tennis betting

WTA Pattaya City Tennis Betting Info
The tournament offering here in Thailand offers a bit warmer climate to that of the stars who decide stay in Europe and contest in Paris. However, the lure of the Paris Open is a bit stronger than the Pattaya City event, although it is held in a beautiful location. Still, there is a decent field to look at for your tennis betting for this week from the event, led by Russian Vera Zvonareva, who could really do with getting a title under her belt for confidence. Granted the depth of the field is not as strong at the Paris Open, that does mean the tennis betting choices are not too difficult to sort though. There is one strong favourite, and a very small chasing pack of contenders. We also have some British interest at the event, with youngster Heather Watson going, along with Laura Robson (who is in the firing line of Vera Zvonareva) and Anne Keothavong as well. Keothavong (along with Elena Baltacha) helped Great Britain get through their Fed Ex Cup match on the weekend, moving ahead to a play off place in April. It would be nice to get a British win, because all British entrants apart from Andy Murray fell in the first round of the Australian Open, so they need a bit of a cheer. So an extra bit of tennis betting interest there in backing the Brits, and it is Watson who really has the best chance to go the farthest.

WTA Pattaya City Defending Champion
The defending Champion is the experienced and classy athlete that is Daniela Hantuchova. The Slovakian beat out Sara Errani in the final last year, dropping just two games in a totally one sided affair. She is back again this time to try and defend her title and is trading at 5/1 with SkyBet to do just that. Hantuchova is in pretty decent form at the start of the new year, reaching the final of Brisbane, then losing out in the quarter finals of Sydney to Petra Kvitova, before running into Kim Clijsters at the Australian Open early in the tournament. Hantuchova won both of her Fed Ex Cup Week 1 matches for her country on the weekend, and she looks in pretty good shape to have another run at the title here. It has to be said that she has an easier looking draw for WTA Pattaya City betting than she did last year, so she will have high expectations of herself. Always a great competitor, not always the greatest, most consistent finisher, but a classy competitor all the way, capable of beating the best when she is at her very best.

WTA Pattaya City Betting Favourite
While Hantuchova is looking pretty strong, she is not favourite in WTA Pattaya City betting. The bookies have bestowed that honour upon thee shoulders of Vera Zvonareva, and here is why. She is a two time winner of Pattaya City, lifting the crown in 2009 and 2010. She reached the semi finals here last year as well, but she ran into a wonderfully in form Daniela Hantuchova, who edged past here. Zvonareva has lost ground and a bit of touch with the rest of the top ten, now sliding down into 8th in the world, and as disappointing 2011 was, 2012 has not started too much better. With a first round exit in Sydney, and third round exit against world 56 Ekaterina Makarova at the Australian Open, Zvonareva is a long way from her best. Not sure if we are going to see the back to back Grand Slam final-reaching Zvonareva return any time soon. Really this is the level of tournament which she should be eating up, but right now, there are no certainties with the Russian, and while she remains the bookies favourite because of tournament history, her main challenger Daniela Hantuchova may just be the better option.

Other Contenders
Arguably while the field in Pattaya City is not as strong as that of Paris, the options in the chasing pack are better. If that makes any sense. For example, with have the sparky Heather Watson, who has a genuine chance of going deep in the tournament because of the draw. Granted she squares off against eighth seed Vania King in the first round, but if the Brit negotiates that, then it should be plain sailing until the semi’s. Daniela Hantuchova’s fellow countrywoman Dominika Cibulkova is worth a look as well, because of the line up of the draw, and she actually goes as second seed, which we are still trying to work out why. It matters not, because she will probably still have to go through third seed Hantuchova in the bottom half of the draw, and a match between the Slovakian number one and two would be pretty interesting. Cibulkova is really promising for the future, but would take the old hand of Hantuchova over the youngster. One other youngster we are not going to overlook, although she is headed for a potential quarter final against Vera Zvonareva, is young Romanian Sorana Cirstea. There could be great things for her to come this year if she pushes her potential forwards. She reached the quarter finals of Hobart, and then punters may remember her for her first round effort at the Australian Open where she scored a fantastic victory over fifth seed Sam Stosur. She started off her first round in Pattaya City with a crushing win, dropping just four games on her way to victory. Tournament fourth seed Maria Kirilenko is there too, pretty much Maria Sharapova without the aggression.

Latest WTA Pattaya City Betting Prices
Vera Zvonareva: 10/3 at BetFred
Daniela Hantuchova: 5/1 at SkyBet
Dominika Cibulkova: 6/1 at Stan James
Ji Zheng: 13/2 at Bet365
Maria Kirilenko: 9/1 at Bet Victor
Sorana Cirstea: 12/1 at Bet365

Online Bookmaker Promotion
Online bookmaker Bet Victor run a great tennis betting promotion which is worth dipping into throughout the 2012 season. Place a match bet on any match from the main draw of an ATP or WTA event, and if your selection loses the match in a final set tie break, then you will get your lost stake back as a free bet. So this gives you some nice coverage on your tennis betting throughout the season, should your match selection lose in a cruel way in a final set tie break. Online bookmaker Bet Victor offer a free £25 bet for new customers registering an account. The bookie will match the value of your first stake on a new account, up to the maximum value of £25, with a free bet.

