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The Marseille Open, also known as the Open 13, is an indoor hardcourt event that carries a prize purse of $600,000. In the 2006 Open 13, it was wild card contender Arnaud Clement of France who claimed the title, defeating Mario Ancic in a mere hour and thirty-two minutes 6-4, 6-2.

With the tournament kicking off Monday, February 12th, here is a look at some of the action shaping up with BetUS.com on the Open 13 in Marseille, France.

Prediction: World No. 52 Gael Monfils is off to a great start in his 2007 campaign and he arrives to the Marseille Open as the favorite against a better ranked, No. 46, Marc Gicquel. Monfils is favored to win this match as he will be playing to a home crowd filled with his fans, and he leads 2-0 in the head-to head record against Gicquel.

Pick: Monfils to give the home crowd something to cheer about!

Prediction: The finalist in last year’s Open 13, World No. 9 Mario Ancic is the outright favorite against No. 102 Andreas Seppi of Italy. While betting $600 to win a $100 might seem preposterous, Ancic is the sure bet for the win.

Of course, in a sport where upsets have a tendency to occur, at a price tag of +350, Seppi might be worth considering, as a win would more than triple your money. Bearing that in mind, Seppi likes clay and hardcourt surfaces, and he has a wicked forehand. Ancic who has never had the opportunity to play against Seppi could very well underestimate his opponent.

Pick: Despite the possibility of upsets, I will pick the favorite Ancic to win this match.

Prediction: Considering that Novak Djokovic is ranked 14th in the world and leads 1-0 in the head-to-head record against Mikhail Youzhny, his underdog price tag of +135 has excellent value should he cash in with a win. While this matchup is a tossup, I would put stock into the ranks and stats on this one and take a chance on the underdog.

Pick: Djokovic to advance to the next round.

Prediction: Frenchman Arnaud Clement arrives as the defending Champion of this event, ranked 35 in the world and will be playing to a home crowd. However, despite appearing on home soil and having claimed the Open 13 title last year, the odds are even on this line against a better ranked No. 15 David Ferrer, a seasoned player who should be able to overcome the distraction of Arnaud’s cheering fans. Furthermore, the thirty-year old Arnaud has been on the tour since turning pro in 1996 and, in 2006, managed to break into the Top 50 for the first time in three years. While Arnaud will be welcomed back to the event with enthusiasm, particularly by the crowd, Ferrer should win this match.

Pick: Ferrer overcomes Arnaud Clement to the crowd’s displeasures.

Prediction: No. 43 Julien Benneteau is favored on this line against fellow Frenchman Florent Serra, ranked No. 66. However, Florent Serra holds a 1-0 record in their head-to-heads, a win secured on the hardcourts of the 2006 ATP Masters Series Cincinnati, OH, USA. In addition, Julien Benneteau has had a bit of a losing streak; most recently he crashed out early from the PBZ Zagreb Indoors.

Pick: If rank has pull then Julien Benneteau should be the sure bet. But, if records are an indication, Florent Serra, at +105, is the better bet. With better value, I like Florent Serra in this matchup.

Prediction: Marseille born Sebastien Grosjean is literally in his backyard at the Open 13 tournament. Ranked 45th in the world, Grosjean is the favorite against a better-ranked No. 20 Jarkko Nieminen. Their head-to-head record does not indicate any advantage for either player, as they are tied 1-1. However, Grosjean's win came in 2002, while Nieminen secured his victory to tie their head-to-head record in the 2006 ATP Masters Series Rome. In light of Nieminen's better rank, and most recent win, his slightly less favored odds have the better value.

Pick: Nieminen to win.

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

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