We started off today with Djokovic v Soderling, which Djokovic has just won 6-4 1-6 6-3. It wasn't a game I had an opinion on so was not bothered that I had to miss it due to work commitments.
But now I am back home and looking at the remaining three matches makes me glad that I am attending a ball this evening. I have just under 4 hours with which to get ready or have a bet.
Next up is Tsonga v Nadal! Tsonga is the favourite @ 1.72 with Nadal @ 2.36. The odds are slightly out in my opinion but not by a lot. I would still have Tsonga shading it as favourite but more like in the high 1.80's. Tsonga needs to get to the final in order to reach London which will be his motivation here. However his performance against Simon troubled me somewhat. Simon was clearly injured from the start, and while some say that has an impact on Tsonga's play, he should have really dispatched him a lot quicker and easier than he did. Nadal may not be in great form at the moment and he does look thinner and wearier every day I see him, but he will put up a lot more resistance than Simon. He is also still in with a shout of year end Number 1.
I will plump for a Tsonga win here but I think it will be 2-1. Therefore if I do decide to get involved it will probably be to lay the first set winner and green up early. This may change in running of course depending on how things develop.
As for the last two matches of the day, I have to be honest and say I really don't have a clue on either. If pushed I would go for Monfils due to the partisan home support and the fact that Cilic hasn't impressed me. In the other match I would have to go for Del Potro. Yes he had the trainer on against Gonzalez, but one reason makes me fancy him.... The year end rankings. He has a really good chance of taking the number 4 spot from Murray, which may only be one place but has enormous repercussions when it comes to draws in tournaments. Number 4 year end will almost certainly mean seeded 4 for the Australian Open in January. What better way to spend your holiday sat on a beach knowing that you are almost guaranteed a semi final berth in the first Major of the new season.
I couldn't make my mind up pre match so I stayed out the whole of the first set. Soderling taking it 6-4. Rafa just doesn't have the power he used too as is clearly shown in the size of his biceps. I wouldn't of course like to comment on any speculation as to the radical change in his physical stature over the last 18 months! However I think the picture here shows all the evidence you need! :-)
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