Sports Betting Tips and Game Handicapping Picks » Rafael Nadal

Nadal, the man to beat in French Open

Jeffdstuff — Sat, 08 May 2010 16:04:05 +0000

Yep, the French Open in all its clay court glory is here again.

Dubbed as the most challenging of all the grand slams, the 2010 French Open tennis tournament is sure to stay true to the rigors and tough competitiveness so typical of the second of the annual tennis majors.

This year’s French Open will be held from May 24^th to June 7^th and this year’s tournament is sure to unleash some of the most riveting grand slam tennis action you’d ever see. Thousands are expected to arrive at Roland Garros during the two weeks of the competition in hopes of catching a glimpse of the best tennis players in the world.

Leading the pack for the men’s favorites is the ‘king of clay,’ Rafael Nadal who seem to come up with his best tennis every time he plays on that clay surface.

He etched his name into French Open history after matching the record of the well-known Bjorn Borg and the 1920’s heroine of the Open, Suzanne Lenglen, with four consecutive French Open titles.

Nadal’s success on clay is so ridiculous, you’d be a fool to bet against this guy in this tournament.

That brings us to Roger Federer. Can he win a title in France and get title number 17? Federer has found the clay courts in Paris to be his nemesis.

He is one of those great players who can’t seem to do shit on clay. He is in good company though as he is accompanied by the likes of Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis as a few great tennis players who are denied of a title on clay.

Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, is probably the only real threat to Nadal as he is considered by many as a great clay court player. Other guys to watch out for include Nikolay Davydenko, who is one of the hottest players in tennis right now.

Andy Roddick and Juan Martin Del Potro should also be...

2010 Australian Open Betting Favorites

Jeffdstuff — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:28:22 +0000

Tennis returns.

The 2010 Australian Open promises to deliver all the action and excitement of Grand Slam tennis starting on January 18th before concluding with the finals on January 31st at the Melbourne Tennis Stadium in Flinders Park.

There are four major international Grand Slam tournaments held each year; the Australian Tennis Open, the French Tennis Open in Paris, Wimbledon in London and the US Tennis Open in New York. With the often extreme summer temperatures of Australia, the Australian Tennis Open is regarded as one of the most physically demanding for players.

The Australian Open is important in many ways, not least of which is because it is the first Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year. And all eyes will be on French phenom Rafael Nadal as he attempts to defend the very title he won here last year.

Another guy to look out for at the 2010 Australian Open is of course, Roger Federer, who will be looking to put his 2009 breakdown behind him. He will need to win in Melbourne if he wishes reassert his supremacy in men’s singles tennis.

Other notable players to watch out for include Novak Djokovic. After finishing last season with the Masters Cup title under his belt, Djokovic will come in the Australian Open brimming with confidence.

We also have Andy Murray, easily the most improved player of the season. He will be looking to prove that he’s capable of Grand Slam greatness as he comes in Melbourne looking for greater things.

On the women’s side, Serena Williams will enter the tournament as a strong favorite. She will be keen to atone for last year’s US Open meltdown. However, the American won’t want to keep her guard down this year as she’ll be accompanied with other players looking for a better year as well.

Such players includes former champion Maria Sharapova...

Rafael Nadal to miss the US Open?

Jeffdstuff — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:18:22 +0000

After being out of tennis competition for two months, looks like Nadal could be out for more.

Yes, arguably the best tennis player to come out of Spain could be out longer, forcing him to miss the last Grand Slam tennis tournament of the season which would be the 2009 U.S. Open.

Too bad considering that Rafael Nadal was the no.1 tennis player in the world coming in 2009. When he lost in the French Open at Roland Garros for the first time ever, it was so monumental that everything started crumbling down with it.

You see, Nadal has been out of action for two months with knee problems during which time he lost both the French Open and Wimbledon titles to his rival Roger Federer. Since then, Federer has reclaimed his spot on top of the mountain, thanks primarily to Nadal’s troubles on and off the court.

As of this writing, Nadal has no idea if he’d be able to play in the U.S. Open and give him a chance to redeem himself.

