GB coach admits Davis Cup challenge ahead in Lithuania

Great Britain coach John Lloyd knows the Davis Cup offers a number of challenges for tennis players but has called on his inexperienced side to rise to the task in hand this week.

He is busy preparing his players for their Euro-Africa Zone Group II clash with Lithuania, and Lloyd must do without Andy Murray as the world number four has chosen not to play in the tie.

As a result, Lloyd has named James Ward, Dan Evans, Colin Fleming and Ken Skupski as his four-man side, with Jamie Baker and Ross Hutchins providing back up.

Ward and Evans will take the singles spots, while Fleming and Skupski will compete in the doubles, but he can change the squad around before Thursday's draw.

The two singles players are ranked 250th and 252nd in the world respectively and boast little Davis Cup experience between them. Ward is making his debut and Evans was defeated in both his appearances to date.

According to the tennis betting odds, the pair will have to dig deep to secure victory and Lloyd has admitted he is working hard to prepare his squad for the clash and keep spirits high despite the challenges they face in Vilnius.

"Davis Cup, in my opinion, is the most difficult thing to play, even more so than Grand Slams, because of what it entails, playing for your country, in a team," said the GB coach.

"Certain players have it and some don't, and that's what we've got to learn, who has that ability to play to the best of their ability under pressure."

After GB's relegation to the Euro-Africa Zone Group II last year Murray he was making himself unavailable for selection for the foreseeable future.

For his part, Murray will be focusing on winning a Grand Slam and he could be a good tennis bet for this year's Wimbledon.

Men's 2010 BNP Paribas Open preview

Like many ATP tour events, Indian Wells has been dominated in recent years by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who have won five of the last six titles between them. They appear unlikely to maintain that stranglehold this year.

Both players hope to take part in the event, but injuries and illness make their participation doubtful – Nadal is resting his troublesome knees and Federer is struggling with a lung infection. Neither man will be at his best should they take to the court.

Injuries are also plaguing other top players. Juan Martin del Potro’s wrist injury looks set to keep him out of action until the Sony Ericsson Open, whilst Nikolay Davydenko was forced to pull out of Dubai with a similar problem.

All this means Novak Djokovic, winner at Indian Wells in 2008 and Andy Murray, runner-up last year, are the most likely winners when it comes to Tennis Betting. Djokovic has risen to number two in the rankings thanks to a strong finish to last season and the injury problems of his rivals, but he has not produced his best form in recent weeks.

Both Murray and Djokovic are in action in Dubai and their respective form at the event will be the best guide to their prospects at the BNP Paribas Open. Murray was a more regular fixture in the latter stages of the 2009 main tournaments and he will start as many people’s favourite in Indian Wells.

Andy Roddick is always a man to follow in the US hard court season, but there are other home players to look out for – Mardy Fish reached the 2008 Indian Wells final and Sam Querrey, a winner in Memphis last month, could be a decent outside Online Betting tip.

Sharapova looking to build on win

Maria Sharapova has registered her first victory of the 2010 season and now wants to build on that performance over the course of the year.

The world number 16 and three-time Grand Slam singles champion was beaten in the first round at this year's Australian Open, but finally registered her first competitive victory when she knocked out Shenay Perry at the Cellular South Cup tournament in Memphis.

Sharapova is top seeded in the competition and lost just three points on her own serve as she romped to victory in a little over 50 minutes.

The former world number one was forced to miss ten months of the season in 2008 and 2009 after having surgery on her shoulder but is now looking to get back into the world top ten and add to her collection of Grand Slam titles.

The tennis betting suggests that she will be competitive at the French Open, but she will have to dig deep to win the event.

Speaking after her victory over Perry, Sharapova said the match "wasn't easy" but she wants to improve in the coming months in order to win silverware in 2010.

"It's just the beginning of the season, so right now I'm really trying to build with each match and work on my game," said the 22-year-old.

"I don't think any match is easy. You still have to go out and win the match."

However, the tennis betting odds make her a strong favourite to beat her second round opponent, Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

The sixth seed at the Cellular South Cup Kristina Barrois did not have as easy a time as Sharapova in Memphis and was knocked out by Anne Keothavong in the first round of the competition.

Nadal fighting back

Rafael Nadal's recovery from a knee injury is "going well", according to the uncle and coach of the world number four.

The Spaniard was trailing Andy Murray 6-3, 7-6, 3-0 in the quarter final of the Australian Open when he was forced to withdraw from the match after tearing a tendon in his right knee.

