Davis Cup Betting / Editor / 12 September 2007 /

All eyes turn to the final of the 96th edition of the Davis Cup in late November as USA take on Russia, with opinions likely to be divided on whom is the value bet.

Given the Americans are hosting the finals for the first time since 1992, they look set to be sent off as odds-on favourites in the betting, as they bid to make home advantage count.

However, the battle for the most important team-event trophy in men's tennis will be anything but a foregone conclusion, with many betting punters likely to feel there are some value bets to be had in the odds available on Russia.

The competition has been won by the US 31 times, although those betting on them to win the competition should note that they have not enjoyed success since 1995, while they last made the final in 2004.

Meanwhile, Russia are the defending champions and are able to call on the likes of Marat Safin, Mikhail Youzhny and Nikolay Davydenko and they are likely to put up a stern fight on American soil, as they bid to prove that they are worthy of their number one position in the rankings.

Both teams were impressive in progressing to the final and landed plenty of match bets along the way.

The Americans were in inspired form as they saw off Spain in the quarter-finals and then Sweden in the last four, running out 4-1 winners in both ties. It was a little harder for Russia, although they justified their favouritism in the betting when managing a 3-2 victory over France, and then recorded the same scoreline in a hard-fought contest against Germany on indoor clay in the semis.

However, punters considering the match-odds and correct score betting will also be aware that there have only been three previous meetings in the competition between these two countries, and the USA have a marginal upper hand.

Both have a victory apiece on indoor clay but perhaps the most telling factor is in the only meeting on the hard courts. The Americans ran out winners on that occasion at Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta, although that was back in 1998.

Plenty has changed since then but with such quality in both teams, it looks set to be a tight affair and the betting is likely to be frantic when the showpiece final gets underway on November 30.

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