7th Nov 2012 | Tennis
Berdych v Tsonga Tip
This round-robin match at the ATP Tour Finals should be tight but the Frenchman won their duel at the O2 last year.
The bookies have decided that Tomas Berdych (4/6 StanJames) is a significant favourite to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (13/10 Betfred) at the ATP Tour Finals tonight but I think the outsider can edge it in three sets at best odds of 4/1 with StanJames.
Although Berdych leads the head-to-head between the pair 3-1, that solitary victory for Tsonga came in the semi-final of this very tournament last year (6-2 7-5). The Frenchman also overcame Rafael Nadal and Mardy Fish at the O2 in 2011 and only narrowly lost 3-6 7-6 3-6 in the final to Roger Federer.
It was further proof that Tsonga plays some of his best tennis in London. The 27-year-old is a crowd favourite who feeds off the support he always gets in the capital. He reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in both of the last two years to cement a fan base who will cheer him on against just about anyone other than Murray.
Much has been made of Berdych’s decent run of form but Tsonga is in perfectly good touch himself. He won the Moselle Open in September on home soil and then only lost to Djokovic in the final of the China Open last month.
It should be close on Wednesday, and there’s excellent value to be had in the set-betting market.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 14:50 7th Nov, 2012 but subject to change