Nadal dropped two places in the rankings to number four after the defeat but his uncle, Toni Nadal, insists that the player is close to making a comeback and was right to withdraw against Murray.

Speaking to reporters he said that "Rafa's knee is getting better" and it shouldn't be as long on the sidelines for the Spaniard this time around. He also defended Nadal's retirement against Murray claiming it was 'the right decision to take at that time'.

The problem is the latest in a series of injuries that have halted Nadal's progress after an exceptional campaign in 2008 which saw him win both the French Open and Wimbledon to end Roger Federer's five year reign at the top of the world rankings.

Nadal missed the majority of the 2009 season with the tendonitis in his knee and became the first player since 2001 not to defend his Wimbledon title after he pulled out before the tournament because of the problem.

However, his uncle remains unconcerned and feels the left-hander can adapt to his problems and push on to be one of the greats of the game. He also said that he would be targeting the Grand Slams upon his comeback, something that is reflected in the online sports betting odds.

He admitted that Rafa has some "problems on his foot", meaning that he needs some special treatment before he returns. The main focus though is "getting Rafa back fighting", something which every tennis fan will want to see.

The tennis betting suggests Nadal should be in with a chance of winning a slam this year, but it will all depend on his fitness.

Federer: Murray will win a Grand Slam

Roger Federer has said that Andy Murray possesses all the skills to make him a Grand Slam champion in the near future.

The Swiss tennis star secured his 16th major title win at the weekend by defeating the Scot in three sets to win the Australian Open.

The tennis betting made Murray one of the favourites prior to the start of the tournament and he was impressive at Melbourne Park, breezing past Rafael Nadal and only losing one set on his way to the final. This record did not go unnoticed by Federer who believes the Brit will lift a Grand Slam trophy sometime soon.

The world number one said Murray faces a tough task though as there is a "tough generation" of tennis stars around the world at the moment, but it is a question of "when" and not if he wins one of the world's biggest tournaments.

He added: "He's a wonderful mover, tactician and has a great backhand. He has got everything you need to beat the best and to win big tournaments.

"I think he's extremely strong in his mind and I just feel like he's got the game to do it (win Grand Slams)."

Murray is not due to return to competition until the Marseille Open, which begins on February 15th, and said after the Federer defeat he was looking forward to taking some time off and assessing his priorities for the rest of the tennis season.

However, when he does return to action the tennis odds should make him among the favourites to win the French event.

Henin hungry for success on comeback

Wildcard Justine Henin is well on the way to making her dream to secure Grand Slam success on her comeback from retirement a reality as she reached the final of the Australian Open by thrashing Zheng Jie 6-1, 6-0. Only Serena Williams now stands in the way of another fairytale comeback story in the world of women's tennis, with the return of Kim Clijsters providing the first surreal chapter after she won the US Open last year following a spell away from the game.

Serena Williams will pose Henin, who is currently playing in just her second tournament since deciding to re-enter the sport professionally, a serious test. Williams ensured an appearance in the final at the expense of Li Na, who put up a real fight to leave the American looking full of fatigue and anxiety in the latter stages of the match. Williams' 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-1) victory was a marathon compared to the sprint of Henin's semi-final encounter and this could yet prove decisive, particularly as Williams played out a lengthy clash with Victoria Azarenka the previous day.

Experience is on the side of the American, who has already won the title in Australia a total of four times, but she hasn't been at her best at times in this year’s tournament and now could be the time for Henin, full of motivation after her time away from the game and following a philosophy of all-out attack that has so far served her very well, to pounce.

Indeed, the tennis betting for this game suggests these two players are evenly matched and it could go either way.

The wider betting odds also indicate the pair could face each other in another Grand Slam final later in the season.

Can Nadal ever get back to his best?

Having retired hurt from his Australian Open quarter-final match against Andy Murray many will wonder if Rafael Nadal will ever overcome his injury problems and reclaim his form.

Murray was leading 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 3-0, when Nadal eventually retired. The Spaniard had pushed hard in the second set before losing a tiebreak, but his long standing injury to his right knee came back to haunt him in the third set and Nadal eventually admitted defeat.

Nadal was the defending champion of the Australian Open, but his 2009 win over Roger Federer was his last Grand Slam victory.

After that Nadal was knocked out of the French Open in the fourth round, had to pull out of defending his Wimbledon title, and was later defeated in straight sets by Juan Martin del Potro in the semi-finals of the US Open.

