Wimbledon Championship - All American Final on the Fourth of July

Wimbledon Update

Handicappers concerned with tennis betting didn’t think this year’s Wimbledon would be able to match last year’s tournament in terms of drama. With Roger Federer and Andy Murray on a collision course for Sunday’s gentlemen’s final, and sisters Venus and Serena Williams meeting in Saturday’s ladies’ final, the wise guys should revise their prediction.

Federer heads into Friday’s semifinal against Tommy Haas as a huge –1600 favorite to win the match and get to the final, where he’ll meet the winner of Murray and Andy Roddick. The six-time Wimbledon champion defeated Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (3) in the quarterfinals to set up his date with Haas, who is on the board as a +700 underdog against Federer.

History is on Federer’s side as the World No. 2 continues his quest for a record-setting 15th career Grand Slam title. Federer is 9-2 over his career against Haas, with the German’s last win coming in five sets in the fourth round of the 2002 Australian Open. Haas did manage to push Federer to five sets in the fourth round of the French Open in May, although the Swiss defeated him the last two times they met on grass.

Murray swept Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals to make it to his first ever Wimbledon semifinal, where the Scotsman is –400 chalk against Roddick (+250) on Friday. Looking to become the first Brit since 1936 to win the title at the All England Club, Murray is 6-2 lifetime against Roddick. The only match between the pair on grass came at Wimbledon in 2006, when Murray upset Roddick 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-4 in the fourth round.

Venus is favored at –150 to cash her third straight and sixth career Wimbledon crown against sister Serena, who is priced at +110. The elder Williams dominated World No. 1 and top-seeded Dinara Safina in the semifinal, winning 6-1, 6-0 in only 51 minutes. Serena had a much tougher time in her semifinal against Elena Dementieva, escaping with a 6-7, 7-5, 8-6 victory in a 40-year record two hours and 49 minutes.

Saturday’s showdown is the fourth all-Williams Wimbledon final and eighth Grand Slam final between the sisters. Serena is 5-2 in those matches including 2-1 at Wimbledon, although Venus eclipsed her younger sibling in last year’s final at the All England Club. Overall, the Williams sisters are 10-10 against one another on the WTA Tour and in Grand Slams.