British number two Anne Keothavong was unable to build on her excellent first round victory against the world number 16 Dominika Cibulkova at the PTT Pattaya Open as she slumped to a disappointing 6-4 7-5 defeat to Sania Mirza.

The 25-year-old Indian player won the clash in an hour and 39 minutes. It was a poor defeat for Keothavong, who had secured the biggest win of her career when she beat Cibulkova. Those searching for Betfair tennis free bets need to bear this in mind.

After she had won that encounter, the 28-year-old had said: “I didn’t have too many expectations going in to the match as I felt a little under-cooked having only just arrived from the Fed Cup in Israel but I surprised myself.

“The courts are super-fast here and it’s hot and humid. But I think the courts favoured my game more and I was quicker to adjust.”

Meanwhile, the number four seed Maria Kirilenko made heavy weather of beating an Australian for the second time in 24 hours before eventually edging past Anastasia Rodionova 2-6 6-3 7-6.Kirilenko had to save a match-point in the second set of her two-and-a-half-hour first round victory over Casey Dellacqua and was serving at 2-5 15-30 in the third set against Rodionova before hitting back to force a tie-break that she won. Fans of UK betting sites should remember this.

The Russian’s quarter-final opponent will be the 34-year-old Thai player Tamarine Tanasugarn, who beat the qualifier Chang Kai-Chen 7-6 6-3.Top seed Vera Zvonareva will come up against Sorana Cirstea in the last eight in Thailand after seeing off Akgul Amanmuradova 6-3 6-3. The two-time champion will not find it easy against Cirstea though as the 21-year-old Romanian was in impressive form as she thrashed Misaki Doi 6-2 6-2.

Roger Federer is looking to get back on the winning trail after suffering defeat to Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals of last month’s Australian Open.

The 30-year-old world number three is set to star for Switzerland in a Davis Cup World Group first round clash against the USA this weekend on an indoor clay-court in Fribourg. People looking for tennis betting tips should bear this in mind.

Federer, who ended 2011 by winning 17 successive matches, said: “I am in a good state mentally and physically. I have had a great run since last year’s US Open; I had not lost until the other week.

“It was a good period for me, and I hope I can get back in winning ways this weekend. Here in Switzerland, it is nice we got home-court advantage, and we will try to make the best of it and see where it takes us.”

Switzerland and the USA have met four times in the Davis Cup, with the Swiss emerging victorious just once in 2001 when a 19-year-old Federer won both his singles rubbers and teamed up with Lorenzo Manta to secure a victory in the doubles. Fans of Betfair online betting should remember this.

That proved to be the catalyst for an amazing career that has seen Federer win 16 Grand Slams in the last decade – six Wimbledon titles, four wins at the Australian Open, five at the US Open and his solitary 2009 success at the French Open.

Switzerland, who can also call on the services of Stanislas Wawrinka, will be the favourites to beat the USA, who have Mardy Fish and John Isner in their ranks.

Rafael Nadal has played down concerns over his knee after cruising into the fourth round of the Australian Open with a straight sets win against Lukas Lacko.

The Spaniard eased to a 6-2 6-4 6-2 victory against the Slovak qualifier in an hour and 55 minutes to set up a clash against the 18th seed Feliciano Lopez. People following the latest online tennis betting odds should bear this in mind.

Nadal was again playing with a heavily strapped right knee, but said after his straightforward win: “The body is fine, I’m very happy to be in the fourth round.

“It was a really complete, solid match and I’m very happy about my game. Being in round four without losing a set is fantastic.”

The second seed had damaged his right knee ahead of his first round win over Alex Kuznetsov, admitting after beating the American that he had been in ‘unbelievable pain’.

He looked more at ease when seeing off Tommy Haas 6-4 6-3 6-4 in the second round and could now be a contender to claim his 11th Grand Slam.

Nadal won the Australian Open in 2009 but has been knocked out at the quarter-final stage in each of the last two years. He has clinched the French Open title six times in the last seven years as well as winning Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010 and the 2010 US Open.

Meanwhile, Roger Federer is also making serene progress, cruising into the fourth round by beating Ivo Karlovic 7-6 7-5 6-3.

The 16-time Grand Slam winner, who is the third seed for this tournament, said after his success: “I needed a bit of luck too, especially in the tie-break. I definitely got fortunate but I got better as the match went on.”

Second-seed Rafael Nadal eased through his second round tie against Tommy Haas, showing no signs of the knee injury that had threatened to end his Australian Open campaign. Speaking after his opening round victory, Nadal revealed he had suffered “unbelievable pain” in his right knee only hours before his tournament got under way.

