Posted on 4/11/2008 3:50:13 PM

Tennis Betting Odds – B & L Quarterfinal - Davenport vs. Szavay

By Nila Amerova

Amelia Island, Florida – Online tennis bettors saw teenager Alize Cornet become the first player today to confirm her berth in the Bausch & Lomb Championship semifinals by defeating Virginie Razanno 6-4, 6-2. With three quarterfinal matchups still to be played before the final four are determined, check out the odds at BetUS Sportsbook and bet on the Bausch & Lomb Championships quarterfinals. To get you started, here is a look at the matchup between Lindsay Davenport vs. Agnes Szavay.

Tennis Betting Line: Lindsay Davenport vs. Agnes Szavay

Match Time: 05:00 PM Eastern Time, Friday April 11, 2008

Analysis: This is the first-ever meeting between American Lindsay Davenport and Agnes Szavay of Hungary. As a former World No.1 tennis player and three-time titlist at this event, it is hard to see Lindsay Davenport as anything but the overwhelming favorite coming into this match. Davenport’s incredible history at the Bausch & Lomb Championships includes three titles (1997 and 2004-05) and one runner-up finish (2003).

Davenport, who currently holds a No.30 ranking, arrived in Amelia Island with a 17-4 record for the season and two WTA titles – Auckland and Memphis. En route to her fourth quarterfinal of the year, Davenport improves to 20-4 for the season. She has a 2-1 record in quarterfinals – her only quarterfinal loss came at Indian Wells when she retired from her match against Jelena Jankovic down 6-2 in the first set.

Agnes Szavay weighs in at No.15 in the world, but the 19-year-old Hungarian has had a seesaw season thus far. Szavay arrived in Amelia Island with a losing record for the season at 5-8. The bulk of match-wins came during her only commendable run at a tournament; in Paris, she finished runner-up when she lost to Anna Chakvetadze. Aside from her four-match winning streak in Paris, in seven tournaments Szavay contested six saw her crash out in her opening match and one saw her win a match only to lose in the following round.

At the Bausch & Lomb Championships, Szavay, who entered as the eighth seed, received a bye into the second round. In reaching the quarterfinal, she defeated Ekaterina Makarova and Katarina Srebotnik. Her two-match winning streak at the Bausch & Lomb Championships marks her best run since reaching the final in Paris. Szavay improves to 7-8 for the season.

Betting Verdict: Simply Davenport is the better play. She enters as the overwhelming favorite, because of her championship credentials and earlier successes at this event, and her in-form game. Davenport is playing to win and plays with confidence. On a comeback trail since last summer, 31-year-old Davenport has made a successful return to the circuit, proving that despite being over 30 and a parent, she can still hold her own against the young, untried up-and-comers of the game. Szavay is not playing with confidence. I cannot imagine her pulling off an upset at this stage of the tournament.

Tennis Free Pick: Davenport in straight sets

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