There is a quality field assembled for this week’s ATP Lyon Open but the world’s top four aren’t playing and, despite being optimistic at the start of the month, Roger Federer will be conspicuous by his absence in Paris.
Last year saw the re-emergence of Federer but he hasn’t played since beating Rafael Nadal in the final of the Miami Open at the beginning of April and the 35-year-old admits that his body needs time to recover now between tournaments. It was always a long shot that the Swiss could beat Nadal or Novak Djokovic on clay and he’s now targeting Wimbledon.
Djokovic’s thrashing of French Open third favourite Dominic Thiem in Rome, losing just one game in the process, initially inspired a rush of money for the Serb at Roland Garros (now a best 10/3). He’s had a very troubled 12 months and lost in the second round of the Australian Open but reached the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Open and only lost in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open against an in-form Nadal.
With Andre Agassi now confirmed as his new permanent coach, Djokovic reached the final of the Rome Masters last week but was firmly put in his place by rising star Alexander Zverev. The 20-year-old was gaining the biggest success of his career and is now a best 20/1 to win the French Open with Betfair.
Betfair is the world’s leading betting exchange and have, for years, strived to stay top of the pile. Their steady rate of new customers probably has something to do with their exclusive free £30 bet. This is different to most other websites whereby your free bet is a matched bet.
All you need to do is sign up here, using the code ZSK200 and place your first bet (min. £10) at odds of at least 1.2 (1/5) within 30 days of opening your account. Within 24 hours of your qualifying bet being accepted, you will be offered 3 x £/€10 free bets. Exchange bets don’t apply as qualifying bets!
You can go on the website and sign up straight from there. To get going, open an account, deposit money and then bet and play on the website. Customers must be over 18 in order to fill in the registration form, the use of Neteller, Skrill & Moneybookers eWallets are not eligible for this offer. Terms and conditions apply, please see full detail directly at Betfair.
Betfair are offering best odds on a number of leading players at next week’s French Open, including Austrian Dominic Thiem. He became the first player to beat Nadal on clay this season in Rome before being thumped by Djokovic. Thiem is a 10/1 chance with Betfair, among others, in Paris. Andy Murray is a best 14/1 but it’s difficult to have much faith that the world number one will improve on a pretty dismal record in the second Grand Slam of the year.
The Scot did reach the final last year for the first time but was readily brushed aside by Djokovic. He lost in the second round of the Rome Masters and has come unstuck against much lower-ranked opponents already on clay this year so there is little hope of a revival, though he will be reunited with ‘guru’ Ivan Lendl before Paris and the five-set format of Slams seems to suit Murray, who will almost retain his number one ranking throughout the summer.
Stan Wawrinka, the current world number three, is another player struggling for form at present. Unlike Murray, he has won a French Open (in 2015) and is also a best 14/1, but the smart money has to be on Rafael Nadal.
It’s hard to believe that the Spaniard is only 30 as he’s won nine of the last 12 French Open titles and only lost three of his last 73 matches at Roland Garros. That gives him an immediate psychological advantage and we can probably view that defeat by Thiem in Rome as a minor blip as Nadal has been on top form this year and reached the final of the Australian Open in January before losing to Roger Federer. Nadal is a best 11/13 with Unibet to win a 10th French Open title next month and, as usual, it’s difficult to argue with bookmakers’ assessment.
French Open Men’s Title Best odds
Rafael Nadal (11/13), Novak Djokovic (10/3), Dominic Thiem (10/1) Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka (14/1), Alexander Zverev (20/1) Juan Martin Del Potro and David Goffin (50/1), Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic and Nick Kyrgios (66/1), Grigor Dmitrov (90/1), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (100/1)
