ATP Valencia Quarterfinals: Verdasco and Robredo in all-Spanish showdown

Valencia, Spain – Fourth seed Fernando Verdasco and seventh seed Tommy Robredo are set to go head-to-head in an all-Spanish quarterfinal showdown Friday, a spot in the Valencia Open 500 semis on the line. Fernando Verdasco is probably Spain’s best shot for a Spaniard to win the title. As such, as the crowd cheers on both countrymen, anxious for a praiseworthy clash, they will all the while be most likely slightly biased towards Verdasco, hoping he gets to stay around a little longer. Robredo would like it to be otherwise, naturally.

Tennis Betting Line: Fernando Verdasco -300 Tommy Robredo +200

Match Time: 02:00 P.M. Eastern Time Friday November 6, 2009

Tennis Betting Verdict: World No.8 Fernando Verdasco enters this match as the solid favourite to win outright, listed at BetUS Sportsbook at -300. The reason for the favourite nod is obvious. He has a noteworthy ranking in the top ten and a slight ranking edge over Robredo who weighs in at No.15.

Verdasco has also had a remarkable season by his previous standards, with groundbreaking Grand Slam results – semi-final appearance at the Aussie Open, quarterfinal appearance at the US Open and back-to-back R16’s at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Verdasco also ended a 12-month title drought when he won the title in New Haven ahead of the US Open.
Most recently, he finished runner-up in Kuala Lumpur and pushed to the Beijing quarters. His only hiccup during the fall swing was a first round exit to Ivan Ljubicic in Shanghai. Overall, he is 50-20 on the season.

Robredo has had a commendable season. He is 45-23 going into the Valencia quarters. He has two titles on the season in Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires. He had a strong start to the season with a R16 at the Aussie Open ahead of his title victories during the South American clay court swing and he underscored his clay court prowess with a quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros.

Most recently, Robredo opened noteworthy accounts at the US Open and Shanghai Masters with a last 16 finish in both, lost to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal respectively.

In some respects, Robredo stacks up well, which would make one believe him to be a value bet at +200. There is also the fact that Verdasco trails lifetime against Robredo 3-4. Yet, Robredo’s best career results have come almost exclusively on clay. That is not to say he hasn’t had success on hard courts because he has, but not against a quality hard courter player as Verdasco is. As such, Robredo will be hard pressed to beat Verdasco, especially, if Verdasco is 100% healthy and on his game.

Tennis Free Picks: Verdasco in straight sets