Ivanovic vs. Paszek in the Rogers Cup Third Round

Match Time: 07:30 PM Eastern Time Thursday July 31,2008

Ana Ivanovic (-700) Ivanovic leads 1-0 over Tamira Paszek but the match is over three years old. Much time has passed since their last encounter in Linz. Both players have matured their game has developed. Ivanovic more so of course as the Serbian sensation stormed through the circuit in 2007, climbing the rankings, winning three WTA titles (Berlin, Luxembourg and Los Angeles) and finishing runner-up twice (Tokyo and Australian Open (l. to Sharapova) and winning in Indian Wells and French Open. Currently she is the World No.1 player.

Tamira Paszek (+400) Paszek weighs in at No.94 in the World. Paszek has not had a great year and brings only a 6-11 mark for the season to Montreal. This did not stop her upsetting the 14th seed Francesca Schiavone in the opening round. In the second round, she topped qualifier Melinda Czink.

The stigma of being a lower ranked player is not necessarily indicative of their talent. At one point, Paszek was ranked as high as No. 35 in the World (July 9, 2007). She has had a tough time getting her game together this year, but she is after all only 17 years old. A bright future is expected for this hard-hitting Austrian.

Tennis Betting Analysis:

In terms of the third round encounter, Paszek is certainly capable of besting Ivanovic but the question is whether the big occasion – playing the World No.1 and French Open champion on Centre Court – will overwhelm her. If she can keep her nerve, throwing a bet on her hefty underdog odds would payout nicely. Yesterday, Ivanovic was pushed to a third set by the Czech underdog Kvitova. In fact, she lead 5-0 in the third set and could not close out the match until four games later, allowing Kvitova to creep back into the match within two games before closing it 6-3.

Ivanovic has not looked very sharp. In fairness, this was her first tournament since her shocking third round exit at Wimbledon. So nerves must have played a factor.

Tennis Betting Verdict: Ivanovic is clearly the sure play for most tennis bettors. Few would wager against the proven champion, particularly at this point – to suffer two back-to-back third round upsets would be catastrophic for the World No.1. However, I have said this before about Ivanovic. She is not a pressure player. If Paszek can take it to her, she can send her packing. This is a bet for long shot pushers. Take the underdog. Why not!

Tennis Free Picks: Paszek in straight sets

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