Finding great value bets in the Grand Slam tennis tournaments is not always easy but this year’s French Open could provide some good opportunities for shrewd tennis punters.
In the first quarter of the men’s event, Rafa Nadal has a ridiculous record of 66 wins and just one defeat at Roland Garros, making the current best price of 5/2 to win the 1st quarter look like outstanding value. However, the nine-time champion is still a long way from being back to his best after undergoing surgery last year. He has already lost five times on clay this year and may have to face Novak Djokovic at the quarter-final stage. The Serbian has won five out of the last six meetings between the two. The bookmakers agree and have priced the world No. 1 at 2/5 to win the top quarter of the draw.
In the same quarter, you may be able to find some value in the first round by backing American youngster Jack Sock to beat world No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov. The 22-year-old won his first ATP title earlier this year at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships and made it to the 3rd round at this event last year. His Bulgarian opponent does not have a great Grand Slam record and has exited the French Open in the first round in two of his four appearances. You can back the young American at 5/2 with Bet365.
In the second quarter, Andy Murray should be a good bet to lead the field and can be backed at 5/6 to win his section of the draw. His biggest threat could come from David Ferrer or Nick Kyrgios but as the Scot showed in Madrid, he is currently enjoying his best ever form on clay and looks like a safe bet at that price.
The third quarter is tougher to call with Kei Nishikori the current bookies favourite at 6/4. However, the Japanese player has yet to make a quarter-final in France and has some strong opposition in his section of the draw. For better value, take your pick from either last year’s quarter-finalist Tomas Berdych or 27-year-old Italian Fabio Fognini. These two are likely to meet at the third round stage with the winner set to face Nishikori in Round Four – should the World No. 5 make it that far. Fognini was a quarter-finalist in 2011 and has made it to at least the Third Round in the last five French Opens. Eight out of nine of his ATP final appearances have been on clay. At a current price of 12/`1, he looks like the best value bet to be the 3rd quarter winner.
Last year was the first time in ten years that Roger Federer did not make the Roland Garros Quarter-finals. Even with Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils in his quarter of the draw, it is hard to imagine the 2009 champion not making it through the last eight. Early bird punters may be able to back the World No. 2 at evens to win the 4th quarter of the draw.
For the latest French Open odds visit Bet365.