Monte Carlo Rolex Masters Betting: Stan just the man to test Murray on clay

 

Tennis expert Sean Calvert landed another winner yesterday with Andy Murray on the handicap, but he's less convinced about the Scot's chances against Stan Wawrinka today in Monte-Carlo..

 

Wednesday at the Monte-Carlo Country Club yielded another winning wager on a day of high drama in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.

 

Andy Murray's comfortable victory over Edouard Roger-Vasselin was enough for a nice odds-against success with the Scot covering the minus 6.5 game handicap in a 6-1, 6-4 victory.

 

It was a good start to the clay court swing for Murray, but he may have to step it up today against Stan Wawrinka.

 

The real talking point yesterday came during the match that was being played concurrently to Murray's between Juan Monaco and Ernests Gulbis, who was having one of his days.

 

The delightfully eccentric Gulbis was given a game penalty for three shows of petulance before daring the umpire to default him. All in a day's work for Ernie, who missed the chance to play Novak Djokovic next in a three set defeat to Monaco.

 

Djokovic had a tough start to his clay swing with a three set win over Mikhail Youzhny, but should improve for that match and get past Monaco with fewer dramas than against the Russian.

 

But Murray will have to bring his 'A' game to the court if he has designs on making the next round against a tough opponent in Wawrinka, who has beaten Murray in both of their previous encounters on the dirt.

 

Admittedly, they were a long time ago but Stan has been in good touch on clay this season and made the final in Buenos Aires on the Golden Swing this season.

 

It must be noted that Murray is yet to make a final on clay and has lost six of his last seven matches on the dirt against top-25 ranked players. Indeed he's won just four of his last 14 against those opponents and the victories were two wins apiece over Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon.

 

Wawrinka has been working with Magnus Norman lately and if he can add a little extra something to Stan's game over the next few weeks he could be a force to be reckoned with on the dirt.

 

The concern though, as ever, is upstairs with Wawrinka when he plays the big names. He's lost his last nine straight against top-10 ranked opponents and two of his last 19. He has a slightly better record on clay, but he's still lost 10 of his last 12 against top-10 players on the dirt.

 

I don't think I can trust Wawrinka to see this through, so my bet today is to lay Murray 2-0 at 2.18. The 2-1 Murray win is also tempting at around 4.1.

 

Recommended Bet

Lay Murray 2-0 vs Wawrinka at 2.18

 

Bet HERE

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