Can Federer be beaten?

Three things always happen at Wimbledon. It rains, the strawberries and cream are far too expensive and Roger Federer wins the men's title. While we can do nothing about the first two, we can shed light on whether Federer - who has won the last four titles - will win the championship again and why Thomas Berdych at 33/1 with Sporting Odds could be ready to upset the odds. Federer has won his last 28 matches at Wimbledon, not lost on grass since 2002 and currently holds three Grand Slam titles. Add to that the fact that has won 10 Grand Slams in total and nine titles since winning Wimbledon last year and you will see it makes sense to ask whether anyone can beat the 26-year-old. The only genuine question mark is whether the Swiss world No 1 is deflated after a final defeat at The French Open. For the third year running it was Rafael Nadal who ended his dream of holding all four majors at the same time. Some experts have talked of a draining Championship at Roland Garros, but Federer only lost one set going into the final and the physical toil should not be a factor. Mentally though, there could be something of a hangover and this is presumably the reason for his withdrawal from Halle last week. Even more than in previous years, there does not seem to be anyone capable of mounting a serious challengeNadal, last season's beaten finalist, will be the No 2 seed once again and while his precocious talent is intoxicating, a second round loss at Queen's broke his winning run on all surfaces, and there are plenty of players better suited to grass that could end his tournament prematurely. Put simply, he will not beat Federer on grass, and 6/1 is nothing like attractive enough to take the ½ each way odds on making the final. Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt have previous good form on this surface. Nobody playing the game, with the possible exception of Tim Henman, deserves a Wimbledon title more than Roddick, having been beaten in the finals of both 2004 and 2005 and losing to Federer in the semi-final of 2003. A-Rod is not quite the force he was though, and his fourth title at Queens at the beginning of June was a demonstration of good luck rather than skill. Hewitt has won the title here, back in 2002, but has not made it past the quarter-finals in his four entries since - 2007 has been a poor year for the Australian too, with one title being won in Las Vegas as the only real high point. A first round loss at Queens' did not provide ideal preparation either. Is there any reason to think that Henman is more likely at age 32 to win this event than in previous years? Quite simply, no. The housewives favourite has never even reached the final so does not merit inclusion in an each-way betting verdict, especially as his career is in decline. Henman is rated no better than 150/1 by the bookies, and we are going to be looking for similar outsiders to find our selections. There is a wealth of young talent coming through. Novak Djokovic is now ranked No 5 in the world and is able to compete on all surfaces, with titles being won on clay and hard courts. Twelve months ago he reached the fourth round at Wimbledon, where he took grass court specialist Mario Ancic to five sets. He is available at 16/1 each way, and there is no doubting his potential. However, the French Open last month was the first semi-final appearance at a Grand Slam, and the other three non grass majors are more likely to suit Djokovic's style. Tomas Berdych is another talented youngster, and has better credentials than Djokovic at Wimbledon. The 66/1 quote also holds plenty of appeal. Last year saw an impressive run to the last 16, where Federer lay in wait. He is also one of the very few men to have taken a set off Federer on grass, at Halle last year, an event he returned to last week and won. That was the Czech's second win of the year, and the third of his career. Two quarter-finals and two semi-finals have also been reached during 2007, including the Masters Series events in Monte Carlo and Rome and he currently sits at number eleven. Verdict: Thomas Berdych e/w @ 33/1 Sporting Odds SportingOdds are offering all new customers £100 worth of free bets. Click here and open an account today. SportingOdds is interactive, instant, bringing you the fun and excitement of a revolutionary way of betting. SportingOdds aim to provide you with an unrivalled in running service, coupled with a comprehensive range of betting opportunities. With a blend of best prices, mass in-play coverage and various customer incentives, SportingOdds is a favourite with punters from Dundee to Dover.