British No.1 Andy Murray is in Paris this week for the ninth and final ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event at the Palais Omnisport in Bercy.
The 23-year-old Scot, who has never won the title in the French capital, begins his quest at the second-round stage today against the in-form David Nalbandian.
Murray (4-7, boylesports) trails the Argentine (6-4, Bodog, William Hill, 888sport) on their head-to-head record, having lost two of their three meetings.
Notably, however, he won their last match in August, 6-2 6-2 in the quarter-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 in Toronto on his way to retaining the Rogers Cup.
World No.25 Nalbandian is having an impressive season with an ATP title bagged and a 28-9 record but I fancy Murray (42-15) to level their head to head in Paris.
I believe he will win in straight sets (11-8, Paddy Power) but Murray often suffers a mid-match slump and could give up a set. The Scot to win 2-1 is 3-1 with Paddy Power and Boylesports.
Elsewhere Serbian Novak Djokovic (2-11, Boylesports) begins the defence of his ATP Paris crown with a second-round clash against another Argentine, Juan Monaco (9-2, bet365).
The world No.3 isn't worth backing at that price but a straight-sets victory might be worth a look. Djokovic 2-0 is a best-priced 4-7 with Stan James.
World No.1 Rafa Nadal is resting this week ahead of the ATP Finals in London on November 21 but No.2 Roger Federer is also in the Paris field.
Federer has also never won the event but should have few problems getting over the first hurdle that Frenchman Richard Gasquet (15-2, Bodog) will provide and you would have to be crazy to consider a punt on his best price of 1-10 with Boylesports.
With the crowd behind their home favourite Gasquet may push Federer to three sets (9-2 Hills) but I fancy the Swiss legend will advance in two (1-3, 888sport, BlueSquare).
Paris offers players the last opportunity to qualify for London a week on Sunday. Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray and Swede Robin Soderling have already booked their spots while Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer, Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco and Jurgen Melzer are all still vying for the three remaining places.
SUPER SINGLE
- Murray 2-0 11-8, Paddy Power
