Events / Sean Calvert / 01 August 2011 /

We're in Washington this week for the main ATP event and though good cases can be made for quite a few of the top seeds, Sean likes a certain Serbian to go all the way. No, not the one you're thinking.

If I'd have tipped up Ernests Gulbis to win in LA last week off the back of an awful run of form there might have been some questions asked about my sanity, so his win in the Farmers Classic was a bit of a surprise.

We all know Gulbis has it in him, but he so rarely produces that it's an eye-opener when he does show his best form - and he certainly did that when he beat my tip Juan Martin Del Potro.

The North American hard-court season shifts up a gear this week, as the only ATP 500 event in this part of the swing takes centre stage in Washington D.C.

The Legg Mason Tennis Classic has lost its traditional big draw, as Andy Roddick has pulled out through injury, leaving a somewhat patchy field with Mardy Fish and Gael Monfils as the highest seeds in the event.

Roddick joins Lleyton Hewiit, Sam Querrey, Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori on the sidelines in what looks a tournament lacking in star appeal, which will annoy Sky Sports, who are showing the latter stages.

Most of the game's big names will appear next week in Canada, but at least there are the likes of Fernando Verdasco, John Isner, (defending champion) David Nalbandian, Jurgen Melzer, Nikolay Davydenko, Viktor Troicki, Marcos Baghdatis and Fernando Gonzalez on display - and it makes Washington an interesting and wide open betting event.

There are also several of the game's new crop of youngsters appearing in the American capital, with Ryan Harrison and Denis Kudla benefiting from wild cards. But the one I fancy for this is number three seed, Viktor Troicki at around [12.0].

The Serbian has been placed in what looks a tricky top half of the draw, along with Monfils, Nalbandian, Isner, Kevin Anderson, Janko Tipsarevic, Dmitry Tursunov and Michael Llodra.

But Troicki has been in decent form on hard-courts this year and has generally only lost to the best on the surface, with three losses to Novak Djokovic, and another to Roger Federer.

Indeed, the lowest ranked player that Troicki has lost to on the surface since last year's US Open is Philipp Kohlschreiber (then ranked 35) and he's been knocking on the door at this level.

UK fans saw some of the best of Troicki against Andy Murray at Roland Garros in a match he should have won and the 25-year-old could be one to look out for in this swing.

Defending champion Nalbandian is coming back from yet another injury, while Monfils has never won an outdoor hard-court event at ATP Tour level.

Isner made the final in the stifling heat of Washington on debut in 2007, but he's been unable to match that here in three attempts since.

The bottom half of the draw looks another decent opportunity for solid hard-court performer, Mardy Fish to take advantage of, with Davydenko, Verdasco, Melzer, Baghdatis, Xavier Malisse and Thomaz Bellucci the main opposition.

Fish showed his usual solid form in LA last week, but the loss to Gulbis in the Farmers Classic final was unexpected and it might be indicative of a bit of tiredness after a lot of tennis in the last month.

The American number one is certainly doing his bit for US tennis with appearances in all of the summer swing events so far and presumably he won't miss Montreal and Cincy, so I won't be backing him as the [7.0] joint-favourite this week due to likely fatigue.

Verdasco showed a bit of form on the clay in Gstaad where he reached the final last week, but it's asking a lot for him to come here from the dirt and win straight off.

Davydenko hasn't bettered the second round of any hard-court event since he won in Qatar in the first week of the season and his last two ATP matches have resulted in losses to the same player - world number 148 Cedrik-Marcel Stebe.

Baghdatis always has a chance, but he just can't find any results at the moment and has veterans Fernando Gonzalez and Tommy Haas in his section, as well as Somdev Devvarman and Thomaz Bellucci.

The smart money is on the Serb.

Recommended bet:

Back Troikci at around [12.0]

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