Nadal withdrew from Wimbledon and several other tournaments he had been scheduled to play in because of tendonitis in both of his knees. When Federer lifted the grass court title in Nadal's absence he reclaimed the world number one ranking that had previously been held by the Spaniard.

After ending 2009 by crashing to three defeats in the ATP Tour Finals in London, Nadal had proclaimed himself fit and ready to face the rigours of the Australian Open.

"I think I'm playing much better than what I did the last four months, I'm ready to try to play my best tennis, I think," he said.

This proved not to be the case and with the arduous clay court season looming on the horizon perhaps Nadal would be best advised to take a prolonged break from the game. Yet when a player is as competitive as Nadal, then health often takes a back seat to the will to win.

Meanwhile, the tennis odds offered by some bookmakers now make Murray the favourite to win the tournament, although he is likely to face Federer in the final.

The world number one is yet to play his quarter final match which helps explain why the betting currently makes him second favourite.

Davydenko looking to rival dominant duo

The dominance of men's tennis by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is coming to an end, according to one of their main rivals.

Nikolay Davydenko, who sits at number six in the ATP World Rankings, believes the supremacy shown by the pair in recent years is now being challenged by a number of tennis stars.

Federer and Nadal have won 20 of the last 24 Grand Slam titles, but the Russian star thinks the times are changing and they may not have it all their own way at the Australian Open.

Indeed, the Australian Open betting certainly reflects how open the men's game is.

For his part, Davydenko eased into the second round at Melbourne Park after a 6-1 6-0 6-3 win over Dieter Kindlmann and said in his post-match press conference he was confident he can "beat everyone" and win the title.

Speaking about the state of the men's game, he said: "If you see Wimbledon [it] was Roddick, Del Potro was [the] US Open. The game is changing now. Soderling was in the final of Paris. It's not always Federer and Nadal in finals. It's starting to change in tennis."

"I hope [it's] not to be anymore only Nadal-Federer," he added.

His comments echoed those recently made by world number three Novak Djokovic, who thinks he along with Del Potro, Davydenko and Andy Murray are all able to compete with Federer and Nadal.

If nothing else, it should make tennis betting more exciting.

Laura Robson earns further time in the limelight

British teenager Laura Robson has been awarded a wildcard to play in the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open.

The 15-year old won over the Aussie public with a series of impressive performances at the Hopman Cup - both on and off the court.

Playing alongside Andy Murray, Robson reached the final of the tournament, only to be beaten 2-1 by the Spanish pairing of Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Tommy Robredo.

Despite the loss, Robson won a personal victory by beating Martinez Sanchez 6-1, 7-6. It was her first victory against a player ranked in the top 30. Robson is currently ranked at 403.

The 2008 Wimbledon girls' singles champion must navigate through three qualifying rounds if she is to reach the main draw of the Australian Open and make a real impact on the tournament's tennis odds. Robson, who turns 16 on 21st January, will also compete for the junior title.

"Laura has had a quick rise on the international scene," said Craig Tiley, the tournament director of the Australian Open, "and she deserves this opportunity."

Although she will rank among the outsiders when it comes to the Australian Open tennis odds, Robson seems to be making a name for herself.

Indeed, it wasn't just Robson's tennis that wowed the Hopman Cup crowd. Her amusing on-court interviews charmed the Australians and robbed her more illustrious partner Andy Murray of the headlines.

If Robson can fulfil her potential on the court, then her breezy personality off it could make her a big star on the women's circuit.

She is already confident enough to be keeping her mixed doubles options open. "I asked her if she wanted to play in the Olympics yesterday for 2012 and she said no," Murray joked. "That's the last time I'll ask her to play mixed."

Sharapova admits to tough task

Former world number one Maria Sharapova has admitted she faces a tough task to win the Australian Open again as she continues her return to the tennis circuit.

Russian star Sharapova was out of action for ten months following surgery on her shoulder in 2008, but returned in 2009 to get back up to 15th in the world rankings after dropping out of the top 100 during her absence.

The 22-year-old is still working on her shoulder in the gym as she faces up to the tough task of getting back to the top of the rankings. The size of this challenge is reflected in her Australian Open odds.

Sharapova is scheduled to play in Hong Kong this week before taking part in the Australian Open, a competition that she won in 2008.

She hopes the extended break from the tennis circuit, which she has not played on since October last year, will help her cope with the demands of both this tournament and the entire season.

"I am ready for the challenges Australia will bring, both mentally and physically," said Sharapova.

