ATP Sony Open Betting: Straightforward for Murray and Gasquet to win battle of the backhands

 

Sean Calvert enjoyed yesterday's play at the 2013 Sony Open and today he fancies Andy Murray to ease past Andreas Seppi and Richard Gasquet to overcome Nicolas Almagro in Key Biscayne...

 

Monday at the 2013 Sony Open went according to plan with Marin Cilic winning in straight sets and Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov playing out the encounter I predicted.

 

Cilic was able to withstand 20 aces in total and 15 in the second set alone from John Isner to continue his outstanding record against American opponents, which has seen Cilic win his last 19 straight versus Americans.

 

I said yesterday that Dimitrov would probably make one set close against Murray and he produced almost a carbon copy of his performance against Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells, where he choked away the opening set with double faults.

 

This time it was three double faults when serving for the set instead of four, but the talented Bulgarian has developed a real reputation for choking that it will be tough to overcome.

 

Tuesday is fourth round day and Murray takes on Andreas Seppi in what is a good match up for the Scot and I would expect him to win this in two and comfortably.

 

Seppi often doesn't fancy it when he knows he's unlikely to win, as his record of 0-15 recently against top-10 players shows and he hasn't won a set in 12 of those matches. The last seven straight have ended in two sets and if Murray is somewhere near the top of his game he should cover the handicap today.

 

My concern would be his second serve, which was getting hammered by Dimitrov yesterday, but Seppi doesn't have that kind of weaponry and tends to grind, which is perfect for Murray.

 

I also like Richard Gasquet at around 1.80 to beat another of the game's chokers in Nicolas Almagro.

 

Gasquet under the tutelage of Seb Grosjean seems to finally be utilising a more attacking approach rather than counter punching from miles behind the baseline if the evidence of yesterday's match with Mikhail Youzhny is anything to go by.

 

Attacking the net will help him and although he may not get many chances to do so today against Almagro I would fancy Gasquet to come through a match that will be well worth watching for the shot making alone, with plenty of one-handed backhand winners expected.

 

Recommended Bets

Back Gasquet to beat Almagro at 1.80

Back Murray -5.5 games to beat Seppi at 1.94

 

Bet HERE

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