Wimbledon: Bookies feel Andy Murray a threat as title odds cut to 5/1

Published on 02/07/2012 00:30

Andy Murray’s epic victory under the Wimbledon roof on Saturday night saw the Brit go from 11/2 to 5/1 with William Hill to win this year’s Wimbledon.

Punters are still getting over Rafael Nadal’s surprise second-round defeat earlier last week, leaving the bottom of the draw open for Murray to have a tilt at the final, something that Hills offer at 13/8. Should he reach the final, he is 5/2 to finish as runner-up.

Murray is 1/4 with William Hill to defeat Marin Cilic in the next round today and is 13/10 to do so in straight sets. Ladbrokes, meanwhile, offer 2/1 that Murray will lose a point because a tennis ball falls out of his pocket against Cilic.

“Everything has opened up for Murray and, having been 10/1 at the start of the tournament, there are many who finally think that this could be Murray’s year,” said Hill’s spokesman Joe Crilly.

Jessica Bridge, of Ladbrokes, claimed a Murray win in next Sunday’s final would trigger a £200,000 payout to patriotic punters. But she said: “Murray needs to up the ante quickly if he’s got any chance of making it past the quarter-final stage. Nadal’s exit was great news for Murray but he looked edgy at times against Baghdatis so it’s still to be seen whether punters have been betting with their hearts or their heads.”

Novak Djokovic, at 10/11, remains the favourite to win the tournament, while Roger Federer is priced 11/4.