Champions League Tips

Argentina are unbeaten in their last 27 games and have won 17 of those.  Chile have lost six of their last 12 and have lost two of their last four at home.

Jamaica found the net in their last three World Cup Qualifying games. Jamaica boast West Ham star Michail Antonio in attack, he has eight 21/22 Premier League goals. Mexico have conceded twice in four straight games and both teams have scored in five of their last eight.

Honduras have not lost any of the last five home World Cup qualifying ties against Canada (Won 3, Drawn 2). Canada have failed to beat Honduras in their last three meetings, including the reverse fixture last September. Canada are without key players Alphonso Davies and Stephen Eustaquio for this game.

Panama are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Costa Rica, winning three of those games.  Panama have avoided defeat in seven of their last nine away games.  Costa Rica have managed just two wins in eight group games so far.

USA have won their last three home World Cup qualifiers. El Salvador have lost their last three away World Cup qualifiers.  USA have never lost to El Salvador, winning 19 of their 24 meetings.

Caen have scored twice in each of their last five games, but issues at the back mean they’ve won just twice in that run. The visitors have scored in five of their last six matches, but they’ve shipped 1.3 goals per game on the road this term.

Paris have won six of their last seven matches including three straight victories on the road. They’ve won six of 10 trips this term, while Dunkerque have lost five of their last six games and they are second-bottom in the table.

Ajaccio have won three of their last four games to sit second in the table, while they’ve won seven of their 10 home matches this term. Only Paris FC have a better record across the last eight games than the hosts, while Auxerre are winless against the top seven so far.

Nimes have won only three home games this season and they look vulnerable going into this game. The hosts were beaten in their last home match, while they meet a Valenciennes have lost only twice in 10 away trips this season.

There has been at least three goals scored in four of the last five meetings between these two sides and that’s on the cards again in this clash. There have been over 2.5 goals scored in eight of Brest’s last ten games in the Coupe de France, while Nantes have scored nine times across their last four at home.

Top Oss have seen over 2.5 goals in 64% of their home matches, while Den Bosch have conceded two goals per away game this season, shipping 20 across their previous seven league outings.

Two-thirds of Benfica B’s away games have seen over 2.5 goals having hit 2.22 goals per away trip so far. However, the hosts have scored in five of their last seven so back goals in this one.

Only four teams in the Belgian top-flight have a better away record than Charleroi, while Sint-Truidense have won just two of their last nine league games, losing six. With both teams scoring in nine of Sint-Truidense’s last 10 home games, back a 2-1 away win.

Both teams have scored in Huddersfield’s last four home matches, while Stoke have scored in nine of their last 11 away fixtures. However, Huddersfield have an impressive home record and we’re backing them to claim a narrow win.

Both teams have scored in Huddersfield’s last four home matches, while they’ve scored in 85% of their home matches. Stoke have scored in 74% of their league games this season, but they’ve kept one clean sheet in five.

There has been at least three goals scored in four of the last five meetings between these two sides and that’s on the cards again in this clash. There have been over 2.5 goals scored in eight of Brest’s last ten games in the Coupe de France, while Nantes have scored nine times across their last four at home.

Charleroi have one of the best away records in the league, while they head to a struggling Sint-Truidense side. The hosts have won just two of their last nine league games, losing six. The hosts have lost five of their eight home clashes with sides above them.

Real Valladolid have won five of their last seven league games, while they’ve won seven in a row at home. Only six sides have scored fewer league goals than Sporting Gijon this term and they should struggle here.

Benfica B have won five of their last six away trips and they sit top of the table. They meet a Trofense side who have lost three of their last four matches, while the hosts have been beaten in three of their last four at home. However, Trofense have scored in five of their last seven so back them to get a goal.

Only four teams in the Belgian top-flight have a better away record than Charleroi, while Sint-Truidense have won just two of their last nine league games, losing six. However, the hosts have seen both teams score in nine of their last 10 at home.

There has been at least three goals scored in four of the last five meetings between these two sides and that’s on the cards again in this clash. There have been over 2.5 goals scored in eight of Brest’s last ten games in the Coupe de France, while Nantes have scored nine times across their last four at home.

