The WTA French Open women’s qualifying action moves into the second round. The players trying to get into the main draw in Paris next week have made their way through one round of qualifying. Now comes the even bigger pressure of taking the next step to the second major tournament of 2026. Are we going to see players carry their form into this second round of qualifying, or will we see players who won in the first round get really nervous and lose focus? This is why these matches are so interesting. LWOS has our best bets for three matches. Post your best bets and thoughts in the comments.
WTA French Open qualifying
Semenistaja – Zavatska: Time 16:30 EST
H2H: 1-0
Darja Semenistaja takes on Katarina Zavatska. Semenistaja looked great in her first-round qualifying win over Iryna Shymanovich. She dominated and won very easily in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0. Zavatska beat Carol Zhao with similar ease, 6-2 and 6-1. The two players will meet each other after winning their previous matches in blowouts. It’s not as though only one player will be full of confidence. Both players should feel optimistic about their ability to advance in this all-important qualifying tournament.
Best Bet to Make
Which blowout win was more impressive? If you go by WTA world rankings, Shymanovich is ranked inside the top 200 while Zhao is ranked just outside the top 400. By that measurement, Semenistaja’s first-round qualifying win looks a lot better than Zavatska’s win. Both players played great tennis in their recent victories, but we put a lot more meaning into Semenistaja’s victory, so we think that picking Semenistaja to win convincingly is the play to make. You will get a great price for it.
That being said, betting on Semenistaja winning 2:0 is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Semenistaja winning 2:0 @2.10 @10Bet
Liu – Kawa: Time 16:30 EST
H2H: 1–0
Claire Liu faces Katarzyna Kawa. Both players won their first-round qualifying matches in straight sets. Liu beat Laura Pigossi. Kawa beat Ayana Akli. Pigossi is ranked 27 spots higher than Akli, so if you did want to compare the quality of the two victories, Liu’s looks slightly more impressive, but overall, the difference is not that dramatic.
Best Bet to Make
When there is a moneyline price that is not spectacular but high enough to yield a moderate return on the investment, it’s worth going for it. Everyone has to decide what is reasonable for themselves. Liu looks like the better player and therefore the one who should win. Her moneyline price isn’t amazing, but it’s high enough to recommend a bet on her to win.
That being said, betting on Liu winning is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Liu winning @1.63 @bet-at-home
Sun – Ito: Time 16:30 EST
H2H: 0–0
Lulu Sun faces Aoi Ito. Sun is ranked over 100 spots higher than Ito, but Ito might have had the better first-round qualifying performance. Ito was a 5.69 moneyline underdog against Jeline Vandromme but managed to win. She did so in straight sets. If you bet on Ito to win in straight sets, you got a spectacular return on your bet. As is, a 5.69 moneyline underdog winning outright is very impressive as it is. Sun was a heavy (1.18) favorite against Yexin Ma but needed three sets to win. Worth noting: Vandromme and Ma are ranked very close to each other (179 and 183). Ito really did overperform. Sun played an average match. Will Sun improve, and will Ito maintain her level?
Best Bet to Make
Ito is a tricky opponent. She might not beat Sun outright, but she showed against Vandromme that she is not easy to defeat. She will make opponents work very hard. The markets have Sun priced as a huge favorite, which means that if Ito just wins one set and you bet on her to do that, you will get a strong return of over 2.00. Ito is hard to resist here. Just winning one set will bring home a great price.
That being said, betting on Ito +1.5 sets is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Ito +1.5 sets @2.05 @10Bet
Main Photo Credit: Robert Prange-USA TODAY Sports
