Betfair Official Blog

Hot favourite for Aussie glory Henin is "better" than Federer

Click here to view market

Scott's Spot - Scott looks at Henin's unbelievable year in 2007 and why you're best off backing her for the Aussie Open now

The Australian Open final is under two months away and recently we've been taking an early look at who is likely to be a contender in the Rod Laver Arena. I've taken a look at the women's lineup.

Justine Henin landed every prize on her schedule in 2007 in an amazing performance. After the breakup of her marriage kept her away from Melbourne, she lost just FOUR times for the rest of the year - to Safarova in first event back in February, Serena in Miami, Kuznetsova in Berlin and Bartoli in that unbelievable semi at Wimbledon. Since Wimbledon, she has won 25 matches in a row and has dropped just three sets.

This is as close to domination in the women's game since the best set of legs ever to grace a tennis court, Steffi Graf, reigned in the early 90s. While all the plaudits go to Federer, it's worth noting that his season record was 68-9. Henin's tally for the year was 63-4. One of them is priced at [1.66], the other at [2.3].

Onto Melbourne - what's her record like there? What's she likely to do during the northern winter? Well, let's face it - she's hardly likely to spend a month in a Krispy Kreme or McDonalds and put on two stone in weight. In the past she has headed to Australia early, played one preliminary event (Sydney) , won it (2004 and 2006) and then gone onto reach the Australian Open final - winner 2004, runner-up in 2006. She missed 2005 due to injury.
Whilst Henin goes from strength to strength, the chasing pack is a little less convincing.

Kuznetsova still only has one Slam title in her trophy cabinet and a 2-15 record against Henin. Jankovic was the big mover of 2007 and while she looked more and more likely to beat Henin, she currently stands at 0-9. Ivanovic will enter the New Year at number four, and with only a 0-3 record against the number one. Sharapova has dropped down the rankings to five after a weak year by her standards, often troubled by injury. Her record versus Henin is only 2-6 and with a record of SF, SF, runner-up in the past three years, wanting to go that one step better will high in her plans for 2008.

Of the older brigade, Davenport, Mauresmo and the Williams sisters all have at least five wins over Henin (with only Venus leading overall, 7-2), but one would have to think that Henin now has the upper hand in all of those contests. Serena pulled out the big shock this year, she couldn't get away with that again could she?

I love betting on the women rather than the men in the Grand Slams because it's usually far more open, unless in the Federer era. But now Henin appears to be turning the tables. I can't see that price being odds-against come mid-January. Who do you think is the better value - Federer or Henin?