Apparently bookmakers didn’t watch a little-known tennis tournament that goes by the name of Wimbledon. How else to explain Andy Murray getting 50% better odds to win (4/1) as Roger Federer (6/1), the man who absolutely destroyed him in a straight-set victory on the grass at the All England Club?
Perhaps even more egregious is that Federer’s 6/1 is just slightly ahead of a guy who’s currently ranked behind Milos Raonic. Yeah, Rafael Nadal, the guy whose game had faded faster in 2015 than the popularity of Ariana Grande is getting 7/1 at Bovada, barely behind Federer.
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
From a purely tennis standpoint, maybe Murray is the second-best choice to win the U.S. Open, I don’t know. After all, Federer hasn’t made a final in New York since blowing his lead to Juan Martin Del Potro in 2009. But in the five years since, Federer had made it further than Murray twice, Murray has made it further than Federer twice and they went out in the same round once. Murray does have the lone title, but Federer has five from back in the day and also made the semis last year when Murray made the quarters.
And none of this mentions that Federer will almost certainly be the No. 2 seed in New York, which means he wouldn’t have to face Djokovic, the odds on favorite at 5/4, until a potential final. Murray, on the other hand, has a 50% chance of being put in Djokovic’s half, which could mean semifinal bout. That right there should automatically give the edge to Federer.
(AP)
(AP)
But here we are, the basking glow of Wimbledon still upon us, and we’re talking about an event that’s six weeks down the line. At least the oddsmakers have it right on the women’s side though: Serena Williams is the overwhelming favorite to win her calendar Slam and fifth major overall.
(EPA)
(EPA)