 1 Day 1First week of grass szn is in the books, and we have two champions who both played amazing tennis throughout the week. Unfortunately, only one of them will be playing in Wimbledon, but oh well. Onto our two new tournaments. Plethora of bangers in the first round across both tournaments, and some bigger names, as well as some new faces that can make some noise.
LETS HAVE A WEEK!!!
2022-06-1349 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Nottingham & Den Bosch - SFAjla Tomljanovic is dead to me, and Belinda Bencic is on fraud watch. Harriet Dart just isn't that girl, and British tennis fans definitely need one (this is a low blow aimed towards Emma). There were some good performances today: Kudermetova, Alexandrova, Martincova, Riske. Sabalenka clutched a 3S tiebreak against the Ostrich, in a match that shouldn't have been that complicated. Alexandrova looks like she is nearing 'final form', and it could be scary, not for her though. WTA Qualis tomorrow in Birmingham and Berlin, those are our two grass tournaments for next week.
Have a good...
2022-06-1142 minThe Saif SpaceEmma Raducanu & WTA Nottingham/Den Bosch - QFToday we talk about Emma Raducanu, and every match from today, of course. I find myself talking about Ajla Tomljanovic, again and again. McNally unsuspectingly good so far, Alison Riske the same, except less unsuspectingly. I talk about my 'list' and why Elena Rybakina's spot is at stake. Bencic has a chance to showcase what she's got against Kudermetova, a non-participant at Wimbledon. Alexandrova, Sabalenka, also on that list, so could they ball out this grass season, or do they not care?
2022-06-101h 23The Saif SpaceWTA Nottingham & Den Bosch - Round 2 Day 2Well, we didn't get much tennis today. But there was still some good and some bad. Martincova and Watson, respectively, in case you were wondering. A reoccurring theme this week, rain delays and suspended matches. A look to look forward to in what should be a pretty stacked day, if we are to see the full slate of matches.
2022-06-0932 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Nottingham & Den Bosch - Round 2 Day 1Our first full, REAL day of grass szn. It was an interesting one. Lack of overall quality, which is to be expected on the first couple of matches on the grass, which is the most specialized surface. Daria Saville was the worst thing I saw today. Some really good matchups tomorrow for tennis fans, and even better betting spots for us bettors. Enjoy the good stuff.
2022-06-081h 05The Saif SpaceRoland Garros Recap & Intro to GrassClay season has reached it's conclusion. And onto the good stuff we go (grass). I talk about Iga Swiatek, the WTA tour, and Coco Gauff. I also talk about Rafa, Djokovic, and Ruud. I preview the 'grass season', and discuss the surface and what sort of players/play styles should excel or enjoy success on the grass. I give a list of 3 WTA players to watch out for this grass szn, who I think will impress.
2022-06-061h 17The Saif SpaceATP Roland Garros - SFIga's win streak is extended to 34 matches, and she will face Coco Gauff in the final, who put an end to Trevisan's win streak. Can she end two win streaks in a row? Yeah, probably not. The men's matches tomorrow are very promising, and I dig into them and discuss my thoughts on the lines and how they will play out. Should be good!!!
2022-06-031h 07The Saif SpaceWTA Roland Garros - SFThe HUGE difference between quality, competitiveness, and overall level of the WTA/ATP in these matches is HUGE. Rublev x Cilic was sensational, and Rune x Ruud was quite good. Out of the 4 QFs, that was the weakest one, but overall it has been GIVING! Cilic is looking dangerously good, and I like him to make the final. He has certainly been one of the best players this fortnight and would be worthy of a spot in the final. Kasatkina somehow keeps winning matches, and Iga was tested but it somehow wasn't even close.
2022-06-021h 13The Saif SpaceWTA/ATP Roland Garros - QF Day 2I think Novak Djokovic will agree, but I was stunned by Nadal's level to start the match. Nadal gets one back over Novak, bringing their H2H to 30-29 in favor of Nole. Zverev with a very good win, and gets Nadal next; I like an upset there. Coco Gauff beats Sloane, and Martina Trevisan keeps winning. I like an upset there too, that's our first WTA SF. Iga x Pegula tomorrow should be very good, same with Kasatkina x Kudermetova. Rune and Cilic could be the semifinal we never knew we needed.
