Brian Baker may be an unfamiliar name to many tennis fans but the American is beginning to show his potential after some serious injuries hampered his progress.
5 Reasons to back Brian Baker -2.5 Games @ approx. 2.0 against Xavier Malisse
•Very few punters will have heard of Baker prior to the Nice event held last week in which the former top ranked junior and Orange Bowl winner of 2003, reached the final.
Incredibly, the Humpty Dumpty of the tennis tour has finally been put back together again after six spent years of operations on his hips that refused to heal. Quite amazingly, he comes into his match against Xavier Malisse having won fifteen of his last sixteen matches overall.
•The American, who won through three rounds of qualifying to reach the final of Nice where he lost to Nicolas Almagro, defeated some notable players such as Nicolas Davydenko, Gael Monfils, and Segiy Stakhovsky on his way. Prior to this, the all-conquering American triumphed in the Savannah Challenger event winning through qualifying once again and a remarkable eight matches in a row.
•Baker's captivating story is set to continue against Malisse today, the American comes into today's match with a superior Match Rating (Match Ratings assess form specific to the current tournament conditions and the opposing player) Surface Rating and Predicted Chance of Winning.
•The 6ft3" Nashville, Tennessee resident has won five in a row when priced as a favourite, fifteen of his last sixteen on clay, and seven of his last eight in France.
•Today's opponent, veteran Malisse, has lost his last four matches in a row in five set ties, and five of his last six when priced as an underdog.
