Posted on 3/17/2008 4:14:02 PM

ATP Tennis Betting – Pacific Life Open Third Round Quartet of Free Picks

By Eric Williams

The ATP tennis betting season is heating up as it steamrolls toward the second grand slam tournament of the year, the French Open, but before that takes place, plenty of tennis still needs to be played and the Pacific Life Open is heating up quicker than a microwave set to full blast.

With that thought in mind, check out this quartet of ATP Pacific Life Open Free Picks.

04:00 PM EST

Carlos Moya +175

James Blake -225

ATP Pacific Life Open 3rd Rnd

Analysis: Moya is 6-5 in his career against Blake with Moya winning their last match in 2007 at the ATP Masters Series event in Hamburg, Germany, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. Moya is 9-6 in 15 matches this season while Blake has gone 11-4 in 15 matches.

Moya beat Blake in their last meeting to snap a five-match losing streak, but I fully expect Blake to start another streak against the veteran Moya in this match.

Free Pick: James Blake in three sets

05:30 PM EST

Paul Henri Mathieu +150

Jo Wilfried Tsonga -200

ATP Pacific Life Open 3rd Rnd

Analysis: Paul-Henri Mathieu and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga have never played before today’s scheduled meeting. Mathieu is 9-5 this season in 14 matches while Tsonga is 10-4 and made a thrilling run to his first grand slam final at the 2008 Australian Open.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is for real people. He should be able to dispose of Mathieu with his blossoming all-court game.

Free Pick: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

05:30 PM EST

Donald Young +600

Rafael Nadal -1400

ATP Pacific Life Open 3rd Rnd

Analysis: Young and Nadal have never met in a match before today. Young is coming off a big win over Feliciano Lopez, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2, to get back at Lopez for his loss to the Spaniard at the U.S. Open last year in four sets. Young is 2-4 in six matches this season while Rafael Nadal is an impressive 12-4 this season. The bottom line for this match is that 18-year-old Young has a long way to go before he’s in the same class as Nadal.

Free Pick: Rafael Nadal in straight sets

07:00 PM EST

Marcos Baghdatis -175

Stanislas Wawrinka +135

ATP Pacific Life Open 3rd Rnd

Analysis: Baghdatis and Wawrinka have never met in a match prior to today’s meeting. Baghdatis is 6-5 in eleven matches this season while Wawrinka sports a 7-5 record in 12 outings this season.

Despite the mediocre record this season, Baghdatis holds the edge over Wawrinska in nearly every important service category, including aces, (109-79), first serve percentage won, (77-69), and percentage of service games won, (83-76).

While Wawrinska’s numbers suggest that he is clearly a better returner of serve than Baghdatis, I like the Cypress native to start warming up for the French Open and summer season by taking out Wawrinska in this match.

Free Pick: Baghdatis in straight sets.