2022-06-0144 minThe Saif SpaceWTA/ATP Roland Garros - QF Day 1Holger Rune is the second teenager to have his coming out party vs Stefanos at a grand slam. The other teenager was 18 year old Carlitos at last year's USO. Cilic plays the best match of his life, Casper Ruud somehow keeps winning. Qinwen Zheng, my first love, took a set off Iga, and really gave her a big test that Iga didn't quite pass in the first set. Pegula is quietly through to the QF, same with Kasatkina (not so quietly, because of her obnoxious fans (She has fans?!?!?!?)).
Tomorrow we get episode 59 of...
2022-05-311h 10The Saif SpaceWTA/ATP Roland Garros - Round 4 Day 2Djokovic yet to drop a set, and the long awaited QF matchup against Rafa is set for Tuesday, who beat Felix's bum ass in 5 sets today (4 hr 22 min). Sloane won 12 games in a row for the second time this week. Trevisan has now won 9 matches in a row, and 16 sets in a row. Leylah Fernandez and Coco Gauff aren't worth talking about, but I still spent an extended amount of time talking about them. Carlitos continues to impress, what can we expect from him? Felix will never win a slam. Is Rafa x Novak the 'real' final? Will the...
2022-05-301h 18The Saif SpaceElena Rybakina - WTA/ATP RG - Round 4 Day 1I spend the first 18 minutes or so talking about Elena Rybakina. I also spend an extended period of time talking about 'limit-testing' and discuss the possibility that that was what Iga Swiatek was doing today. I also, as always, recap EVERY match from today, and I preview THE ENTIRETY of the 4th Round, for the men and women.
2022-05-291h 13The Saif SpaceWTA/ATP Roland Garros - Round 3 Day 2It was a shame to see Belinda Bencic and Kaja Muchova bow out, particularly the latter with an ankle injury. Jilly Teichman edges Vika in what I'm calling Match of the Year, but then I argue, what makes match of the year? And how can I be throwing that around in May? I talk about how we haven't had a good WTA Grand Slam final in quite some time, specifically since the 2020 USO Final, where Osaka beat Vika. I also talk about some other things, and as always, I recap today's matches on both sides and preview tomorrow's entire...
2022-05-281h 09The Saif SpaceWTA/ATP Roland Garros - Round 3 Day 1Best thing I saw today: Qinwen Zheng, Kaja Juvan
Worst thing I saw today: Jelena Ostapenko
Most interesting thing I saw today: Camila Giorgi
2022-05-271h 25The Saif SpaceWTA Roland Garros - Round 2 Day 2No words to be said for what Ajla Tomljanovic and Sori Cirstea did today. Martina Trevisan and Angie Kerber keep winning. One really straightforwardly and one in dramatic fashion. Petra Kvitova lost today, and Kaja Muchova beat Sakkari. Onto tomorrow, for the remainder of round 2 matches.
Best thing I saw today: Karolina Muchova
Worst thing I saw today: Ajla Tomljanovic & Sori Cirstea
Most interesting I saw today: Saville 6-4 6-2 against Kvitova
2022-05-261h 08The Saif SpaceWTA Roland Garros - Round 2 Day 1We had our first good today of tennis, with a lot of good matches. Qiang Wang x Pegula was great (despite what the score says), Schunk and Selekhmeteva impressed again superior opponents, and Sabalenka had to come back from a set down against the worst female tennis player in the world. TOMORROW, we have a BLOCKBUSTER day of tennis, with an absolutely fantastic slate and mouth-watering matchups from top to bottom.
Best thing I saw today: Qiang Wang x Pegula (last 30 minutes)
Worst thing I saw today: Sabalenka first set
Most interesting thing I...
2022-05-251h 03The Saif SpaceWTA Roland Garros - Round 1 Day 3A lot of good matches today post-rain delay I and pre-rain delay II. Noskova x Raducanu was amazing, same with Tomljanovic x Kontaveit and Kerber x Frech. A lot of good performances. Tomorrow's slate unfortunately looks really rough, but it will be nice to see Sabalenka win 60 60. Watch out for Sherif x Kostyuk, Ostapenko x Bronzetti, and Martincova x Rogers, as well as Juvan x Selekhmeteva, those are my guesses for potential matches of the day tomorrow.
Best thing I saw today: Noskova, Diane Parry, Ajla Tomljanovic
Match of the day: Kerber...
