US OPEN QUARTERFINAL LIVE BETTING NADAL VS VERDASCO

By all accounts, were to prepare for the single most significant men’s match in history on Sunday because the way pundits and experts are talking, a Nadal-Federer final is an almost certainty come the final movement. While this is a great tribute to, arguably, the best players in the game – perhaps even best athletes of any sport – it’s a bit of a slight to Fernando Verdasco at the same time, who is gearing up for a clash against Rafael Nadal in the US Open quarterfinals tonight at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Never would I presume to criticise these know it alls or their elaborate ruminations about what may come, but what I can say is what day it is today and what round we are in; that is, Thursday, the quarterfinal round.
There is a way to go before Sunday and three more matches to be played before all is said and done and potentially, the much-anticipated Nadal-Federer clash materializes. So, I think cooler heads need to prevail here. And we should give Verdasco his due, it's his turn tonight and who’s to say it cannot be his night after all.
Well, bookmakers are unanimous across the board: Nadal is the sure thing. Paddy Power has Nadal as the hot 1/14 favourite and Verdasco the rather large 13/2 underdog. Sportingbet.com are showing even more confidence in Rafa, tipping him the 1/16 favourite while tipping Verdasco at a more favourable 6/1 price. William Hill, by contrast, is the most conservative where Nadal is concerned, pricing him as the 1/12 favourite and Verdasco the 6/1 puppy.
Because Nadal owns Verdasco lifetime 10-0 he’s justifiably the favourite. Verdasco has never gotten past Nadal at any event. Most tennis fanatics, bettors and neutrals alike will recall the epic five-set marathon they played at the 2009 Australian Open. It’s no secret that everybody (even the tennis gods), expects the same here.
But what are Verdasco’s chances of recreating those heroics at Arthur Ashe stadium. Slim if the markets were any indication. Verdasco would have to play the match of his life to even take a set off Nadal. Just look at the set betting markets and you’ll get a sense of what a monumental task he has before him.
Without question, the popular bet in this match, across all markets and on every platform, is Nadal. It’s the nature of the beast. We are so hardwired to expect nothing but the best from Nadal that anything short of that mark is unfathomable.