Djokovic - can defend his title.
9/2 NOVAK A KNOCKING BET
By Derek Bilton
Sky Bet's Odds
Compare All Prices
After recharging their batteries post-Wimbledon, the big boys are out in force this week for the Rogers Cup in Toronto.
A quality field has assembled in Canada but realistically only three men are in with a shout of winning this Masters Series event (which alternates between Toronto and Montreal on a yearly basis).
Roger Federer will no doubt be smarting after seeing his long reign as the king of SW19 cruelly and dramaticaly ended by Rafael Nadal in a final many observers are now calling the greatest of them all and it's these two who head the betting in North America.
Surprisingly Federer, a two-time winner here but a player who has won just two (relatively low key) ATP titles this season has been chalked up as a 6/5 event jolly.
The Swiss is still a class act and you write a player of his quality off at your peril but one has to wonder what sort of psychological impact that epic five-set defeat to Nadal will have had on him?
The aura of invincibility surrounding Federer on fast courts has long since evaporated and while he remains the world number one it seems a case of when and not if Rafa finally usurps him for the top spot.
The one thing he does have going for him this week is a decent draw and he should reach the business end of this event without much fuss. The only player he need worry about in his quarter is Andy Roddick and given he holds a 15-2 lifetime record over the American he won't be losing much sleep at the prospect of meeting 'A-Rod' down the line.
Nadal, the king of clay and now the geezer on grass it would seem will be hoping to transform his blistering recent form to US hardcourts and having won this event in 2005 he'll be quietly confident of continuing his magnificent unbeaten run.
The 'Pearl of Manacor' has not lost a match since being undone by Juan Carlos Ferrero in Rome way back in May and he'll fancy his chances first up against a hit-and-miss Marcos Baghdatis.
However Nadal's half of the draw looks much tougher to negotiate with quality operators such as Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych and Richard Gasquet also in his half.
The man he needs to worry most about in my view though is defending champion Novak Djokovic.
The gifted Serb beat Roddick, Nadal and Federer en route to lifting the title last year and his blend of power and finesse looks idealy suited to this type of terrain.
The Belgrade starlet has already won the Australian Open this season and a Masters Series event on US soil (Indian Wells) and after his disappointing Wimbledon campaign (he was shot down by an inspired Marat Safin in the second round) he'll be looking to make a statement this week.
He looks nailed on to go very deep and all things considered at 9/2 he looks a very solid play here.
If you are looking for a big value outsider to pull up some trees then you could do worse than sticking a few quid on James Blake.
All of the New Yorkers biggest wins have come on home soil and he has already made two finals this year in the US (Delray Beach and Houston).
He's fit and his draw looks very accomodating early doors so the 66/1 currently available should be snapped up while it lasts.
Preview posted at 0805BST on 21/07/2008.
