The Pick: Bianca Andreescu vs. Alizé Cornet

Bianca Andreescu and Alizé Cornet will face off in a rematch of the Berlin Grass Court Championships first round, won by the Frenchwoman, 7-6 (2), 7-5. This is obviously a tough first-round for both combatants, but for the most part, Andreescu’s ability on grass remains a total mystery. The Canadian is just 1-2 at the WTA level on the surface, with her only victory coming against Christina McHale last week in Eastbourne.

Having spoken to Andreescu about her preferred surfaces a few years ago, she definitely prefers a slower, grittier court because it accentuates the extremely heavy topspin on her forehand and her typically fantastic drop shot. Fortunately for Andreescu, grass is statistically Cornet’s least successful surface. Though the 31-year-old reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2014, she hasn’t made it past the first round since 2016, and her 10-13 career record at SW19 is by far her worst record at any major.

Mostly due to her health concerns since her breakout 2019 season, Andreescu’s matches have been notoriously difficult to predict. That said, she certainly has a flair for the dramatic, and is always one of the toughest and smartest competitors on tour.

Andreescu will likely have revenge on her mind, and now that she’s seen Cornet play up close and personal on the surface, I expect her to figure some things out. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the 21-year-old is listed as a -150 favorite.

Both coaches and players believe that the drop shot will be a very important shot on grass this year. Many won’t even run towards a well-hit dropper on grass, mostly due to fear of potential injuries. If Andreescu can tighten up her unforced error count and utilize the drop shot, like she does below, she should be able to turn the tides.

Given her lack of experience on the surface, and lingering concerns about her health and fitness, we are going to look at the over game total. Picking the over/under totals is not my preferred way of wagering, but Andreescu has played 25 or more games in three of her last four matches, and can be counted on to fight back if she finds herself in an early hole.

Please keep the bets on the smaller side, and make sure that your sportsbook voids all matches that end in a retirement, but this should be a close encounter, making the over 21.5 games a rock-solid play.

The Pick: Over 21.5 total games