Federer always the key in men's US Open tennis betting

Plenty of winning men's US Open bets to be had

Whilst Ivan Lendl was always popular in the men's US Open odds and holds the joint record with Pete Sampras for having made eight finals, he only won three times. Andre Agassi made six finals but was on the losing end four times.

Federer lost in the fourth round for three consecutive years before starting his title sequence in 2004, and his overall record at the US Open is 38-4 as against Spanish star Rafael Nadal's 11-5.

Federer has only twice lost a set in the final - in 2005 to Andre Agassi and the following year to Andy Roddick. But both times he stormed back and clinched the title by winning the fourth set 6-1.

in 2007 Federer was at least made to look human by two of his opponents, who will attract plenty of men's US Open betting support this time. Roddick twice took him to a tie-break in the quarter-finals, as did Serb Novak Djokovic before losing the final in straight sets.

Dark horses worth exploring in men's US Open odds

Djokovic played well enough in 2008, as the third seed, to suggest he may be worth a men's US Open bet. Though losing in the semi-finals to Roger Federer, he put on a brave fight, forcing the occasional mistake out of the 5-time champ.

Last year also threw up a potential dark horse that may be worth considering when placing your men's US Open bets. David Ferrer, who was seeded 15 for the tournament, put on a string of good performances before bowing out in the semi-finals to Djokovic.

More was certainly expected of Mikhail Youzhny last year than a second-round exit at the hands of German Philipp Kohlschreiber. In 2006, when unseeded, Youzhny had beaten 11th-seed David Ferrer and sixth-seed Tommy Robredo en route to his quarter-finals win over Nadal - his run only came to an end in a titanic tussle with Roddick in the semi-finals.

Some punters may be drawn into US Open tennis betting on Nadal, on the back of the Spaniard's superb win over Federer at Wimbledon 2008.

Spanish star has disappointed in men's US Open betting

But Nadal may not be worth a men's US Open bet in 2009, even though he is now world no.1 since knocking Federer off the top spot at Wimbledon. He only made the third round in 2005, lost in the quarter-finals to Youzhny the following year and went out to compatriot Ferrer in the fourth round last year.

In recent years, the top seeds have rewarded those who have sided with them in men's US Open tennis betting. In 2004 top-seeded Federer faced fourth-seed Lleyton Hewitt in the final, with second-seed Roddick having made the last-eight. Hewitt was seeded three the next year, and reached the semi-finals, while last year only Nadal of the top four seeds failed to at least reach the semi-finals.

The exception to the rule was in 2006 when third-seed Ivan Ljubicic was dumped out in the first round and another favourite in men's US Open betting, fourth-seed David Nalbandian, exited one round later.

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