Now that the excitement and disappointments (for all but two singles players, Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka) have died down from the 2012 Australian Open, it is a good time to look at some tennis betting season specials. The long season of course is dominated by the four Grand Slams, and we have knocked one of those off the 2012 calendar already. So the big question is, how is the rest of the season going to go, and what have we learned from the Australian Open. Well, the first thing confirmed, more than learned, is that Novak Djokovic is still the man to catch. The Serbian star showed remarkable resilience, in first taking out Andy Murray in an enduring five set semi final, before holding off Rafael Nadal in the longest ever Grand Slam final. So it looks as if no matter how hard he is going to be pushed, he isn’t ready to break yet, and the fact is, that he was pushed harder in this year’s Australian Open than he was in any three of Grand Slam titles last year. So with the first Slam under his belt this season, is it another remarkable season on the cards for Djokovic? Can he go one better than last season and win all four Slams?

Novak Djokovic Season Specials
How many Slams will Novak Djokovic win this season? Two Slams is trading at 9/5 with Bwin, Three Slams at 3/1 with Stan James and the Holy Grail of all Four Slams in this calendar year is trading at 9/1 with Stan James. Oh yes, we overlooked him just winning one (at 11/4 with Coral) but that just seems way too unlikely. You have to bear in mind that Novak Djokovic has won four of the last five Grand Slams. That has to count for something. This guy is so far ahead that he is pretty much a dead cert already to finish as World Number One again at year’s end, but you can get a price of 4/9 with Paddy Power down on that one.

Rafael Nadal Season Specials
It is still debatable as to whether or not the great Spaniards was truly at his best at the Australian Open. The former world number one saw off Roger Federer in epic style in the semi finals, and then pushed Novak Djokovic as far as he possibly could in the final at Melbourne Park. So that suggests that Nadal, who has been tweaking his game deliberately to try and closer match Novak Djokovic, is going to get very close to Grand Slam titles this year. The big thing about Nadal, is his presence at the French Open, and the clay surfaces at Roland Garros, where he is the king. He proved it again there last season, that that is his tournament and while Djokovic does have the edge over him at the moment, even on clay, Nadal’s showing in the final of the Australian Open suggests that he is going  to have a more profitable season than last. If you can put the French Open in his pocket again, then there is positive value at 5/4 with Bwin for Rafael Nadal to win one Grand Slam this season. The thing about this, is that if the rankings are going to be the same, Nadal is going to face Federer in the semi’s of Grand Slams, and so he will get his shot at Djokovic.

Andy Murray Season Specials
Great Scot, what must the lad do to win a Grand Slam. That’s five semi finals in a row now for the British Number one, and he has still yet to convert. He drew a lot of plaudits though for the way he stood toe to toe with Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi final. That was an epic five setter, which saw the best of Murray and he could have taken the match. Under the guidance of legend Ivan Lendl, is Murray on an upward swing. His early season form, which includes a Tour title already, would suggest so. You would realistically put his youth and drive over Roger Federer, so that narrows his chances, and if his performance against Novak Djokovic at Melbourne Park is a sign of what is to come for the rest of the season, then there is huge positives for him. If Djokovic and Nadal weren’t around, Murray would be winning Grand Slams, it’s as simple as it. It is all about mentally and physically breaking down those barriers, and he is going to run into Djokovic a lot this season at the Majors, so he will need to find a way to produce something against the world number one. Other positives was that he remained much more focus and ruthless against lesser opponents. So can Murray land a Slam this season? He is priced at 6/5 with SkyBet to win one, the most likely place it is going to happen is Wimbledon (the Australian Open would have been first choice, but that has gone).

Roger Federer Season Specials
Has the Fed Express finally ran out of steam? Well, the great one looks on cruise control most of the time, just as he did through the early stages of the Australian Open. The titles may be hard to come by now for him, but the world number three is still one of the classiest player on the ATP Tour. However, Federer was in great form at Melbourne Park, looking majestic, and yet he couldn’t get the better of old rival Rafael Nadal, and that could be the picture for the season in the Grand Slam. There is a lot to admire about Roger Federer, he makes the game look effortless, but up against the youth of power of Nadal and Djokovic especially, it is hard seeing the 2012 version of Federer pushing on and getting past both of them in a tournament to land a Grand Slam. That is why he really is at the back of the top four when it comes to Grand Slam tennis betting sadly. He will keep going, keep positive, but his glory days of Slams may have already drawn to a close. Still, staying optimistic, if you think he can land another one, then he is priced 13/10 at Bwin to do so, but with the bookies setting a general price of 4/11 for him to win no Grand Slams this year, paints a clear picture.

