sm80
| Join Date: | May 28, 2009 |
I was waiting for handicaps but it looks like today bookies decided to give only straight lines. It is a very pity. Serbia have very strong team and is one one of the favorites of this universiade. One more advantage for them - home audience. They have some girls from main team in their squad. This team of Brazil isn't so strong as main team, they have a lot of young girls, they lost to Italy yesterday. Sure coefficient is too low but what else to do if bookies don't give handicaps.
Today we will see "family final" again. It's difficult to predict the winner in such kind of matches. Sisters know all strong and weak sides of each other, all technical features, all pitfalls and ???? thoughts. They have met a lot of times yet and most of them were very tight and finished with over. Today i expect the same situation, moreover it's a final and the sisters might decide to play for audience.
No big choice to bet, so let's switch to Universiade in Belgrade. Yesterday Russia has easy won Sweden because of higher class, but i want admit Sweden had periods of match when they was showing quite good play (especially in 3rd set). Today they are meeting Lebanon. Looks like guys from Lebanon are not professionals, they haven't enough tall players, for me easy win for Sweden in every set, so such handicap is worth to try.
Well, when there is big difference in class it's quite difficult to get result that differs from 3:0. Yesterday Australia had big battle with United Arab Emirates and lost in 5th set. That was tight match because these teams are the same class. Czech Republic in their turn have won Germany in 5th set tight match too, shown their strong character and class. They have enough higher-level players to win easy today.
Ferrero shows very good play, staying in great shape. He has won Gonzalez who is high-class player, then won Simon who likes grass, and now he has real chance to go trough Murray. Ferrero plays great on the baseline, has good forehand, backhand. Looks like he has found his style and play on this surface. Murray almost lost to Wawrinka who played aggressively, and looks like he is not in his best shape.
Haas has won Djokovic recently in three sets (in Halle). That means he knows how to play with Djokovic, his weak and strong sides. Sure, Novak is top-class player and shows good tennis at this tournament, he has won Sela easily, but I should note Djokovic always plays great with opponents who is really weaker (as Sela was) and there will be other story in match with Haas. Tommy has shown that he is mentally strong, won Cilic in very tight match, that fact shows he is ready to fight and even ready to reach semi-final (handicap is more safer).
For me Haas is clear favorite hear. He is in form, shows very good tennis, got time to rest and prepare for next match after Llodra retired in first set. Cilic in his turn doesn't look good, won Querrey in fifth set match, made 43 unforced errors and only 13 aces (in spite of he has strong serve), generelly speaking doesn't show his best tennis. Haas has much more experience on grass and plays better on return, i believe he will win.