The WTA Madrid Open is the third two-week 1,000-point tournament of the tennis season. It’s the first one on clay, as the run-up to the French Open begins to gain more momentum and the tournaments grow in importance. There are 96 players in the main draw, which means many qualifying-round matches are being played. Players in the top 50 know they will qualify for every 1,000-point tournament and every major. It’s the players on the margins to whom these qualifying matches are very important to the flow of their season and their chances to improve both their rankings and paychecks. There are plenty of Tuesday qualifying matches in Madrid. Let’s look at some of them. 

WTA Madrid
Jeanjean – Masarova: Time 5:00

H2H: 1-2

Leolia Jeanjean and Rebeka Masarova own nearly identical WTA rankings, separated by just two spots near No. 125. This is a crucial match for both players, given where they are in the rankings. A win offers the chance to move toward the top 100 and possibly beyond, improving the chances of being able to get into major tournaments. Jeanjean and Masarova have both won four of their last six matches, but not against elite WTA competition. How will they fare against each other when it matters?

Best Bet to Make

Masarova is a clear-cut favorite on the books, but is she dramatically better than Jeanjean in terms of performance and ranking? She’s better, but maybe not by the margin the books seem to be assuming. You’re not going to get great odds for picking Masarova to win the match outright. You need to look for a game or set spread angle. As long as Jeanjean can push the match into the third set, the return is relatively decent. It’s hard to trust Masarova to win the match in straight sets. Take a flier and see what happens.

That being said, Jeanjean +1.5 sets is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/ the best odds: Jeanjean +1.5 sets @1.75 @Coral

Bartunkova – Charaeva: Time 5:00

H2H: 0-0

Nikola Bartunkova faces Alina Charaeva in an intriguing match. Bartunkova is ranked over 30 spots higher than Charaeva, which is why the betting markets have her priced as the favorite to win. Both players won a qualifying match in Madrid to advance to this meeting. Bartunkova defeated Katarzyna Kawa. Charaeva beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Bartunkova is the 10th seed in Madrid qualifying, while Charaeva is unseeded.

Best Bet to Make

Bartunkova beating Kawa in three sets in Madrid qualifying was not a more impressive win than Charaeva beating Sasnovich in straight sets. Bartunkova is the higher-ranked player and a seed in the qualifying rounds, but Charaeva is playing at a similar level and certainly isn’t playing worse. The books give Bartunkova a lot of credit, which means that if you can find any way to bet on Charaeva, you will get good value.

That being said, Charaeva +3.5 games is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/ the best odds: Charaeva +3.5 games @1.85 @WilliamHill

Waltert – Salkova: Time 5:00

H2H: 1-0

Simona Waltert plays Dominika Salkova. Waltert is ranked just inside the top 100 while Salkova is No. 120. The two players met earlier this year. It was their only head-to-head matchup, but it was relatively recent. The match went three sets, with Waltert winning the match after the two players split the first two sets, both in tiebreakers. Both players won first-round Madrid qualifying matches to advance to this stage.

Best Bet to Make

This match figures to be close. After all, their previous meeting was a three-setter with two tiebreakers. They aren’t that far apart in the overall WTA rankings. Their recent results aren’t dramatically different, either. If it’s hard to tell who will win a match outright, you look for the value relative to the spread. The books are leaning Waltert, so a pro-Salkova bet offers a better chance to cash a winning ticket.

That being said, Salkova +3.5 games is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/ the best odds: Salkova +3.5 games @1.80 @WilliamHill

Main Photo Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports