US Open tennis tournament betting review
The summer is sorrowfully drawing to a close and once more it does so without a British men’s singles champion at Wimbledon. The two weeks at SW19 are the very essence of the English sporting calendar courtesy of the swarming and patriotic support, the tradition and heritage of the tournament, the meteorological elements and the national paucity of champions.
Simply put, we have not had a champion to cheer since the open era began, since ‘the good old days’ were just ‘the days’ and since Billie Jean King was straight.
The man most likely to alter this streak of foreign domination is Andy Murray. Even your grandmother knows that. What she might not know is that grass is not the Scotsman’s strongest surface and that the upcoming U.S Open, starting this week in New York, may well hold his best chance of major success.
Murray was a finalist last year, beating Rafa Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro along the way, but was well beaten in the final by the incomparable Roger Federer. This year has been even better for the 22-year old and he has played as well as anybody in 2009, rack-et-ing up 5 titles, a 53-8 record over the year and the highest position for any Brit in the ATP rankings.
Tonight he plays prodigious but inconsistent youngster Ernests Gulbis. The Latvian can be a world-beater on his day but has not beaten Murray in three attempts and comes into the tournament in poor form. Murray wins this one in straight sets for my money but, unfortunately for him and his rather scary looking mother, he will likely have to overcome big serving Ivo Karlovic, dangerous Del Potro and a returning Rafael Nadal to make the final again.
Nadal was unable to defend his Wimbledon crown due to injury and now finds himself in the ignominy of third place in the rankings. The four-time French Open champ was beaten at the event this year and hasn’t won a title since April, including defeats to Del Potro and Djokovic since recovering from tendonitis in both knees. What Nadal didn’t need in his quest to rebound and win the only Slam that has eluded him was an opening round tie against arguably the most fearsome wildcard in the draw in Richard Gasquet. Apologies to Marat Safin here, playing his last Slam before retirement.
Gasquet, himself returning to the big time after missing a few months (although in slightly more bizarre circumstances, something to do with cocaine and a woman…those were the days…) is precociously talented but has disappointed to this point in his career. Rafa should win in 3 or 4 sets and has a soft draw until a potential meeting with Murray in the semis.
The other side of the draw is already under way and defending champion and all-around superhero Roger Federer made quick work of young American Devin Britton. Thanks for coming kid. In the second round he plays German right-hander Simon Greul and, according to my crystal ball, wins. Comfortably. And quickly.
Further down the road, Federer may have to deal with Novak Djokovic or the man he beat in his most recent epic Wimbledon final, Andy Roddick. A-Rod was the last American to win at Flushing Meadows and will be the home favourite but, sadly for one of the more valiant and likeable characters in the game, that Swiss fella is almost certainly the furthest thing he’ll be able to see on the horizon.
The first week of the tournament should pass with all the main protagonists still on stage but as soon as the main players begin to collide, expect drama worthy of theatre. The final act? Murray has to wait another year as Federer out duels either Del Potro or Nadal – and wins his 6th straight U.S Open.