[Wittmann 44]

From Montreal

Benneteau-Nieminen

Berdych who had barely played since Wimbeldon crashed out today as did Bjorkman (less surprisingly) last night and I think Nieminen another rusty player could have problems tomorrow. The Finn was down to play both Stuttgart and Sopot and given clay is his best surface his withdrawls must be down to some fairly serious injury. His last outing was a routine win in the Davis Cup on 20^th July against a Latvian cannon fodder. Benneteau is not having a good year but he is warmed up and his first serve seems in rude health as a good display with 14 aces against Lee showed last week. Benneteau made the 4^th round in Inidan Wells back in March and while the h to h (1 indoor hard) is for Nieminen that was back when the Finn was warmed up and injury free and that went to 3. The erratic Frenchman worth a punt here.

1 Unit Benneteau @ 2.68

Blake – Melzer

Melzer out since Halle (June) with a recurrence of his long running wrist injury couldn’t have got much tougher an opener than this. Melzer has an abysmal record in Masters events and Blake’s recent form has been solid if unspectacular. Fully fit and match ready Melzer would have his work cut out for him. In less than ideal conditions for him here I can only see 1 winner.

2.50 Units Blake @ 1.23

Karlovic-Miryni

Backed big Ivo twice last week and he duly obliged twice . He faces another big server here in Miryni but the Beast of Belarus is having a terrible 2007 on the singles front (W8 L18) and is coming straight from European clay. Ivo has warmed up with a SF in Washington where Roddick just about edged him out. His serving as been absolutely deadly as nearly 100 aces in his 4 games in Washington show. Miryni has won only 4 of the last 14 hardcourt Masters starts he has been in and he was playing a lot better then. I’d expect his focus will be on the doubles where himself and Bjorkman will be looking to add to their two titles here.

2.25 Units Karlovic @ 1.44


Chela-Verdasco

The prices in this look reversed to me. The solid and reliable Chela against the more talented but ever flaky Verdasco. Chela edged him in Stuttgart recently to go ahead in the h to h 3-2 and the Argentine is having a much better year than the Spaniard. Chela will grind away and force errors from Verdasco. Verdasco won a Challenge (hardcourt) in Spain on Sunday and will hardly have had much time to acclimatise here not even counting probable jetlag. Chela is coming straight from clay which is a worry but Chela made the two Masters QF in the US already this year and I think he will be too consistent for Verdasco here.

1.50 Units Lay Verasco @ 1.90


There will be considerable interest in Murray's comeback but I couldn't recommend backing him at best odds on Betfair at around 1.59. He has landed a good draw in Ginepri who is in one of his periodic slumps from hell. Ginepri is now W6 L14 for the year and his recent "effort" against Berrer was a shambles after he won the first set. He has apparently got a motivational coach in but the guys head does not seem to be in the right place. Having said all that Murray is tennis's answer to Darren Anderton and his comeback has been delayed so often now that you'd have to worry about the injury's severity. He has been out for nearly 3 months and both previous games (which Murray won) have gone to 3 sets although Ginepri actually outscored Murray in Cincinatti last year. GL if you're on Murray but I just can't trust him right now.

Bet with a match complete book if you are backing Murray so if he breaks down you'll get your stake back.