Nadal and Djokovic to win all 4 Grand Slams?
Great price of 6/4 for yes at William Hill. Very nice little tennis bet.

Next Player to Beat Novak Djokovic in a Grand Slam Final?
Well, the path should be pretty clear on this one, and that is Rafael Nadal at 4/7 with Ladbrokes. Because of the world rankings, we could see Djokovic v Nadal in all four Slams this season. If the world rankings stay the same, Djokovic will play Murray in the semi final stage, so that leaves Federer, should he beat Nadal in the other semi at a price of 4/1 with Ladbrokes to be the next man to beat the Djoker in a Grand Slam Final. However, if Andy Murray can climb back above Roger Federer in the world rankings he could get a crack at Djokovic in a Grand Slam final later in the year, and is 9/2 with Ladbrokes to be the man in this market.

Online bookmaker Victor Chandler run a great tennis betting promotion which is worth dipping into throughout the 2012 season. Place a match bet on any match from the main draw of an ATP or WTA event, and if your selection loses the match in a final set tie break, then you will get your lost stake back as a free bet. So this gives you some nice coverage on your tennis betting throughout the season, should your match selection lose in a cruel way in a final set tie break. Online bookmaker Bet Victor offer a free £25 bet for new customers registering an account. The bookie will match the value of your first stake on a new account, up to the maximum value of £25, with a free bet.

The Open Sud de France tennis betting is underway this week in Montpellier, and has moved up the calendar year. It used to be played in Lyon late in the year, but the indoor event now gets a run out at the start of the year again, since the switch to Montpellier in 2010. There is a great competitive field at the head of The Open Sud de France tennis betting here, and it is led by Czech star Tomas Berdych. Berdych went all the way to the quarter finals of the Australian Open last week and he has won before on French soil. This is the first time that he has entered the tournament here, but coming on the back of good form, should seed the world number seven make a really good crack at the title. But will the ever popular Frenchman Gael Monfils, on his home soil be able to defend the title he won in Lyon in 2010? The world number 15 is obviously ranked behind Berdych, but with his boundless energy and enthusiasm, Monfils is superb to watch, a true entertainer and he will naturally feed off the partisan home crowd. Monfils holds a great 8-1 match record at the event and should be a good bet as the third seed at the event. Another strong Frenchman on home soil should be Gilles Simon, who seems to enjoy this event. He reached back to back semi finals in 2008 and 2009, before the tournament switched from Lyon and there is always a betting favour in getting behind home based players in the field. Simon has a 9-5 match record at the event, similar to that of Richard Gasquet, who is a former winner of The Open Sud de France tennis betting. Frenchman Gasquet won the event back in 2006 so has experience of winning on home soil, and could well be a dangerous floater as the fourth seed this year. Big Spaniard Feliciano Lopez may be worth a look at in The Open Sud de France tennis betting. He made it to the last sixteen of the Australian Open and in Sydney, where he lost to fellow countryman Rafael Nadal. Could be the dark horse in the pack.

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It is naturally going to be a relatively quiet week in ATP Tennis betting this week after the euphoria of the Australian Open Grand Slam dies down. There are a couple of tournaments worth noting though for some betting opportunities, as well as the chance to watch some live tennis streams. Over in the ATP Zagreb there is not a particularly strong field, but some competitive runners in the mix. Ivan Dodig, the current world number 36, is the defending champion of the event, but is one of the chasing pack of outsiders as opposed to being a front runner. The Croatian player entertained the home crowed, including a massive victory over fellow countryman Ivan Ljubicic on his way to lifting his first ever ATP Tour title. There are a couple of other winners of this event in the field, which should represent stronger bets, with Ivan Ljubicic winning it is 2006 and Marcos Baghdatis in 2007.

So there is an evenly matched field here, but it is Croatian Ljubicic who has a pretty strong record at the ATP Zagreb. As well as winning in 2006, he made the final in the two following years as well, and overall holds a decent 16-5 match record at the event. Russian Mikhail Youzhny is in the field and he will have a lot to prove to himself after crashing out in the first round of the Australian Open, so he should be pretty hungry. Then there is Alex Bogomolov Jr who is an interesting an good value prospect in ATP Zagreb tennis betting. In his first run at the event last year, he made a run to the quarter finals, and he made a run to the quarter finals of Sydney earlier in the season so the Russian should be in pretty good shape.