"I look forward to them. I have great memories of the tournament and I'm sure it will be great to be back."

Justine Henin, another former world number one, has returned to tennis at the Brisbane International and beat second seed Nadia Petrova in straight sets in her first tournament in over 18 months.

Henin recently confirmed she would be playing at the Australian Open as she looks to copy her 2004 success at Melbourne Park. She is currently among the favourites in the Australian Open betting.

Henin given wildcard for Sydney

Former world number one Justine Henin has confirmed her appearance at the Medibank International Sydney as she makes a comeback to professional tennis.

The 27-year-old Belgian retired from international competition in May 2008 after winning 41 WTA Tour career titles and seven Grand Slam singles competitions.

Henin has won in Sydney on three separate occasions and the tournament's organisers have decided to give her a wildcard into the 2010 event, which starts at the Olympic Park on January 10th.

"I have a lot of happy memories of Sydney and have won the title three times, so I am looking forward to returning in January as part of my preparation for the Australian Open," said Henin.

"The women’s draw is very impressive and it will be great to get some tough, competitive matches at the Medibank International Sydney before heading to Melbourne."

Henin joins a women's draw which is the most competitive in the competition's history, with nine of the world's top ten confirmed to appear in Sydney.

Big names such as Serena Williams, Dinara Safina, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Caroline Wozniacki and Elena Dementieva will all be looking to win the title and prevent Henin starting her comeback with a fourth Medibank International Sydney victory.

Medibank International Sydney to have strongest ever field

Nine of the top ten players in the world of women's tennis are all confirmed to play in the Medibank International Sydney Tournament in January.

Seen as a perfect warm-up competition for the Australian Open, the tournament is scheduled to run from January 10th to 16th and a total of four former world number ones and three Grand Slam champions are all due to take part.

Women's world number one Serena Williams confirmed her appearance at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre last week, after the Grand Slam Committee cleared her to play in Australia and defend her open title later in the month.

She is going to be joined in a strong women's field by world number two Dinara Safina, number three Svetlana Kuznetsova, number four Caroline Wozniacki and number five Elena Dementieva, all of whom will be desperate to upset the women's tennis odds.

Victoria Azarenka (No. 7), Jelena Jankovic (No. 8), Vera Zvonareva (No. 9) and Agnieszka Radwanska (No. 10) are also to play in the event together with home favourite Samantha Stosur (No. 13).

Craig Watson, Medibank International Sydney Tournament director, confirmed the field for the women's competition is the strongest the event has ever seen and the line-up rivals its more illustrious counterparts such as the grand slams.

One woman not confirmed for Sydney is former world number one Justine Henin. The 27-year-old came back to the game in recent months and won the Women Tennis Trophy last week.

The Belgian has set her sights on grand slam gold in 2010, with Wimbledon her main objective.

Medibank International to feature big names of women's tennis

World number three Svetlana Kuznetsova has officially announced her intention to compete in the Medibank International Sydney tournament in January.

The event is normally seen by players as an ideal warm-up to help them upset the Australian Open odds. The Australian Open takes place the week after the Medibank International Sydney tournament, and Kuznetsova is the fifth player in the world top ten to have confirmed their appearance at the tournament, which is scheduled to take place from January 10th – 16th 2010.

The Russian tennis star has won 12 singles titles during her career and won three in 2009, at Roland Garros, Stuttgart and Beijing.

“I really enjoy visiting Sydney. It is a beautiful city and a great place to begin the new season,” said Kuznetsova.

“I have had some really great results there in the past and I am looking forward to having a great tournament in Sydney before the Australian Open.”

The 24-year-old will line up in Sydney in a field which is already guaranteed to have world number one Serena Williams, defending champion Elena Dementieva, world number four Caroline Wozniacki and number seven Victoria Azarenka.

It is a safe tennis bet that the field will be completed with more of the world’s best as the competition draws closer.

Kuznetsova was one of Russia’s star tennis players during 2009 and the nation’s dominance over the women’s game was cemented when they had 15 players placed in the year-end top 100.

The performance of the world number three and Maria Sharapova, Dinara Safina and Elena Dementiava among others meant their closest rivals France, Germany and the Czech Republic only had six.

Murray 'will be grand slam champion'

Andy Murray has been tipped as a future grand slam champion by one of the game’s former greats.

Andre Agassi has heaped praise on the British number one, for whom 2009 has been his best season to date, with his latest success in the Valencia Open being his sixth title of the year.

