Murray 100-30 for Grand Slam glory

Sports and showbiz betting

WHO would have thought it . . . a male British tennis player second favourite to win a Grand Slam tournament?

Well, that’s exactly the state of play as the big guns warm up for the first major tournament of the season, the Australian Open, which gets under way in Melbourne on January 19 and runs until February 1.

Andy Murray, fresh from weekend victories over Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, is the 100-30 second favourite (and as low as 5-2 with William Hill) to take another huge step in his blossoming career in top-level tennis.

Roger Federer would have been odds-on for the title in his prime, but despite winning the US Open in 2008 the brilliant Swiss is not quite the force of old.

It says much for his reputation that he is clinging on to Australian Open favouritism at 11-4, ahead of Murray, Wimbledon and French Open winner Nadal (7-2), reigning Aussie champion Novak Djokovic (11-2) and last year’s beaten finalist, Jo Wilfriend-Tsonga (16-1).

In my view there is very little between the top four at the moment, so the trick for all of them is to get to Melbourne with their A-game in place.

If forced to have a bet, I would go for value in the shape of Djokovic, but patriotism means I shall swerve a punting interest and cheer on Murray all the way.


EUROPE’S Ryder Cup team may have taken a battering at the hands of the Yanks in the autumn, but the European Tour has the chance to salvage some pride when they clash with the best Asia has to offer this weekend.

The Royal Trophy gets under way at the Amata Spring Country Club, Thailand, on Friday, with Jose Maria Olazabal in charge of the European team and Joe Ozaki leading the Asia challenge.

Europe’s team is Paul McGinley, Oliver Wilson, Paul Lawrie, Soren Hansen, Niclas Fasth, Pablo Larrazabal, Nick Dougherty and Johan Edfors, while Asia will be represented by those household names Prayad Marksaeng, Liang Wen-Chong, Charlie Wi, Hideto Tanihara, Toru Taniguchi, S K Ho, Thongchai Jaidee and Ryo Ishikawa.

Europe are 4-6 to retain the trophy they won two years ago, while Asia represent a little value at 5-4.


DON’T be fooled by Australia’s improved showing in the third and final Test against South Africa in Sydney.

This was a crucial toss for Ricky Ponting to win (by the way that’s the third in a row Graeme Smith has called wrong) and the hand injury to the South Africa captain clearly compromised his team’s batting strength.

The odds-layers have been reacting to Australia’s decline by cutting England to a best-priced 6-4 to regain the Ashes this summer.

Ponting’s men are out to 6-5, with the draw for the five-Test series only 11-2 .

Those who believe the rumours about Shane Warne making a comeback may wish to snap up the 3-1 about the superstar leg-spinner bowling in the series. Betdirect and Stan James are the bookies in question.


PHIL Taylor was simply sensational in regaining the PDC World Darts title on Sunday and the bookies are taking no chances over The Power following up in the 2010 event.

Taylor is only 10-11 to win again, followed by Sunday’s beaten finalist Raymond van Barneveld at 7-1, James Wade on 14s and Scotland’s Gary Anderson – the 5-2 jolly for the BDO version currently being contested at the Lakeside – on 16-1.