Unfortunately, it might be the names missing from this year’s Men’s Singles at Roland Garros that will make the headlines and not Rafa Nadal’s attempt to win the same Grand Slam for an unprecedented 11th time.
The French Open has announced an increase in prize money for this summer’s tournament to £34m and the singles champions of the year’s second Grand Slam, which begins on May 27, will each take home €2.2m, up €112,000 from last year. In keeping with recent trends in Grand Slams, the biggest increases are for the early-round losers and players who are beaten in the first round will still take home €40,000, an increase of nearly 15 per cent.
But all that has not been enough to tempt Roger Federer out of sitting out the entire clay-court season in a bid to stay fresh for Wimbledon and the US Open. Juan Martin del Potro has suffered a groin strain and was forced to withdraw from last week’s Italian Open so is a major doubt. Nick Kyrgios underwent elbow surgery only last month and Canada’s Milos Raonic has a knee injury. Home favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has a similar problem and is another absentee.
Andy Murray is, off course, still sidelined but fellow Briton Kyle Edmund will fancy his chances of a long run at Paris. He’s just broken into the world’s top 20 and his lack of a big serve shouldn’t be as much of an issue on clay. His ground strokes have improved dramatically over the last two years and he played well in Rome before losing a tight match with the in-form Alexander Zverev. The Russian youngster, a real clay-court specialist, is only a best 8/1 to win a first Grand Slam in Paris with Edmund quoted at 100/1 by 888sport.
Novak Djokovic is 12/1 with 888sport but the former world number one has looked a shadow of his former self since elbow injury. He did reach the semi-finals in Rome before losing to Nadal but clay has never been the Serbian’s favourite surface. Austria’s Dominic Thiem is 12/1 with Boylesports having reached the semi-finals last year and in 2016. He was the only player to beat Nadal on clay last year and is much shorter in the betting with other bookmakers.
Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 champion, was blown away by Nadal in last year’s final but the general 50/1 might attract some speculative wagers. Diego Schwartzman has a game that should be well suited to the red clay of Roland Garros and he can be backed at 100/1 but the second Slam of the year has been all about Nadal for so long that there is a tendency to look for alternatives when there are fewer than normal this time.
Aged 31, it’s hard to believe that the Spaniard has been as long as he has but he is as good as ever on clay. Recently elevated back to world number one, he won in Rome for the eighth time and is only a best 4/9 to win an 11th French Open title. If the draw is kind, maybe a back-to-form Djokovic would have a chance of a fifth final appearance but it’s unlikely anyone will prevent Nadal getting his hands on the Coupe des Mousquetaires yet again.
French Open Winners Since 2005
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Rafael Nadal (Spain) | Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland) | 6–2, 6–3, 6–1 |
| 2016 | Novak Djokovic (Serbia) | Andy Murray (UK) | 3–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–4 |
| 2015 | Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland) | Novak Djokovic (Serbia) | 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 |
| 2014 | Rafael Nadal (Spain) | Novak Djokovic (Serbia) | 3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–4 |
| 2013 | Rafael Nadal (Spain) | David Ferrer (Spain) | 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 2012 | Rafael Nadal (Spain) | Novak Djokovic (Serbia) | 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 |
| 2011 | Rafael Nadal (Spain) | Roger Federer (Switzerland) | 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1 |
| 2010 | Rafael Nadal (Spain) | Robin Soderling (Sweden) | 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 2009 | Roger Federer (Switzerland) | Robin Soderling (Sweden) | 6-1, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 2008 | Rafael Nadal (Spain) | Roger Federer (Switzerland) | 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 |
| 2007 | Rafael Nadal (Spain) | Roger Federer (Switzerland) | 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 2006 | Rafael Nadal (Spain) | Roger Federer (Switzerland) | 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6(4) |
| 2005 | Rafael Nadal (Spain) | Mariano Puerta | 6-7(6) 6-3 6-1 7-5 |
French Open 2018 Men’s Singles Best Odds
Rafael Nadal 4/9, Alexander Zverev 8/1, Dominic Thiem and Novak Djokovic 12/1, David Goffin 40/1, Juan Martin del Potro, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic and Stan Wawrinka 50/1, Hyeon Chung 75/1, Gael Monfils and Grigor Dimitrov 80/1, Borna Coric, Denis Shapovalov, Diego Schwatzman, Kyle Edmund, Pablo Carreno-Busta and Lucas Pouille 100/1 (Odds Correct at 3.30pm May 22)
