Tennis: US Open Russians To Storm Flushing Meadows by Anthony Lucas of Betfinder.co.uk

Posted: Tuesday, 1st September 2010

Compare odds on Mens US Open Tennis Winner here

Compare odds on Womens US Open Tennis Winner here

The US Open has already started and although I have held off until now to make my predictions, the first round results shouldn't affect the odds, just reaffirm my suspicions that a female Russian player will take the title.

Serena Williams isn't playing, Justin Henin is out injured, Kim Clijsters will try to defend her title but is short on form and the rest of the field seem to be beating each other up without anyone taking a grip on the women's game. Even former World Number One, Dinara Safina has been put out in the 1st round, so my guess is anyone can win this.

With this in mind, my main pick will be Elena Dementieva because she has a good record at Flushing Meadows, losing in the final in 2004, whilst having a 75% win rate. The Russian is not long back from an injury and although the odds suggest that this might hinder her, I think the break will have done her the world of good.

12 of her 16 tournament wins have been on hard courts which is by far her best surface and she definitely has the game to beat the rest of the field. My only doubt is her mental strength lets her down at times, often looking to her mother for courtside assistance, but she is 28 and surely a growing maturity will help her win a major event before she retires.

At 20/1 with most firms the odds are generous in my view and represent great each way value.

So does my second and third picks, who will also be representing Russia at the last major of the year. Vera Zvonareva has had a stella year, making the final at Wimbledon and at the Rogers Cup, where she put out Kim Clijsters in the 3rd round and a victory can't be too far away.

In my opinion she could be peaking for the US Open and knows how to handle herself in big tournaments, proven by her display at Wimbledon.

At 22/1 she also represents great each way value, as a place in the final would pay odds of 11/1. She has a good a chance as anyone and could be the Russian star that shines bright in New York.

However, I have a sneaky feeling that a third Russian player, the young Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova could cause a few upsets and go deep into the tournament. She's a player who has beaten some of the world's best already this year and every so often a young gun produces the goods at big tournaments when no one suspects it. At 50/1 she would also be a welcome winner so watch out for her to do well.

The men's tournament is a little harder to decipher, as all the big guns are sure to be there come the semi-final stage. Rafael Nadal is the man to beat, whereas Roger Federer and Andy Murray have both won in recent weeks.

Despite this, none of them are unbeatable and yet again, there could be a surprise or two when we get down to the knitty gritty of the latter stages.

Andy Roddick suffered in last year's Wimbledon final, where a mammoth effort just saw him lose to record breaker Roger Federer. He hasn't replicated that achievement since then and admitted it took its toll on him mentally. However, it may be time to turn all his hard work into a big trophy and having won at Flushing Meadows already in his career, a second title here is not beyond the realms of possibility.

This tournament is the place in which he recorded the world's fastest serve, at a whopping 152mph, so the court is receptive to his main weapon and should help hold his serve throughout the majority of the two weeks.

Generally, the odds are 25/1 but you may be able to bleed a bit more out of Betfair and increase the pay out.

Last but not least is my favourite pick of the whole tournament. What a joy it would be to see a man, who has long been one of the best natural players of the game, win his first major in what may become one of his last few chances.

David Nalbandian has suffered throughout his career with a variety of injuries but still managed to make the semi-final at every major tournament and win several other big ones along the way.

A master on either hard or clay courts, when he is on his game he can beat anyone in the world and has proved it in years gone by.

Having won in Washington only a few weeks ago, Nalbandian will be eager to keep up his good form and when he is in that winning mood, the Argentinean is hard to beat which is why around 50/1 on Betfair is a very tempting offer.

MY BETS

MEN'S TOURNAMENT
2pts EW - ANDY RODDICK TO WIN @ 25/1 (Generally)
2pts - DAVID NALBANDIAN TO WIN @ 50/1 (Betfair)
2pts - DAVID NALBANDIAN, TO REACH FINAL @ 12/1+ (Betfair)

WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT
2pts EW - ELENA DEMENTIEVA TO WIN @ 20/1 (Generally)
2pts EW - VERA ZVONAREVA TO WIN @ 22/1 (Generally)
1pt - ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA TO WIN @ 50/1 (Betfair)
1pt - ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA TO REACH FINAL @ 18/1+ (Betfair)

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