Federer set to book record O2 place with something to spare
Published:If Roger Federer wins he will finally qualify for the Tour Championships at the O2 and match Ivan Lendl’s record of 12 appearances at the end-of-season bonanza.
And the Swiss maestro should have no problems sending organisers for the Greenwich showpiece into raptures against South Africa’s number one Kevin Anderson, who is fortunate to even still be in Paris.
The world number 21, who has had a dreadful end to the campaign after reaching the final in Atlanta at the beginning of the US hardcourt swing, was a set and a break down against recent Valencia winner Mikhail Youzhny before the Russian fell apart after failing to take a match point, eventually retiring early in the decider.
That reprieve should be short-lived for the 6ft 8” big-server though, as despite an abundance of voices doubting Federer’s every shot at present, the reality is that he couldn’t be facing the 17-time Grand Slam champion at a worse time.
Anderson has failed to post consecutive victories in his last seven events and his first meeting with the 32-year-old looks set to end in a comprehensive defeat.
Straight from winning four successive matches for the first time since the French Open at his home tournament in Basel last week, the world number six should have few problems in building on the confidence gained and exploiting a player woefully out of touch.
Odds of 8/11 that Federer wins the match -3.5 games looks the best way to approach the contest considering that the 2011 champion is as short at 1/6 to triumph in the normal betting.
The 5/6 on the match lasting less than 21.5 games is also a tempting market but there have been no shortage of tie-breaks already on the ultra-fast Parisian courts and so it would be no surprise to see a tight opening exchange before it all becomes too much for Anderson.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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