ATP Marseille 2010
Tennis, France

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Preview

This tournament has lost a lot of the look and feel it had last week with the withdrawal of Andy Murray, the Australian Open Runner Up, and Juan Martin Del Potro, the US Open Champion. Murray has decided to make his return to the tour in Dubai to ensure he is in the best shape to compete at Indian Wells and Miami next month while Del Potro wont be back at all until those events as he hopes to rest his wrist injury fully.

All of this means that the top 2 seeds here are Robin Soderling, fresh off his Rotterdam win last week, the biggest title of his career so far, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. While this is not a ATP 500 event, it has still brought 5 of the top 20 to France for the indoor event.

The top half of the draw is occupied by Soderling and Tommy Robredo, both of whom are given first round byes here. Soderling has the game for the indoor courts, and he should be feeling confident of making another Final, having to win 2 matches to do so here. Tommy Robredo has been off form, so has to be unbackable.

Mikhael Youzhny and Marcos Baghdatis are the other seeded players here and both have had their issues in recent weeks. Youzhny performed brilliantly in Rotterdam to reach the Final, but having pulled out through injury, I find it hard to see him competing here. Baghdatis has only just returned from injury himself and could be a tough match for Soderling in the Quarter Finals.

The bottom half of the draw has some interesting characters with Tsonga and also Gael Monfils but both have doubts surrounding them as they enter the tournament. Tsonga has only just returned to the tour and there is bound to be some match rust to play off although he has been given a kind bye and then either Istomin or Christophe Rochus in his first match.

Monfils was struggling with a knee complaint in South Africa 2 weeks ago and last week had an illness. He is a hugely talented player but there always seems to be some doubts around his fitness and there also seems to be more effort in being an entertainer than a winner.

However, both Monfils and Tsonga have kind draws. The other seeded players are Julien Benneteau, who was beaten 6-0, 6-1 by Robin Soderling last week and Gilles Simon, a man who has not played competitive tennis since the back end of last season. It will be interesting to see how Benneteau recovers from his heavy loss and he is likely to face Monfils in the Quarter Finals here if he can overcome the first 2 rounds here.

Prediction

I am going to go against one of my policies of recent seasons and back Gael Monfils to come through to win this tournament. He should receive plenty of support from the home fans and he has been close to the last stages of tournaments already this season, finishing as a Semi Final loser twice and reaching the Quarter Final last week in Rotterdam.

I will recommend to keep stakes low here as Monfils can pick up injuries and there is a possibility that he will throw in a terrible match.

I am also going to play an each-way bet on Marcos Baghdatis in the top half of the draw. He is getting back to his best, and while not performing well in his defeat to Nikolay Davydenko last week in Rotterdam, he has won a tournament already this season and is looking to move up the rankings.

He has a potential match with Robin Soderling in the Quarter Final which will be tough but the Cypriot has won 2 of their last 3 meetings and will have confidence to take on the Swede.

The Pick :

Gael Monfils win the tournament

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Gael Monfils WIN

Marcos Baghdatis E/W