French Open Betting

Roland Garros has always been more about Rene Lacoste than Fred Perry. It is the bastion of machismo in tennis. Achingly slow courts mean brutally long matches under the Parisian sun; little wonder those seeking success from their French Open bets often look to see who will be last man, or woman standing.

But French Open betting should not always be about the predictions of routine, as events in 2010 proved. While Rafa Nadal, surely the greatest clay court player of all time, took yet another men’s title, the tournament predictions were far from uniform.

Who, for example, would have placed even a free bet on the Italian Francesca Schiavone winning the women’s crown this year? But then, the French have always gone their own way.

And before the Italian’s win, which would have provided any punter brave enough to place a French Open bet on her success with a handsome reward, there have been other notable and welcome successes.

Svetlana Kuznetzova, Ana Ivanovic, Anastasia Myskina, and even Jennifer Capriati have triumphed in the past 10 years, and although there have been spells of dominance from individual players, it’s safe to assume you can expect the unexpected when it comes to tennis betting, espcially French Open betting.

UK-based internet punters, especially those with free bets to use, will seldom look beyond the incredible Spaniard Nadal for their winner of the men’s tournament, a solid bet given the wiry left-hander has provided a safe haven for those who are betting on French Open success for the man from Majorca.

The 24-year-old has 40 career titles, and five French Open wins, and as is much a sure thing when it comes to French Open bets as there can be.

But tennis betting is far from predictable, and any online bookmaker will always be prepared to serve those looking for an slice of the unlikely or unusual when it comes to French Open betting odds.

How about the youngest winners? In the men’s event is was the American Michael Chang at the age of only 17, and in the women’s version, anyone considering betting on French Open success at the age of only 16 for Monica Seles would have been richly rewarded.

Step away from the main sections of the tournament when you are looking to place your French Open bet and the doubles competitions offer encouragement.

The Williams sisters Venus and Serena won the women’s doubles title in 2010, but those scouring the odds at their online bookmakers would have been well rewarded had their bet been on French success for Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic in the men’s doubles competition.

Tennis betting, especially at Roland Garros, offers a reward for the courageous predictor of outcomes who will bet on French Open success for Andy Murray. Britain’s best does not normally flourish on clay, preferring the faster surfaces on offer at the US and Australian Opens, while often flattering to deceive at Wimbledon.

It follows that for punters mulling over future French Open betting strategies, backing Nadal to win seems the best tactic for now.