French Open men's singles preview, analysis, predictions & free tennis tips

Tennis analysis, predictions, tips and best bets for the French Open men's singles, which starts at Roland Garros in Paris on Sunday morning.

When to watch

ITV4 & Eurosport, from 10am Sunday

Best bets

Andy Murray to reach final
1pt 250-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

Andy Murray to win third quarter
1pt 100-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

Fabio Fognini to win title
0.5pt 375-1 Sky Bet

Fabio Fognini to reach final
0.5pt 200-1 bet365

Men's outright preview

It's 35-1 bar three in this year's French Open men's singles and there's little doubt that top seeds Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are once again the pair to beat at Roland Garros.

Dominic Thiem is the other player in single figures following his maiden Grand Slam title triumph in the US Open. The Austrian's best surface is still thought to be clay, so given the fact that Nadal and Djokovic are unlikely to be getting better aged 34 and 33 respectively, it's no surprise that Thiem is deemed to be the one likeliest to assume dominance on the slow courts.

Nadal is odds-against to be crowned king of clay for the 13th time and if he gets it right, he's still the likeliest victor. But his only competitive tennis in recent months was in Rome and he struggled terribly with his serve against Diego Schwartzman.

If anyone can put things right, it's Nadal and it's probably wise to give the Spaniard the benefit of the doubt because he, more than anyone, knows what is right and wrong with his game. In the past, he has corrected failings successfully, but in this most unusual of years there's a shorter turnaround.

Nadal and his coach Carlos Moya have been hard at it in Paris trying to right wrongs. But while the Majorcan may well improve on his Italian trip, perhaps only the most devoted Nadal fans will be truly confident he can go to the well once more.

Doubts over Nadal could point some in the direction of Djokovic, who looks to have an easier early draw, and Thiem but another couple of experienced performers make greater appeal at the available prices.

Andy Murray was advised as value for the US Open after some encouraging displays on his return from lockdown, but the Briton was taken apart by Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last 64 in New York.

Murray maintains he has seldom felt more at ease on court, though, and it could pay to heed his words. He has never won the French Open but made the final just four years ago and he will step on to the Parisian clay a forgotten man.

Thiem will be all the rage to win the third quarter of the draw, but let's not forget Murray, who opens with a potential thriller against good friend Stan Wawrinka, was the fourth member of the legendary Big Four, not the Austrian. The Scot is 250-1 to reach the final and that looks generous, as does the 100-1 about him making the semi-finals.

The player who could potentially be the biggest danger to Nadal in the fourth quarter is seasoned Italian Fabio Fognini. At his best, the 14th seed is good enough to be crowned French Open champion, but many of his finest displays have been for his country in the Davis Cup.

But with doubts about Nadal being ready to win again, the chance can definitely be taken on Fognini. He could have a tough second-round test against promising Pedro Martinez, but his vast experience should see him past the Spaniard.

Fognini is 375-1 to go all the way in Paris and 200-1 to reach the final and such prices are too big to ignore given his innate talent and expertise on slow courts.

Not got a bet365 account? Sign up today and get up to £100 in bet credits.

Up to £100 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365. Min deposit £5. Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.

CLAIM OFFER HERE

MORE FREE BETS

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport