Murray knocks Federer out of the Masters Cup

Four-time winner fails to make the final four for the first time

It took eight match points to get the job done but Andy Murray managed to knock Roger Federer, the winner of in four of the last five seasons, out of the Masters Cup. The Swiss world number two had never been knocked out at the group stage in any of his six previous appearances at the end-of-season event before his narrow 4-6 7-6 7-5 loss to Murray. The good news for the Scot is that on the two previous occasions where Federer has been eliminated from this tournament the player that has beaten him - Lleyton Hewitt in 2002 and David Nalbandian in 2006 (well, it was the final!) - have gone on to be crowned champion.

Murray is now down to 2.34 on Betfair. Click here for all the latest odds.

Posted: November 14th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Murray’s Masters Cup odds drop further after latest win

Scot now 7/4 in from 2/1 after securing his semi-final spot

Andy Murray’s odds on becoming the first debutant in a decade to win the Masters Cup dropped from 2/1 to 7/4 after an impressive straight sets victory over Gilles Simon, who beat Roger Federer in his opening match.

The win confirms Andy Murray’s place in the semi-finals ahead of his final group game against Federer, who is generally 5/2 after picking up his first win today. Murray can knock reigning champion Federer out though if he beats him on Friday.

Novak Djokovic remains a good bet at 10/3 with Ladbrokes, especially considering he too has already secured his place in the final four. Click here for all the latest odds.

Posted: November 12th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Andy Murray emerges as the new Masters Cup favourite

Federer defeat changes the landscape in Shanghai

Andy Murray is making his first appearance at the Masters Cup, a tournament comprising of the best eight players in the world this year (minus Nadal) and yet after an expected victory in his opening match against Andy Roddick, who has won just one tournament since March, the Scot is now favourite to claim the trophy.

It’s very rare for a debutant to lift the Masters Cup. Roger Federer took two attempts to triumph and Nadal has failed in his first two efforts while Novak Djokovic had a great season last year before losing all three of his Masters Cup matches in straight sets. Yet Federer’s loss against Gilles Simon saw Murray’s odds of becoming the first person to win the tournament on their first appearance since Alex Corretja a decade ago drop to just 2/1 with 888sport and Paddy Power.

Djokovic is looking strong though after becoming the only participant to win his opening match in straight sets and he could benefit from being drawn in a group with two Masters Cup virgins. The Serb can still be backed at 10/3 with 888sport.

Click here for all the latest odds.

Posted: November 11th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

The clash of the Andys should be decided in straight sets

Murray/Roddick, 12pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Some Masters Cup debutants turn up and play without fear but many others fold and spectacularly blow their chance of claiming the $4.45 million prize. This afternoon will provide the first indication of which camp Andy Murray falls into as he faces tournament veteran Andy Roddick. Victory for Murray isn’t as certain as his general 4/11 odds imply but there is very little chance of a third set taking place. Here’s why:

Good signs for Murray

Murray boasts a 4-2 record over Roddick in general and is 3-2 against him on hard courts.

The Scot has won fourteen of his fifteen matches since losing to Roger Federer in the US Open final.

Murray lost his last match to David Nalbandian in the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters but hasn’t lost consecutive matches since April.

But why Roddick shouldn’t be written off

Posted: November 10th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Sports Personality of the Year 2008: The Contenders

Hamilton enters as favourite for second successive year

Lewis Hamilton
The last two non-Olympians to win the trophy in a year where the Games took place were Britain’s last two Formula One champions: Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Damon Hill in 1996. There does however appear to be some resentment about his decision to switch Stevenage to Switzerland to dodge taxes and that may have dented his popularity slightly.

Rebecca Adlington
The nineteen-year-old from Mansfield became the most successful British swimmer in a hundred years by winning two gold medals in Beijing. However, the last woman to win an Olympic swimming gold - Anita Lonsbrough in 1960 - only came third in that year’s Sports Personality of the Year. She did win the award two years later though and remains the only female swimmer ever to have done so.

Chris Hoy
There have numerous occasions where this award has been won by the Brit who came closest to winning something so it speaks volumes for Britain’s sporting success this year that Hoy, the first Brit since Henry Taylor in 1908 to win three gold medals at one Olympic Games, is only third-favourite. The only cyclist to have previously won the award was Tom Simpson in 1965.

Posted: November 7th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 2 Comments

Will Lewis Hamilton really win Sports Personality of the Year?

Formula One world champion cut to 4/7 after triumph

Lewis Hamilton is now 4/7 with most bookmakers to win the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year after winning the Drivers Championship, while only William Hill offer the shortest odds at 8/15.

Whether Hamilton’s efforts will prove enough to defeat some of Team GB’s Olympic gold-medalists remains to be seen though - it will prove an advantage that his success has come towards the end of the year as it is fresher in people’s memories but Hamilton was the overwhelming favourite last year only to finish second.

And while Rebecca Adlington and Chris Hoy look likely to pose the biggest threat, Andy Murray can’t be written off because victory in next week’s Masters Cup would see his long odds (50/1 with 888sport, 99/1 with Betfair) plummet. Paddy Power are playing it safe by keeping Murray at 33/1 for the time being

Posted: November 4th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment