posted August 10, 2007 at 14:46 in Tennis Free Picks

Montreal, Canada – In the bottom half of the draw, the final two quarterfinal spots at the Rogers Cup were seized by No.2 Rafael Nadal and No. 91 Frank Dancevic.

Now for most, Rafael Nadal needs no introduction. Whether you are an avid tennis fan or tennis bettor, or for that matter neither of the two, you will most likely have heard of the man they call the Rafa! Nadal’s accolades and achievements have transcended the limits of every sport, earning him the regard and respect of many.

However, who is Frank Dancevic? You may have heard a whisper of Frank Dancevic two weeks ago when he surprisingly won the Indianapolis Tennis Championships. Andy Roddick certainly can boast of an acquaintance with the young Canadian, as Dancevic upset him in the semifinal, en route to the Indianapolis title - a lower profile ATP tournament compared to the ATP Masters Series in Montreal.

Dancevic won the Indianapolis Tennis Championships ranked 109th in the world. At the Rogers Cup, he improved to No. 91 in the ATP rankings. Dancevic’s advance into the quarterfinal marks the first Canadian appearance in the final eight since 1989. A great achievement indeed, but before the brouhaha and celebrations get completely outta-hand, Canada’s title hope next faces one of the tours best player – Rafael Nadal! Nothing like the prospect of certain defeat to put a damper on things!

Rafael Nadal vs. Frank Dancevic

Tennis Prediction: – No.2 Rafael Nadal takes into the match a tour leading 60/8 record and 6 ATP titles for the season. There is no amount of hyperbole in the scripted repertoire to describe sufficiently Nadal’s ruthless and relentless game. Second only to Roger Federer, Nadal and Federer play in a league of their own – separated from the rest of the field by an inviolable gulf.

The outright favorite and sure play indeed, Rafael Nadal should have an easy day on court against Dancevic – a well-deserved reprieve following the second round trial against Marat Safin, and an even more challenging contest in the third round against Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Of all the quarterfinal matches at the Rogers Cup, this should be the most one-sided. During the course of the Rogers Cup, Dancevic improved to a meager 16/13 record for the season. Dancevic simply does not stack up against Nadal. Add to that the fact that Dancevic has little to none experience in high profile events, particularly in intense and high-pressure situations such as a quarterfinal match against one of the most intimidating tennis talents on the tour, betting on Dancevic is in short a long shot bet!

In no uncertain terms and without taking away from Frank Dancevic’s significant achievement, their matchup is incommensurate. Nadal is the sure play! Really it’s a no-brainer!

Tennis Free Pick: – Nadal in straight sets! Vamos! Vamos!

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Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room.