Wimbledon Betting / Maxliu / 28 June 2009 /

Andy Murray plays ruthless as Wimbledon 2009 enters week two. Max Liu discusses the Scot's chances as well as the best betting stories from week one...

I don't wish to tempt fate but the convincing manner of Andy Murray's third round victory (6-2 6-3 6-4) over Viktor Troicki on Saturday means that even the most sceptical British fans must acknowledge that the world number three is playing like a champion.

I like Murray for the reasons some dislike him: for being young and behaving like it, for being Scottish, for being surly, for not being Tim Henman and for not supporting England at international football tournaments. I like him because he is an outsider and I believe that this is integral to his winning mentality.

The urgency which has characterised Murray's performances this week - his keeness to get the job done and move on, rather than bask in the fans' adulation or the centre court "atmosphere" - suggest that he is a winner. His uneasiness with Union Jacks and telegrams from the Queen are a good thing.

Think of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nick Faldo, Mike Tyson and you see that the anatomy of a winner can be hard to come to terms with. If Murray does become the first Brit since Fred Perry to win the Wimbledon mens' singles title he will have cemented his position as a sports hero for all time. But in order to do so he might have to show the attributes of a villain first. Or at least, the attributes that Daily Mail readers regard as villainous.

Murray can be backed at [1.08] to overcome Stanislas Wawrinka [12.5] in the fourth round. He is [4.0] to become the first British male since Fred Perry to blah... blah... blah... For a Murray/Federer final you can get [1.95].

Federer is looking good. In terms of Murray's hopes, he is most certainly the elephant in the room, all be it a very elegant elephant. Like Murray he has dropped one set so far - against Phil Kohlschreiber in the third round - and winning the French Open seems to have liberated him. The grace with which he has disposed of his opponents, as well as his startling array of groundstrokes, points to a man playing without fear.

Federer remains tournament favourite at [1.72] and can be backed at [1.08] to beat Robin Soderling in the fourth round. But remember, although the Swiss beat him in the final at Roland Garros, it was Soderling who knocked Rafael Nadal out of the French Open. If the Swede were to beat Federer at Wimbledon he would establish himself as something of a tournament favourite assassin and blow SW19 wide open. Worth a look at [12.5]?

The women's tournament has seen the most notable betting stories so far.

On Saturday, sixth seed Jelena Jankovic traded at [1.05] on Betfair after winning the first set before 17-year-old Melanie Oudin, who was matched at [20.0], took the next two to cause a massive upset. Oudin showed character beyond her years as she took the second 7-5 before blasting the Serbian out of the tournament 6-2 in the decider. American Oudin, who is playing at SW19 for the first time, can be backed at a massive [310.00] for a shock tournament win.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Maria Sharapova was knocked out of the tournament she won in 2004 by unknown Argentinian Gisela Dulko. Dulko was matched at [11.0] in-running and Sharapova came in to [1.08] before Dulko held her nerve to win in three sets.

In the mens' draw, former champion Lleyton Hewitt was matched at [17.0] to win in three sets against fifth seed Juan Del Potro. Hewitt is [46.0] for a second Wimbledon title.

Punters would also be well advised to keep one eye on Andy Roddick who, despite dropping a set in every round so far, is sure to be there or thereabouts. The American has become something of a perennial Wimbledon nearly man in recent years but with attention firmly on Murray and Federer perhaps the sixth seed could sneak up and take the title in a year when nobody is expecting him to. The [32.0] on offer is well worth a look. Fourth seed Novak Djokovic [17.0] has been unconvincing so far but he could yet be a threat.

Personally, I expect Federer to overcome Murray by three sets to one in the final for a sixth title and record 15th Grand Slam. In the womens', I can't see beyond Venus at [3.55].

It's worth noting that should Murray prove me wrong, his price in Betfair's Sports Personality of the Year 2009 market (currently [2.98]) would shorten dramatically. I'd love to see the award go to him; not least because I believe he has enough personality not to turn up to the ceremony to collect it.

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