Shanghai Rolex Masters Betting: Lopez to continue dominance over Youzhny

Lopez can get the better of Youzhny again

The Shanghai Rolex Masters has reached the final eight stage and tennis expert Sean Calvert talks us through the quarter finals...

Thursday was a disappointing one in Shanghai, with not a tie break in sight in the matches involving Tomas Berdych, Ivo Karlovic, John Isner and Feli Lopez.

That was surprising to say the least, but on the positive side my outright tip Berdych is still going and he faces Gilles Simon at 6am UK time for a place in the semi finals.

I would have high hopes for Berdych in that one and following at around 8am UK time will be Lopez taking on Mikhail Youzhny.

I said yesterday that I would side with Lopez over Isner in the match odds in that last-16 clash and in hindsight I probably should have gone with that bet rather than the tie break wager, but it's rare indeed that the clash between those two doesn't involve a breaker.

I'm sticking with Lopez on Friday in what will be the eighth career meeting between the Spaniard and the Russian, with Lopez having won five of the previous seven he clearly enjoys facing Youzhny.

Another interesting point to note from their career series is that four of their six tour level clashes have ended in a tie break in set one and it would be typical if that bet came in on Friday rather than Thursday.

Youzhny has enjoyed a return to form this week in Shanghai after a really poor season thus far, but he's been a little fortunate to have faced an injured Ernests Gulbis and Pico Monaco, who's not at his best on a surface this quick.

More of a challenge was Ivan Dodig, who Youzhny just edged out in a near three-hour marathon and he also had to go three to beat Pico on Thursday.

But really this one is about the serve of Lopez, who has a delivery tailor made for Shagnhai's speedy conditions and his record here illustrates that, while Youzhny had never won a match at this tournament before this week.

The lefty looks the likely winner here and worth siding with at around 1.664/6, but is it worth also siding with Julien Benneteau when he takes on Roger Federer?

Benny is such an unpredictable sort that he often comes up trumps when you least expect it and he managed an incredible 81 percent of first serves in against Jack Sock to get here.

He could easily deliver 41 percent on Friday and knowing Benny he probably will, but he's not forlorn hope against a Federer who was poor in his first match this week and much better in his second.

Benneteau has 15 top-10 wins in his career - and he has beaten Federer twice - so it could be worth considering him on a Cash Out basis or on the side markets here.

The price on Benneteau to win a set is around 2.77/4 and that looks worth considering if you're betting in that one, with Federer prone to lapses these days, as the Mayer match again showed.

Recommended Bet
Back Lopez to beat Youzhny at 1.664/6