Shock Djokovic exit doesn’t make Wimbledon title Murray’s
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Whenever a top-five seed exits a Grand Slam tournament it serves as an energiser for the rest of the field. But when that ousted player is the all-conquering Novak Djokovic, optimism levels skyrocket.
Many see the 2016 Wimbledon title as Andy Murray’s to lose now that the Serbian tennis machine has made a shocking early exit, but things may not be as guaranteed as people believe.
The odds certainly indicate that the Scot is in pole position, as we make Murray the 10/11 favourite for SW19 glory. But his path to reach that stage is certainly thorny.
Fiery-but-talented Nick Kyrgios is a tough fourth-round opponent for the 29-year-old, while the winner of the all-French tussle between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet awaits Murray in the quarters.
Tomas Berdych, the 2010 Wimbledon finalist, is a potential semi-final opponent before Murray reaches the showpiece match in London too.
Should all that be successfully negotiated, then it could be Roger Federer, who Djokovic’s exit immediately benefits, standing in Murray’s way of a second Wimbledon crown.
The Swiss would have probably met his Serbian rival in the semi-finals should both men have reached that stage, but now the veteran grass-court connoisseur will face a seed no higher placed than sixth if he makes that stage.
Federer is our 7/2 second favourite for glory in London, with Milos Raonic at the head of the chasing pack at 7/1.
Sam Querry, Djokovic’s victor, is priced at 40/1 to go all the way and Nicolas Mahut to face next as a result of his momentous win.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
