Shanghai hosts the world’s top two after their Far East victories
Published:Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will enter the Shanghai Masters this week high in confidence and strong in form after their victories in the Japan and China Open.s
Nadal cruised to a 6-1, 7-5, victory over Gael Monfils in the Japan Open and will face either Giles Simon or Stanislas Wawrinka in the second round after receiving a bye in the first round.
Djokovic will also receive a bye into the second round after his final dragged into Monday morning due to horrific weather in Beijing.
The Serb was able to cope better with the poor conditions as he and Spaniard Albert Ferrer resumed play in the early hours of Monday morning.
Djokovic had led 3-1 on Sunday before the weather interruption, but he needed little time to dispatch Ferrer on Monday, winning 6-2, 6-4, and will face either Ze Zhang or Andy Murray’s China Open conqueror, Ivan Ljubicic in the second round.
There are plenty of opportunities to bet on the Shanghai Rolex Masters betting market with plenty of action happening in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Andy Roddick, who has struggled to find form since exiting the US Open at the second round, faces another strong server in Philipp Kohlschreiber in a tough first round match for the American – Roddick is 2/5 to beat the German.
Kohlschreiber has only managed the one victory over the American in four attempts and is available at 7/4 to beat the American.
One potentially exciting clash pits Ernests Gulbis against Richard Gasquet, with the Frenchman the 8/11 favourite to win.
Gasquet has enjoyed a resurgence of form since his comeback from a drugs ban, and beat Gulbis on the only occasion they have met.
The Latvian is 1/1 to beat Gasquet but has struggled this season, exiting the US Open, and last week’s Japan open at the first round.
Roger Federer and Andy Murray are in action on Wednesday morning. See the full Shanghai Rolex Masters betting odds market here.