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ATP Zagreb Tennis Betting Odds
Marco Baghdatis 7/2, Ivan Ljubicic 4/1, Mikhail Youzhny 13/2, Ivo Karlovic 6/1, Alex Bogomolov Jr 7/1, Lukas Lacko 14/1 at Bet365

Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal Australian Open Final tennis betting sees the world number one and two scrap it out for honours. Novak Djokovic, the current defending champion set up himself up for the defence of his title in the final, with an epic five set win over Britain’s Andy Murray in the semi final. Djokovic had to dig deep as Murray pushed him all the way, the Serbian taking the deciding set 7-5. That was Djokovic pushed hard and he still prevailed and he will know that he will have another tough encounter coming his way in the final against Rafael Nadal. The semi final will have been an exhausting affair against Murray, and Djokovic’s fitness has fully been tested now. He will have had a day’s less rest than Nadal will have had. After back problems at the end of last year, a suspected pulled hamstring and breathing problems during the action at Melbourne Park, there seems little sign of anything stopping the world number one. This time last year Novak Djokovic was about to embark on an incredible season of success. If he gets out to another strong start, it will be even harder to stop him collecting Grand Slam titles this year. It is just so difficult to get on top of Novak Djokovic to take three sets off him in a match. Murray came close, but the defence and determination which Djokovic pulled out was remarkable. That was a sign of a true champion, as if anyone didn’t know that anyway. While he fires off some remarkable winners, the defence which Novak Djokovic has is really the back bone of his game. Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal Australian Open Final tennis betting is going to be a test of endurance and it is the defence which will keep Djokovic in the games when the momentum is largely going against him. He is the complete player and will look forward to playing Nadal in the final more than anyone else. Djokovic has great respect for Nadal and knows that once again he will have to go through the great one to make it.

Rafael Nadal saw off the challenge of Roger Federer in the semi, overcoming his old foe in one of the great epic rivalries. While the Nadal v Federer rivalry is always a thrill to watch, seeing Nadal go up against Djokovic is probably the best final which the tournament could have produced. World number one v world number two for the honours, again. This is a repeat of last year’s Wimbledon final. A repeat of last year’s US Open final, and in both events the Spaniard came off second best. So Nadal will be looking for some revenge, even though he is going into the final as underdog and he is apparently quite enjoying that status. At the start of the new season, Rafael Nadal knew that he was playing catch up to Novak Djokovic in terms of ability and fitness. It was a difficult year for Nadal, losing his world number one status, battling with some injury and motivation issues and watching Novak Djokovic surpass him. So can Nadal can get a strike back early in the new season against Djokovic? Nadal has to get behind his first service game, because if that is not working, then Djokovic will be all over the Spaniards second serve, a big deciding factor in previous matches between the two. Rafael Nadal looked fit and strong in his semi final against Federer so we don’t see any issue with him keeping pace with Djokovic. However, the longer the match goes on, it is hard not to back the Serbian in endurance. Nadal’s biggest weapon is going to be his incredible forehand, and like Djokovic, reaching into the depths of his incredible defence (which was brilliant at times against Federer in the semi). All credit due to Nadal, who went into the Australian Open as fourth favourite behind Djokovic, Federer and Nadal. This is such an important match for him, can he break the cycle of Djokovic victories over him.

Have to look at some Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal head to head stats for your Australian Open Final tennis betting. In an incredible year last year, the two players met six times, all in the finals of tournaments. The outcome, well, six straight victories for Novak Djokovic. That is the hold which the Serbian has over Nadal at the moment and that really can’t be ignored. Which is the stronger will? Novak Djokovic defending his title, or Nadal getting some revenge and trying to avoid a seven game losing streak against the world number one. If this goes the way of Djokovic, who is favourite, then it will be a huge dent of confidence for Nadal, who has been working on improvements in his game in order to get closer to the Serbian.

Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal Australian Open Final tennis betting
Djokovic 4/6 at SkyBet
Nadal 6/4 at BetFred

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Victoria Azarenka v Maria Sharapova Australian Open Final tennis betting brings the potential of a highly competitive and close match. Young Belarusian Azarenka has been in superb form over the past few months, and after knocking on the door of Grand Slam finals last year, final crossed the threshold with a semi final win over Kim Clijsters. Azarenka had to play the partisan crowd at Melbourne Park, who were all behind Kim Clijsters in her final Australian Open, but it was Azarenka who showed some great early composure and dictated the game from early on. Azarenka is full of power and she has harnessed her aggression and passion into pretty much a complete package. It is not often that you see Kim Clijsters being bossed around on the court, but that is what Azarenka did in the first set. Clijsters punched back hard in the second set, taking it 6-1, but the new model of Victoria Azarenka, showed a tremendous amount of maturity to not crumble and struck back in the final set, taking it 6-3. That was a strong mental effort from Azarenka, matching her incredible power. She is one of the hardest hitters in the women’s game, and had incredible driving power in her backhands. When she gets behind them she looks unstoppable and she also had developed a very, very strong service game. So now the win over Clijsters, which sets up Victoria Azarenka v Maria Sharapova Australian Open Final tennis betting, was the biggest of her career and there could be more to come. Azarenka will go into the final as favourite, just edging things over Maria Sharapova. Not only is the Grand Slam title on the line here, the world number one spot is too. The winner will overtake Caroline Wozniacki at the top of the WTA rankings after the Australian Open.