Four of Lincoln’s last six matches have seen both teams score, while Burton head into this one having seen BTTS land in their last four away trips. The hosts have only kept two clean sheets in 17 games in all competitions, but after scoring in five of their last six they should see goals at both ends.

Wycombe have netted at least twice in eight of their last ten games and they have an impressive run at home this season. However, MK Dons have scored in eight successive away league matches and they should pose a real threat in Saturday’s clash.

Both teams have scored in seven of Bradford’s last eight games at Valley Parade. However, the visitors are in form as Crawley have scored in their last 10 away matches. The hosts have seen BTTS land in 15 of their last 18 matches, so back more goals in this one.

Stevenage have scored nine goals across their last four games, but they’ve conceded six goals in that time. Harrogate at least found the net in two thirds of their away league games this season, so back BTTS to land given that it has landed in four of Stevenage’s last five home games.

Both teams have scored in 13 of Lugo’s last 14 games, while Burgos have conceded in 83% of their matches this term. The visitors are in great scoring form, having found the net in six of their last seven.

Sheffield United have managed just two clean sheets in their last 12 away games. Peterborough have only failed to score in two of their last eight at home in all competitions, so back them to strike in this one. The hosts have shipped a goal in 88% of their matches this term.

Manchester City have continued to improve in the time since the Champions League group stages came to an end and they have won eight of their nine games since, with one draw. City appear on course to win the Premier League title and as such they can prioritise Europe. It is hard to see any team beating them over two legs, the final itself will be a different matter as a one-off game and their previous failures in the competition are also a concern – but on current form they look well placed to win Europe’s top prize for the first time in their history.

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Chelsea (twice) are the only non-Spanish side to win the Europa in the last nine editions of the tournament and of the La Liga contingent involved this year Sevilla look the standout candidates. Los Nervionenses sit second in Spain’s top flight and have lost just two league games all season, they also only lost two group stage games before dropping down from the Champions League as too many draws proved to be their undoing. Sevilla have a fantastic record in the competition and they won the trophy the last time they were involved in 2019/20, and they can add to their record six titles this year.

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Feyenoord took this tournament seriously in the group stages as they emerged as group winners after four wins and two draws, meaning they won’t be involved in the play-off round. Feyenoord are behind a few teams who have dropped down from the Europa League in the betting, such as domestic rivals PSV and favourites Leicester, but those teams may see this tournament as a distraction and as such an outsider may be the way to go in the Conference League – and the Rotterdam club look like the pick of the bunch.

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Club Brugge have failed to win five of 11 home First Division A matches this season. Club Brugge have won just one of their last four league games.  Union SG are unbeaten in their last seven in all competitions. Union SG have won nine of 11 away league games this season, including at fourth-placed Anderlecht and fifth-placed Gent.

Over 3.5 goals has been a winning bet in Estoril’s last two games and in six of their last nine.  There have been four or more goals scored in three of Arouca’s last five games.

Brazil have won three of their last four meetings with Ecuador, with one draw. Brazil are unbeaten in seven games since last year’s Copa America final defeat, with five wins and two draws. Ecuador haven’t beaten Brazil since 2004 – losing eight of the 11 meetings between the two sides since.

Paraguay have won just two of their 14 games in the World Cup qualification campaign. The hosts have only scored nine goals in this campaign, and are yet to find the net in two games under new coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto. Uruguay are unbeaten in their last nine meetings with Paraguay.

Jon Rahm has served his Augusta apprenticeship, with Masters form figures of 27-4-9-7-5. Having taken a long time off at the end of last year, the Spaniard should come out all guns blazing in 2022 and be in peak condition for the Masters.

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Viktor Hovland won the Hero World Challenge just before Christmas, showing he is ready to defeat top-class fields, and his Majors record is already solid. The US PGA is being staged in his adopted home state of Oklahoma, and the Norwegian could be ready to make a breakthrough.

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Xander Schauffele who has form figures of 5-6-3-5-7 in the US Open. Schauffele loves a grind and if he can pick up a regulation PGA Tour victory before June, he could turn into the man to beat at Brookline.

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Rory McIlroy will be massively looking forward to getting another crack at St Andrews in the Open Championship. McIlroy was the early pacesetter in the 2010 Open at St Andrews, before strong winds destroyed his challenge in round two. The Northern Irishman’s wait for a fifth Major title may end at the Home of Golf in July.