2022-05-241h 15The Saif SpaceWTA Roland Garros - Round 1 Day 2The first day of the French Open was a bit of a disappointment, as expected. The slate was weak and the matches were all kinda 'ew', and unfortunately, and obviously against expectation, the bets were also somewhat disappointing. However, tomorrow is a new day, and the slate is much more promising, and hopefully our bets can be too. As always, I recap every WTA match that took place today, and I preview the full slate for tomorrow.
The best thing I saw today: Olga Danilovic
The worst thing I saw today: Bad Man Ons
2022-05-231h 05The Saif SpaceWTA Roland Garros Draw & Round 1 Day 1ITS TIME!!!! A full preview of the draw, with a full bracket filled out and futures picks. I pick winners for every quarter, and give a few outright winners. I also go through the some-what dead slate of tomorrow, but I know that the best is yet to come, quality-wise.
2022-05-221h 03The Saif SpaceWTA Rabat & Strasbourg & French Open Qualis VSome interesting matches today in the two 250s, I think they are delivering and 'giving'. In my opinion, this is shaping up to be a good weekend of semis and finals in Rabat and Strasbourg, but maybe that is just me. Either way, we have some bets to talk, and some money to make.
2022-05-1946 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Rabat & Strasbourg & French Open Qualis IVMuguruza does it again...... she loses. This is a cry for help for Muguruza: Please go change your coach. I am picking Ajla Tomljanovic to win tomorrow, and to also lift the trophy here in Rabat. I think this is a great opportunity for her. I recap all of today's matches, and preview all WTA 250 matches tomorrow and most of the qualis in Paris.
2022-05-1951 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Rabat & Strasbourg & French Open Qualis IIISori Cirstea lost as a -7.5, -4000 favorite, she won the first set too. Today I talk about Tomljanovic, Sori Cirstea, and being result-oriented vs performance-oriented. As always, I cover every WTA Main draw match from today, and I preview tomorrow's slate, as well as a handful of qualifying matches from the French Open. Also, Medvedev lost today. VERY GOOD slate of WTA tennis tomorrow, whether it looks that way or not. Some very good matchups both in Strasbourg and Morocco, as well as the qualis in Paris. Best thing I saw today was Kiki Mladenvoic, believe it or...
2022-05-181h 02The Saif SpaceWTA Rabat & Strasbourg & French Open Qualis IINothing cleanses the palette more than a bunch of no names (and Muguruza) playing tennis for a week, leading up to the biggest tournament of the year (in my opinion). I talk about Muguruza, Sloane Stephens, as well as every match from yesterday's WTA slate, as well as how to make a good bet in tennis. I also preview tomorrow's action, as always.
2022-05-1850 minThe Saif SpaceRome: conclusion & WTA Rabat & WTA StrasbourgI provide my commentary on thoughts on the favorites of both ATP and WTA tours going into the French Open. I also assess the rest of the 'field' in the respective tours. I also preview the two WTA 250s we have this week, Rabat and Strasbourg.
2022-05-1655 minThe Saif SpaceRome - FinalsHonestly, in Rome, we get the two best men so far in the clay season (that are participating), and the two winningest women this year. It is certainly much deserved, as much as it pains me to admit. Preview of the finals, as well a slight look ahead of what's to come next week: Two WTA 250s, Rabat and Strasbourg.
2022-05-1536 minThe Saif SpaceRome - SemisA whole lotta everything from quarterfinals today. Literally, a bit of everything for all kinds of fans, no matter what you're into. Whether you like throws, or enjoy a good choke, or live for the comebacks, there was something for you today. Some matches featured all of the above, such as Andreescu/Swiatek, and Sakkari/Jabeur. Sakkari continues to be a scammer and steal a living. Sabalenka finally gets here revenge or Anisimova. Swiatek looked vulnerable, until she didn't. Djokovic with an interesting one against FAA, and Tsitsipas x Zverev for the third straight clay Masters 1000.
2022-05-141h 10The Saif SpaceRome - QuarterfinalsThe worst thing that I probably ever saw on a tennis court, took place this evening in Rome during the night session. Some very good QF matchups on deck for tomorrow. As always, I talk you through everything that we saw today, and I preview tomorrow's matches. Sabalenka x Anisimova, 3rd meeting in 1 month, the latter leads 4-0.
