posted April 17, 2008 at 17:28 in Tennis Free Picks

Estoril, Portugal – Both the ATP and WTA Tour stopped this week for the Estoril Open – one of several clay-court tournaments running this week on their respective calendars. Considered as a warm-up event, leading up to the French Open, what tennis bettors gain from online sports betting on this event is a great insight into the tennis players preparation for this year’s second Grand Slam event. So warm up your handicapping skills alongside the players through the European clay-court swing, starting with the Estoril Open tennis odds currently available at BetUS Sportsbook. To get you started, here are some free tennis picks for your consideration.

Tennis Betting Line: Flavio Cipolla vs. Florent Serra

Analysis: Both Flavio Cipolla and Florent Serra are players that rank beyond the Top 100 – Cipolla weighs in at No.127 and Serra comes in at No. 101. For Flavio Cipolla of Italy, the Estoril Open is his first ATP level draw event of the 2008 season. Prior to arriving in Estoril, Portugal, the Italian contested events on the Qualifiers, Challengers and Futures circuit. After winning the first Challenger event of the year at Noumea, New Caledonia, Cipolla slipped in form, crashing in the opening rounds in three of six subsequent challenger events (the other three saw he advance no further than the second round).

In his quarter of the draw, Cipolla was not the player slotted for a final eight berth. Gilles Simon, the tournaments fifth seed, was expected to emerge from that section, but when Simon retired from their second round encounter down 2-6, 3-5 Cipolla received a free pass (of sorts, as the writing was on the wall with that score) in the quarterfinal.

Florent Serra, who started the year with a quarterfinal run in Chennai, reaches his second quarterfinal at an ATP draw event this season. He arrived in Estoril with a 4-6 mark in ATP level events. By reaching the final eight, he improved to 6-6.

In terms of handicapping this match, both players favour clay. Surface advantaged cancelled out, speculating on this matchup falls to experience and playing activity. Serra has more experience at this level. He is contesting his seventh ATP level event of the year; meanwhile, Cipolla is appearing in his first. Therefore, the balance tips in favour of Serra. Based on tournament performance, Serra has strung together more convincing wins. Adding to his chances against Cipolla. Sum total: Serra has the slightest edge over Cipolla.

Tennis Free Picks: Serra in straight sets

Tennis Betting Line: Marc Gicquel vs. Nikolay Davydenko

Analysis: World No.4 Nikolay Davydenko arrived in Estoril, Portugal with a 20-5 mark for the season, which included lifting the Sony Ericsson Open title (an event considered as the fifth Grand Slam). By reaching the final eight, Davydenko improved to a 22-5 mark for the year. Davydenko will be heavily favoured against Gicquel. Not only because he outranks the Frenchman (Gicquel comes in at No.55 in the World), holds a 2-0 edge over Gicquel (recently beating him at the 2008 Australian Open), has enjoyed an impressive start to the season and won a title to boot, but because Davydenko is one of those players that plays well on all surfaces. Gicquel is a long shot bet against an in-form Davydenko.

Tennis Free Picks: Davydenko in straight sets

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room.