While this is the first Grand Slam final for Victoria Azarenka, Russian Maria Sharapova has been here before. The young Russian (hard to believe that she is still only 25) has three career Grand Slam titles to her name. The only title she is missing is the French Open, and so as a previous winner of the Australian Open (in 2008) Sharapova has the big match experience. This is actually her third final at Melbourne Park, with one win and one defeat. That Grand Slam final experience really will count for a lot and it will be an advantage on her side of the court. There really is no substitute for having been there and done it all before. But there is not only that in Maria Sharapova’s game at the moment, she has been playing some incredibly consistent tennis throughout the rounds at Melbourne Park. She got her revenge over Petra Kvitova in the semi final, the player who had beaten her in the final of Wimbledon last season. Sharapova blitzed out a 6-2 lead taking the first set, but Czech star Kvitova hit back to take the second. We have said it before and will say it again, there is no tougher competitor in women’s tennis than Maria Sharapova. Forget all the glitz and glamour that surrounds the Russian queen, she is a tough, tough player. There is never a sign of her giving up, and is one of the best in the market when her back is against the wall, or she is playing against the odds. She epitomised her tough mental and physical prowess as she battled her way to victory in the third set, taking a close encounter 6-4 to reach the final. That is what makes Sharapova, who is well on top of her game and looking so confident, such a dangerous opponent. Because of all the hype and power surrounding the rise of one of our favourites, Victoria Azarenka, don’t think for a moment that Sharapova is not going to have a big say in the final. She is slight underdog, but will have her chance.

In the Head to head, it is evenly matched, with both players having won three matches against the other. They met twice last year, with Azarenka taking a win on the hard court in Miami and the Sharapova bouncing back with a win on clay in Rome. Really nothing much to chose between these on paper.

Victoria Azarenka v Maria Sharapova Australian Open Final tennis betting odds
Victoria Azarenka to win: 4/5 at Bet365
Maria Sharapova: 11/1 at SkyBet

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Maria Sharapova v Petra Kvitova Australian Open tennis betting is the line up to see who will face Victoria Azarenka or Kim Clijsters in the final. World number two Petra Kvitova faced a tougher struggle than expected against unseeded Italian Sara Errana in her quarter final match. To be fair Kvitova was not really on top of her game in the first set, putting in a lot of unforced errors against the Italian. Kvitova though edged a tight first set but lost a huge momentum swing in the second. She was trailing 4-2 to the Italian, but then she kicked into gear to pull back and see the match out in two sets. It wasn’t the most convincing performance from Kvitova, but she got the job done in the end. She can’t afford to make the same kind of unforced errors against Sharapova, but then again, the players aren’t perfect all of the time, they can’t be and there is better to come from Kvitova. The left handed Czech player, who will be world number one if she takes the title here, is one of the most complete players in the women’s game. There is still a fantastic raw edge about her game but she has the ability, power and reach to really, really dominate. The inconsistencies in her game will peter out as she matures even more and that is a big warning sign to those around her. She won’t have an easy time of things against Sharapova, not if the Russian is on top of her game, because Kvitova will have to be inventive and not just rely on her power. She will need to mix her shot selections up to keep Sharapova, who defends so stoutly, guessing. She needs to do what she did in the final of Wimbledon last year, when she beat the hot Sharapova, that is dominate right from the very get go.

There are many thinking that the Russian may be worth a strong bet in Maria Sharapova v Petra Kvitova Australian Open tennis betting. Although Sharapova lost twice to Petra Kvitova last season, including the final at Wimbledon, Sharapova is looking just that little bit more focused and consistent. Sharapova powered her way past compatriot Ekaterina Makarova (who had dispatched Serena Williams in the fourth round) with ease and Sharapova looks in devastating mood. She came into the Australian Open with not a lot of attention on her because of the likes of Kvitova, Clijsters, Azarenka and Williams. However, she has very quietly and destructively gone about her business and this could be just the right time to get one back over the Czech. Breaking down their tournaments so far, Sharapova looks hungrier and she surely must have learnt something from the Wimbledon final against Kvitova. Sharapova will hit hard, let’s make no mistake about that, her small frame packs a huge amount of punch and if her first serve is working then she really should push Kvitova all the way. Sharapova has a better defence than Kvitova and that could be the key on the day. She should run Kvitova down, because there is not a bigger fighter in the women’s draw than Sharapova, there just isn’t. There is just the feeling that the time is right for her at the Australian Open this year to go all the way and pick up her fourth Grand Slam title. If she does, she will be number one in the world.

Maria Sharapova v Petra Kvitova Australian Open tennis betting odds
Petra Kvitova 31/40 at SportingBet
Maria Sharapova 5/4 at BetFred

Online bookmaker Paddy Power have a great tennis betting promotion running for your match betting at the Australian Open this year. We are down to the wire now and expecting some high quality all the way. Back a match selection in Australian Open tennis betting with Paddy Power and if your player loses, but the final point of the game is an Ace, then you will get your lost stake refunded. So some nice insurance to take there, if your match selection bows out to an ace from their opponent. Online bookmaker Paddy Power offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account with them. The bookie will match the value of your first stake on a new account with a free bet, up to the maximum value of £50!

Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic Australian Open semi final tennis betting is what we have to look forward to. By the time the world number one and number four go head to head at Melbourne Park, they will know whether it is Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal waiting for them in the final. Britain’s number one Andy Murray was pitted against young Japanese player Kei Nishikori in the quarter finals, an opponent who had upset sixth seed Jo Wilfried Tsonga in previous round. Again Murray showed a lot of composure against a lesser quality opponent and got the job done efficiently. There are just not the same concerns about Murray slipping up against lower ranked players as there were a couple of years ago, and now the Scot is in his fifth consecutive Grand Slam semi final. Murray saw of Nishikori in straight sets, with the Japanese player physically tiring towards the end, unable to cope with a long tournament and the class of Murray. So now Murray has put himself back on the brink of winning his first Grand Slam and Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic Australian Open semi final tennis betting is a repeat of last year’s Australian Open final, which Djokovic took with consummate ease. Murray said that he wants and needs to serve better in the semi final than he did in his quarter final match, and this now will be the big mental test of Murray’s progress. That is the grey area which lets him down, and it was what undid him in the final of last year’s event when he just was not in it mentally right from the very off. Right now, Murray will know that this really is the big hurdle between himself and his first Grand Slam. He would, and rightly so, fancy his chances against Nadal or Federer in the final, and the confidence which he would garner in beating Novak Djokovic to get there would be immense. All that will be needed is a strong start from Murray, that first set being crucial as you can’t afford to be playing catch up against the Serbian.

World number one Novak Djokovic saw off tough opponent, world number five David Ferrer in his quarter final match. As expected it was a tough affair, as the Spaniard never stops running and always makes his opponents dig deeper for an extra shot or two in rallies. However, it was Djokovic who managed to edge the first two sets, the crucial point coming in the second set tie break, in which Ferrer had a 3-1 lead but Djokovic hit back with six points out of the next seven to take the set. That just broke the Spaniard and Djokovic cruised through the third set. There was a moment of concern for the world number one as he pulled up at the end of a rally, clutching at his hamstring. However, the Serbian didn’t receive any treatment and carried on to stop speedy Ferrer from getting back into the match. So there doesn’t appear to be any concerns or worries over Djokovic’s fitness heading into the semi final clash against Murray. Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic Australian Open semi final tennis betting shouldn’t be affected by that, and although Djokovic also said that he was struggling with his breathing during the match, there is nothing in his fitness to suggest that Murray will get an advantage there. Djokovic just churns out sensational tennis and his defensive prowess pulls him through tight situations. He is the more mobile of the two players in this semi final clash, and has that extra level of creativity. There should be a lot of hard hitting rallies in Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic Australian Open semi final tennis betting and the defensive skills of the players are going to be called into action. Djokovic will go as favourite, simply because he is the world number one and has that incredible depth of an extra gear which just allows him to accelerate. Murray can’t afford to be left behind early on.

In the Novak Djokovic v Andy Murray head to head, the Serbian holds a 6-4 lead over the Scot. So not as wide of a margin as you may be thinking. They met three times during the 2011 season, with Djokovic winning two and Murray picking up a victory in the final of Cincinnati when Djokovic had to retired a set down and 3-0 down in the second. The big meeting last year was of course the Australian Open final, in which Murray was struggling right from the get go. Djokovic waltzed through the match in straight sets, with Murray unable to d anything about it. So the big challenge for Murray is to get himself in from. Djokovic’s strike record isn’t hot after losing the first set in matches, but has a phenomenal record when winning the first. That is what Murray needs to fix in this meeting, get out to a lead and hang on.

Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic Australian Open semi final tennis betting odds
Novak Djokovic 1/2 at Boylesports
Andy Murray 19/10 at Bet365

Online bookmaker Paddy Power have a great tennis betting promotion running for your match betting at the Australian Open this year. We are down to the wire now and expecting some high quality all the way. Back a match selection in Australian Open tennis betting with Paddy Power and if your player loses, but the final point of the game is an Ace, then you will get your lost stake refunded. So some nice insurance to take there, if your match selection bows out to an ace from their opponent. Online bookmaker Paddy Power offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account with them. The bookie will match the value of your first stake on a new account with a free bet, up to the maximum value of £50!

Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal Australian Open semi final tennis betting is just what was on the cards from the moment the draw was announced, and now we get the treat. The old rivalry is renewed at the semi final stage of the first Grand Slam of the Year, as the two greats took one step closer to the title. Roger Federer had a tough looking match against big hitting Argentinean Juan Martin del Potro on his hands for the quarter finals, but the Fed Express completed something of a demolition job, winning 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Federer raced out of the blocks in the match and just looked fluent and supreme. Federer, who has now won 28 out of 31 Grand Slam quarter final matches and that win over Del Potro came in Federer’s 1000th career match. The great one is actually looking a fantastic bet for the title as he made light work of the challenge from the Argentinean. Federer just cruised through the match and continues his run without dropping a set so far, and there is something else about this Federer, he actually looks hungry. He looks determined. Federer is usually non-descript and hard to read on the court with his emotions, but he is up for this. He clearly wants more Grand Slam titles after missing out last year and he looks to be putting all that old magic back together at the right time. Federer has looked better and better throughout the rounds at Melbourne Park and he will be strongly fancied to get one over his rival Nadal in the semi final.

Nadal had a much tougher time of things in his quarter final match against Tomas Berdych, which lasted around four hours (Federer had taken less than two hours to see off Del Potro). Nadal was edged out in a tie break for the first set by the Czech player Berdych, who is world number seven and Berdych missed a crucial set point in the second. If Berdych had pulled out to a two nil lead, it would have been a very long an even more exhausting way back for Nadal. But the Spaniard pounced on the missed opportunity in the second set, and stole in 8-6 on the tie break to draw the match level. Nadal then went on to take the third set, and as the fourth set went on, you could tell Berdych knew that he had missed his chance as he slowly started drifting further and further from contention. So Nadal had a lot of work to do in order to book his semi final place and he admitted afterwards that he was tired. Nadal has had strapping on his ankle and his knee at different times throughout the Australian Open and although his sheer class and determination has been pulling him through the rounds, the big question mark will be over his fitness levels against Roger Federer. Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal Australian Open semi final tennis betting should serve us up a treat, and it is the Spaniard who holds the lead in the head to head record between them.

Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal Australian Open semi final tennis betting really never fails to thrill the crowds, and we saw them come together four times last year, with Nadal taking three wins to Federer’s one. But here is the thing, Federer’s win came at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, at the end of the year where you could see the Swiss superstar was more relaxed and not playing with pressure and looking sharper than ever. He has really rolled back the years at Melbourne Park to play some fantastic and effortless tennis and that is why he is being fancied to take out Rafael Nadal. We really don’t know what fitness issues Nadal is going through, but if either of them are going to face Novak Djokovic as expected in the final, then Federer is likely to give the world number one a tougher time than Nadal will at the moment. But Nadal holds a 17-9 head to head record against his respected (if not liked much) rival Federer. Their big clash last year was in the final of the French Open at Roland Garros which Federer started so well, but couldn’t put the first set to bet, and giving opportunities to Nadal on clay isn’t a great idea. The last time they met at the Australian Open was back in 2009, again in the final (as so many of their meetings have been) and Nadal won that encounter in a titanic struggle over five sets. Who is the sharper at the moment? Federer. Who is looking the more relaxed and confident? Federer. That is why the bookies are believing that it will be 16 times Grand Slam champion Federer who will take the spoils of this match.

Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal Australian Open semi final tennis betting odds
Roger Federer 5/6 at SportingBet, Rafael Nadal 7/5 at Bet365

Set Betting: Roger Federer 3-1 for 10/3 at Bet365

Your Australian Open tennis betting is doubly good at 888Sport because the online bookmaker has two fantastic promotions running, giving you some coverage on your match betting. Back a player in match betting in the men’s draw at the Australian Open, and if your player loses either in five sets, or if there are three or more sets in the match which are decided by tie breaks, then a free bet will be headed your way. If your selection loses under either of those circumstances, then you will get a free bet up to the maximum value of £50 (the free bet will be the equivalent of your initial stake). So the 888Sport tennis betting promotion is a great way to take some insurance on your match betting in the men’s draw at the Australian Open. New customers to 888Sport can get up to £50 in free bets after signing up for a new account. New customers will get a free £10 bet from the bookie when making a £10 bet as their first stake on the new account, and for every four £10 bets, you can get another £10 free bet, until you have accumulated £50 in free bets!

