Andy Murray is only a best 13/5 with Boylesports to end his breakthrough year with more silverware in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London this week, but has been done no favours by the draw.
He’s been put into Group A along with top seed Novak Djokovic, whom he beat in the US Open Final but has since had his revenge in Shanghai, Czech Tomas Berdych and last year’s surprise finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Big-server Berdych will be the world number three’s first opponent on Monday afternoon and he has a decent record against the Scot, having won four of their previous seven clashes, though Murray did beat him in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows before ending a four-match losing streak in grand slam finals with a five-set victory over Djokovic. Tsonga was also overpowered by Murray in the Wimbledon semi-finals but is unlikely to be swept aside as easily now the action is indoors.
Ignore Murray’s performance in last week’s Paris Masters. He wasn’t match-fit and doesn’t like the surface at the Bercy Omnisports and Djorkovic, equally, was using the event as a warm-up for London. He certaily didn’t seem too upset by his second-round defeat against Sam Querrey. The Serb will be confirmed as the world number one in London again this week and the 11/5 quote from Boylesports to win will look big if he beats Tsonga convincingly in his opening match.
Defending champion Roger Federer didn’t even play in Paris to rest ahead of the season finale and should certainly have few problems making it through to the semi-finals from a group that also includes Juan Del Potro, fourth seed David Ferrer and Janko Tipsarevic. The latter (104/1 on Betfair) looks well out of his depth while Ferrer (a general 25/1) went all the way in Paris and may struggle to scale the heights again so quickly. But Del Potro may be capable of giving Federer a game now he’s back to his best and can be backed at a general 9/1 to go on and take the title. The Argentine’s power game has caused Federer problems in the past, though the Swiss has undoubtedly been the best indoor player in the world over the last 18 months while Del Potro has only won tournaments twice under cover.