Queen B vs Bad Girl Iga, Sakkari x Jabeur, and Jilly... Look for some solid, straightforward wins by Djokovic, Zverev, Tsitsipas tomorrow, and Shapovalov to 'upset' Ruud.
2022-05-131h 04The Saif SpaceRome - Round 3Tank jobs left and right: Muguruza, Bencic, Halep. Some big names committing some big crimes on court. Some impressive results, some shocking ones. Full slate of Round 3 matches to look forward to, some good ones (Sabalenka x Pegula & Collins x Anisimova)
Best thing I saw: Putintseva
Worst thing I saw: Bencic
Most Interesting thing I saw: Kontaveit, NPD. Underperforming, and overperforming respectively.
2022-05-1251 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Rome - Round 2After an opening two days of 'blegh' in Rome, we have Round 2 action to look forward to tomorrow. The entirety of the WTA Round 2 (16 matches) will be played tomorrow. There is a lot to recap from today, both men and women, and a lot of matches to look forward to.
2022-05-111h 08The Saif SpaceWTA Rome - Round 1 Day 2A very 'blegh' sort of day for day one in Rome. When in Rome... there are a lots of breaks of serve, and less aces. A lot of three settors and overs. At least compared to the clay of Madrid from last week. I discuss an interesting 'I will tank on purpose in order to avoid play X next round' angle. I need to come up a better name for it. I also complain about losing from a set up, but never being able to muster a comeback from a set down. Tennis betting is the best!
2022-05-101h 06The Saif SpaceWTA Rome Draw & Round 1 Day 1Judgement Day has concluded. Carlitos passed and will ascend into heaven with flying colors (no pun intended). Big preview of the WTA Rome draw, and I break down every match on the WTA slate for Day 1.
2022-05-091h 04The Saif SpaceJudgement Day: ConclusionIs Carlitos the best tennis player in the world? Congrats to Ons Jabeur, winner of WTA Madrid 1000. Listen in for my thoughts on Djokovic, Carlitos, Djokovic x Carlitos, and Sasha Zverev, and then Carlitos x Sasha Zverev.
2022-05-0848 minThe Saif SpaceJudgement DayToday feels like judgement day; for Carlitos, for Novak, for Stefanos, for Sascha Zverev, and for ONS JABEUR. I preview and discuss all three of these bangers at length (WTA Madrid Final & ATP Semis), as well as some WTA Rome Qualis matches taking place today.
2022-05-0741 minThe Saif SpaceThe Occasion IIThe second coming of 'the Occasion', Carlitos x Nadal. A few weeks ago we saw Kecmanovic x Djokovic in Belgrade, today we see the past vs the future of Spanish tennis. I am a HUGE Carlitos fan, and also possess some dislike for Nadal, however I am adamant that the spot is simply too big for the young guns. If Carlitos wins this, it will truly be a HUGE win, but with that being said, I think it is unlikely.
Skip to 36:35 to hear me talk about 'the Occasion'
2022-05-0648 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Madrid - SemifinalsJabeur continues to receive constant attention/praise/recognition. Is she overperforming? What is with this outrage? Simona Halep is her first 'good win' of the tournament. Ekaterina Alexandrova leads the H2H 6-1 against Jabeur. Ekaterina underappreciated, and ridiculed. Please do not rule her out!
Jilly keeps on winning and continues to impress, hasn't dropped a set, but Jessie Pegula looks to be a true test and may prove to be tricky.
2022-05-0547 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Madrid - QuarterfinalsThe theme of 'this is fucking interesting' continues in Madrid. SST beats Kastakina in the (worst) match of the tournament, Pegula wins 10 of the last 11 games and beats Bianca. Teichmann takes a shit on Rybakina, and Kalinina edges Raducanu in a very close decider with a lot of swings. A lot to look forward to still, as things are really starting to heat up. For the first time all tournament, all players will play on the same day, and things SHOULD BE GOOD!
2022-05-0440 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Madrid - Round 3 Day 2What an emotional rollercoaster of a day. Bencic faltering after a rain delay. Ekaterina trying her hardest to throw. I think it's best we shift our focus to tomorrow where we have 4 very intriguing matchups.