Murray returned to the court in Valencia following six weeks out with a wrist injury which he sustained playing for Great Britain in the Davis Cup.

During the tournament he admitted he was still suffering from pain as a result of the injury, but this failed to affect his tennis odds or hamper his game as he beat Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets in the final.

Agassi believes Murray’s attitude to tennis and “tortured spirit” will help him to win grand slam titles, something which he has failed to do to date, despite being considered among the favourites for both the Australian and US Opens.

The eight-time grand slam title-winner said he has long predicted the Scot will win one of tennis’ biggest prizes and thinks Murray has now learned to channel his spirit to use it to his advantage.

“This year was disappointing for him. I know he was on the verge in a couple of grand slams with the hopes of doing it (winning). I think once he does one, the floodgates will open. He just needs to stay with it”, said Agassi.

“I think he'll win multiple grand slams.”

Murray is currently fourth in the ATP rankings behind Novak Djokovic in third, Rafael Nadal second, and Roger Federer in top spot, and is preparing for the Paris Masters which start this week.

The top eight players in the world are then all due to compete in the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London from November 22nd to the 29th.

Safina ignores critics ahead of Sony Ericsson Championships

Dinara Safina claims she does not care what her critics say of her as she looks to upset the women's tennis odds and hold onto her world number one ranking.

The Russian has been involved in a battle for the top spot in the women's ranking with Serena Williams for most of 2009 and the fight is set to be resolved in the season-ending WTA Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha.

All of the top eight players from throughout 2009 are scheduled to compete in the championship and Williams could take the number one spot by the end of the tournament.

Safina has been criticised in many quarters for never winning a Grand Slam title, despite holding the number one spot for a total of 26 weeks. However, she only reclaimed the top spot last week when Williams' points from this event last year were taken off.

She claims to no longer care what people say about her and has defended her record of reaching three Grand Slam finals and two semis.

“This year I became number one, there is no Grand Slam. Every day is going to be something. It's not that I don't want to win a Grand Slam,” said Safina.

“But I guess I need to work a little bit more, improve some things, to make me stronger to deal with this.”

Safina has been placed in the White Group for the WTA Sony Ericsson Championships alongside Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Jankovic and Victoria Azarenka.

Williams is joined in the Maroon Group by Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva and her sister Venus.

Ranking slip good news for Safina

2009 is ending as badly as it started well for Dinara Safina. She is low on confidence, has just lost to the world number 226 and has relinquished the number one ranking. The early months of the year, when she made an impressive run to the Australian Open final and rapidly rose to the top of the rankings, seem a long time ago.

Slipping to number two in the world will hurt Safina, but it is really a blessing in disguise. The undue pressure of being ranked the world’s best player undoubtedly got to her and she will now be able to play with a little more freedom.

The criticism she received for becoming the best in the WTA ranking system reached fever pitch at Wimbledon, when the sport’s media, led on by Serena Williams’ barbs, held her to account for the ranking system.

In losing 6-1 6-0 to Venus Williams in the Wimbledon semi finals she won the fewest amount of games in a match by a world number one. It was a devastating defeat and it is no surprise her season has unravelled since. She needs no longer to worry about acquiring such unwanted records.

Safina, like everyone else, knows Serena is the best in the world. The rankings now recognise that and the Russian can concentrate on rebuilding her serve and fragile confidence in the close season, free from the pressure of being a world number one player without a Grand Slam title to her name.

It is a matter of when, not if that Safina wins a major title and she can be expected to challenge strongly next year. She is almost certain to regain the number one ranking due to Serena’s selective schedule and she will be better equipped to deal with the pressure next time around.

China Open preview

Apart from the Year-end championships held in Doha, the China Open is the biggest tournament of the year still to be played. All of the current top 16 are scheduled to play, as is player-of-the-moment Kim Clijsters, so the Beijing event is sure to be competitive. It will be also be a good guide of form ahead of January’s Australian Open, as there is unlikely to be many more events that feature both Williams sisters, Clijsters and all of the top players. It is a crucial event for players seeking race ranking points ahead of Doha.

If the Toray Pan Pacific Open is anything to go by, the China title is wide open. 11 of the top 16 seeded players have been knocked out in Tokyo before the second round has finished, so punters might want to keep an eye on Jelena Jankovic and Victoria Azarenka for Beijing, the leading players still left in the current event at the time of writing.

