WTA Betting: Back Sharapova to end her wait for Miami triumph

Sharapova has a favourable draw...

There's no time for rest on the WTA tour this month as Abelson Info preview the Miami Open 2015 with injury clouding Serena Williams' chances of winning...

World number three Simona Halep clinched the title at Indian Wells on Sunday, but the Romanian star has little time to bask in her glory as attention turns to Miami.

The loveable character even shared a joke with the media at her post-game press conference, as she declined to try and pick up the notoriously heavy trophy as she "wanted to play in Miami."

While she should still be fighting fit this week, the same can't be said of world number one Serena Williams who was forced to pull out of their semi-final encounter with a knee problem.

The top seed insists that she just needed to rest it for a couple of days and that it wouldn't be a long term issue. However, if it flares up again with such a short turnaround, she will be in trouble.

So surprisingly, even though she will still represent the biggest threat to everyone else in the field, it might be worth avoiding backing Williams if she isn't completely healthy as an MRI scan revealed a strain in her quadriceps tendon.

Given that she has won this tournament on seven occasions previously and will be looking for a third straight, it is undoubtedly a big risk to dismiss her chances, but looking at the competition elsewhere in the draw, there are plenty of viable options.

One thing that is for certain is that Halep is going to have to produce a sensational fortnight of tennis if she is to win back-to-back tournaments as the draw has been brutal on her.

In her quarter alone she is joined by the likes of Azarenka, Pennetta, Bouchard and Jelena Jankovic, so she certainly has her work cut out with Williams possibly waiting later in the tournament.

As a result, we're looking at the bottom half of the draw for a contender to at least emerge in the latter stages of the tournament and that search has taken us to second seed Maria Sharapova.

The Russian ace will have bad memories of Miami given that she has made the final five times in her last seven visits, but has failed to win the elusive trophy.

However, given that she has avoided all the big guns in her quarter, she can work her way back up to full fitness and get her game on point before tougher assignments.

In addition, with Williams struggling and having been the thorn in her side in Miami in multiple tournaments, Sharapova has all the incentive she needs to finally end her wait for a triumph.

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Back Sharapova to win the Miami Open 2015 @ 6.05/1