Australian Open Betting / Sean Calvert / 22 January 2012 /

One of the most consistent players on the ATP Tour, David Ferrer, is up against one of the most enigmatic in Richard Gasquet and a strong preference goes for the Spaniard. Sean Calvert talks us through this and the other best bets of the day.

Day seven at the Australian Open proved to be the first disappointing one of the tournament for this column as both of my bets were beaten.

The first was very unfortunate, as Li Na wasted four match points against a hobbled Kim Clijsters before Bernard Tomic blinked against Roger Federer, who was in no mood to concede a set to the young upstart.

On to the business end of the tournament then and this is where it should prove profitable to back against those for whom reaching the second week is the limit of their expectations.

The first of these is Lleyton Hewitt, who has ridden his luck as far as it is likely to go and who will be taken care of with ease by defending champion, Novak Djokovic.

Hewitt should have been beaten by Cedrik Marcel Stebe (who choked), Andy Roddick (injured) and Milos Raonic (bad day the office) and for the first leg of a Betfair Multiple today I'll take Djokovic to win 3-0 at around [1.38].

I don't see any way (injury notwithstanding) how Hewitt can possibly nick a set off Djokovic in the form the world number one's in at the moment and that should set us up for the second and final leg, which is David Ferrer to beat Richard Gasquet at [1.5].

Rarely can there have been a wider gap between the attitude, determination and strength of character of two opposing players and I'd back Ferrer all day long against the mercurial underachiever Gasquet.

The Frenchman has reached the fourth round here twice in the past and lost in four sets both times and under what is set to be a very hot sun today, I can see the 'Gasman' melting away as he's forced into long, punishing rallies by the indefatigable Spaniard.

Ferrer has won five of their six previous matches, all of which have been straight sets wins for the victor and that could be the same again today.

Finally on the men's side tonight, Andy Murray takes on Mikhail Kukushkin in a match-up that the Scot shouldn't take too lightly.

Kukushkin has shown signs of improvement of late and although the [1.03] shot should take this, I would never back Murray against anyone half decent at that price.

The pair met less than a fortnight ago in Brisbane and the Kazakhstan player was good enough to take a set from the Scot then, but on the evidence of what was almost a choke for the ages against Gael Monfils in the last round, his temperament is not the best.

He's got nothing to lose though and might be good enough to win on the handicap with a [9.5] game start at around [2.0].

Continuing the theme of backing against the players who have done well just to make the second week, I'll take Zheng Jie to use her experience to end Sara Errani's unlikely run to the fourth round at a price of [1.44].

The diminutive Chinese player has reached the semi finals and the fourth round here on her last two visits and she also has a semi final appearance at Wimbledon to her name, which will give her an edge over her Italian opponent.

This is Errani's first time in the fourth round of a Slam and she's surely at the very limit of where her talent will take her, but she does have a 1-0 lead in the head-to-head match up.

This will be an awkward match for Zheng, as she prefers to counterpunch against pace from her opponents, which she won't get today, but I think the clever Zheng will figure out a way to get things done.

As far as outsiders go tonight, Ana Ivanovic has a shot at [4.1] against Petra Kvitova, as does Sabine Lisicki against Maria Sharapova at the same price, but you couldn't back either with any real confidence.

Recommended Bets

Back Ferrer [1.5] and Djokovic 3-0 [1.38] in a Betfair Multiple
Back Zheng to beat Errani at [1.44]

Follow Sean on Twitter @seancalvert1

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