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Jon Rahm has a fine record at Torrey Pines, winning the 2017 Farmers and the 2021 US Open. He also finished fifth in the 2019 Farmers, was a runner-up in 2020 and seventh last year and his prodigious driving is built for the brutally long South Course. Rahm, 14th at the Amex last week despite a frustrating putting performance, was previously second to Cameron Smith at the Tournament of Champions on his first start of 2022 and, with his game in such superb order, he should go close again.

After a solid start in Abu Dhabi last week, Tyrrell Hatton carded a terrible second-round 77 in difficult conditions before a nine at the par-five 18th in the third round completely took the wind out of his sails.
However, there was a lot to like about Hatton’s final-round response as he made four birdies and an eagle to sign off with a 67 and a share of sixth place. Calmer conditions in Dubai should allow the Englishman to go flag hunting at a track where he has produced three previous top-ten finishes. Watch out if the putter warms up.

The Kings are slumping while the Islanders are winning, albeit against weaker competition. Both teams currently have an advantage on either side of the ice so look to the value for the bet. The sportsbooks see the slump and have placed the Kings, the better team, as the underdog, so taking the Kings to win with the positive odds.

Minnesota has won 4 of 5 to push their record over .500. They are coming into Golden State with a real chance to push the Warriors all game long. GS might be overvalued off of their big win over Dallas too. They got some production in that one that is hard to rely on. 

Minnesota has won 4 of 5 to push their record over .500. They are coming into Golden State with a real chance to push the Warriors all game long. GS might be overvalued off of their big win over Dallas too. They got some production in that one that is hard to rely on. 

Minnesota has won 4 of 5 to push their record over .500. They are coming into Golden State with a real chance to push the Warriors all game long. GS might be overvalued off of their big win over Dallas too. They got some production in that one that is hard to rely on. 

San Francisco 49ers won seven of their last nine games to snatch a wild card spot and look built to win playoff games. Both the offence and defence have climbed into the top 10 of DVOA, showing they are peaking at the right time. The experienced Jimmy Garoppolo quarterbacks an efficient offence that leads the NFL in yards per play, while their defense has also come on strong down the stretch.

Buffalo has built a top notch defence, one that has allowed the fewest points (17) and yards (272.8) per game on average. They might not be as flashy offensively as last year but they are still putting up big numbers, finishing third in average points per game. All 11 of their victories this season came by double-digit margins. They’ve recorded impressive wins at the Chiefs and Patriots on the road, so back them to go one better than their AFC Championship defeat last year.

San Francisco 49ers won seven of their last nine games to snatch a wild card spot and look built to win playoff games. Both the offence and defence have climbed into the top 10 of DVOA, showing they are peaking at the right time. The experienced Jimmy Garoppolo quarterbacks an efficient offence that leads the NFL in yards per play, while their defense has also come on strong down the stretch.

The Bengals pulled off a 34-31 upset win when these teams met in Cincinnati in Week 17, but things will likely be much different when they meet in Kansas City in the AFC Championship game. The Chiefs’ offense has been firing on all cylinders and even another great game from Bengals QB Joe Burrow is unlikely to be enough. Take KC to win by more than a touchdown.

The Bengals pulled off a 34-31 upset win when these teams met in Cincinnati in Week 17, but things will likely be much different when they meet in Kansas City in the AFC Championship game. The Chiefs’ offense has been firing on all cylinders and even another great game from Bengals QB Joe Burrow is unlikely to be enough. Take KC to win by more than a touchdown.

The 49ers have already beaten the Rams twice this season but are unlikely to secure the hat-trick in the NFC Championship game. Rams QB Matthew Stafford has stepped up considerably, playing phenomenal football to get his team to this point. As for the 49ers, they have made it here despite the poor efforts of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, and the signal-callers issues are likely to finally catch up with him.

The Kings are slumping while the Islanders are winning, albeit against weaker competition. Both teams currently have an advantage on either side of the ice so look to the value for the bet. The sportsbooks see the slump and have placed the Kings, the better team, as the underdog, so taking the Kings to win with the positive odds.

Anaheim back-up goaltender Anthony Stolarz entered last night’s game with the exact same save percentage as Gibson on the year (.919), and it’s not like the Montreal offense has been setting the world on fire. The Canadiens are scoring a measly 2.17 goals per game, which ranks dead-last in the entire NHL. Take the Ducks.

Plain enough, Carolina is one of the best teams and Ottawa is one of the worst teams in the league. The main factor though is any chance Ottawa would have had in this game likely diminished over the past few days. Connor Brown was added to COVID-19 protocol and team leading scorer Drake Batherson went down with a high ankle sprain. A bad team with a 17 man roster will have trouble keeping up with Carolina. 

The Kings are slumping while the Islanders are winning, albeit against weaker competition. Both teams currently have an advantage on either side of the ice so look to the value for the bet. The sportsbooks see the slump and have placed the Kings, the better team, as the underdog, so taking the Kings to win with the positive odds.

Tampa Bay thrives in so many categories like special teams, scoring, defending, and they have a complete roster. It is no wonder why this team is a repeat Stanley Cup champion. They should man-handle this Devils team, by shutting down their few offensive weapons, and penetrating their weak defence and goaltending. Barring a miracle, New Jersey won’t stand a chance in this one. The puck line is the play as we ride with the Lightning.

Since the NHL returned to play after its brief hiatus over the holidays, the Penguins have scored an average of 4.50 goals per game. During their current 6-game winning streak, they have scored 5 goals or more 4 times. They are coming off a game in which they scored 6 goals against the Coyotes, and they seem to have another favorable matchup in this one against the Kraken. The Kraken are allowing 3.60 goals per game, which is the 3rd-worst mark in the league.Take the Pens to win this one in regulation time.

The Knights are on the 3rd game of a road trip, while the Panthers will be ready to defend their home ice after a long road trip. Sergei Bobrovsky has been one of the best goalies in the league, and the deep Panthers offense will be ready for a big return to home ice.

The Flames dusted the Blues on Monday but St. Louis is a good bounce back team. St. Louis is deeper, has good home numbers, and has played well over the last month or so, save for Monday at least. For Calgary, this will be their second of a road back to back in their 3rd time zone in 3 days. This is a good bounce back spot for St. Louis.

The Predators have turned a 4 game losing streak into a 3 game winning streak. They have a top 2 defense and an offesne that can take advantage of bad defenses, like the Oilers have. The Oilers have been out of sorts lately, winning 2 of their last 9 games. Taking the Predators with their superior defense with value for the win.

Plain enough, Carolina is one of the best teams and Ottawa is one of the worst teams in the league. The main factor though is any chance Ottawa would have had in this game likely diminished over the past few days. Connor Brown was added to COVID-19 protocol and team leading scorer Drake Batherson went down with a high ankle sprain. A bad team with a 17 man roster will have trouble keeping up with Carolina. 

Since the NHL returned to play after its brief hiatus over the holidays, the Penguins have scored an average of 4.50 goals per game. During their current 6-game winning streak, they have scored 5 goals or more 4 times. They are coming off a game in which they scored 6 goals against the Coyotes, and they seem to have another favorable matchup in this one against the Kraken. The Kraken are allowing 3.60 goals per game, which is the 3rd-worst mark in the league.Take the Pens to win this one in regulation time.

Plain enough, Carolina is one of the best teams and Ottawa is one of the worst teams in the league. The main factor though is any chance Ottawa would have had in this game likely diminished over the past few days. Connor Brown was added to COVID-19 protocol and team leading scorer Drake Batherson went down with a high ankle sprain. A bad team with a 17 man roster will have trouble keeping up with Carolina. 

The Kings are slumping while the Islanders are winning, albeit against weaker competition. Both teams currently have an advantage on either side of the ice so look to the value for the bet. The sportsbooks see the slump and have placed the Kings, the better team, as the underdog, so taking the Kings to win with the positive odds.

Tampa Bay thrives in so many categories like special teams, scoring, defending, and they have a complete roster. It is no wonder why this team is a repeat Stanley Cup champion. They should man-handle this Devils team, by shutting down their few offensive weapons, and penetrating their weak defence and goaltending. Barring a miracle, New Jersey won’t stand a chance in this one. The puck line is the play as we ride with the Lightning.