2022-05-031h 06The Saif SpaceWTA Madrid - Round 3 Day 1Osaka, Sakkari, Muguruza. Who was most disappointing? I say the latter. Raducanu, Kalinina, Andreescu. Who was the most impressive? I say the latter. Things are starting to heat up in Madrid, as all the rats are exterminated and the true contenders are starting to make their way to the fore-front. I discuss Sara Sorribes Tormo being a professional pest, and Jil Teichmann's quiet success thus far. Big matches coming up for almost all the players in Round 3, that will address a lot of questions and get rid of the question marks.
2022-05-011h 05The Saif SpaceWTA Madrid - Round 2 Day 2Ohhhh Paulaaa Badooooosaaaaaa... looked like an amateur on court against Simona Halep. Good day of tennis, and I'm not just talking about our bets. Impressive outing between Bencic/Muchova, as well Martic/Anisimova, and Putintseva/Gauff. Horrible stuff from Zidansek, Yastremska, and Badosa, with the latter being the only player to lose UNDER the posted total. Alexandrova keeps winning.
Kostyuk x Raducanu has all the ingredients in the world to be match of the day tomorrow, two young and promising player. Two lefties take on each other, Teichmann x Fernandez, also has the fixings...
2022-05-011h 08The Saif SpaceWTA Madrid - Round 2 Day 1What an absolute sh1t show today in Madrid. Some very interesting sequences, and the final score-line would shock you if at any point you stepped away for 20 minutes, during ANY match. Giorgi, Bondar, Martincova, Potapova, Konjuh, Pavlyuchenkova all committed crimes on courts. Good wins for Kostyuk, Andreescu, Muguruza, and Teichmann. Look ahead and preview of all Round 2 matches on Saturday from the bottom half of the draw...
Halep x Badosa, Muchova x Bencic, Alexandrova x NPD, amongst others. Should be good!!! Halep is not losing tomorrow!
2022-04-2952 minThe Saif SpaceWTA Madrid - Round 1 Day 2NPD upsets Cirstea, Jabeur is the luckiest player in the world. Sabalenka is Anisimova's dog, Cornet committed a crime. Alexandrova with a clutch win (!). Badosa continues to front run... Gets Simo Halep next. Preview of Tauson x Kostyuk, Potapova x Osaka, Andreescu x Riske, and much more on Friday.
2022-04-291h 14The Saif SpaceWTA Madrid Draw & Day 1 Round 1No Iga Swiatek this week. Please talk to me nice when approaching the subject. FULL preview of the draw, and we recap the final round of qualifying and where they are placed in the draw. Sabalenka trails the H2H with Anisimova 0-3 but is defending champion here in Madrid. Begu? NPD? Dog day? Good luck to us. Twitter: @SaifSmacks
2022-04-2852 minThe Saif SpaceQueen RatI delve into a deep discussion about the new world #2, Queen Rat. Also known as Paula Badosa. What is a rat? And more importantly, how is Paula Badosa world #2? I do my best to attempt to answer those questions. WTA Madrid Qualis, recap of round 1 and preview of round 2.
Paste this in twitter search bar and enjoy:
from:saifsmacks badosa
2022-04-271h 10The Saif SpaceThere is only one (conclusion) & WTA MadridA conclusion to the three-part series wrongfully named 'there is only one', it concluded with Iga Swiatek losing to our dubbed 'the one', Aryna Sabalenka. I discuss my thoughts on Iga Swiatek, her dominance, and the current state of the WTA tour. I also preview the 24 (!) qualies taking place in WTA Madrid tomorrow.
2022-04-2653 minThe Saif SpaceThere is only one (continued)Sabalenka beats new world no.2 Badosa. Iga Swiatek beats Samsonova in 3 hours. Sabalenka is coming for her neck. Kudermetova stomps Cirstea, and Potapova continues to impress. Look for Kudermetova to win the final (!!!) in the all-Russian affair.
2022-04-2437 minThe Saif SpaceThere is only oneThere is only one: Aryna Sabalenka. Fantastic day of betting, and a fantastic day of tennis matches, except for Badosa x Jabeur. Good on Emma for avoiding bakery products altogether in her 64 64 loss to Bad Girl Iga. Anna Bondar is the best player you've never heard of, and her match against Kudermetova was the match of the day that you will also never hear about it. Twitter: @SaifSmacks
2022-04-2345 minThe Saif SpaceThe "IT" FactorWhat is the 'it' factor? Who has 'it'? Does Rybakina? How about Alexandrova? Full recap of Thursday's action in WTA Istanbul and Stuttgart, and a full preview of Friday's quarterfinals. Emma x Iga, Paula x Ons, Anett x Aryna... Some slate.
