For the primary time in many years, it feels as if the boys’s French Open is genuinely wide open.
Rafael Nadal has ruled this tournament for 20 years.
He owns a 112-3 record at Roland Garros and won 14 titles between 2005 and 2022, but Nadal is about to show 38 and has been battling injury issues for the higher a part of two years.
Barring anything unexpected, this might be the Spaniard’s last French Open, and he is just not expected to make a deep run, especially since he drew Alexander Zverev, the fourth favorite, in Round 1.
And it isn’t just Nadal’s status that’s opening up this draw.
Novak Djokovic has not been himself in 2024, Carlos Alcaraz’s form has been wobbly and Jannik Sinner, who was unplayable in the primary few months of the season, can be battling injuries.
All of this could add as much as probably the most chaotic French Open we’ve seen in quite a while. That makes for terrific betting.
Favorite with probably the most value
Casper Ruud (12/1, DraftKings)
A back-to-back finalist at Roland Garros and the No. 7 player on the earth, Ruud appears to be undervalued a touch within the futures market in Paris. Ruud is in decent form this clay season — he won Barcelona, was a finalist in Monte Carlo and is in the ultimate in Geneva — and has the upside to beat anybody on the dirt.
With this résumé, you’d expect Ruud to be priced in the one digits, but he’s drifted a bit due to a troublesome draw.
Ruud has a tough opponent in Round 1 (and one other likely one, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, in Round 2) and doubtless will face Djokovic within the quarterfinals, in order that path is giving us a very good opportunity to back a player who has had good success at Roland Garros.
![Daniil Medvedev of Russia during training against Rafael Nadal of Spain on Court Philippe-Chatrier in preparation for the 2024 French Open Tennis Tournament at Roland Garros on May 23rd, 2024, in Paris, France.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Daniil-Medvedev.-.jpg?w=1024)
Great buy
Daniil Medvedev (32/1, FanDuel)
The betting market appears to be leaving Medvedev for dead at Roland Garros due to his history on this tournament.
That may be a logical thing to do if Medvedev was priced as one in all the favorites, but this number is ridiculous considering he’s the No. 4 player on the earth and isn’t only a walkover on clay.
He has been upset at Roland Garros five times and that is just not good, but he went to the fourth round in 2022 and was a quarterfinalist in 2021, so it’s not like he just wilts on the clay.
Where most individuals will point to Medvedev being vulnerable at this tournament, bettors should use that as a very good opportunity to purchase low on a player who has won a Grand Slam and been to the ultimate five other occasions.
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Live long shot
Hubert Hurkacz (100/1, FanDuel)
Though he’s ranked because the No. 9 player on the earth, Hurkacz might be friendless within the betting market at Roland Garros, even at triple-digit prices.
And though his 6-6 record and three first-round exits on the French Open will not be pretty, he made a visit to Round 4 in 2022 and Round 3 in 2023.
Those still aren’t eye-popping results, but while you mix them along with his 11-3 record on the dirt this season they suggest an improving player on the surface.
More importantly, nevertheless, is the undeniable fact that Hurkacz got handed a terrific draw.
His path to the quarterfinals, where he likely would wish to upset Sinner, is there for the taking and with Sinner’s injury concerns, there is no such thing as a guarantee he’ll be there waiting for Hurkacz next week.Â