‘’I can’t tell you if I’ll be 100 percent for the U.S. Open,'’ Nadal said. ‘’It depends on many factors but clearly, I’ll work as hard as I can try to be in condition there. But most of all, I want to make sure my knees respond well.'’

‘’Once I know my knees will respond well, I can train well, I can compete with greater calm and that’s what will give me, little by little, the confidence to train at the maximum level.'’

‘’I arrived at two very important tournaments...''

Tennis back on Clay for French Open

Jeffdstuff — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 03:56:47 +0000

The clay courts of Paris beckons near.

Billed as the most challenging of all the grand slams, the 2009 French Open tennis tournament is coming and it’s sure to bring in the best of the world’s top tennis superstars.

Hosted by one of the most romantic cities in the world, Paris, the 2009 French Open will run from May 24th to June 7th at Roland Garros, sure to unleash some of the most riveting grand slam tennis action.

The clay courts of Roland Garros have broken the hearts of many players wishing to complete a grand slam sweep, with a slow demanding surface testing not only the physical but also the mental resolve of the competitors.

Rafael Nadal won his fourth straight title in 2008 with his victim, Roger Federer, easily defeated in straight sets.

Nadal, ranked world no.1, produced an absolutely sublime display of tennis brilliance in 2008. Picking up 6 ATP Titles, making the semi-finals at the Australian Open and the US Open, and winning Wimbledon and the French Open. Nadal smashed numerous records in the process and overtook Roger Federer as the world’s premiere male tennis player.

Ana Ivanovic will be defending the women’s title following her two set victory over Dinara Safina. The world will be watching if she can defend her title in 2009.

Over the years, the French Open has epitomized the steel and resolve of the very best in tennis, and the Roland Garros Stadium is a more than apt venue. It is named after the World War I fighter pilot who gave his life for ‘King and Country’ and his bravery is remembered and celebrated on the dusty, challenging red clay courts every year.

It is also the very stadium where Roger Federer...

ATP 2009 Australian Open Results

NBA Blogger B — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:43:21 +0000

Roger Federer once again failed to get to the record tying 14^th Grand Slam title in the ATP tour so as to the flow of tears that he could no longer hide. The frustration, confusion and the painful acceptance of his own abysmal showing in what could’ve been a mark in history for the 13 time Grand Slam winner, Roger Federer's loss to Rafael Nadal in the 2009 Australian Open finals would be exposing weaknesses of the future ATP tennis Hall of Famer. Rafael Nadal dealt another crushing blow in the greatest rivalry in Tennis. Rafael Nadal recovered from an exhausting 2009 Australian semi final to emerge victorious on a hard court in which Rafael Nadal has never previously reached a major final.

Roger Federer's place in history is sure and secure however right now Rafael Nadal is having his way with the 13 time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer. At Melbourne Park for the 2009 Australian Open it was Rafael Nadal whose focus remained marking the return to mortality of Roger Federer. Just when it mattered most, it was Roger Federer's game that was too strong for all ATP Tennis Players but one man on the planet, Rafael Nadal. Tennis can still talk about the Top Four with Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray yet a Big Two which is so far Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal that has been taking the centerstage for quite some time now. Rafael Nadal comes from the Spanish island of Mallorca, doesn't know when to quit and certainly proved his worth in the first Grand Slam event of the year.

Rafael Nadal looked gassed out in the third set of their finals duel with Roger Federer, yet prevailed in a tiebreak. In the fifth set Rafael Nadal never squandered his momentum...

Nadal looks to win the U.S. Open

Jeffdstuff — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 02:50:57 +0000

Right now, the clay court king is THE king in all of tennis.

Rafael Nadal, after beating Roger Federer TWICE in a Grand Slam tournament this year, has become the new world No.1, taking along with him the no.1 seed in the last Grand Slam of the tennis calendar, the 2008 United States Open Tennis Championships.

Also an Olympic gold medalist in the men’s singles in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Rafael Nadal will now deal with the pressure of having one huge target on his head.

After all, that’s what being on top of the food chain is all about in sports.

