in Tennis Free Picks

Flushing Meadows, New York – Day four of the US Open and the final quarter in the top half of the draw plays through the second round. Favorite [6] James Blake takes on Fabrice Santoro tonight at 8:30 P.M. Eastern. BetUS tennis lines are available with BetUS.com.

Tennis Prediction: – This matchup should be interesting. No.59 Llodra holds a 2-0 lifetime record over No. 63 Stefan Koubek, with the most recent victory at the ATP Masters Series in Miami (hard). Gaging this matchup simply by their head-to-head record, Llodra is a good bet.

However, Koubek advanced into the second round on the heels of an upset. In the first round, he defeated favorite Sam Querrey. Cashing in on his underdog odds once, Koubek bolstered by his significant victory could follow-up with another upset. Taking the oddsmakers bait on this matchup could prove to be the winning bet. However, not to take anything away from Koubek's victory, but Querrey, after losing the first set tiebreaker, never recovered and tanked the match single-handedly.

Tennis Free Pick: – Llodra in four sets

Tennis Prediction: – Blake has had an exceptionally good US Open Series, and on the strength of his performance - which includes one title and two runner-up finishes - Blake is the better play. Further strengthening his odds is the fact that over Santoro, Blake holds a comfortable 2-0 record.

Tennis Free Pick: – Blake in straight sets.

Blake’s Quarter at a glance:

Third Round - In Blake’s corner, the draw has been favorable. Should he advance past Santoro, he can look forward to a potential third round matchup against the winner of Stefan Koubek vs. Michael Llodra.

Blake trails 0-1 in head-to-head records against Koubek; however, the match occurred in 2002. Whereas against Llodra, Blake holds a 2-0 record - the last match was in 2005 at New Haven. Should Blake meet either of the two players, his odds are good to advance into the R16.

R16 Blake’s first test at the US Open could present itself in the R16. Possible matchups against [10] Tommy Haas or Sebastien Grosjean loom before him. However, while both players are capable of upsetting Blake, on the strength of Blake’s recent performances, he should advance without too much difficulty in to the quarterfinal.

Federer might be winning everything except clay 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