posted April 24, 2008 at 15:57 in Tennis Betting Trends

Monte Carlo, Monaco –The quarterfinal line-up at the ATP Masters Series in Monte Carlo looks very competitive, but a couple of standout tennis bets in the market are on offer today, none more so than the matchup between Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer, Spain’s No.1 and No.2 players. Short-odds-on favourites in the R16, Nadal and Ferrer, came through for bettors in today’s sports betting action, raising the question: which player should the betting market now back in tomorrow’s quarterfinal match. This is a bit of a conundrum as both players are decent betting prospects, offering the market a good angle for profit.

Tennis Betting Line: David Ferrer +450 Rafael Nadal -900

Match Time: 04:00 AM Eastern Time, Friday April 25, 2008

Tennis Prediction: Rafael Nadal set up the blockbuster quarterfinal showdown with compatriot David Ferrer after dismissing another fellow Spaniard in the R16, Juan Carlos Ferrero. Meanwhile, Ferrer fired into the final eight, securing the place oppositeNadal with an emphatic 6-4, 6-0 trouncing of Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia.

Rafael Nadal takes a 4-3 lifetime record into this match, but the last two victories went the way of Ferrer. At the 2007 US Open, Nadal lost to Ferrer in the R16 6-7(3) 6-4 7-6(4) 6-2 and in the year-end showdown, the Tennis Masters Cup, Nadal lost to Ferrer in the Round Robin stage 4-6 6-4 6-3. Nadal’s two-match losing streak against Ferrer came on hard though – a surface that Ferrer has the distinctive edge on – whereas on clay, their match up would appear to favour Nadal, as he owns a 3-1 lifetime record.

Nadal is making his season debut on clay at this event. Arriving with a 22-6 mark for the year, he has since improved to 24-6 with his R16 victory over Ferrero.

Ferrer won his home event last week in Valencia, Spain – the VI Open de Tenis. Upon arriving in Monte Carlo, Ferrer posted a 16-6 mark for the season, which includes his triumphant title run last week. At the ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo, after dismissing Tipsarevic in the R16, Ferrer extended his winning streak on clay to seven matches.

Tennis Betting Verdict:

Nadal (-900) At -900 favourite odds, the bookies price on Nadal sets him as the overwhelming favourite in this matchup. And why not? He after all is the three-time defending champion in Monte Carlo, gunning for his fourth title. Not for nothing is dubbed the King of Clay – a 109-3 mark on clay over the last three years is a statistic that lends Nadal’s steep odds hefty weight. He is the player to beat.

Ferrer (+450) Ferrer weighs in as the +450 underdog in this matchup, which may be surprising to some bettors as he enters this matchup with a two-match winning streak over Nadal. So are the bookies wrong? Should more credence be given to Ferrer as a viable opponent to Nadal? The Undisputable fact is that Nadal is the King of Clay. While Ferrer has beaten Nadal on hard, on clay Nadal is a different beast entirely. On hard, Nadal is a grinder, playing not to lose; on clay, he plays to win, and win he does. Ferrer’s bid to dethrone him is aptly priced – a long shot proposition.

Tennis Free Picks: Nadal in straight sets

So there you have it, a nice short break down for you of some of the exciting tennis betting options available at BetUS Sportsbook. Now that you are all read up, you are ready to start betting on tennis!

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