Monday, December 3, 2012

Sports World

Posted: 03 Dec 2012 03:07 AM PST

With the dust now fully settled on a superb year for Andy Murray, the 25-year-old Scot will not have long before it all starts again and this time he needs to get off to a victorious start.

The opening slam of the 2013 season will be the Australian Open in Melbourne and having twice managed to get to the final it is imperative that Murray goes one better this time at the Rod Laver Arena.

Having finally broken his duck by winning the US Open in New York earlier this year, it is important – especially considering the talents of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and the returning Rafael Nadal – that Murray starts to win regularly.

There is no doubt that the Brit has what it takes to really dominate in the game. He is strong hard court player, and with two of the four slams on that surface, along with the home support on the grass of Wimbledon, he realistically can win three of the four slams regularly.

It is, however, hard to see his game ever being suited to the clay of Roland Garros, a point that has found some support on Betfair.

So, despite Djokovic hanging on to the number 1 ranking for the second successive year, Murray's time is now. Winning in Australia will not be easy. But it is a real chance to show that he is not a 'one hit wonder'.

Modern day tennis is about accumulating titles, as Federer and Nadal have shown, with Djokovic now getting in on the act.

Murray has already achieved what would be for some players an insurmountable amount in his career so far, but he truly does have the chance to be a great.

His strength and stamina is now of Djokovic-esque proportions and his technique is flawless.

With Ivan Lendl in his corner, the only part of the jigsaw that remains not completely connected is his mental toughness. Back-to-back slams straddling 2012 and 2013 will make it a fully connected picture.

Read more about the tennis calendar in 2013 by visiting the events page on Betfair: http://betting.betfair.com/tennis/events/

Back to the drawing board for King George hope Grand Crus

Posted: 03 Dec 2012 04:00 AM PST

There were some decidedly long faces amongst the David Pipe camp at a meeting when the yard's horses had otherwise done particularly well, after the red-hot favourite Grand Crus has been pulled up in the showcase Grade 3 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, writes Elliot Slater.
The former high-class staying hurdler had only tasted one previous defeat over fences, (in the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last March when fourth to Bob's Worth), and was all the rage throughout the morning of the race and in the minutes prior to the off, being backed down to a prohibitive 7/4 favourite at http://www.youtube.com/betfair in one of the most hotly contested handicap chases of the National Hunt season.
On very testing ground that was changed after the contest to 'Soft, Heavy in places', Tom Scudamore seemed happier than most in a race in which only six of the original 18 who started the contest actually completed, and heading down towards the third last the writing looked on the wall for the bookies as the grey travelled particularly well.
Unfortunately for his many supporters, including Paul Nicholls in his latest Paul Nicholls racing tips column, the gelding suddenly began to lose his place as Al Ferof and Walkon surged on towards the home turn and, clearly feeling that something might be amiss, Scudamore took swift action and pulled Grand Crus up before the second from home.
No immediate injury came to light, but clearly a combination of the ground and a possible breathing difficulty could have proved the undoing of the punters' choice whose odds for the forthcoming Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day where immediately pushed out to as big as 12/1 (from 5/1). There must now be a very serious doubt about Grand Crus taking his place in the line-up for the Christmas showcase event.

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Monday, December 3, 2012

Sports World

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