Federer Edges Nadal in Wimbledon Odds

Spaniard Rafael Nadal reclaimed the number one ranking in men's tennis with his recent French Open victory, but he hasn't been able to knock off Roger Federer for Wimbledon favoritism.

Federer, who fell to world number two after the French Open, and almost fell in the first round to Alejandro Falla, will begin Wimbledon as an almost unbackable 6/4 William Hill favorite, ahead of Nadal, 21/10.

As usual, there is a big gap between the world's best two and the other contenders, with only four other players looking like even reasonable prospects: local hero Andy Murray, 17/2, American Andy Roddick, 9/1, Swede Robin Soderling, 16/1 and Australian Lleyton Hewitt, 20/1.

Things are only slightly more even in the ladies' tournament, with six players paying below 20 to the pound. The Williams sisters Serena, 2/1, and Venus, 7/2, lead Belgians Kim Clijsters, 6/1, and Justine Henin, 15/2, and Russian Maria Sharapova, 10/1, and Aussie Sam Stosur, 12/1. Dane Caroline Wozniacki is also a chance at 18/1.

Not much has changed judging by the names, but the odds specials do have the potential to make things more interesting for the punters, including those focusing on Andy Murray.

William Hill is offering odds of 80/1 on a Murray-England World Cup victory double, just 7/1 on Murray refusing to bow to the queen on Thursday, and 25/1 on a member of the crowd being thrown out of a Murray match for blowing a vuvuzela (the horns that have been blown at the World Cup in South Africa).

The 2010 Wimbledon Championships run from Monday June 21 through to Sunday July 4.