To Win Australian Open 2012
Federer 11/4 at Bet365
Nadal 5/1 at Totesport

Kim Clijsters v Victoria Azarenka Australian Open Semi Finals tennis betting is an absolute treat of a match for us to enjoy. Defending Champions Kim Clijsters produced one of the all time classic comebacks in the fourth round against last year’s losing finalist Na Li. Clijsters rolled her ankle in the first set, which she lost and then had to face four match points in the second. Somehow she played through the pain and took the second and third sets to move ahead to face world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter finals. So it hasn’t been an easy or plain sailing campaign for Clijsters, but she is sure proving just what a phenomenal and worthy champion she is. Clijsters plans on retiring at the end of the season and so this will be her last appearance at Melbourne Park if that is going to happen and she booked herself a spot in the last four, upsetting the top seed. There really was no sign of any ankle problem for Clijsters as she took command of the match against Wozniacki easily. Whatever treatment she received on her ankle, sure did the trick and it probably helped mental preparations as well because that was all that she had to focus on. Clijsters is class. The classiest woman on the WTA, without doubt. She plays with such a style, but there is formidable power in her arsenal as well. Against Na Li, when she looked down and out, Clijsters just went for everything, put everything into her shots and she came up trumps. She did it again in the second set against Wozniacki in the tie break (which came after Clijsters had let a 5-2 lead slip) when Clijsters just started hitting out harder and more lethally. That bravery is what she has up her sleeve, and what is so devastating to her opponents. The win against the world number one, which will have left Wozniacki wondering just how to beat heavy hitters, looked effortless for Clijsters, whatever condition her ankle was truly in. Now she sets up herself up for another big task, in Kim Clijsters v Victoria Azarenka Australian Open Semi Finals tennis betting.

Victoria Azarenka is red hot at the moment, let’s make no mistake about that. With Wozniacki out of the way thanks to Clijsters, Azarenka still has a shot at becoming the new world number one at the conclusion of the Australian Open. The Belarusian faced her friend Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarter finals, and it was the Polish player who edged a very tight first set. The first set went to a tie break, which Radwanska blitzed through in remarkable fashion, taking it 7-0. So a surprise looked on the cards, as Radwanska just never stopped running during that first set, chasing down everything that Azarenka could throw at her. It told after the first set though, as Azarenka came out even more focused and determined. What she did was tighten up her game and cut out the unforced errors, which had gifted her opponent points in the first set. There was big mental change up in her game, and the power kept on coming. Azarenka hits the ball hard. We mean hard. She is one of the biggest hitters in the game and is so aggressive in her work, she leaves little on the court. This is only the second time she has been past the quarter finals of a Grand Slam, but the young Belarusian is growing and growing in stature all of the time. She matured last season and she looks to have matured even more. Azarenka was generally guilty of being her own worst enemy, her emotions and hot temper getting the better or her, as she would lose focus in games and just disappear. The fact that she switched up a mental gear at the start of the second set against Radwanska was a big indicator of how far she has come.

So Kim Clijsters v Victoria Azarenka Australian Open Semi Finals tennis betting is going to be a real heavyweight match, with two very powerful hitters. If class at the end of the day is going to be the factor, then Clijsters has much flair and a deft touch around the court. But you can’t ignore Azarenka’s athleticism, something which she has clearly worked on, because she gets from side to side much better than she did a couple of seasons ago. There is so little to chose between these two players as it stands. So better have a look at the head to head. Clijsters leads 4-2 against Azarenka and they met twice last year with both players picking up a win. This is such a tough call splitting these two and would expect the match to go to three sets. Who are the bookies leaning towards? The younger, possibly fitter Azarenka, who is in destructive mode at the moment. Would back that up if her head is in the game. She’s been in great form over the past few months, and picked up a title coming into the Australian Open.

Kim Clijsters v Victoria Azarenka Australian Open Semi Finals tennis betting
Victoria Azarenka 10/11 at Ladbrokes, Kim Clijsters Evens at BetFred

Your Australian Open tennis betting is doubly good at 888Sport because the online bookmaker has two fantastic promotions running, giving you some coverage on your match betting. Back a player in match betting in the men’s draw at the Australian Open, and if your player loses either in five sets, or if there are three or more sets in the match which are decided by tie breaks, then a free bet will be headed your way. If your selection loses under either of those circumstances, then you will get a free bet up to the maximum value of £50 (the free bet will be the equivalent of your initial stake). So the 888Sport tennis betting promotion is a great way to take some insurance on your match betting in the men’s draw at the Australian Open. New customers to 888Sport can get up to £50 in free bets after signing up for a new account. New customers will get a free £10 bet from the bookie when making a £10 bet as their first stake on the new account, and for every four £10 bets, you can get another £10 free bet, until you have accumulated £50 in free bets!

To Win Australian Open
Azarenka 11/4 at Bet365
Clijsters 4/1 at BetFred