Since the NHL returned to play after its brief hiatus over the holidays, the Penguins have scored an average of 4.50 goals per game. During their current 6-game winning streak, they have scored 5 goals or more 4 times. They are coming off a game in which they scored 6 goals against the Coyotes, and they seem to have another favorable matchup in this one against the Kraken. The Kraken are allowing 3.60 goals per game, which is the 3rd-worst mark in the league.Take the Pens to win this one in regulation time.

The Knights are on the 3rd game of a road trip, while the Panthers will be ready to defend their home ice after a long road trip. Sergei Bobrovsky has been one of the best goalies in the league, and the deep Panthers offense will be ready for a big return to home ice.

Krzysztof Ratajski seems to have Gabriel Clemens’ number, he has won all eight meetings between the pair and the Polish Eagle can put a disappointing World Championships behind him with victory here.

Clemens is making his debut at this year’s Masters but his first experience of the tournament may be a short one.

Former World Champion Rob Cross looked back to his best at the back end of last year and he can dispatch Brendan Dolan with a minimum of fuss. 

The Northern Irishman has never made it past the first round of this competition.

Dimitri Van den Bergh endured a frustrating 2021 but should have too much for Ian White.

The Dream Maker was a 6-2 winner last time the pair met and is taken for another comfortable victory here.

Devon Petersen got in the tournament after Nathan Aspinall pulled out through injury and looks up against it facing Luke Humphries, one of the most progressive players on the tour.

However, Petersen is a good 180 hitter and can help contribute to five or more in this match between two maximum getters.

Krzysztof Ratajski seems to have Gabriel Clemens’ number, he has won all eight meetings between the pair and the Polish Eagle can put a disappointing World Championships behind him with victory here.

Clemens is making his debut at this year’s Masters but his first experience of the tournament may be a short one.

This looks to be a tight encounter between two of the world’s top 20. Both men are known for their scoring power and the total of 180s could be in danger here. 

The line is set at 5.5 for maximums and that could be a shade low given the pair can rattle off 180s with ease.

Ryan Searle has arguably been the most improved player in darts in the last 12 months and can make his Masters debut a winning one against Mervyn King.

Searle reached the Players Championship final before a deep run at the Worlds and can pick up where he left off.

Former World Champion Rob Cross looked back to his best at the back end of last year and he can dispatch Brendan Dolan with a minimum of fuss. 

The Northern Irishman has never made it past the first round of this competition.

Dimitri Van den Bergh endured a frustrating 2021 but should have too much for Ian White.

The Dream Maker was a 6-2 winner last time the pair met and is taken for another comfortable victory here.

This looks set to be a closer encounter than the betting suggests and Daryl Gurney has stronger recent form than Joe Cullen, who was beaten by Martijn Kleermaker at the Worlds and Andy Boulton at the Players Championship finals.

Simon Whitlock was a late call up for this event and has been knocked out in the first round of his last two tournaments. The Wizard looks like a man not quite at the peak of his powers at the moment. 

Dirk van Duijvenbode has also won three of the four meetings between this pair.

Devon Petersen got in the tournament after Nathan Aspinall pulled out through injury and looks up against it facing Luke Humphries, one of the most progressive players on the tour.

However, Petersen is a good 180 hitter and can help contribute to five or more in this match between two maximum getters.

Dimitri Van den Bergh endured a frustrating 2021 but should have too much for Ian White.

The Dream Maker was a 6-2 winner last time the pair met and is taken for another comfortable victory here.

World number one Novak Djokovic isn’t a certain starter and, even so, he has had an awful preparation for the first Grand Slam of the year, which should leave the door wide open for Daniil Medvedev to pounce.

The Russian is housed on the opposite half of the draw to Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Rafael Nadal and Matteo Berrettini, so has an excellent chance of teeing up another title decider.

Medvedev was runner-up to Djokovic in Melbourne last year but went one better when exacting his revenge on the Serb at the US Open in September and with that maiden major behind him the hard-court specialist may start to sweep up all before him.

If Rafael Nadal is ever to add to his haul of 20 Grand Slam titles then it is almost certainly going to happen at this year’s French Open.

The super Spaniard will turn 36 in June but he can still operate to a high level, particularly on his beloved clay. Nadal has claimed silverware at Roland Garros a record 13 times and although he was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals last year, that came on the back of an interrupted preparation.

