Guest post written by Paul Micelli.
Monday 21st June 2010 sees the start of the most prestigious grass court tennis tournament in the world and culminates in the men’s singles final on Sunday July 3rd. The tournament is already shaping up to be one of the most fascinating showdowns for many years and bookmakers are already reporting unprecedented interest in an event that is likely to be highly active in terms of the betting market.
While most punters will be looking at the two defending champions in both the men’s and women’s sections of the tournament, there has been a great level of support for the only significant British hope, Andy Murray, and the popular Spaniard, Rafael Nadal. Those with an eye for a significant omen may feel that Switzerland’s recent World Cup victory over Spain could serve as an indication of Roger Federer being the man to beat should he cross paths with Nadal along the way. The Swiss-born champion is still likely to be the biggest threat at Wimbledon this year. Federer and Nadal are seeded 1 and 2 respectively for the tournament.
Andy Murray, who has had a troublesome year in terms of injuries, form and temperament, carries the hopes of a nation and his previous performances on grass have made him the number 5 seed for Wimbledon 2010. Novak Djokovic, the consistent Serbian challenger, has been made the number 3 seed while Andy Roddick, who lost in the final to Federer last year, is seeded at number 4. Serena Williams will take all the beating in the women’s event this year and her aptitude for Wimbledon’s grass surface makes her very difficult to oppose. Her sister, Venus Williams, will be the number 2 seed for the tournament.
Most bets placed on the tournament will be little more than enjoyable flutters from fun punters looking to pull a little value from a tight betting market but the serious sports betting enthusiast will undoubtedly be looking a little deeper into form, trends and potential outcomes before making a final decision. In the lead-up to Wimbledon many betting fans will look towards tournaments such as the AEGON championships, which traditionally precede the grand slam event. The tournaments, held at the Queen’s Club in West Kensington, serve as a great indicator of form. There is relatively little in terms of grass court action on the professional circuit and the annual AEGON championship offers one of the very few opportunities of seeing how potential Wimbledon winners are performing on an alternative surface.
Previous performances at Wimbledon are also ideal as a guide to betting and many performers who endure an uneventful time on the professional tour often come into form on a different playing surface. Although it has been a number of years since Wimbledon last produced a major shock, a penchant for grass might help provide an unlikely outsider for ambitious punters. However, it is usually the tried and tested players who prevail in SW19 and the current records of Federer, Nadal and Williams will be particularly difficult to overlook this year.
