London - The ominous weather picture for Wimbledon finals
weekend has led British bookmakers to bet on a couple of rainy days.
With forecasts calling for a dicey Saturday and an even worse
Sunday for the high-profile final between Roger Federer and Rafael
Nadal, Ladbroke's offered 6/4 odds that Sunday at Wimbledon would be
a total wash-out.
'An awful weather forecast for the championship climax has
prompted gloomy punters to put their money on a last-day deluge,'
said the betting house.
The odds are the shortest ever in Wimbledon's colourful betting
history of absolutely no play on the concluding day at the All
England club.
The change has come after a relatively bright fortnight, with
the first, brief rain interruption occurring on the first Friday with
another few during the second week.
Meanwhile, bookmakers are willing on Roger Federer to a sixth
straight title in hopes of avoiding a financial soaking.
The Swiss is quoted as an 8/11 favourite to win the title, but
should Nadal come through, the gambling houses will rue their
losses.
One optimistic punter laid 30,000 pounds (60,000 dollars) on the
world number two prior to his semi-final win over Rainer Schuettler.
'An Armada of fans have backed Nadal. We'll be well and truly
scuttled if the Spaniard claims his maiden SW19 title,' said the
company.
'Nadal is the worst result in our book and would cap a nightmare
seven days for the bookies at the hands of Spanish sportsmen (after
Spain's Euro 2008 title).
'We're in the very rare position of needing a Federer Wimbledon
win.'
Nadal's odds have risen with his every winning match after the
Spaniard started 2008 as long as 7/1.
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NOTEBOOK: Fear factor forces father Williams to take flight =
London (dpa) - Tennis dad Richard Williams took his leave of the
All England club with a day to spare before daughters Venus and
Serena met in their third Wimbledon sibling showdown final.
Williams and his girlfriend cleared out of town and headed back to
Florida due to the father's fear of watching his children perform
against each other on the big stage.
'He went home,' confirmed five-times champion Venus. 'He always
tries to give us the best of advice, so I'm sure he said something to
Serena, I guess. She didn't tell me, but basically he's (our) coach
all the way through.'
Added Serena: 'He said he did his job and his job was done, so I
guess he's feeling good. No matter what happens he's for sure going
to be a winner.'
Williams announced this week that he would not watch the final,
saying he didn't relish seeing his children 'fight.'
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