Day One…

The first day of any grand slam is exciting. Much like the Cheltenham Festival, the media do a good job of hyping things up…

Don’t get too suckered in though, it’s a marathon, not a sprint! Every year traders do their bank on the first day of these big events.

The best opportunities are usually mid-back end of the tournament. Here are a few things to bear in mind if you’re having a go!

Pace…

Knowledge is power when it comes to trading any market. Make the most of the earlier rounds, but instead of piling on the cash take your time to get a feel for what’s going on. Which players are performing up to their potential? who’s had a tough match? who’s exhibiting different behaviour to usual? are all good questions.

Just like the players will need to pace themselves to go the distance, you will too. Waiting by the sidelines and not over-trading early on is often an asset, adding extra confidence in later rounds.

Trading tennis is a game of patience, even more so than horse racing. The positive is; when you’re extremely confident of trade it’s scalable. Bigger events like the US Open have mind-blowing sums pass through the markets so don’t feel as though you have produced. One or two good trades can be more than enough to produce a healthy return.

Historic Data…

Looking at previous trends for the US Open is a good place to start. However, real-time analysis and most recent data is far more important. Hanging on to a players reputation while trading them isn’t the best idea. Also bearing in mind the influence a home crowd can have on younger players is important. I guess what I’m trying to say is; last years data is important, but a lot’s happened since then!

The urge is to trade what you want to see rather than what’s happening on the court in tennis. Each has their place, but leaning toward to the present and recent performances are far more important. Every year there’s a youngster that causes an upset! Spotting them early can be a gold mine.

Market Behaviour…

Finally, remember it’s never just about what’s happening on the court. The market needs to fit too. The only thing that really matters in any trading is the price! Otherwise, we’re gambling, which is less than ideal.

Large stakes often swamp the market over these big meetings, as there’s a lot more on offer. But they make mistakes too! Bearing that in mind can sometimes provide smaller traders with a free-ride… don’t miss it!