Events / Sean Calvert / 11 April 2011 /

Roger Federer may not have it all his own way when up against Philipp Kohlschreiber and elsewhere we have a classic match between a big server and red dirt specialist. You know who to back in that one, says Sean Calvert.

Tuesday at the Monte-Carlo Masters sees the completion of the first round matches, plus the start of the second round. I have one recommended bet in each today.

In the first round, the clash between Kevin Anderson and Fabio Fognini, which is a real 'little v large' battle should go the way of the smaller man, at around [1.75]

The 6 feet 8 inch Anderson stands almost a foot taller than the 5 feet 10 inches Fognini, but that advantage should be wiped out on the slow clay courts of Monaco.

The South African has shown a marked improvement this year and is up to number 33 in the world following a strong start to 2011 on hard-courts, but the red dirt is far from his favoured surface.

Anderson's record on clay is poor, as his power game struggles to be effective in the conditions and Fognini, who plies his trade almost exclusively on it, should have too much know-how today.

Anderson has won just one completed match at ATP Tour level in his entire career and that was against Donald Young in Houston last year. His last match on the red dirt was a first round loss at Roland Garros to world number 142, Edouard Roger-Vasselin, almost a year ago.

Fognini on the other hand has done well enough on the clay this year to have earned a semi-final place in Santiago on the Golden Swing and a quarter final in Casablanca last week, so he will far more familiar and comfortable with this tournament's conditions.

The pair have met once before, but that was on grass and as you would expect, Anderson won it. Expect Fognini to have his revenge today.

Tuesday also sees the re-appearance of Roger Federer, who takes on Philipp Kohlschreiber in their second round match and the bet here has to be a lay of Fed 2-0 at around [1.35].

The pair have never met on clay, but the German is very effective on the surface, with one ATP Tour title to his name on the red dirt. He also famously beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the French Open in 2009.

Kohlschreiber also reached the quarter finals in Monte-Carlo last year before losing to David Ferrer and he has the advantage of having played a lengthy match here already in the first round.

Federer is often a slow starter on clay and has dropped sets early here to the likes of Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo and been beaten by Stan Wawrinka in recent years. I doubt this will be as easy as the odds suggest for the Swiss.

Recommended bets

Back Fognini to beat Anderson at [1.75]
Lay Federer to beat Kohlschreiber 2-0 at [1.35]

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