Bookies Blog

Bookies.com takes a look at the top five in the betting at this year’s Wimbledon.

Roger Federer (5/4 Ladbrokes) – The Fedster is back after a crushing defeat at the hands of Nadal in the French open, it doesn’t look like he enjoyed his worst loss since 99 either after he ripped his way through the Gerry Webber Open without dropping a set. Merely a warm up for the chance to turn things around between him and Rafael at Wimbledon. Despite his good form at the French Open, Federer couldn’t handle a greased up Nadal on clay but now as we move into Roger’s element the bookies mark him down as 5/4 . No doubt Federer will have a mind to turn up the heat in this tournament.

Rafael Nadal (9/4 Paddy Power)– Rafa has fallen at the last hurdle these last two years. There’s no question that this Spanish brute is an exceptional player but he just can’t seem to face up to Roger on grass. He has the momentum considering his recent victory in the French Open and Queens Club Championships (including a win over Andy Roddick and Novak Djokovic). The bookies have made a rational choice to put him at 2/1 (general). Given his recently proved dominance over Djokovic on grass it’d be very easy to guess at yet another Federer/Nadal final despite a slight inclination to place my money elsewhere.

Novak Djokovic (7/2 Betfred) – Beat Federer earlier in the year at the Australian open on the new ‘Plexicushion’ surface in the semi-finals which he subsequently went on to win. Since then he has met Nadal twice. Once on clay at the French Open (had he won he would have replaced Nadal as the World No. 2) and once at the Artois championships on grass. Both times he was defeated. Novak’s skill is sufficient to give Rafa a run for his money but his lack of stamina will seriously affect his game if he comes up against any of the other players in the top 4. Betfair are offering reasonable value at 4.4/1.

Andy Roddick (43/1 Betfair) – Andy is fourth favourite to win the tournament but its clear he trails by some distant from the top 3 when the bookies have him at 25/1 (Blue Sq and Ladbrokes) Centrebet have even gone as far as 40/1. However Roddick has shown considerable promise this year after a win over Nadal in the Dubai Tennis Championships in the Quarter Finals and Djokovic in the Semi-Finals. He also defeated Federer at the 2008 Miami Masters. He was forced to pull out of the French open due to a shoulder injury but made it to the semi finals of the Queens championship where Nadal defeated him. I think Roddick has a reasonable chance of success in this tournament though it’s hard to see him making past the top three players in the same tournament.

Andy Murray (33/1 Bluesq) – Betfair have got Britain’s favourite at 49/1…. Still, the general opinion of the bookies is that he’s 5^th favourite to win, that’s enough to raise the hopes of those who so faithfully supported the futile Tim Henman campaign all those years. Has Britain’s time come again?

Click here for the rest of the Wimbledon betting markets.

Bookies.com ponders the results for this year’s women’s singles event at Wimbledon.

Maria Sharapova (9/4 Coral) – She’s having a pretty sunny year after breaking Justine Henin’s 32 match winning streak and going on to win the Australian Open without dropping a set. She won the Singles title at the Qatar Total Open. Her first loss of the year was to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semifinals of the Pacific Life Open. So it comes as no surprise that she’s favoured by the bookies at 9/4 (general). There are some, however, who inquire after Maria’s shoulder after a spot of bother at the DFS Classic in Birmingham. Also take into consideration the rocky ride she took us on at the French Open.

Serena Williams (5/2 Stanjames) – Knocked out of the Australian Open by Jankovic at the quarter-finals (her fourth consecutive loss in the quarter finals of a Grand slam singles tournament). She and her Sister were then knocked out of the doubles event in the quarter-finals. After the Australian Open she cancelled her next four tournaments. A rocky start to 2008 for Serena, so it comes as a surprise that she is seeded as no.2 to win this tournament. Ladbrokes and Coral have her at 3/1 while Betfair is on 4.3/1. I find it hard to believe that she’s a contender for the final this year.

Ana Ivanovic (5/1 Totesport) – Ana has shown spectactular performance this year making both grand slam finals and winning the French Open. Now ranked No.1 in the world (partly due to Henin’s retirement) I reckon she’s good value at 5/1 general. Although it would be interesting to see her up against Dementieva (ranked 10^th favourite) at Wimbledon as she’s already lost to her twice this year.

Venus Williams (9/2 William Hill) – 9/2 at Bet365 and BlueSq and 6/1 at Betfair means there’s a lot more contesting between the top few players for the favourite spot than in the men’s event. It would be unwise to disregard anyone in the top four until you’ve really knuckled down to your research. Venus squeezed in a win over Maria Sharapova early on in the year at the Hong Kong Exhibition Tournament but yielded a win to Ivanovic in the Australian Open. It’s a tricky call especially as the bookies rate her 4^th favourite.

Jelena Jankovic (14/1 Ladbrokes) – Its hard to see Jelena come through for Wimbledon especially as she doesn’t have any previous Singles Grand slams under her belt. Her talents lie elsewhere on the clay court or in the doubles event. Betfair rates Jankovic for an unoptimistic 16.5/1 a large margin from the top four seeded. Ladbrokes have her at 14/1.

For further information on the Wimbledon betting markets click here.

As one may expect, Rafael Nadal is odds on favourite to win the tournament and with his dominance on clay it is difficult to see past him. However, despite his recent lack of form, world number one Roger Federer made his way into the second round with great ease and has been shortened to 11/4 for the tournament. It looks, therefore, as if the bookies are predicting a repeat of last years epic final.

The only other player the bookies feel has any chance of winning the tournament is Djokovic who can be backed at 15/2, this however does not seem to offer any particular value as he will have to surpass Nadal to reach the final and this therefore destroys any potential each way bets.

If you are looking for some each way value you are far better off looking for players who will have to take on the Federer , who is weaker than Nadal, on course to the final. I therefore believe that there is good value in either Davydenko or Ferrer, they are available at 25/1 and 40/1 respectively and offer good each way value.

In the Ladies tournament the betting is much more open, Serena Williams is 3/1 favourite to win whilst Jankovic and Sharapova aren’t too far away at 5/1 and 6/1 respectively. Those prices both offer fairly decent value and are the two players I feel are worth backing, they won’t meet each other prior to the final and so I believe a small bet on each makes most sense. Elsewhere there is little value as the ladies tournament is far more open than the mens.

Check out the rest of the betting markets on the French Open here.