ATP Tennis Tour heads to Marseille and Memphis

There is plenty of men’s tennis and bettting to enjoy from around the world at the moment from the ATP. As well as a tournament going in Buenos Aires at the moment with some of the more fringe players from the world rankings, a lot of the World’s top ten are in action. The superstars aren’t quite out in full force just yet, as there is a long season ahead and players pick and chose their tournaments to pace themselves for the season.

REGIONS KEEGAN MORGAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

We’re off to Memphis Tennessee for one of the unique tournaments on the ATP calendar. The tournament is held at the Racquet Club of Memphis, and this private club can boast about it being the only one to host both a professional men’s and women’s combined tournament. It is an indoor hart court tournament, with quite an illustrious list of winners. There is $1,100,000 worth of prize money up for grabs, and while some of the majors are pacing themselves early in the season, there appears to be no let up in the amount of work which Andy Roddick desires to get through.

It is understandable though, as he enjoys playing at this tournament. Roddick has won the title four times in his career and goes in again this year as top seed. He should be at least a shoe in to reach the semi’s as he’s had the final for the last four years in a row now, almost making the tournament his own. Won a tournament in Brisbane at the start of the year, and made his way to the Quarter Finals of the Australian Open before losing to Marin Cilic. There’s just 32 players in the tournament, but there are some familiar faces from around the top men’s game to cause some serious interest in the competition.

Radek Stapanek was beaten in last year’s final, and has climbed well in the world rankings over the last twelve months. He is back at 14th in the world though, and favours himself heavily on his serve. He will be out for some payback against Roddick, and the duo will meet in the Quarter Finals if things go to form and ranking. Stapanek is ranked third for the tournament, but took three sets to overcome his first round opponent. Spain’s Fernando Verdasco is making his debut at the tournament, and comes straight in as second seed. He has had a good upward curve to his rise in the ATP rankings, and won in San Jose on a hard indoor card earlier this year. Didn’t perform great in the first Grand Slam of the year, but plenty of potential if he gets his game into top gear.

The highest ranked player he will meet in his half of the draw will be German Tommy  Haas, who recently gained his US Citizenship incidentally. Ranked 18th in the world at the moment, but enjoyed a stint at being world number two back in 2002. Titles have been few and far between since the mid 2000’s but has won in Memphis three times before, giving him status this year. Unlikely to go on and win it, but should be a good quarter final bet. Big casualty of the tournament so far has been number 7 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber who lost in the first round to unseeded Evgeny Korolev. All being said and done, it will be a three horse race between Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco and Radek Stepanek.

Outright Winner
Perfect chance to head on over to Betfair and see what prices you can pick up for  yourself. The major online bookmakers may not carry the outright odds just yet, but you may be able to get individual match prices and Live In Play betting. But if you are looking to pick a winner, then see what the Betting Exchange Betfair has to offer. Not only will you get good prices, as you are essentially betting against other punters, but you can get a free no loss £25 bet on a new account as a welcome offer. If, when you place that first bet, up to a value of £25, it loses, then Betfair will do you the favour of giving you your stake back. Betting exchanges like Betfair are generally able to offer better odds than conventional bookies, so it is well worth checking out.

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OPEN 13

Three Frenchman started in the hunt this year, to try and bring a bit of home flair for the Marseille crowds amassing to watch some ATP Tennis. Neither of them were favourite to win the tournament, so we’ll get back to them. This tournament in another indoor hard court one, with just over half a million up for grabs in prize money. Sweden’s Robin Soderling is the top seed for the tournament, as he goes in search of his second title of 2010 after winning in Rotterdam. The World number eight has been in the final before, but has yet to win the trophy. After Frenchman Gilles Simon crashed out in the first round, left carrying the flag for the home nation is Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Tsonga was a surprise semi finalist at the Australian Open, where he ran into Roger Federer, and we know what happens when that happens. Still, he has a good 5-1 match record this season and is the defending champion at the Open 13. Ranked at number nine in the world he has kind of found his plateau, and doesn’t appear to have that next step in him. He did pick up three ATP titles last year, and this is the kind of tournament, where there is lesser opposition, in which he should flourish. So that makes him a decent player to back in the tournament.

At least he has been able to put fellow countryman Gael Monfils to shame, who is having a mediocre start to the new season, as well as having nightmare after nightmare at the Open 13. Monfils hasn’t looked like coming close to winning a title this year, and history isn’t much on his side for this one. Four times he has had a crack at the Open 13 and each time he has bombed out in the first round in front of his home crowd. Still, is seeded 3rd for the tournament, which means that there is a lot of other fringe players in the tournaments. Spain’s Tommy Robredo is fourth seed, and other names which could make an impact in a tournament of this quality, is Mikail Youzhny and Marcos Baghdatis. Soderling though is a solid player without being spectacular, and that could be enough to seal him the title this time around.

Open 13 Outright Winner
Robin Soderling – 2/1 at Bet365
Jo Wilfried Tsonga – 5/2 at Bet365
Gael Monfils – 6/1 at Ladbrokes
Marcos Baghdadis – 7/1 at Stan James
Tommy Robredo – 12/1 at Bet365