By David Jack
We've reached the semi-finals of the US Open and I'm delighted to see my pre-tournament forecasts Rafael Nadal and Caroline Wozniacki remain on course for their first titles at Flushing Meadows.
I predicted world No.1 Rafa would go head to head with No.2 Roger Federer in the final, priced at 9-2 ahead of the Grand Slam, and obviously I'm not budging now.
You'll not get a decent price anywhere for the final all tennis lovers want to see now.
Nadal was priced a tempting 7-2 going into New York but has now been hacked down to a 21-20 favourite (boylesports).
Priced at (1-12, boylesports) for the semi-final, Nadal hasn't drop a set en route to a meeting with No.12 seed Mikhail Youzhny (9-1, boylesports) and it's difficult to imagine the Russian troubling him. Only in his first-round match did he win straight and since then he has been through three four-setters before he needed five to oust Stanislas Wawrinka on Thursday.
Youzhny's best hope is holding serve throughout a set and forcing a tiebreak but I can't see that happening and therefore Nadal, who reckons he is playing his best tennis ever in New York, to win 3-0 (4-7, Bodog, boylesports, Paddy Power and Skybet) is the likely outcome.
Nadal to drop one set is available at 3-1 with William Hill and Ladbrokes but I wouldn't entertain the idea.
The pair have met 11 times over the years, notably in 2006 when Youzhny won their Flushing Meadows quarter-final in four sets, but the Mallorcan is 7-4 overall.
Federer (1-3, boylesports, Skybet) meets No.3 seed Novak Djokovic (5-2, Ladbrokes, Blue Square and Paddy Power) and while I expect this semi-final to be closer the Swiss is my tip for the final.
The five-time US Open champion has a 10-5 record over Serbian Djokovic with Federer having won their three previous meetings in New York.
Last year's semi-final was the last of those meetings and while Federer won in straight sets I reckon Djokovic will edge at least one this time. You'll get 13-8 at Skybet and totesport for four sets.
Tonight the women's semi-finals take place with Danish delight and No.1 Wozniacki fancied at 1-3 with 888sport to see off No.7 seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva (3-1, Bet365, boylesports).
My pre-tournament tip at a staggering 8-1 Wozniacki, who has yet to drop a set, is now the 5-4 favourite. She may have to concede a set at last to Zvonareva however and a 2-1 win for the hot-form Dane (16-5, William Hill) is worth a look.
The second semi-final sees No.2 seed Kim Clijsters (8-15, Coral) tackle No.3 seed Venus Williams (15-8, boylesports).
Belgian Clijsters is locked at 6-6 with the American on a head-to-head and I'm going for her to edge this one in three sets (11-4, Bodog, Betfred, 888sport and Hills).