Nadal managed to get through his first-round match without any problems, however, and the 2009 champion appeared fully fit as he took apart the experienced Haas in straight sets of their second-round match. The German produced some impressive tennis to keep Nadal working for his win, but the Spaniard was never in too much danger as he saw off the threat of the veteran 6-4 6-3 6-4. Those planning to place a bet on Australian open 2012 tennis will have been impressed.

Haas, a former three-time semi-finalist at Melbourne Park, will have been happy to have been given the chance to grace the Rod Laver once again, yet the German was outplayed and outclassed by the 10-time Grand Slam winner – who will now go onto the third round full of confidence and in the knowledge that his knee is in good shape.

Nadal was given a firm enough test to have given himself a decent work-out, without having to go through a marathon and physically demanding second-round tie against a potentially tricky opponent, albeit one that was at the height of his powers nearly a decade ago. Fans of Betfair should remember this.

“It is much better and I am so happy the knee is improving and I am able to play without pain,” Nadal said after the match.

“I don’t know if it was the perfect match but I won in three sets.”

“It was positive but not that demanding (physically). We didn’t play for four or five hours.”

Speaking before the tournament, Nadal insisted he didn’t feel he had a genuine chance of success at this year’s Australian Open. That opinion may have changed after another confident victory for the Spaniard.

Number two seed Rafael Nadal came through his opening round tie against Alex Kuznetsov in straight sets – then revealed he came close to withdrawing from the tournament with injury only hours before getting his campaign under way.

The Spaniard admitted a knee problem flared up the night before his first match of the Australian Open, an injury that had threatened to end Nadal’s chances before the tournament even started.The 10-time grand slam champion looked in promising form during his straight sets victory, however, showing little sign of any fitness concerns. People planning to bet on Australian Open 2012 should bear this in mind.

Kuznetsov showed glimpses of quality in the opening set, before Nadal went on to wrap it up 6-4, but the rest of the match was an exhibition for the world number two.
The 2009 champion claimed the second and third set 6-1 6-1, producing some scintillating tennis to see off the American qualify and ease his way into a second-round match-up with Tommy Haas.

Nadal was delighted to have come through the match after his injury scare and played down fears the knee problem would see him forced to pull out of the tournament. Scans revealed no damage to the knee and the 24-year old will be hoping to avoid a repeat episode during the next few weeks. Anyone following the tennis betting odds will be keeping an eye on his fitness.

“Yesterday evening I wasn’t a hundred per cent sure I would have chance to play, because with the movement of that knee I felt that I will not be able to play,” he said.

“So it’s something that I really don’t understand why happened, but I am really happy that today I was ready to play and I played a fantastic match.”
“The best thing is I felt the knee very well.”

There is no doubting that Nadal is some way away from being 100% fit, however, that won’t stop plenty backing the Spaniard to go on and challenge for his second Australian Open title.

Andy Murray is a man who badly needs the next 12 months to go well. With Murray forced to watch on in 2011 as Novak Djokovic as good as humiliated all those who tried to get near him on court, while spending the majority of the years before last in the game suffering in the shadows while Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer dominated the sporting back pages between them, the Scot has to believe that, as 2011 was Djokovic’s year, so 2012 could be his year.

Murray will use the upcoming Australian Open to prove that his quest for his maiden Grand Slam title is a serious one and one that he intends to make happen sooner rather than later. The player found out this week that he has been seeded fourth behind the main players in men’s tennis at the moment, placed just in front of the likes of David Ferrer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, another nearly man of men’s tennis who needs that one lucky break. Those looking at the Australian open 2012 betting should remember this.

Should Murray want to prove that 2012 could be the year his long-suffering fans finally have something to truly boast about, he’ll need to at least reach the final in Australia before mounting a strong display, if not a win on a surface that he makes no secret of not being his favourite, in that match. Anyone looking at the Tennis betting odds needs to remember this.

With nobody suspecting Djokovic of being about to enjoy such a record-breaking year in tennis this time in 2011, could it be that this time in 2013 we’re left reflecting on a great year for British sport that hopefully encompasses a Murray Grand Slam or two alongside a successful Olympic Games in London and a good showing from the football team in the Euros?

David Ferrer says his preparation for the Australian Open begins now as he takes on Joe Wilfried-Tsonga in the season-opening Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.

The event is technically an exhibition tournament but such is the proximity of the Australian Open in a fortnight, many of the world’s top players are present. People looking at the best Australian Open odds online will be keeping an eye on things.

