US Open Draw Released Federer’s Quarter

Flushing Meadows, New York – Now that the 2008 US Open draw is out we can begin with our tennis betting previews at BetUS Sportsbook for this final Grand Slam event of the year.

The US Open will be Roger Federer’s first outing as a second seed but if sports bettors believe his course is all the more easier now that he is relieved of the burdens of being the top seed then they are mistaken.

Federer’s quarter has a little bit of everything from hard hitters and upset-makers to home patch favourites – promising early stage excitement for tennis bettors as quality clashes and great angles for profit will be the order for the first week of Grand Slam betting.

This the first time Federer finds himself No.2 in a Grand Slam since the 2004 Australian Open, which he won. The four-time US Open champion is bidding for his fifth consecutive US Open title but given that he has yet to reach the final of a hard court event this year, few sports bettors are willing to wager he will be able to accomplish the five-peat in Flushing Meadows [ insert faux astonishment here]. His draw does not help his chances either [insert little shiver here].

He begins his campaign Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina. A routine match I am sure. Let us skip the second round as he will come up against a qualifier and surely, he will not flounder there either. The third round is where it gets crazy for Federer as he could come up against Radek Stepanek , who beat him when they last met in the quarters at the Rome Masters (and came close to eliminating Novak Djokovic last year at the US Open in the second round) or Potito Starace. Given a choice, Federer would most likely prefer to play the latter than the former.

The last 16 could serve up huge obstacles in one of two of the best forehands in the game – Russian Igor Andreev or Spaniard Fernando Verdasco; both of whom are lethal of the forehand wing and play with heavy top spin – not unlike Rafael Nadal. Each on hot streaks Andreev and Verdasco can hang with Federer in an all-court battle so if Federer becomes generous with free points, things could get tricky for the Swiss here. Dare I say it aloud: an upset in the making?

Finally, Russian Nikolay Davydenko did Federer no favours when he slipped to No.5 in the rankings, subsequently falling in Fed’s quarter and could very well meet him as a result in the last eight ; that is should both survive the early rounds to feature in the final eight.

If Federer makes it to the semis – no more a sure bet – he could face third seed and 2007 US Open runner-up Novak Djokovic who fell into his half of the draw. To add to the drama of betting on Federer, the bottom half of the draw contains two other former US Open champions in Andy Roddick and Marat Safin, but as they feature in Djokovic’s quarter they will be an imminent threat for the Serb before they could establish themselves as a potential threat for Federer.

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room