2022-04-2242 min
The Saif SpaceThe OccasionHear my thoughts on Novak Djokovic x Miomir Kecmanovic, and how 'The Occasion' is something to consider when approaching this match from a handicapping standpoint. Something to think about...
2022-04-2144 min
The Saif SpaceSecond ServesThe 'going for the win' mentality for second serves, vs the 'trying to not lose' mentality. Today I start off by talking about how we should always try to go for the win, and be brave, with everything in life. Who's gonna beat Leylah Fernandez? She's the defending champion! Will Sori Cirstea win Lyon and overtake Simona as Romanian no.1? She would also achieve a career high ranking of world no.21!!! Can Yastremska remain competitive in Lyon? Or is Alisson Van Uytvanck gonna be the one to ruin all the fun?
2022-03-0329 minThe Saif SpaceDayana YastremskaTake a bow, Queen Dayana. Unbelievable performance by Yastremska that took a lot of guts and guile. I recap the two tournaments in Monterrey and Lyon thus far, and preview the upcoming matches for Wednesday. I also discuss the FUTURE of the WTA tour, whilst also addressing some concerns in some of the young, promising players (Potapova, Kostyuk, Frech) and also some of the veteran players who seem to be on their way out (Kvitova, Halep, Vika)
2022-03-0239 minThe Saif SpaceWinning Solves EverythingWow wow wow. Carlitos in Rio. Djokovic, Rublev and Jiri Vesely in Dubai, Medvedev, Zverev, and Nadal in Acapulco. Ostapenko in Dubai, Swiatek in Doha, and Sabalenka, Kvitova, Badosa, Sakkari, Halep, Yastremska, Kasatkina, Tomljanovic. FAA, Tsitsipas. A lotof players feature in our 2.5 week long recap, and I try my best to cover everything! Welcome back!!!
2022-02-271h 09The Saif SpaceTie(heart)breaksLosing a deciding set is no fun. Especially if it's after you won the first, and especially losing it in a tiebreak. Mixed results from our bets, although the WTA St. Petersburg tournament seems to be delightful thus far. Kudermetova, Giorgi, Teichmann, Cornet, all with first round exits. That's how good the draw is. Kvitova loses tomorrow? Can Xinyu Wang get it going? Shapovalov plays who?
2022-02-0739 minThe Saif SpaceBack Like We Never LeftTime to get back on the grind and take off. Australian Summer of Tennis is over, and it's now week-to-week all around the world until Paris in May. ATP Rotterdam & WTA St. Petersburg will have the majority of our attention for this week, and I discuss the draws and preview R1 matchups.
2022-02-0634 minThe Saif SpaceAustralian Open - SFIs Barty the answer to our week-long question; Who the f*ck is gonna beat Madison Keys? Tsitsipas peaking at the right time. Nadal easy path to the final, thanks to his quirks and his poor gamesmanship. Matteo thank you letter to Djokovic. Iga Swiatek beat Kaia Kanepi. Can Daniel Collins put an end to her? Full recap of the QF & a big preview of the final four and what's to come.
2022-01-2636 min2022-01-2440 minThe Saif SpaceAustralian Open - Round 4 Day 2Ohhhhh Jessssieee Pegulaaaaaaaaa.... She made her QF. Who the f*ck is gonna beat Madison Keys? Not Badosa. Krejcikova maybe? Sabalenka to the semi final. Shapovalov looks very good. Don't sleep on Sori Cirstea. Medvedev x Cressy is a science experiment. Line movement, good or bad? Usually good if it's AGAINST you.
2022-01-2345 minThe Saif SpaceAustralian Open - Round 4 Day 1There is only one Aryna Sabalenka. Rublev upset. Cornet, Collins comebacks. Is Badosa gonna beat Madison Keys? Will Pegula make a semi-final?Why is nobody talking about Simona Halep? What bout Azarenka? Elise Mertens is quietly winning. Sabalenka x Halep semi-final? Kasatkina is finally going home. Huge day betting wise, and we are heading into Week 2.
