Tennis Betting Analysis from PinnacleSports
18th May 2007, 18:42
Will Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer renew the biggest rivalry in tennis and provide a repeat of the 2006 French Open final? Nadal is seeking a third straight title in Paris, while for Federer, Roland Garros is the missing piece in his illusive Grand Slam bid, but the world no.1 comes into the event without a coach. Check out the unbeatable French Open odds at www.PinnacleSports.com, pricing match-ups to c.102%.
‘Vive La France!’ - French Open in Paris
The catalyst for Federer’s split from Tony Roche was probably his shock straight-sets defeat to Filippo Volandri, a wildcard entry in the Rome Masters won by Rafael Nadal in mid-May. Roche had coached Federer since 2005, though wasn’t a full-time fixture with the Swiss master. Federer has vowed to compete at Roland Garros and Wimbledon without any coach, and it remains to be seen how important that decision will be.
The Federer Express is creeping closer to success on the Parisian clay, reaching the semi’s in 2005, and final last year, but on both occasions he has been thwarted by Rafael Nadal. If Federer is to assume the mantle as one of the sport’s true greats, he must overcome his nemesis.
Nadal remains the man for everyone to beat on clay smashing all records for success on the surface. The Spaniard is unbeaten at Roland Garros, with a 16-0 record, and has surpassed John McEnroe’s benchmark of 76 games without defeat on one surface, giving him an air of near invincibility on the red dust. All good things must of course come to an end, but PinnacleSports.com see Nadal as a hot favourite for success in Paris.
Nikolay Davydenko, 3rd on the ATO rankings, is the only player to have taken a set off Nadal on clay this year, when the pair met in the semi-finals of the Rome Masters. The three-set epic lasted 3hrs and 38minutes, and though Davydenko eventually lost, the Russian showed enough to suggest that on another day the result might be different.
Britain’s hopes have already been dashed by the wrist injury to world no.10, Andy Murray effectively ruling the Scot out, as he saves himself for the more important challenge of Wimbledon in July.
Women’s Event the Most Open for Years
Serena Williams, surprise winner of the season’s first Grand Slam event in Australia, will make a return to Roland Garros after a two year absence. Serena lifted the title in 2002, so is clearly comfortable on the surface, and with her fitness problems behind her, will be a danger to all - including defending champion Justin Henin. The pair avoided each other in Melbourne, as the Belgian swerved the event due to the break-up of her marriage, but the women’s field for Paris has so far avoided any high-profile withdrawals, bar Martina Hingis, who was considered an outsider by PinnacleSports.com.
Henin, a three-time winner at the French Open, will be gunning for a fourth title after missing out at the Australian Open. Her close friend and compatriot Kim Clijsters recently announced her retirement from the game, so Henin will be carrying most of the hopes of Belgium.
Unlike the men’s event, there are a handful of credible challengers for the ladies’ competition. Last year’s losing finalist, Svetlana Kuznetsova, is coming back to form at the right time. The Russian was a semi-finalist in Warsaw, and made the final in Berlin after knocking out Justine Henin, whom she had never beaten on clay.
Maria Sharapova was the success story of last season, but she was given a lesson in Melbourne by a resurgent Serena Williams, and will have to raise her game to a new level, particularly as the Russian struggles on clay. Sharapova has never gone beyond the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, so would be a surprise winner.
The crowds in Paris are arguably the most partisan on the circuit, providing home-grown talents with a psychological boost, while openly barracking less favoured nations. French hopes rest with Amelie Mauresmo, but the powerful left-handing has regularly struggled under the weight of expectation, never progressing beyond the last eight in twelve previous attempts. Mauresmo is more at home on faster surfaces which play to her strengths, and she is an outsider with PinnacleSports.com.