BNP Paris Masters – First Round Betting Trends

Paris, France –The BNP Paris Masters offers the tennis-betting community at BetUS Sportsbook a smorgasbord of great matchups to bet on in the first round. Though the tennis betting market is buzzing with action on the big four – Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray – several dark horses in the draw promise to shake up a thing or two in the early round, and so should be considered.

Here is a look at the first round action scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tennis Betting Line: Michael Llodra -180 Florent Serra +140

Match Time: 05:00 AM Eastern Time, October 28, 2008

Tennis Betting Analysis: No.63 Florent Serra enters the main draw on a lucky loser card after he failed to qualify for the event, replacing Richard Gasquet who withdrew from the tournament with a right elbow injury. Serra has a great opportunity to reach the second round in Paris but to do so he has to break the duck and win his first match in three weeks . Serra is on a three-match losing streak. He owns a 1-0 edge over compatriot Michael Llodra.

No. 38 Michael Llodra brings a 23-21 mark for the year and 1-4 mark in indoor events. Since reaching the second round in Metz, Llodra has not won a match. He arrives in Paris with a three-match losing record in his last three events in Moscow, Madrid and Lyon.

Tennis Betting Verdict: Home court edge is cancelled out in this matchup. Serra favours clay while, Llodra grass. Their season is third rate at best. Their last month of play completely insignificant. So it comes down to who want this more. Serra earned a second chance when Gasquet withdrew from the tournament and as the courts in Paris typically play slow – slower than most hard court surfaces – the edge tips in favour of Serra.

Tennis Free Picks: Serra in three sets

Tennis Betting Line: Josselin Ouanna +450 Robin Soderling -900

Match Time: 05:00 AM Eastern Time, October 28, 2008

Tennis Betting Analysis: Robin Soderling is coming off a title victory in Lyon. Finally, the indoor guru won a title this season after challenging three times before and failing. In Stockholm a fortnight ago, Soderling reached the final but lost to David Nalbandian. Early in the year, Soderling finished runner-up in Rotterdam and Memphis. Overall, Soderling is 44-20 for the season and 12-3 in indoor events.

No.152 Josselin Ouanna of France has home court edge and enters on the strength of a quarterfinal run in Lyon last week. The wild card entrant is a greenhorn player at this level, bringing only a 2-4 mark in ATP events. In the challenger circuit, he recently won an indoor hard court event.

Tennis Betting Verdict: Though Ouanna is a green horn he clearly is a bit of threat on indoor courts. Had he come up against any other player he may have reached the second round but as he faces Soderling – an undisputed guru on the indoor stuff – Ouanna has an outside chance if at all I would say.

Tennis Free Picks: Soderling in straight sets

Tennis Betting Line: Ivan Ljubicic Ev Viktor Troicki -140