Jankovic is the reigning China open champion and so will have happy memories going into the event, although it is worth looking at the Chinese players for value, especially considering the apparent difficulty leading players have had in adjusting to the Far East leg of the tour. Some elite players might also be subconsciously losing intensity, with the winter break fast approaching.

Zie Zheng reached the semi finals last year and can expected to again go far, but Li Na, world number 16 and quarter finalist at the US Open will be the home player to beat.

Maria Sharapova is another unseeded player worth following. She is making up for lost time after her injury problems and will have not found motivation a problem, even at this stage of the season. She looked to be back to her best in Tokyo and will again one for the leading players to avoid in the draw.

With Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva exhausted and Venus Williams short of form, this might well be another tournament with Serena Williams’ name on, but I expect a betting outsider to win the 2009 China Open.

del Potro turns the tide

Juan Martin del Potro’s win at the US Open is the most significant Grand Slam result of the year. Rafael Nadal’s win at Melbourne proved he could beat Roger Federer on all surfaces, Federer’s wins at Roland Garros and Wimbledon were record-breaking, but the Argentine’s Flushing Meadows triumph has threatened the old order at the top of the men’s game and the tennis betting odds.

The previous 18 Grand Slams were won by only three men, with Novak Djokovic’s 2008 Australian Open victory the only one that broke the Federer-Nadal monopoly. The Serb earned the right to create a ‘big three’ at the sport’s summit, which showed the value of winning a major in this era of two legends.

Djokovic could not maintain his improvement and the status quo quickly returned. Suddenly things look a lot different. Andy Murray has become the world’s second best player through consistent excellence that has so far eluded him at majors, whilst Andy Roddick is returning to his best form. Marin Cilic, Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga represent an exciting next generation.

del Potro was part of that promising band of players. Now he is a Grand Slam winner, having hammered Nadal with the loss of only six games and come out on top of a five-set battle with Federer. That is the company in which he now belongs.

The development of other players is only part of this changing scene in the men’s game. The two outstanding players, so dominant this time last year, are all of a sudden vulnerable.

Nadal is short of practice and confidence after his knee problems and French Open disappointment, whilst age and fatherhood is now a factor for Federer. We might have to get used to other names being engraved on next year’s major trophies and it would be no surprise if del Potro features again.

Clijsters' success tells a story

The return of Kim Clijsters to the women’s tour was heralded as an exciting development for the sport. A Grand Slam winner and former world number one in tennis, she has the all-round game to succeed at the highest level and was expected to shake-up the top of the women’s game, which has recently lacked excitement and quality.

Few can have expected the degree of success she has enjoyed. Clijsters’ straight sets win over Na Li in the US Open quarter finals was only her 12th competitive match since coming out of retirement. Her stunning fourth round win over Venus Williams was the performance that proved she is ready to win major tournaments.

This instant success is, for many, proof that the game has not developed at all in the two years that Clijsters has been absent. Many of the leading women are criticised for their lack of variation on court and the 2005 US Open winner’s successful return might be making her compatriot Justine Henin reconsider her own retirement.

It does not reflect well on the tour that a player, however talented and well-trained, can reach the last four of a major tournament as a wildcard with hardly any recent competitive experience behind her. Clijsters is just the third player to reach the semi finals of a Grand Slam as a wildcard.

Clijsters’ stunning performance at Flushing Meadows has overshadowed the efforts of another Belgian, Yanina Wickmayer. The world number 50’s presence in the semi finals might be taken as evidence that the talent pool is deep in the women’s game, although the truth is that there is the Williams sisters (18 Grand Slam titles between them) and the rest.

That is why Clijsters’ win over Venus was significant, although Serena is a different proposition. The Belgian’s varied ground strokes and skilled defence is a welcome addition to the tour and should she improve on her 1-7 career head-to-head record with Serena she will be a hot favourite to win her second major.

Clijsters in it to win it

Now Michael Schumacher has abandoned his plan to return to Formula One, the big comeback of the year is Kim Clijsters’ reappearance on the WTA tour. The return of the popular Belgian is widely seen as good news for a women’s game that lacks some credibility, but Clijsters is coming back for her own reasons: to win titles.

Clijsters realised when preparing for the Wimbledon exhibition match in January that the competitive spirit that drove her to a US Open victory and four other Grand Slam finals still burns strongly.

The wrist, hip and back problems that forced her to quit in May 2007 are behind her and as a mother of an 18-month old child she can play tennis under less pressure than she did in her first spell as a professional, which sometimes saw her wilt on the big occasion.

