The Pick, presented by DraftKings Sportsbook: Heather Watson vs. Jule Niemeier, Wimbledon

On Sunday, world No. 121 Heather Watson looks to upset world No. 97 Jule Niemeier to advance to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Watson, a former British No. 1, will have the home crowd on her side, but she’ll have her work cut out for her—Neimeier is a -200 favorite. There are, however, a lot of reasons to like Watson to keep this match close, and that’s why we’re leaning towards putting our faith in the 30-year-old.

In their only career meeting—this February, in Monterrey—Watson came away with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (4) win in two hours and 21 minutes. That was an extremely tight battle between the two, with both players taking turns stealing the momentum. And even though Niemeier is the player with some more impressive wins leading up to this match—she beat world No. 3 Anett Kontaveit, 6-4, 6-0, in the second round—it’s just hard to see why the oddsmakers have pegged the German as such a heavy favorite.

Watson should feel confident that she has the ability to get the job done. And while we do think Watson is worth a sprinkle on the moneyline (+160), we’re going with the Brit to just win at least one set, which would protect you in the event that she loses a heartbreaking decider. The odds on this type of play are usually a little pricey, but -155 isn't too much juice.

Niemeier is a player that really takes advantage of her service games, and she has quite a bit of power from the baseline—while also possessing the ability to mix in some slices at the right moments. But Watson has the ability to hang with Niemeier as a server when she’s dialed in. Watson is also a good mover on the court, so she should be able to keep some extra points alive and apply some pressure. If Watson can make the 22-year-old play some extra balls, she could fold a bit under the pressure of playing somebody that has the full support of the fans.

All in all, it isn’t hard to see why Niemeier is expected to win this match, but it is a little hard to understand why the oddsmakers seem to think it’s so likely. The truth is that there isn’t much that separates these two at the moment, even with Niemeier being an ascending talent on the WTA Tour.

The Pick: Watson To Win A Set (-155)