2022-01-2245 minThe Saif SpaceAustralian Open - Round 3 Day 2Can Sabalenka get on track and make a semi-final against Halep potentially? Who is gonna beat Keys? Is Pegula gonna make a QF? Does Anisimova stand a chance against Barty? Benoit Paire surely can't upset Tsitsipas, right? Evans or FAA?
2022-01-2137 minThe Saif SpaceAustralian Open - Round 3 Day 1HOLY F*CK!!! What a day of tennis. Kyrgios x Medvedev, and Raducanu, Kontaveit, Muguruza, & Rybakina all bowing out. Halep's easy path to a semi-final. Sabalenka's resurgence? Updated top 5 favorites going into round 3, and as always, a big preview to round 3 & beyond, as we analyze the draw and look ahead to Week 2.
2022-01-2059 minThe Saif SpaceAustralian Open - Round 2 Day 2Carlitos Alcaraz, Aslan Karatsev, Madison Keys, Kudermetova, Sakkari, Qinwen Zheng, Qiang Wang, and much more. BIG recap and my thoughts on the first three days of action thus far, with a big look-ahead of the WTA Round 3 & 4 as well as some QF matchups potentially. As always, we recap every match from last night and cover every match coming up tonight.
2022-01-191h 01The Saif SpaceAustralian Open - Round 2 Day 1Emma Raducanu, Aryna Sabalenka, Leylah Annie Fernandez, Petra Kvitova, and much more. Preview of Bencic x Anisimova, Qinwen Zheng x Sakkari (I didn't say anything), and every other Wednesday morning matchup to kick off Round 2.
2022-01-1845 minThe Saif SpaceAustralian Open - Round 1 Day 2Full recap of Day 1, and a full preview of Day 2. Raducanu x Stephens, Coco Gauff first round exit, obnoxious behavior, and much more. Is tennis in trouble? Best thing I saw day one, worst thing I saw, and what confused me the most.
2022-01-171h 02The Saif SpaceAustralian Open - Round 1 Day 1Big preview of every match from the first day of the Australian Open, which features half of the first round matches (32!). My top 5 favorites to win the tournament, and a little bit about 'spoilers' in Grand Slams. Good luck to us.
2022-01-161h 02The Saif SpaceCold StreaksHow to deal with cold streaks in tennis betting, and how to get back on track to winning ways. Mindset is everything, and if you're not having fun/enjoying yourself, not only is that destructive to yourself and your wallet, but also destructive to your chances of winning. We talk about gambling addictions, how to recover from losing streaks, and AO futures.
2022-01-121h 00The Saif SpaceRaducanu, Sabalenka, DjokovicWhat should we expect from Emma Raducanu, US Open champion, moving forward? What will her career look like? What's good with Sabalenka? Is she going to recover? When should we expect her to get back on track? Novax Djokovic, is he gonna play the open? Should he play? What does the AO men's field look without him? Parity in tennis, do we need it or could we do without it?
2022-01-111h 04The Saif SpaceCashing out & HedgingWhen should I cash out? Should I hedge? Do you think I should cash out or no? Hear about Svitolina's match against Madison Keys, and learn what adversity reveals about a person's true colors. Get a recap of Monday's matches and a preview of Tuesday's matches!
2022-01-101h 04The Saif SpaceATP B*tchesToday's show presents my very raw thoughts about the ATP tour, and why I don't bet it, follow it, as rigorously as the WTA tour. Hear my thoughts about betting matches early in a tournament, vs the later stages. How to approach first round matches, and how to better understand 50/50 games and identifying value from them.
2022-01-0959 minThe Saif SpaceGood players, Bad playersHow to determine who is a 'good player' and who is a 'bad player'. Placing good wagers is all about identifying who the right player is to back, based on the research you did, based on the occasion, and most importantly, based on WHAT the line is. How to identify a bad player, and why you should avoid them. How to measure the accuracy of the market, and what to do about it.
2022-01-0859 minThe Saif SpaceDon't be NegativeOn today's show, you can hear a recap of Friday's slate of matches, as well as a preview of Saturday's Semi-finals. Encouragement to not be negative when you lose. How to make a good wager? What is the significance of line movement? What causes line movement? How do I decide what to bet? Find out here!
2022-01-0759 min
The Saif SpaceIntroWelcome to the first episode of The Saif Space, where I discuss all things related to Tennis betting, and provide you with the necessary tools to succeed.
2022-01-0630 min