Posted on 3/3/2008 9:14:24 PM

Tennis Odds - Barclay’s Dubai Tennis Championships

By Nila Amerova

Dubai, UAE – Seismic shockwaves were felt throughout the tournament when an in-form No.11 Andy Murray of Scotland stunned top seed and defending champion Roger Federer 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-4 at the Barclay’s Dubai Tennis Championships today. The Scot won 48 out of 53 points on his first serve and got through the entire three-set match without facing a single break point, handing Federer, a four-time champion in Dubai, his worst first round defeat since the summer of 2004.

Admittedly, the World No.1 was short of match-play coming into this meeting, as he has not competed in a tournament since the Australian Open in January; but a tough draw combined with a touch of complacency on his part – as viewed by some of Federer’s critics – conspired to send the Swiss unceremoniously early out of the tournament.

Year after year, match after match, tournament after tournament and Grand Slam after Grand Slam, speculation abounded about Federer and his perch on the apex of tennis: is this the year, match tournament or grand slam that will see the beginning of the end. First, the Australian Open disappointment and now the kafuffle going on in Dubai, one has to wonder, has the time finally come? More expressly, are recent developments an indication that a change to the status quo is imminent.

The young guns of tennis, who, like Andy Murray, have contested many matches in tournament play since the 2008 Australian Open (and in Murray’s case, even picking up a second ATP title of the year in Marseille two weeks ago), anticipate such a moment when they can step on to the same court as a player like Roger Federer not only with the confidence of winning, but actually pulling it off! Aspiration to breach the gap in tennis that was created by the maestro of tennis , even by the smallest and most infinitesimal way like winning a single match against him since exerting his domination on the ATP tour— young guns bent on shaking up the upper-echelons of tennis’s Top 10 to that effect are starting whispers of their imminent arrival this season with upsets and nigh-upsets.

It started with a tidal wave in the form of Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Australian Open this year – a force that in some part has become the stimulus for a full-frontal assault on the Top 10 elite by a new generation of tennis players anxious to announce their arrival and their intention to stay. The same Grand Slam saw a first: a first final without Federer since the Australian Open in 2005, and crowned a new champion in Novak Djokovic.

At the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships the following month, qualifier Kei Nishikori of Japan caused a stir when he lifted his maiden ATP title, at the expense of favorite James Blake; and last week in Memphis, qualifier Steve Darcis of Belgium became the surprise champion, when he defeated an in-form Robin Soderling of Sweden.

In other action today in Dubai, last year’s runner-up in Dubai, Mikhail Youzhny joined the humbled queue of the defeated, when he was dismissed by Fabrice “The Magician” Santoro in the first round. Also out of the tournament after day 1, is Tommy Haas, Stanislas Wawrinka and Dmitry Tursunov.

The 2008 season has seen its share of surprises and we are only three months into the ATP calendar. Tomorrow’s line-up will see second seed and 2006 Dubai champion Rafael Nadal take on the player who ended Andy Roddick’s Australian Open campaign abruptly in the R32; meanwhile, Roddick prepares to face 2001 Dubai champion Juan Carlos Ferrero in his opening match; and

Novak Djokovic kicks off his campaign against a tough up-and-comer Marin Cilic of Croatia. So with such a stellar line-up scheduled for Day 2 in Dubai, don’t miss out on the chance to bet on the action before it unfolds tomorrow.

Still here? What are you waiting for, check out the Live Tennis odds available at BetUS and bet on the ATP Barclay’s Dubai Tennis Championships.

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