Men’s Singles Preview

The second Grand Slam tournament of 2012 gets underway at Roland Garros on Monday May 28 as 128 of the world’s best players line-up to contest the French Open.

And it is Spanish sensation Rafael Nadal who heads the betting in search of an unprecedented seventh title on the Paris clay.

The world no.3 has been roughed up in recent times by main rival Novak Djokovic however this surface and championship still remains the Mallorcan’s domain and he put himself bang in contention for another successful defence by beating the Serbian last time out to win the Rome Masters at Foro Italico.

Nadal was a shade of odds against for the French Open prior to that victory however he is now a general 5/6 shot with most major firms.

That price may well be too short for the majority of punters, especially as they have to part with their hard earned cash for a fortnight.

But the big question is, can Nadal really be opposed by anyone else in the field?

There is certainly no better clay court player on the planet however there are a few options for people wishing to go against the grain.

Many will look no further than Djokovic who will be desperate to attain his first crown in the French capital.

Success at Roland Garros would complete Djokovic’s Grand Slam trophy cabinet and he is a near certainty to reach the latter stages at the very least.

At a best priced 9/4, he represents a solid speculative wager to take on Rafa – and the two could well clash again in the final on June 10.

If that were to happen, Djokovic would be approximately 11/8 head to head, so his outright odds perhaps suggest a hint of value overall.

Roger Federer goes into the tournament in fine form following his recent triumph at the Madrid Masters.

The Swiss ace adapted better than his main peers to the controversial blue clay in Spain and he followed up that effort with an impressive semi-final display in Rome.

Federer finally got his hands on the French Open title when Nadal was forced out with injury in 2009 – and in all truth he would probably need the multi-champion to drop out again if he is regain the honours.

But at a best priced 8/1, the Fed Express should appeal to punters who will hope he can make the final in order to trade out of the bet.

Britain’s hopes once again rest with Andy Murray however the world no.4 has been woefully out of touch so far in 2012 on the clay.

The Scot has been niggled with injury but his overall game under the guidance of coach Ivan Lendl now seems geared towards the grass and hard courts. Juan Martin Del Potro and David Ferrer are ultra-consistent if not quite good enough to win outright and they should be followed through the match betting until the quarter-finals. The same can also be said for top ten Spaniard and clay court specialist Nicolas Almagro, who made the last eight two years ago.

Almagro has shown glimpses of brilliance on the clay this year and he can equal his best performance at the championship.

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04/06/2012     © Frixo 2026