The ATP Tour has been on the green grass for a week already but probably the biggest non-Wimbledon lawn event of them all is upon us when 32 of the leading players in the world head to Queens Club in London for the Fever-Tree Championship.
The headline throughout the week will be the return to action of Andy Murray but with Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka and Milos Raonic looking to get back to their past levels and the likes of Marin Cilic, Grigor Dimitrov and Sam Querrey looking for a title we’re in for a great week.
Recent Winners
2017 – Feliciano Lopez
2016 – Andy Murray
2015 – Andy Murray
2014 – Grigor Dimitrov
2013 – Andy Murray
2012 – Marin Cilic
2011 – Andy Murray
2010 – Sam Querrey
2009 – Andy Murray
2008 – Rafael Nadal
The Format
The usual ATP Tour format applies this week with the 32 men drawn into a bracket and the tournament being played as a straight knockout. Every match is the best of three sets with a tiebreak in the final set should it be needed. The weather is set fair so we should be in for some top class tennis to take us closer to Wimbledon.
Top Half
Former champion Marin Cilic is the number one seed this week and he is in the top half. This part of the draw is a big serving paradise with the likes of Gilles Muller, Milos Raonic, Sam Querrey, Nick Kyrgios and Denis Shapovalov all in it. Andy Murray makes his return to action in this part of the draw too while Stan Wawrinka and David Goffin add to the top drawer talent that will be on show here.
Bottom Half
It is Grigor Dimitrov who is the second seed and he goes in search of a second Queens title, and back-to-back London titles having prevailed at the o2 in November. He could be running into Novak Djokovic in the second round. Tomas Berdych, Jack Sock and Kevin Anderson are the other seeds in this half of the draw, a section which you have to say looks infinitely weaker than the top half.
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Betting
When you consider the discrepancy in strength of the two halves of the draw it is pretty obvious to target the bottom half for an each way bet. Given how that top half looks like a tournament of bombing serves in itself I’m only going to take one outright punt here.
Kevin Anderson has been runner up for me in this tournament before and at 12/1 he looks the obvious bet in the outright market. He should breeze into the semi-final and in truth if he plays well there isn’t really anyone who should test him until then. Even in the semi he wouldn’t be playing a big server so he would have every chance if his first delivery is on form. Anderson has enjoyed a wonderful season so far and looks the man to beat in the bottom half and hopefully should he get there he’ll go all the way in this final this year.
Tips
Back K.Anderson to win Fever-Tree Championship (e/w) for a 2/10 stake at 13.00 with Ladbrokes (1/2 1-2)
Back him here:
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