11/01/08 Full Card
ATP Auckland: Julien Benneteau (FRA) vs Juan Carlos Ferrero (SPA) - Today, 00:30 GMT
Julien Benneteau is having a great week in Auckland. After defeating two good players on the surface, Dudi Sela and Nicolas Almagro, he defeated the Top 5 player David Ferrer by 6:4 6:0, with an amazing performance! Actually that isn't a huge surprise has Benneteau is the king of the underdogs. He has an amazing 37,5% success rate when he is a big underdog (higher than 2.50 or +150). There isn't much more players in the tour that can say that they have caused so many upsets during their careers. The main reason for this to happen is the tricky game of Benneteau. The French player has a lot of technique and he is capable of performing extremely well on a slow hardcourt surface like this one. He is the natural successor of Santoro in this style of play and when he's on (like in this week), it's almost impossible to stop him, unless you hit the ball on a very powerful way, something that Ferrero can't simply do.
Juan Carlos Ferrero has played twice against Benneteau and he has lost one and won the other one. The Spanish player is having a nice beginning of season, but he is also having a very tough schedule in this tournament. Due to rain, he had to play the first two rounds on a day and yesterday he had a very long marathon against Nicolas Massu, where Ferrero had to run miles to get the win on a close three set match. That's not good news for him, as Benneteau will make him run even more today. Unlike Ferrero, the French player didn't have to play two matches in one day and he has only dropped one set this week. Also this is his second tournament of the season for him and he is closer to 100% than Ferrero, who is making his season debut this week.
This is going to be a very good match, but Benneteau seems to be too confident to be the underdog in here. Ferrero is far from the level he had in 2003 and he didn't play that well yesterday, unlike Benneteau who comes from playing an amazing match against Ferrer. A letdown is always possible, but the fact that Benneteau has done two upsets in a row for 11 times during his career (one already this week - Almagro + Ferrer) makes me think that's not gonna happen today. Take Benneteau to win in here.
Play 1* unit on Julien Benneteau to win @ +155
ATP Sydney: Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs Chris Guccione (AUS) - Today, 03:00 GMT
Radek Stepanek seems to be at 100% again and he is having a nice week in here. After destroying the Top 10 player Tommy Robredo by 6:4 6:2 in the first round and winning a close three set match against Andreas Seppi, he easily got rid of Agustin Calleri by 6:2 6:4. Stepanek is a world class player and he should be close to the Top 10 in the next Summer. He likes to serve & volley, but he is also capable of performing well in the baseline and his experience helps him in clutch situations, like tie-breaks or at break points. This will be the 19th semi final of the Czech player on an ATP tournament, so don't expect him to feel any kind of pressure because of this match. Stepanek believes a lot in himself and he is very tough to beat in close matches, as he is capable of taking advantage of every chance his opponent gives to him.
Chris Guccione is having his annual great Australian tournament, but this will be the end of the line for him. He has played well against Hewitt and Berdych, but now he will face an opponent that will take the opportunities Gooch will give to him, unlike his past two opponents. Guccione only has his serve and don't expect him to come even close to break Stepanek's serve today. The opposite is also hard to happen, but Stepanek is a good returner and he will try to win more than 60% of the points played on Guccione's second serve. If this happens, then Stepanek will end up sneak a break somewhere and end up winning this match.
This won't be easy for Stepanek, but he's going to win this one. His experience will be too much for Guccione, who will need to rely himself 100% on his serve. Stepanek will end up winning by 7:6 6:4 or something like that.
Play 1* unit on Radek Stepanek (-1,5 Games) @ -112
Good luck!
ATP Auckland: Julien Benneteau (FRA) vs Juan Carlos Ferrero (SPA) - Today, 00:30 GMT
Julien Benneteau is having a great week in Auckland. After defeating two good players on the surface, Dudi Sela and Nicolas Almagro, he defeated the Top 5 player David Ferrer by 6:4 6:0, with an amazing performance! Actually that isn't a huge surprise has Benneteau is the king of the underdogs. He has an amazing 37,5% success rate when he is a big underdog (higher than 2.50 or +150). There isn't much more players in the tour that can say that they have caused so many upsets during their careers. The main reason for this to happen is the tricky game of Benneteau. The French player has a lot of technique and he is capable of performing extremely well on a slow hardcourt surface like this one. He is the natural successor of Santoro in this style of play and when he's on (like in this week), it's almost impossible to stop him, unless you hit the ball on a very powerful way, something that Ferrero can't simply do.
Juan Carlos Ferrero has played twice against Benneteau and he has lost one and won the other one. The Spanish player is having a nice beginning of season, but he is also having a very tough schedule in this tournament. Due to rain, he had to play the first two rounds on a day and yesterday he had a very long marathon against Nicolas Massu, where Ferrero had to run miles to get the win on a close three set match. That's not good news for him, as Benneteau will make him run even more today. Unlike Ferrero, the French player didn't have to play two matches in one day and he has only dropped one set this week. Also this is his second tournament of the season for him and he is closer to 100% than Ferrero, who is making his season debut this week.
This is going to be a very good match, but Benneteau seems to be too confident to be the underdog in here. Ferrero is far from the level he had in 2003 and he didn't play that well yesterday, unlike Benneteau who comes from playing an amazing match against Ferrer. A letdown is always possible, but the fact that Benneteau has done two upsets in a row for 11 times during his career (one already this week - Almagro + Ferrer) makes me think that's not gonna happen today. Take Benneteau to win in here.
Play 1* unit on Julien Benneteau to win @ +155
ATP Sydney: Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs Chris Guccione (AUS) - Today, 03:00 GMT
Radek Stepanek seems to be at 100% again and he is having a nice week in here. After destroying the Top 10 player Tommy Robredo by 6:4 6:2 in the first round and winning a close three set match against Andreas Seppi, he easily got rid of Agustin Calleri by 6:2 6:4. Stepanek is a world class player and he should be close to the Top 10 in the next Summer. He likes to serve & volley, but he is also capable of performing well in the baseline and his experience helps him in clutch situations, like tie-breaks or at break points. This will be the 19th semi final of the Czech player on an ATP tournament, so don't expect him to feel any kind of pressure because of this match. Stepanek believes a lot in himself and he is very tough to beat in close matches, as he is capable of taking advantage of every chance his opponent gives to him.
Chris Guccione is having his annual great Australian tournament, but this will be the end of the line for him. He has played well against Hewitt and Berdych, but now he will face an opponent that will take the opportunities Gooch will give to him, unlike his past two opponents. Guccione only has his serve and don't expect him to come even close to break Stepanek's serve today. The opposite is also hard to happen, but Stepanek is a good returner and he will try to win more than 60% of the points played on Guccione's second serve. If this happens, then Stepanek will end up sneak a break somewhere and end up winning this match.
This won't be easy for Stepanek, but he's going to win this one. His experience will be too much for Guccione, who will need to rely himself 100% on his serve. Stepanek will end up winning by 7:6 6:4 or something like that.
Play 1* unit on Radek Stepanek (-1,5 Games) @ -112
Good luck!