The 26-year old perhaps also saw the state of the women’s game and quite rightly identified a chance to return to the top of the game. She is not playing for fun; Clijsters can be a serious contender, as proved by her straight sets win over world number 13 Marion Bartoli in the first round at Cincinnati.

She will play the US Open at the end of the month, her first Grand Slam appearance since the 2007 Australian Open. Clijsters is a player the top seeds will want to avoid, and although it is expecting too much for her to carry on from where she left off – she reached the semi finals in her last four Slams – I bet it is only a matter of time before she challenges for titles.

Wimbledon restores order in women's game

The ladies’ singles at Wimbledon was in a way easy to predict but in another totally wide open. The Williams sisters were always likely to feature in the latter stages, but the identity of the other semi finalists was hard to call. This unpredictability is taken by many as a sign of mediocrity in women’s tennis. The Williams sisters stand apart in a group of top players who can beat one another regardless of the hierarchy of rankings.

Dinara Safina is the latest player to top the world rankings without winning a Grand Slam. Few expected her to win her first at Wimbledon, but her progress to the semi finals has helped ensure the top four players have justified their seeding, as they last did in 2006.

This helps the image of the women’s game. Supporters like to have upsets and a lack of predictability, but a wide open event – Venus and Serena apart – raises questions of the quality at the top of the game, as they were last year, when none of the semi finalists were seeded in the top four.

Fourth seed Elena Dementieva has reached her second consecutive semi final at SW19 but it seems likely she will again lose out to a Williams, who have made serene progress through the draw.

In the quarter finals my regular Wimbledon winner's bet Serena eased past eighth seed Victoria Azarenka, a player who should have beaten her in the Australian Open and did so in the Sony Ericsson final at Miami. A player performing to their seeding maybe, but this also reflects the extent to which the grass of Wimbledon widens the gap between the two Americans and the rest.

Indeed, Venus and Serena themselves contribute to the lack of consistency amongst the top seeds. Safina was the only player from the same top four to reach the semi finals at last month’s French Open.

Third seed Venus crashed out in the third round for the third consecutive year. She has only reached the semi finals once from 13 Roland Garros appearances, in 2002, when she lost to her sister in the final.

The Williams sisters need to play enough tour events to stay in the top four all year round. This would mean Safina and Dementieva’s consistency, combined with Svetlana Kuznetsova’s resurgence, would generate a clear top band at the top of the women’s game.

This year’s Wimbledon could be the point at which respect for the women’s game begins its return to what it should be.

Haas to finally show class on grass

The third quarter of the men’s Wimbledon draw is the most open with regards to tennis betting. Andy Roddick and Juan Martin del Potro are heading for a showdown to settle the first quarter, whilst punters are not looking beyond Andy Murray and Roger Federer in the other sections.

Novak Djokovic is fed up with being the forgotten man of the men’s elite and whilst it is rash to write off the chances of a Grand Slam winner and de facto third seed, I don’t see him dominating his section of the draw.

24th seed Tommy Haas could well be the beneficiary. The German won at Halle in the European Wimbledon warm-up event and is clearly on the way to regaining the form that once saw him rise to number two in the world rankings.

Haas overcame Djokovic in the Halle final, significant not only as it emphasised the Serbian’s vulnerability on grass, but also because it was his first ATP tour title on grass.

This is a late breakthrough on the surface – Haas has reached the fourth round only once in 10 Wimbledon appearances – but this year could be a good one to find some improvement.

17th and 18th seeds James Blake and Rainer Schuttler – a semi finalist last year - have also slipped out of Haas’ quarter and I expect Haas to win the potential quarter final showdown with Djokovic, although the big-serving Marin Cilic will be a major test beforehand.

Haas’ previous struggles on grass are a mystery. He has an excellent all-court game with the necessary serve, volley and return skills to prosper. At 31 he is one of the tour’s most experienced players and is capable of adjusting his tactics as necessary for grass.

Haas matched his best ever showing at the French Open earlier in the month, where he lost to Federer in a five-set epic in the fourth round. I am already looking ahead to a rematch in the last four at SW19, a run which would re-establish Haas at the top of the men’s game.

Following the Queen's form book

The Queen’s Club Championships, now also known as the AEGON Championships, is the traditional Wimbledon warm-up event. It provides players with the opportunity to make the transition from clay to grass in conditions that will be prevalent later in the month.