For some reason, Rafael Nadal has never gone pass the quarterfinals in the U.S. Open. Must have something to do with the way he struggles on tournaments not played on clay surfaces.

Now that he has been able to overcome that after beating Roger Federer on grass, that being this year’s Wimbledon, Rafa is on the verge of proving to everybody that he’s no longer just the master of clay.

He likes his chances of winning another Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open and I don’t blame him.

‘’When you are playing well you feel comfortable on all courts. In the past when I was playing well, I did well on hard courts, too. I feel good for sure. I won two tournaments in Toronto and the Olympics, and I played semifinals in Cincinnati,'’ Rafael Nadal said.

Nadal, 22, has won eight titles this year including...

Bet on the 2008 French Open now!

Jeffdstuff — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:33:44 +0000

Betting on the latest tennis tournament on clay was almost put to sleep.

The 2008 French Open at Roland Garros is merely days away before it kicks off. However, organizers of the clay court tournament want to stop any betting activity whatsoever on the coming Grand Slam event.

Luckily for sports betting fans, major online gambling companies fended off a legal challenge from French Open organizers to stop betting activities on the coming Grand Slam tournament. A liege court ruled that those online gambling companies are not violating any rights of the French tennis federation by offering bets for French Open matches.

The French tennis federation claimed that online betting has already stained the reputation of the French Open, especially after all those scandals Internet gambling found itself into. Because of this, the federation decided to sue three companies namely; Betfair, bwin and Ladbrokes. Unfortunately for the federation, the court ruled in favor of the three.

In a statement, the European Gaming & Betting Association said the court had concluded ''these operators had behaved in a prudent and diligent manner.''

''EU-licensed bookmakers are professionals that have a high level of expertise, know-how and risk management skills. This has been clearly recognized by the Belgian judge looking at the fact-based evidence to dismiss all the claims in this case,'' EGBA Secretary General Sigrid Ligne said.

''The judge also considered that the simple mention of...

2008 Australian Open Betting: Tsonga vs. Djokovic in Men’s Finals

Jeffdstuff — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 08:09:51 +0000

It's the 2008 Australian Open Finals! Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Novak Djokovic. France vs. Serbia. Unseeded vs. No. 3. The Slayer of World No. 2 vs. The Executioner of World No. 1. The pictures on this blog may look like it's a boxing match, but trust us, this is tennis. This is 2008 Australian Open Men's Singles, and this is The Finals! The unseeded Jo-Wilfriend Tsonga of France will try to write something memorable for tennis history as he hopes to become one of the rare unseeded tennis players who wins a Tennis Grand-Slam Tournament should he win the finals of the 2008 Australian Open Men's Singles. It's something that definitely hasn't happened in a long time, and Tsonga could be in for a lot of headlines and, of course, history. But first things first. Tsonga has to get past No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia, and that is not an easy task.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Advances To Australian Open Finals After Thrashing Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 6-2

Jeffdstuff — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:15:54 +0000

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Is On Fire! Unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France was a stray underdog to win the semi-final match against No. 2 seed and World No. 2 Rafael Nadal of Spain. Sure, Tsonga was able to get through his fellow Frenchman No. 8 seed Richard Gasquet, then he breezed through the No. 14 seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the quarter-finals. But then, to oust the World No. 2 Rafael Nadal in straight sets 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 is just a remarkable feat for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Rafael Nadal vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Australian Open Semi-Finals

Jeffdstuff — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:30:58 +0000

2008 Australian Open Men's Singles Semi-finals: Rafael Nadal (2) of Spain vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal of Spain may have the "ranking" on his side as the favorite to win over French tennis player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, but then Tsonga is playing with so much emotion and has some real good momentum going into the semi-finals of the 2008 Australian Open Men's Singles Championsip. The unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has been through some very tough matches against some top-seed of the 2008 Australian Open. Tsonga went through a tough 4-set match against No. 8 seed Richard Gasquet in the 4th round before going through a long straight-set quarterfinal win over No. 14 seed Mikhail Youzhny.