Wimbledon Day 11

Wimbledon Betting / Editor / 06 July 2007 / Leave a Comment

Two days later than originally scheduled, the men's quarter-finals take place today with another rain-beater 11am start.
Roger Federer again has a head start on the others as he and Juan Carlos Ferrero began their match yesterday afternoon. But basically it's a level playing field for the eight men left to chase the ultimate prize.

It's also women's semi-finals day - just a day behind schedule as the rain means no day off for players between quarters, semis and finals as Wimbledon still try to finish the Championships by Sunday.
The Betfair Four to Follow speak for themselves today.

Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic, 7) v Rafael Nadal (Spain, 2)
This match kicks off the Centre Court action and will be a terrific duel of the 21-year-olds between 6ft 5in Berdych and 6ft 1in Nadal. While Berdych brushed aside Jonas Bjorkman in four sets in yesterday's fourth round, Nadal had to come from two sets down against Mikhail Youzhny in his second successive five-setter. Berdych and Nadal, the triple French Open champion and 2006 Wimbledon runner-up, have met five times with the Czech ace leading 3-2. They have never met over five sets and never met on grass. It is Berdych's first time in the Wimbledon quarters.
Betfair have Nadal available at 1.77 with Berdych at 2.28.

Roger Federer (Switzerland, 1) v Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain, 20)
Also on Centre Court, Roger Federer went into his first match since last Friday against Juan Carlos Ferrero holding an 8-3 lead in head to heads with two of those Ferrero wins coming in their first two meetings back in 2000.

Federer won their only meeting on grass in straight sets back in 2005 but yesterday's early action showed clay-court specialist, former French Open champion and former world No 1 Ferrero taking the fight to Federer. The Swiss ace had led 5-2 but the Mosquito came biting back and they resume at deuce on the Federer serve at 5-5 in the first set after it was finally Federer's turn to by a raining champion.

Federer is trading at 1.05 with Betfair to come through as he bids for his fifth consecutive title. Ferrero is a long shot at 17.5.

Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus, 10) v Novak Djokovic (Serbia, 4)

Another of those battles of the young guns starts the action on Court One with 22-year-old Marcos Baghdatis, with his huge Cypriot support, taking on 20-year-old Novak Djokovic.

Baghdatis cruised through the fourth round impressively in straight sets against Nikolay Davydenko while Djokovic outplayed 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt in four sets.

Their only meeting was in the Rome Masters in May when Djokovic won on clay. The Serbian star is bidding to reach the semi-finals for the first time in his best Wimbledon to date. Baghdatis has already been there, getting to the last four last year on his second visit to Wimbledon.

A match between two exciting talents this is a close one to call with Baghdatis trading at 2.4 with Betfair and Djokovic favoured at 1.7 to come through to face Berdych or Nadal in the semi-finals tomorrow.
Andy Roddick (USA, 3) v Richard Gasquet (France, 12)

The second quarter-final on Court One brings twice runner-up Andy Roddick up against Frenchman Richard Gasquet in a match which got on court yesterday but didn't get started. It's Roddick's serve and volley power against Gasquet's all-court skill. Gasquet, 21, has only faced French opponents in reaching the last eight. Now he takes on the American's power game - and if he can extend the rallies beyond the three-stroke affairs that Roddick prefers he can upset the seeding despite trailing 2-0 in head to heads.

Gasquet is trading at 3.65 with Betfair to come through to face Federer or Ferrero. Roddick is 1.37.
It's also women's semi-finals with three-times champion Venus Williams and two-time runner-up Justine Henin hot favourites to come through

Ana Ivanovic (Serbia, 6) Venus Williams (USA, 23)
Ice cool Ana Ivanovic, the Serbian sixth seed, saved three match points to come through her quarter-final against Nicole Vaidisova. She had already recovered from 3-1 down in the final set against Nadia Petrova in the fourth round. Now she's up against former champion Venus Williams, who has raised her game just for these championships.

Williams, 27, has won both their previous meetings against the 19-year-old in straight sets in 2004 and 2006 and is trading at 1.29 with Betfair to go through to her sixth Wimbledon final. But can the innocence of youth overcome the experience of Williams on Centre Court's third match today? Ivanovic is trading at 4.3 with Betfair.
Justine Henin (Belgium, 1) v Marion Bartoli (France, 18)

Justine Henin is chasing her third final appearance after losing both the 2001 final to Williams and last year's final to Mauresmo. The three-times French champion is clear favourite against surprise semi-finalist Marion Bartoli, the 18th seed from France. Bartoli had never been beyond the third round at Wimbledon until this week. Henin and Bartoli have met twice and the Belgian won both, most recently on Eastbourne's grass courts in the semi-finals the weekend before Wimbledon.
Henin is trading at 1.04 with Betfair to go through, with Bartoli 21.