ATP French Open 1/64-Finals
Nadal – Zverev: Time TBA
H2H: 7-3
Rafael Nadal has won three of his last five matches. This will be his last French Open. He gave his everything to dance one last time on the clay court where he had his biggest results. Two weeks ago, Rafael was destroyed by Hurkacz in the second round of the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome. Unfortunately, Nadal lost power in all of his ground strokes, and it seemed like his body can not keep up with such a competitive level anymore. Last year, Nadal missed the French Open due to an injury. In his last appearance in 2022, Nadal won the title by defeating Casper Ruud in the final.
Alexander Zverev has won six straight matches. Last week, Sascha lifted the title in Rome after beating Nicolas Jarry in straight sets. We all know how things went down when Zverev got injured against Nadal in the semifinals of the French Open two years ago. If he had not got injured, we believe that Zverev would have had a decent chance at winning the title. This year, Zverev is the fourth favorite to lift the title according to the bookies. He looks like the best clay court player at this moment, and we believe that he might go deep this week.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Zverev is a big favorite in this matchup as he should be. We believe that Nadal will stand no chance against him.
That being said, Zverev covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Alexander Zverev -5.5 games handicap @1.83 @bet365
Wawrinka – Murray: Time TBA
H2H: 9-14
Stanislas Wawrinka has lost four of his last five matches. Stan the Man is unfortunately on the verge of getting out of the top 100. This season, Wawrinka could not keep up physically with the other players in the lengthy matches. We should not forget that Stan is 39 years old, so his conditioning issues are normal. Last year at the French Open, Wawrinka reached the second round where he lost against Kokkinakis in a 5-set thriller. Last week, Wawrinka played a challenger tournament in Bordeaux where he lost in the 1/8-Finals against Pablo Martinez.
Andy Murray has lost four of his last five matches as well. His form has been declining, and Sir Andy is struggling on the court at the moment. This week, Murray lost in the first round of the ATP 250 in Geneva against Hanfmann. Andy looked exhausted on the court, and we were not sure how he would handle a Grand Slam match. The French Open has been the least favorite Slam for Andy. Since his hip surgery, Murray has avoided playing on clay. This will be his first appearance at the French Open since 2020, when he was beaten by Stan Wawrinka in the first round.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Stan is a slight favorite in this matchup. We believe that he is a way better clay court player than Andy, and that he will win his first round match easily. Both players are out of form, but Stan should be able to take care of the business.
That being said, Wawrinka winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Stanislas Wawrinka winning @1.53 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
