NADAL MONEY RUSH, AS THE FED CONTINUES TO EASE!

19th January 2010, by Daniel Hillege

Defending Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal justified his heavy pre-tournament backing with leading bookmaker Centrebet whipping Aussie veteran Peter Luczak in straight sets last night....

Defending Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal justified his heavy pre-tournament backing with leading bookmaker Centrebet whipping Aussie veteran Peter Luczak in straight sets last night! Nadal had been the best-backed among the heavyweight contenders from $7.00 down to join Scot Andy Murray on the second line at $5.50, while four-time winner and tournament favourite Roger Federer continues to ease out from an opening price of $2.65 to $3.30.

Centrebet's Neil Evans said Federer will open his challenge today a raging $1.02 favourite against highly-rated Russian Igor Andreev ($14.00), but might not have it all his own way! "I'm sure there'll be a heap of punters who test the water with the massive price on Andreev, not so much to win, but at least to take a set off Federer," he said!

Evans said the best backed playter in the last 24 hours had been Argentina's US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro ($7.50 into $7.00) leading into his tradesman-like round one win in four sets, while Russian Nikolay Davydenko has been continually backed, firming from as high as $34.00 a week ago into $11.00.

One Centrebet punter had a volatile couple of minutes before winning nearly $7,000.00 after placing $10,000.00 on Luczak to hold his opening service game against Nadal last night at $1.67! Luczak was up 40-0 before two double faults led to him facing a break point. But Nadal faltered and the punter collected back $16,700.00! Another client was also holding his breath in the first set after placing $12,000.00 on Nadal ($1.02 head-to-head) at $1.25 to win in straight sets!

Australian number one Lleyton Hewitt begins his Australian Open campaign tonight on Rod Laver Arena a hot $1.03 favourite on Centrebet to beat little-known Brazilian Ricardo Hocevar ($12.00)! Typically, crowd favourite Hewitt has been well specked by long-shot punters from an opening $126.00 down to $81.00!

MARKET RE-SHAPE AFTER MARIA'S DEMISE!

Only three players are now quoted in single figures on Centrebet to win the Australian Open after well-backed third favourite Maria Sharapova was sensationally dumped out in round one by fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko as a $1.12 favourite!

Evans said Sharapova had been well specked by punters from $9.00 down to $7.00 before her day one demise, allowing heavily-backed tournament favourite Serena Williams to tighten back in from $3.75 to $3.60 and the well fancied Kim Clijsters to move from $4.25 back in to $4.00.

"Suddenly a gap has opened up after just one day," Evans said. "Justin Henin had eased in the betting out to $8.00 before Sharapova's defeat and Henin's solid straight-sets round one win last night."

He said the big mover had been two-time Medibank International winner Elena Dementieva who has now tumbled from $26.00 into $12.00 since the weekend. She had little trouble reaching the second round in straight sets last night! Another Russian and former world number one Dinara Safina, who a week ago was unwanted by punters at $41.00, has tightened right into $14.00 after a rock-solid start. Sharapova's conqueror Kirilenko has firmed from $126.00 into $81.00!

In today's women's action Aussies Samantha Stosur ($1.10), Alicia Molik ($1.40) and Casey Dellacqua ($1.80) are all fancied to advance to the second round, while Jarmila Groth will start a $2.30 outsider against Swede Sofia Arvidsson ($1.40).

FOR ALL TOURNAMENT, MATCH & EXOTIC MARKETS GO TO www.centrebet.com TENNIS

last update : 19th January 2010 10:37