It is therefore a good guide for establishing who will do well at Wimbledon. Rafael Nadal made a clear statement of intent last year, coming straight from Roland Garros to win on grass at Queen’s. He showed he was ready to thrive on the different surface and famously went on to win the Wimbledon title.

Similarly, Boris Becker won at Queen’s in 1985, the year he won Wimbledon for the first time. The German was an unseeded, unexpected victor at SW19, but the signs were there thanks to his Queen’s win.

However, from 37 tournaments the winner at Queen’s has gone on to wwin at Wimbledon on only eight occasions. Nadal and Becker’s achievement is matched by John McEnroe (twice), Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras (twice) and Lleyton Hewitt.

The composition of this list proves that winning both tournaments is no mean feat. The chances of it occurring have been reduced in recent years by Roger Federer’s Wimbledon dominance – the Swiss legend warms-up in Halle, at the Gerry Weber Open. The injured Nadal will also be absent from Queen’s this year.

Punters should nonetheless keep a close eye on Queen’s. Andy Murray is the hot favourite and it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his recent improvement on grass. Punters consider Andy Roddick, a four-time Queen’s winner, to be his biggest threat.

Roddick has been in decent form recently and should prove his game to be in good order. Gael Monfils, Gilles Simon and Marin Cilic are other players who can thrive at Wimbledon who should be followed this week.

The Halle event is perhaps more competitive – Federer is joined in Germany by Novak Djokovic, Fernando Verdasco and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga – but Murray and Roddick are the men to back to gain Wimbledon momentum.

French Open Second Round Selections

Day four of the French Open sees the second round of the men’s tournament commence and we are yet to see a major shock. James Blake was the only top 16 seeded player to depart in the first round and I expect the rest of the top players to make it into the third round.

Blake’s conqueror, Argentinian qualifier Leonardo Mayer, faces Tommy Haas next and it is fair to say any further progress would be considered a bonus. Beating the world number 16 in straight sets in your first Grand Slam is some achievement, but I can’t see Mayer repeating the feat against the experienced Haas, who also won his opener, against Andrei Pavel, in three sets.

Blake was not the only American to depart at the opening stage – 22nd seed Mardy Fish, Wayne Odesnik, Kevin Kim, Bobby Reynolds and Sam Querrey also slipped out in round one – and as ever it will be down to Andy Roddick to maintain US hopes.

The sixth seed started well, losing only eight games in his opener, and he should progress past Ivo Minar in straight sets. With regards to tennis betting, other seeds worth backing to reach the third round without dropping a set include David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro and Jurgen Melzer.

Although I don’t expect any other top 16 players to fall at the second hurdle, some will be pushed hard. Home favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga faces a tricky task against Juan Monaco – the world number 68 recently upset Andy Murray at the Rome Masters and was impressive in easing past Marco Baghdatis in straight sets in round one. Tsonga might need five sets to settle this one.

The big guns should have no trouble in maintaining their march to the semi finals. I quite fancy Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic to justify their seeding and join Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the last four. The top four seeds last did this in 2006, with three of the top four reaching the semi finals in both 2007 and 2008.

Serena Williams, Mad in Madrid

The first edition of the women’s Madrid masters has had a dramatic start. With big names Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova already absent through injury, Serena Williams looked to have an ideal opportunity to start her bid to reclaim the world number one ranking.

Instead Williams retired from her first round match against Francesca Schiavone with a knee injury, a problem she put down to being forced into playing the match. New WTA rules mean players receive heavy fines for pulling out of tournaments through injury and the world number two departed the new event full of recriminations.

She has now suffered early exits at Rome, Marbella and Madrid, which on the back of her surprise defeat by Victoria Azarenka in Sony Ericsson final at Miami, means she has lost three consecutive matches for just the second time in her career.

However, the Australian Open winner is famous for her ability to thrive at Grand Slams without proper preparation and, with regards to French Open betting, it is dangerous to start betting against her at Roland Garros. Nonetheless, the French Open is her least favourite slam and her rivals should see that tournament as an opportunity to break the Williams sisters run of consecutive Grand Slam wins, which currently stands at three.

Dinara Safina, world number one and Rome Masters champion, should be the player most likely to capitalise, but her nervousness on the big occasion makes her hard to back in the latter stages of tournaments.

The Russian is still the player to beat at Madrid, but Azarenka is having an excellent season and I fancy her to claim her fourth title of the season. As well as her Miami win over Serena she was also leading her in the Australian Open fourth round before retiring, so she is clearly equipped to cope with pressure, despite her inexperience.