in Tennis Articles

MONTE CARLO, Monaco – The second day at the Monte Carlo Master Series was full off exciting tennis action as more than one favorite was in deep trouble at the early stages of the tournament.

In the first round of play, Richard Gasquet, a -375 favorite, was two points away from defeat against Fernando Verdasco, a +235 underdog, before he recovered to take the match 7-5, 6-7(12) 7-6(3); Thomas Johansson, a -160 favorite, lost in straight sets 7-6(4), 6-2 to Benjamin Becker, a +120 underdog; and Thomas Berdych, a +110 underdog, advanced when Nicolas Almagro, a -150 favorite, retired due to a back injury.

In the second round of play, Marat Safin a -225 favorite got off to a great start against a +175 underdog Kristof Vliegen, taking the first set. But, with the second set slipping away, Safin was forced into a third set, only to lose the match 6-0 6-7, 6-4.

No. 1 seed Roger Federer had a tougher battle on centre court against Andreas Seppi in the second round, claiming a close 7-6(4), 7-6(6) victory, while Hyung-Tak Lee pulled off the upset and defeated Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets 7-6(4), 6-2.

As the third day of the Monte Carlo Master Series approaches, the tennis betting action could not be more exciting. None more so than Rafael Nadal’s second-round match against Juan Ignacio Chela.

As Nadal perpares to defend his Masters Series Title in Monte Carlo for the second consecutive year, his second-round match against Chela could not be more significant. Playing at his first clay court tournament of the season, Nadal is putting his 62-match clay-winning streak on the line. With his clay court domination at stake, the tennis world will be watching with abated breath as the results unfold.

Now that Marat Safin is out of the tournament - owing to his loss to Kristof Vliegen - and Andy Murray’s withdrawal earlier today due to injuries, the importance of Nadal’s second-round matchup has shifted.

What started out to be a tough draw for Nadal, with Juan Ignacio Chela in the second round, and possibly Marat Safin and Andy Murray in the third and fourth respectively, now appears not to be the case at all. At the moment, Juan Ignacio Chela remains the biggest obstacle in Nadal’s path to the final round of the Monte Carlo Masters Series.

Juan Ignacio Chela, currently ranked at 115 in the ATP Masters Series in Indian Wells.

At the start of this tournament, Nadal arrives with a 17/5 YTD win/loss record for the first quarter of the tennis season, which includes the ATP Masters Series Indian Wells title.

While a foot injury saw Nadal play less in the first quarter of the 2007 tennis season and even forced him to withdraw from Spain’s Davis Cup team, this next quarter of the tennis season – the clay court season – is his oyster. Barring his foot injury becoming a factor, Nadal, at -1400 is the sure bet in this matchup. But, if their quarterfinal match at the Indian Wells Masters Series is any indication, then Chela will make Nadal earn it, for sure.

Federer might be winning everything these days, but with online sports betting in the tennis lines, odds and props to earn cold, hard cash!

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