Rafael Nadal is absent from the French Open draw this year, which means we’ll crown a new King of Clay in due time.
The odds-on favorite to claim the throne is young Carlos Alcaraz, but with Novak Djokovic lurking and other players stepping their game up, this could be anyone’s tournament.
Let’s break down the best ways to bet on the men’s field at Roland Garros this year.
French Open Men’s Winner Prediction
Carlos Alcaraz (+155) • FanDuel Sportsbook
It’s not a fun prediction, but it’s abundantly clear by now that Alcaraz is the best player in the world. He’s only lost twice on clay this year, and one of them came in the Rio final, where he was injured during the match.
Alcaraz owns Stefanos Tsitsipas, and he defeated Djokovic in their only meeting, which came on clay last year.
He’s also now proven he can go two weeks in a best-of-five setting with his win at the US Open last year, and it’s only a matter of time before his trophy case is flooded with Grand Slam trophies. He is the most likely winner here at Roland Garros.
French Open Men’s Contenders
French Open men’s winner betting lines were found at FanDuel Sportsbook and are fresh as of Friday, May 26 at 4:00 p.m. ET.
See how the leaders in French Open men’s odds stack up:
- Carlos Alcaraz (+155)
- Novak Djokovic (+230)
- Daniil Medvedev (+900)
- Holger Rune (+950)
- Jannik Sinner (+1200)
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (+1600)
- Casper Ruud (+1800)
This marks the first Grand Slam tournament which Alcaraz has entered as the favorite over Djokovic. For reference, the Serbian closed +200 last year; the Spaniard, +225.
This tennis odds breakdown accurately reflects the state of the field; Alcaraz is now 30-3 on the season while Djokovic has struggled with some injuries and losses. However, given the latter has won 22 Grand Slams, it’s hard to count him out here.
French Open Men’s Best Bet
Daniil Medvedev (+900) • FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 unit
The Russian has openly denounced clay, but he’s been quietly improving on the surface for years now.
That all culminated in Medvedev’s first career clay-court title, which came at one of the year’s biggest events at the Rome Masters.
After disposing of Tsitsipas, Holger Rune, and Alexander Zverev in straight sets, it seems obvious that the 2021 US Open champion is just as dangerous of a player on the dirt.
With his win in Rome, he now finds himself at No. 2 in the world and as a result has avoided the half of the draw featuring Alcaraz and Djokovic.
He will have to make it through a few tough competitors in his own half, but this is the biggest value tennis pick remaining on the board. He can win this tournament.
French Open Men’s Sleeper Bet
Taylor Fritz (+10000) • Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 0.3 units
Yes, this bet may wind up being a meme. After all, Fritz has crashed and burned in his two most recent Grand Slam appearances, but he’s got more best-of-five experience than Rune and Alcaraz and has grown into a decent clay-court player.
It’s not a perfect surface for the big-hitter, but it’s hard to say the gap between the World No. 9’s level on a hardcourt or grass court and a clay court is that wide anymore.
He’s been up and down on clay this season but did make the semifinals in three events, including the Monte Carlo Masters, and he also finds himself in the weakest quarter of the draw.
If you’re going to toss in a longshot during your French Open betting, you only need Fritz to reach the final in order to hedge and lock in a massive profit.