The King of Clay understands that Paris is his best chance of Major success and he will certainly be fully focused on the challenge ahead.

Matteo Berrettini was unable to emulate the heroics of his country Italy, who won the football European Championships last summer, but he went agonisingly close in doing so at Wimbledon.

The Rome native made his first Grand Slam final at SW19 last year and despite losing in four sets to world number one Djokovic, should have come out of the contest with his head held high.

The 25-year-old looked a natural on the grass, which brought out the best in his big serve and favoured backhand slice. 

Two of Berrettini’s five career titles have come on grass in Stuttgart and Queen’s Club and he is one of the few players whose game is suited to the surface, which suggests he could be the value play to upstage Djokovic.

The pressure ultimately got to Novak Djokovic at last year’s US Open, where he fell to Medeved at the final hurdle in his pursuit of the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969.

Djokovic may have also run out of steam on the back of a busy campaign but he will have learned plenty from that and is unlikely to find himself in a similar situation this time around.

The Serb has made the US Open final in eight of his last 11 visits – winning it on three occasions – and he is likely to be hungry as he bids to set the record for the most ever Grand Slam title triumphs.

Ashleigh Barty has already claimed two Grand Slam titles at the French Open and Wimbledon and she can bring up a third in front of her raucous home crowd.

The world number one will be aided by strong support from her Aussie fans and she has had the perfect preparations for her home Grand Slam.

Barty defeated Cori Gauff, Sofia Kenin, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina on her way to victory at the Adelaide International just over a week ago which should put her spot on for this title tilt. If she gets past likely fourth-round opponent Naomi Osaka, then she is fancied to go all the way.

Polish star Iga Swiatek claimed French Open glory as a teenager two years ago and is a worthy favourite to regain her crown.

The 20-year-old warmed up for last year’s French Open title defence with a dominant victory at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, before running out of steam and crashing out in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

But, despite her tender years, the world number nine is already the most consistent clay performer on the WTA Tour and her imperious forehand is well suited to the demands of this slower surface. A bit of luck with the draw and she could take some stopping.

Belarusian powerhouse Aryna Sabalenka made the semi-finals in two of the four Grand Slam’s last season and Wimbledon 2022 could be where she finally makes her breakthrough.

The world number two is a prolific winner on the WTA Tour – she is a ten-time champion and five-time runner-up – and there was a lot to like about last season’s run to the last four at the All England Club.

The 23-year-old is all about brute force and she has a similar game to Serena Williams, who has spent her career dominating on grass with seven Wimbledon titles. With last year’s experience under her belt, Sabalenka could be ready to celebrate a top tier success.

There is going to be huge pressure on the shoulders of British star Emma Raducanu, who sprung a major surprise when winning the US Open as a qualifier last year, so Naomi Osaka looks the best value on offer.

The Japanese superstar has claimed all four of her Grand Slam titles on a hard court, which includes here at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and 2020.

Osaka had a disrupted preparation in her title defence last year but if she can stay focused on the task ahead then she ought to take all the beating at a venue she clearly thrives at.

World number one Novak Djokovic isn’t a certain starter and, even so, he has had an awful preparation for the first Grand Slam of the year, which should leave the door wide open for Daniil Medvedev to pounce.

The Russian is housed on the opposite half of the draw to Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Rafael Nadal and Matteo Berrettini, so has an excellent chance of teeing up another title decider.

Medvedev was runner-up to Djokovic in Melbourne last year but went one better when exacting his revenge on the Serb at the US Open in September and with that maiden major behind him the hard-court specialist may start to sweep up all before him.

Ashleigh Barty has already claimed two Grand Slam titles at the French Open and Wimbledon and she can bring up a third in front of her raucous home crowd.

The world number one will be aided by strong support from her Aussie fans and she has had the perfect preparations for her home Grand Slam.

Barty defeated Cori Gauff, Sofia Kenin, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina on her way to victory at the Adelaide International just over a week ago which should put her spot on for this title tilt. If she gets past likely fourth-round opponent Naomi Osaka, then she is fancied to go all the way.

If Rafael Nadal is ever to add to his haul of 20 Grand Slam titles then it is almost certainly going to happen at this year’s French Open.

