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Can anyone upset Federer?

Author: John Harris
Date: 30/08/2009
Tennis betting

If the tennis experts are to be believed, nobody can stop Roger Federer winning the US Open again when it begins at Flushing Meadows on Sunday.

The world number one arrives at a venue where he has not lost a match since 2003 on the back of a stunning season even by his own high standards.

Unsurprisingly he is the runaway favourite in the online betting markets.

Can anybody stop Roger Federer at this year's US Open? - Latest Tennis Betting

Federer appears to be untouchable just 12 months after he was being written off as past his peak.

The 28-year-old Swiss finally got a monkey off his back by winning the French Open for the first time in June before coasting serenely to a sixth career Wimbledon title the following month.

His season began with a defeat in the final of the Australia Open to Rafael Nadal, but since then - and with the Spaniard sidelined by knee problems - Federer has looked untouchable.

Federer arrives at the year's final Grand Slam in ominous form as he won the Cincinnati Masters title for the third time last week with a straight-sets victory over fourth seed Novak Djokovic.

Andy Murray, the new world number two in the absence of Nadal, was swept aside with consummate ease at the semi-final stage as the Swiss master claimed the 61st singles' title of his glittering career.

Federer's record at the US Open also makes daunting reading for his peers as he has won five consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows.

Last year he overcame Murray 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 in a largely one-sided final and, with the Brit expected to be his main rival this time around, it's almost impossible to bet against Federer.

Most observers claim the US Open is Murray's best chance of winning a Grand Slam and the British number one certainly arrives in New York on the back of his own best ever season.

Up to number two in the world and having reached the last eight at the French and the semi-finals of Wimbledon, the 22-year-old is more than capable of springing a surprise on his favoured Arthur Ashe court.

The same can be said of fellow low seeds Juan Martin Del Potro, Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick, who on their day are all capable of upsetting Federer.

However, one man whose form is a complete mystery is Nadal following his tentative return to action.

The now world number three has lost to Del Potro in the Rogers Cup in Montreal and Djokovic in Cincinnati since his three-month lay-off and huge question marks remain over his US Open chances.

Nadal's previous best showing in New York is a semi-final in 2004 and it seems unlikely that he will improve on that this year.

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