Thailand Open Semis - Djokovic vs. Berdych

Bangkok, Thailand – At the close of the quarterfinal round, the tennis betting results fell in line with pre-tournament predictions with top seed Novak Djokovic and third seed Tomas Berdych setting up a much-anticipated semi-final showdown.

Djokovic advanced into the semis with a close 6-4, 7-5 victory over Robin Soderling, while Berdych moved into the final four with 7-6(6), 6-3 win over Nicolas Mahut.

Their matchup is scheduled to kick off the semi-final round on Saturday. BetUS Sportsbook has already released tennis odds on their matchup so here is a breakdown of their exciting encounter complete with my tennis free pick.

Tennis Betting Line: Novak Djokovic -400 Tomas Berdych +250

Match Time: 01:00 AM Eastern Time Saturday September 27, 2008

Head-to-head Analysis: This is the first-ever career meeting between No.3 Novak Djokovic and No.27 Tomas Berdych.

Tennis Betting Analysis:

Berdych (+250) The indoor swing is an opportunity for Berdych to turnaround what has to be a disappointing year for him. The promising Czech tennis talent announced his intention at the start of the year to improve his game and challenge for a permanent berth in the top 10. He got off to a good start in 2008 and with a R16 appearance at the Australian Open (l. to Federer) and a semi final push at the Sony Ericsson Open (l. to Nadal), he rose to No.9 in the ATP ranking. Since then, his performance slipped and a sub-standard clay court swing followed by an even more disappointing hard court swing saw him fall drastically in the rankings. Currently he weighs in at No. 27 in the world – a ranking that is way lower than his actual true talent. He only brings a 25-18 mark.

Djokovic (-400) Too much was expected from the Serbian sensation this year and though he did not quite measure up to some of the high expectations of many experts he still managed to have a good term. Djokovic won his first-ever Grand Slam title (Australian Open) and picked up two AMS shields as well – Indian Wells and Rome. Three major titles and a 55-13 mark for the year is an enviable tally that most players would be glad to boast.

Tennis Betting Verdict: I expect big serving will rule this semi-final match. Berdych can prove to be exceptionally good in this department when he gets into a great rhythm and he gets a high percentage of first serves in. However, should his biggest weapon fail him, a tendency to get distraught and down on himself could see him unravel quicker than a chewed up mixed tape. The important thing for Berdych if he wants to win this match is to remain focused and positive – something he has not been able to come to grips with lately.

Berdych has beaten only one top ten player this year— James Blake (No.8 at the time) at the World Team Championships. Overall, he is 1-4 against the top ten elite. If he wants to hang out with the elite, he would have to prove he could beat them. This match would be a match he would have to win if he was to hobnob with the elite. Mentally he has been circumspect and for all his talent and weapons, this is his biggest handicap. No question he has the talent to beat Djokovic but given that, he has not proven he has the mental strength to orchestrate the upset betting on him to do so would be a long shot bet.

Tennis Free Picks: Djokovic in straight sets

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