For someone who watches the Challenger Tour regularly, Slam qualifying is some of the most exciting tennis you can get, especially with betting. The opening day certainly delivered with teenagers Arthur Fils and Gabriel Debru in a three-set battle and a big upset with Daniel Elahi Galan going out. Day 2 of French Open qualifying should also give us plenty to look forward to with some nice value available.
French Qualifying Day 2 Best Bets
Alexander Ritschard vs Laurent Lokoli
Ritschard and Lokoli both priced at the same odds is quite puzzling to me. Sure, Lokoli’s play at the ITF level has been good enough to earn him his first wild card here since 2017 but though his 35-7 record this year is impressive, none of his clay wins really stand out. Ritschard is not on his best on clay but his general level is definitely higher than what Lokoli can offer. I see the correct pricing for the Swiss around the -200 to -250 range, giving us good value here.
Recommended selection:
Ritschard ML – 2 units @ -120 (1.83, 83/100)
Enzo Couacaud vs Philipp Kohlschreiber
This is a tough one to predict with how little Kohlschreiber has played this season though I find it very unlikely that he would replicate his third-round run from last year. His wins over Lehecka and Taberner in Marbella were good, though the 38-year-old also suffered a loss to Alvarez Varona in Barcelona. Couacaud’s clay form is not stunning but his previous Roland Garros performances are quite good. The Frenchman did good on his wildcard last year and reached the second round while also reaching the final qualifying round the two years before. I see this one as a 50/50 match-up so the odds leaning towards Kohlschreiber quite heavily here give us good value for Couacaud.
Recommended selection:
Couacaud ML – 1 units @ +150 (2.5, 3/2)
Andrej Martin vs Luca Nardi
Nardi is priced as the favorite here in a pretty surprising move from the bookmakers. The 18-year-old won two Challengers on indoor hard earlier in the year and achieved decent results on clay Challengers but he was certainly helped by the draw. Martin is not having a good season but seemed to break out of it with a run to the Heilbronn final. The Slovak has had good results at Roland Garros in past years, his best being a third-round run in 2016. Martin’s recent form and experience make him the favorite for me, so with the odds set up in Nardi’s favor, this selection provides the most value on this list.
Recommended selection:
Martin ML – 2 units @ +137 (2.37, 137/100)
My Best Bets record so far: 20 units returned 21.42 including stake.
Recommended selections are based on a 5-unit betting system where 1 unit is a minimum stake, and 5 units is the maximum stake.
This article is intended for entertainment purposes only. LWOS makes no guarantees that the picks will win. Only gamble where it is legal to do so, and only amounts you can afford to lose. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
