Fortis Championships betting and odds

Events / Editor / 10 September 2007 / Leave a Comment

The Fortis Women's Championships, held in Luxembourg, gets underway on September 22 and tennis fans eyeing a bet will have plenty to feast on.

A host of top female stars will be vying for the Fortis Championships title, with a host of betting markets available on the $600,000 Tier II event - which was previously dominated by the-now retired Kim Clijsters.

The Belgium legend rewarded those who had followed her in the betting by winning the most singles titles - five - but the odds could well be upset this year by a new face.

Ukraine right-hander Alona Bondarenko would have come in for support in the betting as she beat Italy's Francesca Schiavone 6-3 6-2 in 2006 and her progress in 2007 is likely to be reflected in her odds.

She reached the third-round of three Grand Slams this year - Australia, Wimbledon and US Open - and reached a career-high of 21 in the world rankings and could be worth a bet as she bids to defend her title.

Beaten finalist Schiavone comes into the tournament in good heart, too, having landed the bets when she claimed her first singles title with victory in Austria in July - and she could be one to watch in the betting when the markets develop.

World number three Anna Ivanovic reached the final at this year's Roland Garros and she is likely to feature towards the top of the betting, while shrewd punters will note that Nadia Petrova, who this year failed to get past the fourth round at any Grand Slams, could spring a surprise and land the bets.

Two places above her in the world rankings is Anna Chakvetadze and this year's Melbourne and Roland Garros quarter-finalist could also appeal at favourable odds.

Russia's Dinara Safina has five singles titles already tucked away in her trophy cabinet and the world number 12, who reached the fourth round of this year's French Open, might also be considered a potential bet.