Events / Editor / 20 October 2007 /

Roger Federer will again be the player to beat when he chases his third straight Australian Open men's victory - and fourth overall.

The unstoppable Swiss star justified his short odds when beating Marcos Baghdatis and Fernando Gonzalez in 2006 and 2007 respectively and will be a popular bet to make it three wins on the spin in Melbourne.

The world number one rewarded his army of followers in the betting by also winning Wimbledon and the US Open at short odds. It proved another impressive season in which he won three Grand Slams singles titles in a calendar year for a record three times (also in 2004 and 2006).

Punters pondering a bet will be aware that Federer's incentive will be to win his 13th Grand Slam singles title and close in on legend Pete Sampras' record of 14.

One man capable of causing a betting upset and denying Federer is his nemesis, David Nalbandian.

The Argentinean first stunned punters with bets on Federer in Shanghai in 2005 - and then twice defied the odds in 2007 with victory over him at the Madrid and Paris Masters.

Australia's Lleyton Hewitt came unstuck against Marat Safin in the 2005 final and, although perhaps on the wane, will be roared on by the home faithful to spring an upset at longer odds in the betting.

Three-time winner Serena Williams will be a popular bet as she looks to defend her women's title but the big-hitting American recently withdrew from the Sony Ericsson Championships in Madrid and this could be reflected in her odds.

World number one Justine Henin, who last won the Australian Open in 2004, will head to Melbourne in devastating form and, having triumphed at the French and US Opens in 2007, will come in for support in the betting.

Maria Sharapova will be bidding to go one better than her 2007 defeat to Williams and will again be a popular bet, while Serbian duo Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic could see their odds snapped up.

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