It’s been quite a while since we last had a Grand Slam tournament in the ATP, but that’s about to change this Sunday when we kick-off the festivities in wonderful Roland Garros for the 2016 French Open.
This year, we’ve seen the world’s best tennis player in Novak Djokovic dominate the ATP Tour with blazing fury. However, will he finally have enough to hoist the Coupe des Mousquetaires for the first time in his career? Let’s find out where Djokovic stands amongst the rest of the field below, as well as several other names worth considering for your top-flight tennis betting action this weekend.
For even more coverage on all the drama set to take place in beautiful Paris, check out our picks for several other sleepers and long shots at the French Open right after this.
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Novak Djokovic
Was there any doubt that we weren’t going to put Novak Djokovic on our list of favorites to win the French Open? Even the oddsmakers agree whole-heartedly, pegging him at -130 to win the one Grand Slam event that has eluded his dazzling career.
His most recent defeat aside, there has been little to no resistance from the rest of the ATP at attempting to slow down the sensational Serb this 2016. Three-straight trips to the final round at Roland Garros simply won’t cut it anymore, and Djoker appears poised to win the only Grand Slam left on his checklist at last.
Rafael Nadal
The reason as for why Djokovic has never won at Roland Garros is mainly because of the world’s fifth-best tennis player, Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard has won nine of the past 11 French Open titles, with Djokovic on the losing end in the final round of his victories from 2012 and 2014.
Nadal had to battle injuries for most of last year, but he has bounced back nicely and now has a terrific 27-8 record this season along with two titles that were both won just this past April.
Throw in the fact that the 29-year-old lefty has 363 lifetime wins and a mind-boggling 91.4-percent winning percentage on clay, and it stands to good reason as for why Nadal is respectfully priced at +275 in bagging his 10th-career victory a Roland Garros this month.
Sleeper
Stan Wawrinka
As the reigning French Open champion, Stan Wawrinka (+900) deserves more than just a sleeper status in our books. Then again, his form this season has been rather shaky. After winning two quick titles in the first two months of the year, the 31-year-old product out of Switzerland has not seen the semifinal round in all five of his succeeding tournaments since.
Still, Wawrinka is the type of tennis player that brings his A-game come the ATP’s grandest spectacles. Two Grand Slam titles and seven quarterfinal appearances over the last nine Grand Slams is still a spectacular feat, thus leaving you hard-pressed to refute the possibility of Wawrinka successfully defending his Roland Garros crown.
Long Shot
Marin Cilic
Being a former US Open champ, Goran Ivanisevic-trained Marin Cilic draws some attention as a possible dark horse in Paris.
However, Roland Garros has not been kind to the Croatian’s career, as Cilic has not advanced past the fourth round of the French Open in all nine of his previous appearances. Even this season has been a total downer for the 27-year-old righty, going only as deep as the final round in Marseille as his best outing for the season, and only to lose that event to World No. 41 Nick Kyrgios.
Right now, Cilic is priced at a daunting +7,500 to win this year’s French Open. Given his current shape and lackluster history at Roland Garros, it would be best for you to avoid him at all costs and side with one of the more worthy contenders we’ve covered above instead.
Writer’s Prediction
Djokovic (-130) wins his first-ever French Open title.
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