Should be straightforward for Murray to ease past Lopez
Published:Andy Murray is highly fancied to comfortably make it into the last 16 of the Valencia Open at the expense of Feliciano Lopez.
The Scot won the tournament in Spain last year and is the number one-seeded player to take the title this time, with his quest starting against Lopez.
Murray is 1/9 to beat Lopez and maintain his 100 per cent record against the world ranked number 31, who will be keen to put on a good show for his home fans.
However, Lopez has lost in the first round in Valencia in four of the last six years and arrives in the tournament having struggled for form in October.
Murray arrives having beaten Roger Federer in the final of the Shanghai Masters and could be worth backing at 4/11 to win in straight sets.
One of Murray’s chief rivals in Spain is liable to be Robin Soderling, who also faces a home player in the opening round in the shape of Albert Montanes.
This match has the capability of being much closer despite Soderling winning both meetings between the two this year, including a victory at the US Open.
Soderling is 1/4 to beat Montanes on his first appearance in the Valencia Open and will be looking to continue a run which saw him reach the quarter finals in all of the hard court tournaments he played in October.
Montanes reached the semi finals in his most recent tournament in France and is 11/4 to continue his good recent form and beat Soderling.
Montanes has won a set in all three of his latest defeats to Soderling and it is 3/1 that the Dutchman triumphs 2-1 in sets in Spain.
Murray is the 6/4 favourite to win the Valencia Open for the second year in succession, while Soderling is next best at 6/1. See the full Valencia Open winners betting odds market.