The super Spaniard will turn 36 in June but he can still operate to a high level, particularly on his beloved clay. Nadal has claimed silverware at Roland Garros a record 13 times and although he was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals last year, that came on the back of an interrupted preparation.

The King of Clay understands that Paris is his best chance of Major success and he will certainly be fully focused on the challenge ahead.

Polish star Iga Swiatek claimed French Open glory as a teenager two years ago and is a worthy favourite to regain her crown.

The 20-year-old warmed up for last year’s French Open title defence with a dominant victory at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, before running out of steam and crashing out in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

But, despite her tender years, the world number nine is already the most consistent clay performer on the WTA Tour and her imperious forehand is well suited to the demands of this slower surface. A bit of luck with the draw and she could take some stopping.

Matteo Berrettini was unable to emulate the heroics of his country Italy, who won the football European Championships last summer, but he went agonisingly close in doing so at Wimbledon.

The Rome native made his first Grand Slam final at SW19 last year and despite losing in four sets to world number one Djokovic, should have come out of the contest with his head held high.

The 25-year-old looked a natural on the grass, which brought out the best in his big serve and favoured backhand slice. 

Two of Berrettini’s five career titles have come on grass in Stuttgart and Queen’s Club and he is one of the few players whose game is suited to the surface, which suggests he could be the value play to upstage Djokovic.

Belarusian powerhouse Aryna Sabalenka made the semi-finals in two of the four Grand Slam’s last season and Wimbledon 2022 could be where she finally makes her breakthrough.

The world number two is a prolific winner on the WTA Tour – she is a ten-time champion and five-time runner-up – and there was a lot to like about last season’s run to the last four at the All England Club.

The 23-year-old is all about brute force and she has a similar game to Serena Williams, who has spent her career dominating on grass with seven Wimbledon titles. With last year’s experience under her belt, Sabalenka could be ready to celebrate a top tier success.

The pressure ultimately got to Novak Djokovic at last year’s US Open, where he fell to Medeved at the final hurdle in his pursuit of the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969.

Djokovic may have also run out of steam on the back of a busy campaign but he will have learned plenty from that and is unlikely to find himself in a similar situation this time around.

The Serb has made the US Open final in eight of his last 11 visits – winning it on three occasions – and he is likely to be hungry as he bids to set the record for the most ever Grand Slam title triumphs.

Daniil Medvedev lost to Djokovic in Melbourne last year and he looks well placed to win it in 2022. He achieved his best finishes in all four Grand Slams last year and he should kick-on in the New Year, especially given the uncertainty around the defending champion.

Barty won at Wimbledon last year to claim her second Grand Slam crown and she’s a great option to succeed with home support in Melbourne. After dropping only one set on her way to winning the Adelaide International, she looks in top form heading into the tournament.

Both Matteo Berrettini and Rafael Nadal were pushed in five-set marathons in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and it could be another lengthy affair when the pair meet in the last four in Melbourne. Berrettini has seen over 38.5 games in three of his five matches and that could be the best bet in this one.

Daniil Medvedev became the first player at this year’s Australian Open to win from two sets down against Felix Auger-Aliassime and there is no chance complacency will set in against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has knocked out Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz. Medvedev has been here before, making the final last year, and should have the edge but Tsitsipas can win a set.

Ashleigh Barty needs little reminding how big this tournament is for her as she bids to become the first Australian since 1978 to win the Melbourne major. She is yet to drop a set and has lost only 17 games across her five matches in the Australian Open and should see off Madison Keys with ease.

Young Pole Iga Swiatek was pushed to her limits in a 181-minute duel with Kaia Kanepi in the last round and she could struggle to match the energy of in-form Danielle Collins, who has won 31 of her 38 Tour matches since July last year. She is an enticing selection to win.

Both Matteo Berrettini and Rafael Nadal were pushed in five-set marathons in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and it could be another lengthy affair when the pair meet in the last four in Melbourne. Berrettini has seen over 38.5 games in three of his five matches and that could be the best bet in this one.

Young Pole Iga Swiatek was pushed to her limits in a 181-minute duel with Kaia Kanepi in the last round and she could struggle to match the energy of in-form Danielle Collins, who has won 31 of her 38 Tour matches since July last year. She is an enticing selection to win.