Verdasco to strike for the Wimbledon day three accumulator
Published:Rankings, shmankings says our day Wimbledon day three accumulator, with three of our five representatives expected to make light of the world rankings status quo by recording victories for the underdog.
Julien Benneteau may sit 21 places above Fernando Verdasco in the world rankings, but he’s only got beyond the second round twice in eight visits to the All England Club.
Verdasco has not had the best of years so far, but having beaten Benneteau in all three of their previous career meetings – including wins on surfaces as diverse as clay and hard court – he can be backed to continue his head-to-head dominance.
Nicolas Mahut can get the better of world number 29 Tommy Robredo to poke further fun at the rankings.
The Frenchman – who famously ousted Andy Murray at Queens last year – arrived in SW19 on the back of a grass tournament victory at Hertogenbosch in which he ousted top-10 denizen and well-known second-best Swiss on tour Stanislas Wawrinka in the final.
All too often those that pull off the greatest Wimbledon upsets tend to find that reality catches up with them sooner rather than later, just as Lukas Rosol – who conquered Rafael Nadal in 2012 – found when tamely submitting to Philipp Kohlschreiber in the next round.
Steve Darcis toppled Nadal this year and finds himself favourite for his clash with Lukasz Kubot, a player who is rated five places above him in the world rankings. Whereas as Rosol had to beat a second highly ranked player in succession last year, the assignment set for Darcis is far easier and he can keep his Wimbledon dreams going a while longer yet.
Mikhail Youzhny reached the quarter finals here last year and he’s taken to send Vasek Pospisil packing in straight sets. The Russian beat his first round foe in just that fashion and comes into the grass court Slam on the back of taking a set off Roger Federer in the final at Halle.
2002 champion Leyton Hewitt turned back the clock to see off Wawrinka in straight sets in the first round and he can do the same to Dustin Brown, posting his fifth win in six matches on grass this term in the process.
Men’s Wimbledon day two selections
Fernando Verdasco to beat Julien Benneteau @ 5/6
Nicolas Mahut to beat Tommy Robredo @ 4/9
Steve Darcis to beat Lukasz Kubot @ 4/7
Mikhail Youzhny to beat Vasek Pospisil 3-0 @ 10/11
Leyton Hewitt to beat Dustin Brown 3-0 @ 10/11
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
