Events / Sean Calvert / 02 August 2010 /

The American hard-court season is now truly under way and this week we move to Washington, where Andy Roddick heads the betting. The best wager though, lies with another big-serving American that goes by the name of John Isner, says Sean Calvert.

I was a little disappointed with Marcos Baghdatis's quarter final effort last week in LA, but he gave us a decent run for our money at a price of [34.0] and this week the quality of the field increases as we head over to Washington.

The Legg Mason Classic is an ATP 500 event these days and as such it attracts more of the top stars over for a prize pot of $1,165,500.

The top seed this year following some fine efforts in the Slams is Tomas Berdych, who you would expect to be one of the live contenders for events like this, but I'm not so sure I'll be backing him at around [5.0] to triumph this week.

The Berdman has clearly improved on the mental side of things in recent months, but I have severe doubts as to whether he's ever going to be the kind of player that is a regular winner on the ATP Tour.

His record so far is poor for a man of his talent, with just five titles in his entire career thus far and over the shorter three set matches he doesn't have time for one of his legendary mid-match walkabouts.

Add to that an abdominal injury that has kept him out since Wimbledon and a tricky draw and you have a poor bet at the price.

The Czech has been paired with his former doubles partner Dmitriy Tursunov and dangerous 'floaters' Richard Gasquet and Xavier Malisse, along with the very real threat of John Isner in his quarter, so that could be tough for Berdy.

Isner is a former finalist here with an 11-3 record at this event and that's what I'm looking for this week, as conditions here can be unbelievably hot and humid and you want someone on your side that's been there and done it.

The lanky one is priced up at around [13.0] and after finishing runner-up in his first event since 'that' match at Wimbledon a month ago, he should be in prime from for this.

In the adjacent quarter, number three seed Fernando Verdasco is top dog and third favourite overall at around [10.0], but he's been in wretched form since the French Open and has only won one match since.

Verdy lost in the first round at SW19 and then lost his singles and doubles in Spain's 5-0 embarrassment to France in the Davis Cup before beating the mighty Stephane Robert then losing to Tommy Robredo in Bastad.

There are all sorts of alternatives to Verdasco in that section, among them Baghdatis, Ernests Gulbis and James Blake, and I won't be backing the Madrid man this week.

Tournament favourite and number two seed Andy Roddick has a great record here, having won it three times and amassed a 29-5 record in the process.

He is trading at around [4.0] this year and should be in the shake-up despite a straight sets loss to Mardy Fish in Atlanta.

That was Roddick's first event since Wimbledon and he's likely to improve for that, but he does have a resurgent Fish, who I highlighted as one of the players to watch this hard court season, in his half of the draw.

Roddick has been paired with Radek Stepanek, Stan Wawrinka, Gilles Simon and wild card David Nalbandian in his quarter and the Argentine is as ever an interesting prospect at a price of [21.0].

The Argentine has been suffering with injury for a long time, but made an encouraging comeback in Davis Cup a few weeks ago, so he's one to watch in that section.

The last quarter is headed by LA champ Sam Querrey, but looks a tough one to call with the likes of Marin Cilic, Fish, Lleyton Hewitt and Janko Tipsarevic all in there.

The safest bet would probably be Roddick, but several have claims in that bottom half of the draw and all things considered, Isner looks to have perhaps the most foreseeable route to the final, so he's the bet at around [13.0].

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