Australian Open Tennis / Andy Morris / 21 January 2009 / Leave a comment Bet Now

ANDY Murray's safe passage into the second round of the Australian Open was never in doubt according to Betfair punters, who invested an enormous sum on the world number four at the shortest possible quote of $1.01 to beat Romania's Andrei Pavel.

Betfair clients wagered close to $230,000 on Murray winning the match for a combined return of $232,300 - that's $2,300 profit to be shared by backers' right around the world.

Pavel started a $50 outsider, and withdrew because of back injury in the second set.

Because the first set had been completed, all bets stood.

POLAND's Agnieszka Radwanska became the first top-ten player to be bundled out of the Australian Open today when she was beaten in three sets by Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko.

And it was an unpopular result among many Betfair backers.

Radwanska had attracted some outside support to win the women's singles and started today's match as a $1.07 favourite against Bondarenko, who was a despised $13.50 outsider.

The world number 10 attracted a combined total of $260,000 to win at $1.07 and $1.08.

But Bonderenko steamrolled the ninth seed 6-1 in the deciding set to effect the upset after being backed at a high price of $14.50 during the match.

BETFAIR tennis punters ignored the negativity about Australia's chances on day two of the Open by installing three Australian players as favourites for their respective first-round matches.

Samantha Stosur is a pronounced $1.31 favourite for her encounter with $4.10 outsider Klara Zakopalova.

World number 74 Lleyton Hewitt started as a $1.82 favourite against the 13th seed Fernando Gonzales, and Chris Guccione justified his $1.39 favouritism by comfortably beating Nicholas Devilder in straight sets.