Rafael Nadal vs Andy Murray: Not many people were keen on backing Andy Murray last night, as I suspect Novak Djokovic had backers in an uproar all across the world. I was one of the lucky fools with my money invested toward the Scotsman, so I did have the luxury of watching the entire match- point after point.
Some say wind may have affected things here and there, but ultimately what it comes down to is great defense from Murray and far too many mish
its from the #3 player in the world. Murray hasn't got my favorite serve on tour, but he was extremely aggressive and really dictated the pace of the game with Djokovic constantly seeming to swerve back and forth going after the extra ball. No matter how hard Djokovic rifled it back down the court, Murray kept it in play making for great television.
Both men exchanged breaks in the 2nd set, Murray twice with the advantage, but Djokovic came alive late in forcing the tiebreak. You just had the feeling though that if Djokovic forced a third set the Scotsman would collapse, hell, he was damn near livid about a few hecklers (rightfully so), but it seemed to shake his concentration far too long; against a player like Nadal who figures to get similar crowd support that is a grave mistake.
Nadal, on the other hand, was simply masterful in his dismissal of Frenchman Richard Gasquet, beginning with an epic 1st set TB which Gasquet actually won to the tune of an amazing 14-12. Afterward, it was all Nadal as he rolled along like a bowling ball. This may not be his preferred surface at all, but with his sights set on that #1 ranking which he so greatly desires, I think it's reasonable to believe we'll see that same eye of the tiger against the world #8 here. I don't feel Murray will have enough upstairs to endure the type of grueling challenge he'll undoubtedly face from the Spaniard, and with Rafa's returning skills if he simply serves well enough he's looking like the very likely champion of this event.
Pick: Rafael Nadal at
to win 2 units
(Note, I will track all my future wagers in decimal format so I'm able to better compare my own plays with Betfair, although I'm unfortunately unable to wager there)
One solid tennis favorite for Saturday