The conditions are set to be similar to what they will be like in Melbourne next month so it is likely to be a competitive few days in Abu Dhabi.

Ferrer says he is treating it like an ATP Tournament due to the involvement of the world’s top three Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer.

The world number five said: “It’s no different to playing an ATP tournament with the likes of Nadal, Federer and Djokovic.

“Tsonga is going to be difficult and I know I will need to play my very best in order to beat him, but the conditions in Abu Dhabi are perfect so I look forward to it.”

A win for Ferrer over Tsonga would set up a clash with fellow Spaniard Nadal, the defending champion in the Mubadala Championship, in the last four.

Novak Djokovic will go into the 2012 season following a career defining year in 2011.

The Serbian won three of the four Grand Slam titles over the past 12 months and has risen to the top of the world rankings after a 41-match winning streak at the start of the season.

Djokovic fell one match short of John McEnroe’s record set in 1985 when he won his opening 42 matches of the campaign.

Before the start of this year, Djokovic had only previously won one Grand Slam, that came in 2008 when he beat Jo Wilfried-Tsonga in the final of the Australian Open. The world number one began the year with success at Melbourne Park and later added Wimbledon and the US Open for the very time. Anyone looking at the best online tennis betting will know this.

The 24-year old was delighted with the run of victories that came to an end when he was defeated in the semi-final of the French Open at the hands of Roger Federer.

“It was incredible,” he said. “I made so many wins in a row that I really didn’t count any more. I was just trying to play one match at the time and trying to think how long the streak will go on, not when it will end.”

Four of Djokovic’s defeats in 2011 came after his success at Flushing Meadows when the number of matches played in the season caught up with his body.

The Siberian was disappointing at the World Tour Finals in November, failing to progress from the group stage at the 02 Arena in London after losing two of his three matches.

It is odd to describe a 24-year-old as one of the old guard, but Maria Sharapova, starting her 10th season on the WTA tour, is exactly that. She has already experienced so much in a rollercoaster career – five slam finals, the number one ranking, huge wealth and crippling injuries that saw her drop to number 126 – that she must be considered a senior player in a similar vein to the Williams sisters.

The Russian starts 2012 with confidence restored. She will never again be the athletic powerhouse with a huge serve who surged to the Wimbledon as a 17-year-old in 2004, but physical limitations have been offset by a better tactical approach and a champion’s attitude that is as strong as ever. Anyone with a Australian Open Tennis Free Bet should remember this.

The world number four reached the semi finals at Roland Garros before being shocked by Petra Kvitova at Wimbledon to confirm her return to the elite of major challengers. Victories at the Sony Ericsson Open, Rome and Cincinnati proved she can again win big events.

Sharapova ended 2011 inside the top five of the rankings for the first time since 2007 and although the apparent wide-open nature of slams makes her an attractive proposition for punters, caution must be urged. People following the Betfair Tennis Betting Odds should remember this.

The remodelled serve was on the verge of collapsing at Wimbledon, where 13 semi final double faults and a first serve percentage of 48% against Sabine Lisicki would have been punished by a more ruthless opponent.

Injuries returned in the form of a viral illness and an ankle problem and the hot conditions downunder will be a severe test of her preseason preparations. Sharapova is a serious contender, which considering the depths she sank to in 2009, is something she will be thankful for in itself.

A memorable year for Samantha Stosur has ended on a down, after she suffered a surprise defeat in her build-up to the Australian Open.

The US Open champion will head into the first Grand Slam of 2012 as the big home hope, after winning her first major title in 2011. Those placing a tennis Bet on Australian Open matches will know she looks a tough player to beat.

The Queenslander made three regular WTA Tour Finals over the course of the year, but will now have to deal with growing expectation after her victory over Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows.

Stosur will go into January’s tournament a much different player to the one that crashed out in round three in 2011 and she insists that she fears no-one.

But the 27-year-old will have had her confidence dented slightly after losing to Flavia Pennetta at the Singapore Women’s Tennis Exhibition.

The Italian, currently ranked 20th in the world rankings, bounced back from losing the first set to beat Stosur 5-7 7-6 (7/3) 6-2.

Pennetta may be behind 14 places behind Stosur in the standings, but she does have an impressive record against the Australian Open – winning all five meetings between the pair. People looking at the Betfair Tennis Free Betting should remember this.

Stosur will have a quick chance to right the wrongs of her display in the Far East, with two important tournaments on the horizon.

The world number six will prepare for the Australian Open by playing in the high-profile events in Brisbane and Sydney early in January.