French Open 2023 Preview
The French Open 2023 takes place at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris from Sunday 28th May to Sunday 11th June. It is the second Grand Slam event of the year and the absolute pinnacle of the clay court season.
Who won last year?
Last year in the Men’s Singles, Rafael Nadal secured a record-extending 14th French Open title when he comfortably defeated the Norwegian Casper Ruud in the final, 6–3, 6–3, 6–0. However, the Spanish legend won’t be adding to his 22 Grand Slam titles in Paris this year, after being forced to withdraw ahead of the tournament with a hip injury that has ruled him out since the Australian Open earlier in the year.
The 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz has long been considered to be the heir to fellow countryman Nadal’s crown as King of Clay, and not only the current world number one, but also the pre-tournament favourite for victory at Roland Garros at odds of 6/4 with 888sport.
Alcaraz won the US Open last year to secure his first Grand Slam title, which was widely considered to be the first of many. He’s also has had a good year to date, winning the Argentina Open, Indian Wells Masters, Barcelona Open and Madrid Open already in 2023.
Another player in great form of late is the Russian, Daniil Medvedev. The 27-year-old has won the Rotterdam Open, Qatar Open, Dubai Tennis Championships, Miami Open and most recently, and perhaps most importantly, the Italian Open. Medvedev’s 7-5, 7-5 win over the Dane Holger Rune in the final in Rome gave him his first clay-court title, on a surface he has never really taken to previously. Odds of 12/1 with SpreadEx indicate that he is still seen as an unlikely winner.
Of course, only a fool would dismiss the chances of Novak Djokovic, who shares the record of 22 Grand Slam titles with Nadal. The Serbian has just turned 36, but has already claimed the Australian Open title this year.
The French clay has never been his favoured surface, but he has still managed to secure titles there in 2016 and 2021 and is 21/10 with 888sport to claim a record breaking 23rd Grand Slam title.
The aforementioned Holger Rune is on offer at odds of 9/1 with BoyleSports. He’s only just turned 20, but he was a quarter-finalist in Paris a year ago. He won the Bavarian International Tennis Championships last month and in addition to being a runner-up to Medvedev at the Italian Open, he was also a beaten finalist at the Monte-Carlo Masters recently.
Other potential contenders include last year’s runner-up, Casper Ruud, winner of the Estoril Open in April, Jannik Sinner (who won the Open Sud de France back in February and was runner-up to Medvedev in both the Rotterdam Open and Miami Open) and Australian Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.
For patriotic British punters, Cameron Norrie looks to the best hope in a year in which he has already won the Rio Open (beating Alcaraz in the final) and been a runner-up at the Auckland Open and Argentina Open (where he lost to Alcaraz). Even so, odds of 200/1 with 888sport suggest his title hopes in Paris are fairly remote.
Women’s French Open Betting
In the 2022 Women’s Singles, Poland’s Iga Swiatek defeated the American teenager Coco Gauff in the final, 6–1, 6–3, to claim her second French Open title. Although not quite as dominant in the women’s game as she was this time last year, Swiatek has won titles at the Qatar Open and Stuttgart Open this season. However, there is cause for some concern, after the world number one was forced to retire in the Italian Open quarter-finals, recently.
Swiatek said she was optimistic that a thigh injury would not prevent her from defending her title and, if fit and well, she is a worthy favourite. That recent injury definitely raises a question mark if you were thinking of backing the 21-year-old at odds of 5/6 with BoyleSports to win a 4th Grand Slam title though.
The Belarusian, Aryna Sabalenka, is very much one of the form players in the women’s game this year, having won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. In addition, she’s also won titles at the Adelaide International 1 and Madrid Open, whilst she was runner-up at the Indian Wells Open and Stuttgart Open. She’s a 6/1 shot with Betfred for the French crown.
The 23-year-old Kazakhstani, Elena Rybakina, is the reigning Wimbledon champion and has also been in fine form in 2023. She was runner-up to Sabalenka at the Australian Open, but has won titles at the Indian Wells Masters (avenging her loss in Melbourne to Sabalenka) and the Italian Open on clay earlier this month. She was also a beaten finalist at the Miami Open. At 7/1 with Betfred, she could represent some each-way value.
Other players who could challenge include French Open 2021 champion Barbora Krejcikova and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, who took the title back in 2017.
Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic has been in good form in 2023, while Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur was a two-time Grand Slam finalist in 2022, although has yet to go beyond the 4th round at Roland Garros. Last year’s runner-up, Gauff, has had a decent season to date and with another year’s experience, might fancy her chances of going one better.
French Open 2023 Betting Predictions
- Men’s Singles (Winner): Carlos Alcaraz @ 6/4 with 888sport
- Men’s Singles (Each-way): Holger Rune @ 9/1 with BoyleSports (1/2 odds for 1, 2)
- Women’s Singles (Each-way): Aryna Sabalenka @ 6/1 with Betfred (1/2 odds for 1, 2)
- Women’s Singles (Each-way): Elena Rybakina @ 7/1 with Betfred (1/2 odds for 1, 2)
* French Open 2023 tennis odds correct at the time of writing. Subject to changes.
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