ROGERS CUP FEATURE MATCH BETTING NADAL vs. ANDERDON
Rafael Nadal, the US Open frontrunner in the eyes of many, is set to bid for a spot in the Rogers Cup quarterfinal round, late on Thursday night in Toronto.
For the second consecutive day, Rafa has the honour of bringing the curtain down on the day’s tennis betting action.
If he’s in top form, more specifically, anywhere near the form he was in last night, this final act on Centre Court at the Rexall Place should be a sensational showdown.
Wawrinka is going to be a tough act to follow for Kevin Anderson. The Swiss No.2 Wawrinka really took it to Nadal last night, especially in the first set.
Nothing was left unasked by the Swiss, and in turn, no question did the Spaniard leave unanswered. Despite the high-level of intensity that Wawrinka brought to the match, the zone he tapped into even and the numerous chances he had to take the first set, Nadal outdid him on every score and thwarted him at every turn, eventually sending him packing 7-6(12), 6-3.
On paper, the matchup with Anderson augurs well for the Rafa. There is nothing on Anderson’s resume to suggest he has the wherewithal to beat him –except for a one-off performance against Djokovic at the Miami Masters, a couple of years ago now.
Nadal will be mindful of that but the bookies don’t seem to take much stock of it. Can’t say I am surprised.
Anderson registers as a long shot bet for the upset; he started the day priced somewhere at 5/1 at Paddy Power but has since moved longer to 7/1. In Set Betting markets, he is on offers of 11/1 to win in either straight sets or three sets.
The way the bookies have priced Anderson, you must have a sense of the magnitude of the task before him. It is possible, I suppose. Easier said than done because Nadal is the toughest player to beat – he leads the ATP tour with a best winning percentage 0.906.
The significance should he accomplish the unthinkable, upset Nadal, would be twofold. It would a) send seismic shockwaves through the tournament and b) more importantly, it would have a direct impact on the upcoming US Open market, in which, Nadal is trading as the frontrunner.
The way the market has been steadily moving – Nadal starting at 1/10 and moving further out of reach, to 1/14 – demonstrates some serious confidence in the kid. Doesn't your confidence grow too as the markets trend?