[Wittmann 44]

One more short priced players in Strasbourg

Li – Dusehevina

Li the top ranked Chinese player and their best clay courter has twice easily beaten Dusevina on hardcourt. She needs some games here as her form has been somewhat patchy. She made the QF here last year and Dushevina has been incapable recently of raising her game against the better players.

2 Units Li @ 1.43

In Austria

Monfils-Lee

Monfils had a solid win against Querry first round firing 9 aces in the process to suggest some confidence coming back. Lee won an error strewn match against the very limited clay courter Udomchoke. The one meeting on hardcourt was a very close 3 setter won by the Frenchman but this is clay and on the slower surface I can see Monfils superior movement and athleticism telling here.

2.5 Units Monfils @ 1.54

Hewitt-Starace

There looks to have been a serious overeeaction to Hewitt’s recent run in Hamburg. He played brilliantly there (well above himself on clay) but he is playing a player in excellent form in Starace. Starace this year has won in Naples, made the final in Valencia and the last 3 players to beat him were Nadal, Almagro and Davydenko. Only Nadal managed to do it in straight sets and Starace has his chances there. I cannot imagine him rolling over here. Hewitt might well win this but I fancy the Italian to give him a run for his money.

Starace 1 Unit @ 2.94
Hewitt 2-1 @ 4.3

Monaco-Russel

Monaco demolished hometown favourite Melzer yesterday with solid serving and very few unforced errors. He is having a good season with QFs in Houston and Estoril and took a set of Federer in Hamburg. Russel is one of the better US claycourters but it is all relative and he has lost easily recently to Massu, Benneteau, Garcia Lopez and I would expect this be to fairly bloodless for Monaco.

1.5 Units Moanco 2-0 @ 1.67