Murray has a chance to make a statement against Gulbis

Five stats about the world number three’s second round match

After an underwhelming performance against Robert Kendrick in the first round, Andy Murray needs to make a statement to prove that he really is a genuine contender to win Wimbledon. A straight-sets victory over Ernests Gulbis tomorrow would do just that:

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» The Latvian has lost just two of his first 22 Grand Slam matches in straight sets. That compares favourably with the records of Roger Federer (five) and Rafael Nadal (four) while breaking through and is on a par with Murray and Novak Djokovic.

» Gulbis was the only man besides Federer to take a set off Nadal last year at Wimbledon - winning the opener of their second-round match 7-5 to become the only man to hold a set lead over the Spaniard at SW19 in 2008.

Posted: June 24th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Bet on Andy Murray’s run of 6-2 set wins continuing

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Andy Murray is just 1.02 to beat Marcel Granollers and 1.26 to win in straight sets so without backing heavily, there isn’t much money to be made. Instead, chickendinner points you in the direction of the “1st Set Correct Score” market where enticing odds of 5.0 are available on Murray winning 6-2:

» At the Qatar Open, six of Murray’s ten set wins were achieved by a 6-2 scoreline, including the opening sets in his first and second round matches.

» Murray started his first round Australian Open match against Andrei Pavel with a 6-2 opening set victory too.

» The last set the two players contested against one another in Barcelona three years ago finished 6-2 in the Brit’s favour.

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Posted: January 21st, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Baghdatis is great value at 2.44 to beat Soderling

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Upset Alert! Marcos Baghdatis [2.44] has never beaten Robin Soderling on a hard court but the former finalist should end that humiliating record on Wednesday morning:

On the last four occasions that Baghdatis has got through the first round of a Grand Slam he has followed up with victory in the second.

The Cypriot has got past this stage on three of his previous four visits to Melbourne Park.

Soderling has never been past the second round at the Australian Open and has only reached the third round at three of his last eighteen Grand Slams.

Baghdatis had never beaten Julien Benneteau before passing him in straight sets on Monday while Soderling dropped a set against Robert Kendrick, who had never previously won one at the Australian Open.

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Posted: January 20th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment