Fed and Blake give their backers a fright in fluctuating third round

Tennis Betfacts / Editor / 19 January 2008 / Leave a Comment

Blake hits 36, while Federer is taken to five sets at Melbourne...

James Blake defied massive in-play odds to beat Sebastien Grosjean and advance to the fourth round while Federer gave his insanely short-priced backers a scare when going to five sets against Tipsarevic.

At one stage during Blake's third round battle with Grosjean the American was matched at 36 on Betfair.

Down and seemingly out at a number of stages during the match, Blake reversed his fortunes, much to the displeasure of short-priced Grosjean backers on Betfair.

Such was Grosjean's grip on the game, Betfair punters had plunged him in to 1.02. The Frenchman, who started the match as the rank outsider, shocked Blake to take the first two sets and assume favouritism.

Order was seemingly restored in the third set when Blake brushed Grosjean aside 6-0 to regain favouritism. But the tide was to turn again. Grosjean stormed to a 4-1 fourth-set lead, at which point punters found it hard to see him being beaten - so much so that he was matched at [1.02].

But Blake found the reserves to rally again, eventually taking the fourth set in a tiebreaker to level the contest.

Again the favourite, Blake made easy work of the decider to reward those who backed him at [36.] during the fourth set.

Blake, having been matched at [600.0] to win the tournament during the match, is now a [130.0] chance.

A figure of £133,000 was matched at [1.01] and £779,000 at [1.02] on Federer to advance past Swiss star Tipsarevic, who was matched at high of [150.0].

But at 2-1 down in sets, Federer backers must have been getting worried, as he drifted to [1.55] and his opponent shortened into 2.88.

Federer eventually came through a mammoth deciding set, winning 10-8.

A total of £12,179,522 matched on game on Betfair.