Sports Betting & Casino News

ATP goes to France for last Regular Season Tournament

The BNP Paribas Masters is the ninth ATP World Masters 1000 event of the season, which makes it the ninth of the season and everyone wants to try to cash in on the last big event of the season. This is also the last regular season Tennis tournament of 2011 any other tournaments that get played after this week are special tournaments and don`t count for the money list of 2011 or for the world rankings.

The event gets played at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France and carries a draw of forty eight players and sixteen double teams and has a total prize money of 2,227,500 Euros which makes the event so much better for the players and that is why always attracts the best players in the world.

The tournament was first played in 1968 when it was won by Australian Robert Carmichael, last year it was won by Swedish player Robin Soderling who beat out Gael Monfils from France in two straight sets.

It was another disappointment for Monfils, he also lost the year before in the finals but then it was to Novak Djokovic in three sets.

If one goes and looks at some of the names that have won in the past you will come across an pretty impressive list which includes the likes of Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Boris Becker who has won it three times and lost twice in the finals.

I was in a little bit of shock not to see neither Rafael Nadal nor Roger Federer on the past winners list, Nadal made it to the finals in 2007 but lost in two straight sets to David Nalbandian.

This year it will be interesting to see if Novak Djokovic decides to play considering this past week it probably should have withdrawn against his opponent in the Semis, but continued play and got waxed 6-0 in the third set.

If you ask me what I think about that situation all I can say is that if you are not feeling 100% then walk away and don`t make a fool out of yourself because that is what he did and being a World number one it was disgraceful to say the least.

If he does not play this week then I would have to say that either Roger Federer or Andy Murray would have to be favorites to take the title considering that Rafael Nadal is not playing.