Monfils capable of upsetting favourite in Valencia clash
Published:Valencia Open betting favourite Robin Soderling is going to have to do it the hard way to take the title in Spain as he faces a tough clash with Gael Monfils in the quarter finals.
The match is the only one in the last eight to feature two seeds, with Soderling the 4/6 favourite to beat Monfils and progress to the semi finals.
However, it is Monfils who is currently in the slightly better form, winning 12 of 14 matches since being knocked out of the US Open at the quarter-finals.
Soderling reached the same stage at Flushing Meadows, but only has 10-4 record since.
Despite both players featuring prominently in the world rankings, they have only met on one occasion in the past, with Soderling triumphing in straight sets, although a lot has changed since this meeting back in 2005.
Monfils is 11/10 to beat Soderling and the fact that neither player has dropped a set thus far in Valencia makes it tough to call.
The other tight quarter final sees the talented but inconsistent Nikolay Davydenko take on Gilles Simon, who has shown signs of late that he is nearing returning to his best.
Simon also has the significant edge in their previous head-to-head meetings, beating Davydenko in all three of their career clashes.
Two of these wins have come on hard courts and Simon is a worthy favourite at 8/15 to beat Davydenko.
The Russian certainly has the talent to take the win if on his game as he proved earlier this year when beating Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal en route to winning in Doha.
He could be a big price at 11/8 to make the semi finals for the second year in succession in Valencia.
Soderling is the 9/4 favourite to win the Valencia Open, with French duo Simon and Monfils locked at 9/2. See the full Valencia Open winners betting odds market.
