Andy Murray scraped through into the 3rd round of the French Open 2009 yesterday, after a torrid game against the Italian, Potito Starace, ranked 104th in the Tennis world seedings. Murray had started well, with his serve overpowering Starace to take the 1st set, easily 6-3. But things turned sour for the young Scot in the second set with Murray’s short game crumbling on the clay surface.

Starace won the 2nd set 6-2 then blistered into a 5-1 lead in the third. Thankfully, Murray found the form that has seen him propelled to No. 3 in the World and clawed himself back into the match by winning the set 7-5. Murray’s comeback in the third set seemed to knock the stuffing out of Starace and once broken in the fourth set there was no way back for the Italian.

Can Murray really set his sights on winning the French Open? Well, to do that he must beat a potential showdown with Nadal in the semis and the way the Spaniard is playing (on his favourite surface and unbeaten in 30 straight games at Roland Garros) it is a big ask of Murray.

Personally speaking, Murray will do well to reach the semis, clay isn’t his favourite surface, and for French Open Tennis betting fans his outside odds reflect his experience on clay but he is progressing as a player and that never-give-up attitude and will-to-win is now becoming more evident.

Mens French Open 2009 Betting Odds Top 5

Rafael Nadal	1/4	1/3	2/7	4/11	2/7	4/11	4/11
Roger Federer	5	9/2	9/2	4	5	4	5
Novak Djokovic	7	13/2	6	6	6	7	7
Andy Murray	14	20	10	16	18	12	14
Fernando Verdasco	28	33	33	25	33	25	35