Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have combined to win the last eight men's singles titles at the All England Club. They are co-favorites heading into Day 4.
Wimbledon 2011 is a tournament without a major upset so far in the men's draw as the action from the All England Club has gone to form for the top players. Milos Raonic, only a peripheral favorite, was sent packing on Day 3 following his mid-match retirement against Gilles Muller.
The top four seeds in the tournament, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray are the only players who most pundits give a realistic chance of winning the title at the All England Club.
Heading into play on June 23rd, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are the co-favorites for the title with the odds for the top 10 favorites provided below (
all odds from bet365):
- Roger Federer, 2/1
- Rafael Nadal, 2/1
- Novak Djokovic, 10/3
- Andy Murray, 5/1
- Juan Martin Del Potro, 33/1
- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 33/1
- Robin Soderling, 40/1
- Andy Roddick, 50/1
- Tomas Berdych, 50/1
- John Isner, 66/1
The top four favorites are correct in my view, an opinion that will surely be well supported by tennis fans, although perhaps the order within the top can be debated.
Juan Martin Del Potro as a co-fifth favorite with Tsonga looks completely wrong however as the Argentine is down a set in his second round match against Olivier Rochus.
Delpo has never won a second round match at the All England Club and the idea that he's the fifth most likely player to win Wimbledon outright is highly presumptuous about his abilities at this point in his career. Not only has he done little at Wimbledon in his previous efforts but since returning from injury his slam results have been piddly with just three match-wins in two efforts.
Andy Roddick is an interesting player at 50/1 as he may have hit form at Wimbledon, something he's done before. The American served up 15 aces in three sets of tennis against Victor Hanescu in round two and Roddick also won 93% of the points played on his first serve.
That is an incredible serving performance and the three time runner-up also won 74% of the points played on his second serve.
Roddick promises to blaze through Feliciano Lopez and Gael Monfils in rounds three and four with a problematic match possibly coming up in the quarters against Murray.
While the Scot has to be regarded as the favorite in that match, especially since Murray whipped Roddick at London's Queen's Club a couple weeks ago, if Roddick keeps the aces coming then he might prove unbreakable.
Murray might be the highest ranked player that the American can beat in the Wimbledon draw and perhaps Roddick needs some luck to make the final and a lot of luck to win it.
However he is looking better than 50/1 at the moment and he might properly be regarded as fifth favorite instead of eighth with Delpo dropped down as he flirts with a second round exit.
My True Favorites
- Rafael Nadal
- Novak Djokovic
- Roger Federer
- Andy Murray
- Andy Roddick
- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
- Robin Soderling
- Tomas Berdych
- David Ferrer
- John Isner