Roger Federer made noise in his first match at the French Open following three years of absence in the event, as he took apart his opponent in the second round. He’ll be facing yet another huge underdog in the second round, but will the legend be as dominant? Or will Oscar Otte make the legend work harder? Going into the event, the sportsbook lists Federer as the clear favorite, with -2500 odds to defeat his opponent. Read on for a preview of his match below.
For the first time in his career, Otte has managed to get past the first round of a Grand Slam event, when he defeated Malek Jaziri in the first round of the 2019 French Open, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-0. Otte, who got bounced out of the French Open last year in the first round, easily eliminated Jazir, save for a third-set hiccup. At the very least, that win gives Otte some semblance of much-needed confidence heading into a matchup with the greatest of them all in Federer. Otte’s a very long shot to take down Federer, but don’t expect him to come into the match looking for to get an autograph from the Swiss legend. He’ll take advantage of every lesson he can learn opposite the many-time Grand Slam champion. Otte needs to polish his service game, as he’s only won 13 percent of his first serves this year.
Betting on the Roger Federer (-2500)
Federer’s first match at Roland Garros in three years was a success, as he sent Italian Lorenzo Sonego packing his bag after a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win in the first round. If there were any concern about Federer’s health after he skipped the Italian Open, there are barely of it left following his demolition of Sonego. Federer recorded 30 winners and only had 13 unforced errors. He still has the ability to overpower a big underdog, and that could be the case again for him in the second round. In an interview with reporters following his first-round win, Federer said that he is feeling “100 percent,” a good sign for him, as he sets to punch a ticket to the third round in a showdown with Otte. Having warmed up and gotten the feel back of playing on clay at Roland Garros, expect a vintage performance again by Federer this coming Wednesday.
Writer’s Prediction
Federer wins in straight sets and advances into the nextRoland Garros round with authority.
