US Open Stat-Attack: Sam way ahead on the head-to-head

US Open Betting / Ben Caudell / 07 September 2011 / Leave a Comment

Sam will believe she can beat Vera once again, having done it so often in the past

"There is one stat that stands out like a sore thumb when looking for a winner of this quarter final showdown, ‘boom, boom’ 7-1 to the Australian."

Sam Stosur goes in to tonight's match against Vera Zvonareva as the underdog but Ben's stats tell us that should certainly not be the case. Bet accordingly, advises our resident number-cruncher.

5 Reasons to Back

Samantha Stosur to defeat Vera Zvonareva @ [2.30]

•There is one stat that stands out like a sore thumb when looking for a winner of this quarter final showdown, 'boom, boom' 7-1 to the Australian. Vera recorded their first head-to-head win way back in 2004 at the All England Championships, Stosur then went on the rampage winning their last seven matches, Moreover, of these seven triumphs, three wins all in straight sets have been played out on hard-courts.

•Stosur, who has been ranked as high as 4 in the World Rankings (currently ranked No. 10) has won twelve of her last fourteen matches on hard-courts, she has a positive record against top ten players comprising 60% of her last ten matches, whereas the Russian has lost four in a row against top tenners.

•Stosur, who in the past has had to fight off both injuries and illness, is starting to peak at the right time. Her heavy topspin, which in previous matches has taken the Russian out of her comfort zone ,will once again be a key factor to who wins tonight, If the Aussie uses her topspin forehand weapon to full effect, she will surely triumph once again. Stosur managed to hit 38 winners against Maria Kirilenko and 48 winners in her match against Nadia Petrova.

•Over the past 12 months Stosur has racked-up better hard-court service stats than her opponent. The Australian has a higher percentage of Aces per game, less double faults per game, as well as superior first serve %, first serve points won% and total service points won%.

•In early August the Brisbane native reached the final of the Premier event in Toronto where she lost to Serena Williams. She has so far defeated Zvonareva twice in 2011 and will be well rested after the rain delays that caused disruption yesterday in New York. Therefore in my mind, the value resides with the Aussie to make it through to her first ever semi-final appearance at Flushing Meadows.

Samantha Stosur to defeat Vera Zvonareva @ [2.30]