TOP seed Roger Federer and defending champion Novak Djokovic are in action again today in the quarter-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
I announced earlier this week that both are my tips to contest Sunday's final and therefore I expect them to ease into the last four. No.2 seed Djokovic of Serbia, aiming for his third Dubai title in a row, is a massive 1-14 (Skybet, Stan James) in his clash with Germany's world No.38 Florian Mayer (9-1, Betfred, Boylesports).
Swiss world No.2 Federer is also highly-fancied to go through with the bookies (1-20, William Hill) against Russian Sergiy Stakhovsky (12-1, Betfred).
Czech Tomas Berdych (1-5, William Hill, Skybet) is another who ought not to break sweat in his quarter-final with another German Philipp Petzchner (9-2, Stan James).
The remaining last-eight match is an all-French affair – Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet. I'm edging towards bookies outsider Gasquet as he leads his fellow countryman 4-0 in previous meetings. Simon is the favourite here (4-6, Stan James, 888sport, Blue Square, Boylesports).
However, get your money on Gasquet at a welcoming 5-4 (Betfred, Paddy Power, Bodog). This match is also certain to go three sets, unlike the other three quarter-finals, so Gasquet 2-1 is also worth a look (4-1, Bet365, Paddy Power, Stan James).
Djokovic and Federer began the week at 2-1 to win the title but Fed has now become the 11-8 favourite (Stan James). Djokovic is now 6-4 with Skybet, Berdych 15-2 (Betfred), Simon 12s at Skybet and Gasquet 25s (Boylesports).
World No.2 Federer is still my pick to land a fifth Dubai crown.
Bonkers Bet:
- Gasquet 2-1 (4-1, Bet365, Paddy Power, Stan James).
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