Will we be seeing this kit in the 2015 Davis Cup final?
The Davis Cup returns for 2015 next month and, in his latest weekly column, Sean Calvert has cast his eye over the outright winners market. Our tennis correspondent likes the look of a big-serving duo to fire their nation to victory...
The 2015 Davis Cup begins in a few weeks' time, with Great Britain and holders Switzerland among those seeking glory in the World Group.
Britain has been drawn in a really competitive-looking top half of the draw alongside the likes of France, the Czech Republic and Italy and a first round match-up with the USA.
That particular clash is a repeat of last year's opening round match in San Diego that GB won on clay at Petco Park in San Diego, but this time around they meet on indoor hard in Glasgow.
The Brits will be hoping for another heroic showing from James Ward, who took down Sam Querrey in five sets last year, and the good form of Andy Murray, who should be playing, in order to progress past the Americans once more.
It will be tough though, if John Isner and Querrey play alongside the Bryan brothers and that's likely to borne out by the outright prices - expect a price of around 35.0n/a on GB and 20.019/1 on the USA once liquidity arrives.
Neither side looks a real threat for the overall title though and that top half of the draw looks to present an excellent opportunity for last year's runners-up France.
The French have the best squad in terms of strength in depth with the likes of Gael Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, and Gilles Simon to call upon.
They also have Jeremy Chardy, Julien Benneteau and Adrian Mannarino in the world's top-40, but they haven't won the Davis Cup since way back in 2001 and this generation are running out of time.
Tsonga and Benneteau are currently injured and Monfils seems to be struggling too, with a few off-court issues as well as illness and en expected price of 4.03/1 is a little tight.
The winner of Italy v Kazakhstan could be interesting, with the latter side likely to be a huge price.
The Kazakhs have made the last eight for the last two seasons and weren't far away from beating Switzerland in 2014, only losing 3-2 in the end to the eventual champs.
They have three players inside the world's top-120 and they always seem to turn it on in Davis Cup, where they will have home advantage when they face Italy.
Kazakhstan would face the winner of the Czech Republic vs Australia and that doesn't look impossible, with the Czechs struggling aside from Tomas Berdych.
Radek Stepanek hasn't played since last August and is creaking badly now at the age of 36, which would leave them with an out of form Lukas Rosol and the inexperienced Jiri Vesely.
They'll probably get past an Australia side with an equally creaky Lleyton Hewitt and the flaky Bernard Tomic as its representatives, but an expected price of 8.07/1 looks short on a one-man team such as the Czechs.
In the bottom half I like the chances of Canada, who will have home advantage in their round one revenge mission against Japan.
Canada were beaten 4-1 by Japan last year, but they were without big guns Milos Raonic and Vasek Pospisil that day and their choice of the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver will help their cause, as it's sure to be fast.
Aside from Kei Nishikori the Japanese have little and Canada's Raonic and Pospisil look strong plus they have Daniel Nestor, who is still a mean doubles player ranked six in the world currently, while Pospisil is a major winner in doubles.
A likely meet with the Swiss in the quarter finals is a clear stumbling block, but how motivated will Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka be to defend their title this year?
David Goffin and Steve Darcis for Belgium will make it tough for the Swiss if either one of their stars is missing and that seems likely to be the case at some point in this competition.
Brazil and Argentina don't look up to it, with the latter side really suffering with the losses of Juan Martin Del Potro and David Nalbandian, while Juan Monaco has talked of giving up the game lately, such are his injury problems.
Novak Djokovic has said he'll play Davis Cup this season, but how fit will he be for the semi finals less than five days after the US Open final?
Without Djokovic they're struggling big time and round one opponents Croatia look very short in price too given that their big player, US Open champ Marin Cilic, hasn't hit a ball this season so far due to injury.
With Cilic not fit and the retired from Davis Cup Ivo Karlovic and any price in single digits will be poor value with their next highest ranked player being the young prospect Borna Coric, who is himself struggling right now with loss of form.
That bottom half of the draw looks wide open but if Raonic and Pospisil can stay fit the Canadians have a fine chance of winning this competition and a price of 9.08/1 or better when the liquidity in the market arrives will be my bet here.
Recommended Bets
Back Canada to win the Davis Cup at 9.08/1 or better
Back-to-lay Kazakhstan at the best available price
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий