TENNIS BETTING PREVIEW - FRENCH OPEN ROLAND GARROS - FLORIAN MAYER VS JUAN MARTIN DEL POTR

Tennis

2010-01-22 - Florian Mayer vs Juan Martin Del Potr

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Florian Mayer v (4) Juan Martin Del Potro
Tennis: Australia, Australian Open Men 2010
Thursday, 22nd January 2010 - Start 02:45 GMT

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Preview

Florian Mayer has had 2 comeback victories to earn this spot in the 3rd round of the tournament. In the 1st round, he was 2 sets down to Philip Petzschner before rallying to win, and in the 2nd round he went 1 set down to Victor Troicki, the number 29 seed, before coming back to win in 4 sets. It will be interesting to see whether this has taken its toll on him.

Mayer won his first tournament of the new season, albeit a Challenger event, before losing in the 1st round in Auckland. He is currently ranked as Number 60 in the World and this tournament so far should be moving him up at the end of the 2 weeks.

The German has struggled in matches on the main tour over the last 2 seasons where he has a 5-16 record. He went 2-3 on the hard courts last season and he was knocked out in the 2nd round here last season, to the same opponent he is due to meet today.

Juan Martin Del Potro came through an epic 2nd round encounter with James Blake and it will be interesting to see how he is coping physically before this match. Matches like this could, however, provide the boost to the Argentine's confidence that is required to send him hurtling towards the Final in the tournament.

The match in the last round showed the strength of Del Potro's will and the mental strength he has in his own game and belief that he can win any match that he takes part in. This strength is going to ensure that Del Potro is a threat in any tournament he plays in.

Head to Head

The two players are currently locked at 1-1 in the head to head. Florian Mayer won in straight sets for the loss of 1 game back in 2006 but they have met since, last year here at the Open.

On that occasion, Juan Martin Del Potro was a comfortable straight set winner and lost 8 games in the entire match.

Prediction

This is by far the toughest match that Florian Mayer has played at the tournament so far, and as much as the win over Troicki was impressive, Del Potro is an altogether different prospect. Mayer will have to serve well if he is going to have a real chance here to win.

Juan Martin Del Potro had a couple of injury timeouts in his win over James Blake and will look to shorten the match here as much as possible with bigger tests coming in the next week or so. He has all the tools to win this match, as he showed last season, and I think he will win through comfortably at the end.

Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3, 6-2, 6-4

The Pick :

BEST BETTING TIP :

Juan Martin Del Potro WIN