We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming of MLB props and NBA Finals picks to bring you … tennis wagers?
Yes, The Gaming Juice breaks new ground with its first foray into the world of tennis betting. And it’s the perfect time, too, with the French Open moving into its second week at Roland Garros.
All of the top contenders entered the year’s second Grand Slam event with questions about form and fitness. Four rounds in, readings on players are much clearer. Any pre-tourney concerns have been allayed.
In women’s singles, top-seeded Iga Swiatek remains the strong favorite to win a fourth French Open (-175, DraftKings). After surviving a second-round, three-set scare against fellow four-time majors champion Naomi Osaka, she lost only six games in her next two matches — including a 6-0, 6-0 fourth-round rout of Anastasia Potapova. Next up for Swiatek is fifth-seeded Marketa Vondrousova in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
On the men’s side, Carlos Alcaraz has performed every bit like the favorite (+135, BetMGM and FanDuel). The 21-year-old Spaniard has dropped just one set while rolling into the quarters, where he will face ninth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas on Tuesday.
The big news Monday was the status of defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic, who hurt his knee after slipping and falling on the red clay during his five-set victory over No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo. The No. 1 seed wasn’t sure if he’d be healthy enough to play Wednesday’s quarterfinal against Casper Ruud, who lost to Djokovic in last year’s French Open final.
Djokovic’s withdrawal would open up the upper half of the men’s bracket. It also would impact futures wagering for players in the top half, namely Ruud and his “to reach the final” prop (+260, FanDuel).
The favorites on Tuesday’s schedule — Coco Gauff, Swiatek, Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz — should all advance. However, there’s very little to gain with those moneyline plays, even in multi-legged parlays.
Here’s the best plus-odds bet for Tuesday’s French Open action.
The pick — Carlos Alcaraz to win and UNDER 35.5 games vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas (+130, BetMGM)
Alcaraz and Tsitsipas have faced each other five times in their young careers. Alcaraz has won every match, including all three on clay.
Coincidentally, the two met in last year’s French Open quarterfinals with Alcaraz prevailing 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5). Another straight-sets victory by Alcaraz seems more likely than Tsitsipas finally figuring out how to outgun the heir apparent to Rafael Nadal’s king of clay throne.
The games total hinges on the 25-year-old Greek being able to take a set off Alcaraz. Tsitsipas has managed to do that just once in their clay encounters — two years ago in the quarters of the Barcelona Open.