The second grand slam tournament is now underway at the iconic clay courts of Roland Garros. Do you know who you’re betting to win the French Open — both on the men’s and women’s sides? If you don’t, then you’ll want to keep reading this article. We’ve analyzed the fields and selected the single player most worth putting money on.
- What: French Open grand slam
- Where: Roland Garros in Paris, France
- When: May 28-June 11
2023 Men’s French Open Betting Pick
We begin on the men’s side. The talk of the tourney is who’s not playing — “The King of Clay” Rafael Nadal. Injured since the Australian Open, Nadal will not compete at the French Open for the first time since 2004. Without the 14-time French Open winner, the betting pick to win the men's French Open in 2023 is more open-ended than usual. The best betting sites for tennis have pegged the following players as favorites to win:
| Player |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Alcaraz | +150 | +150 | +150 |
| Nova Djokovic | +240 | +240 | +240 |
| Daniil Medvedev | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Holger N Rune | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Jannik Sinner | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Stefanos Tsitsipas | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Casper Rudd | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
The soon-to-be 37-year-old Nadal has hinted 2024 might be his last before retirement. If so, 2023 could be a preview of future years and if anyone becomes the man to beat in Roland Garros without Nadal. The two obvious choices are Alcaraz and Djokovic, and you almost need to bet on one or the other here as both are ranked Top-2 in the world.
Djokovic is Djokovic. He’s currently tied with Nadal for most Grand Slams ever, and breaking the tie at Nadal’s favorite competition would be poetic. But here’s the thing: Djokovic isn’t playing all that well recently. Casual tennis bettors will remember the Serbian trumped at this year’s Australian Open, but he’s been on a downtrend ever since then. Djokovic enters this event having won just five of his past nine matches. Still, in a five-set match, Djokovic has the ability to “turn it on” unlike anyone else in the field.
And then there’s a different Spaniard, Alcaraz. The 20-year-old Alcaraz has torn up the clay as of late, winning both the Barcelona Open and then the Madrid Open. However, he was shockingly upset by Fabian Marozsan in the Italian Open Round of 32 last time out. Still, no one’s form in 2023 has been better than Alcaraz, who has won four of seven tournaments this season.
The shock defeat in Rome might’ve actually been a blessing in disguise for Alcaraz. Being bounced early allowed him to rest up. You could argue it hurts his confidence, but Alcaraz has proven to have short-term memory after bad defeats. Our money is going on Alcaraz here. The momentum is high for the youngster and we suspect Djokovic isn’t fit enough to hang with him here.
2023 Women’s French Open Betting Pick
The women’s French Open betting field is less wide-open than the men’s. In fact, one player is the runaway favorite to win it. Here are the up-to-date odds:
| Player | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iga Swiatek | -120 | -120 | -120 |
| Aryna Sabalenka | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Elena Rybakina | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Jelena Ostapenko | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Barbara Krejcikova | +2200 | +2200 | +2200 |
| Ons Jabeur | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
A year ago when this Grand Slam began, Swiatek was amid an eventual 37-match winning streak. The streak stayed unbroken as she won her second-ever French Open title. Admittedly, she’s nowhere near as hot going into the 2023 edition. The last time we saw her, she retired from the Italian Open due to an injury. Whether Swiatek's injury is healed or not is the biggest question mark atop bettor’s minds.
Personally, we’re fading Swiatek. The unknown of that injury is too much for us, especially at her current odds. Instead, we’re backing Sabalenka to win. Her form has been better than Swiatek's throughout 2023. Of course, there’s the Australian Open title, but also three Finals appearances since then (one of which she won in Madrid). Speaking of Madrid, another clay event, Sabalenka toppled Swiatek in the Finals in what turned out to be a back-and-forth affair for three sets. We have a feeling Sabalenka has Swiatek’s number at this very point in time.
How To Watch 2023 French Open Tournaments
NBC has you covered for watching the 2023 French Open. The network is the official (and only) broadcast partner for the United States. Coverage can be found on the traditional NBC TV channel (NBC Sports channel too) or the Peacock streaming service. The women’s final will be on June 10, while the men’s finale is the day after.
How To Bet On The 2023 French Open
2023 French Open betting doesn’t get better than one of the bookmakers featured in the underneath table. Per our newest sportsbook reviews, the five bookies you see in the table are all industry leaders. Beyond just futures bets that we covered here, you can find French Open odds on every single individual matchup from now until the finals — whether it’s men’s, women’s, or doubles brackets.
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