Krejcikova v Pavlyuchenkova predictions & tennis tips for French Open final

Free tennis tips, best bets and analysis for the French Open women's singles final at Roland Garros, Paris on Saturday afternoon.

Where to watch

ITV4 & Eurosport 1, from 1.30pm, Saturday

Best bets

Barbora Krejcikova to beat Anastasia Pavyluchenkova
1pt 5-6 bet365

Over 20.5 games
1pt 8-11 Betfred

Women's French Open final preview

It will be a fairy-tale victory for whoever wins Saturday afternoon's French Open women's singles final between Barbora Krejcikova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova but one thing is certain – the bookmakers will have loved it.

There was not much to split the maiden Grand Slam finalists in the early outright shows – Krejcikova was 200-1 and Pavlyuchenkova was 250-1 – and there wasn't much to split them on Betfair's exchange too, with both having been matched at a high of 450 for anything other than pennies.

Pavlyuchenkova, the 29-year-old 31st seed, has broken a record to get this far. Contesting her 52nd major, the Russian, who enjoyed a hugely successful junior career, is the first woman to play more than 50 Grand Slam tournaments before making the final of one.

Former doubles world number one Krejcikova was mentored and coached by Jana Novotna from 2014 until the 1998 Wimbledon champion's untimely death from cancer in late 2017.

Unseeded Czech 25-year-old Krejcikova, who believes that mentally the time is right for her to succeed, is on course to become the first woman to take the singles and doubles titles at Roland Garros since Mary Pierce in 2000.

Krejcikova was calm under pressure when saving a match point against her and digging deep to defeat Maria Sakkari, quarter-final conqueror of last year's winner Iga Swiatek, 7-5 4-6 9-7 in the last four. Brno ace Krejcikova, who also posted straight-sets wins over Ekaterina Alexandrova, Elina Svitolina, Sloane Stephens and Cori Gauff on her run to the final, was excellent at the net against Sakkari and won 13 of 17 points approaching the centre of the court.

Pavlyuchenkova looked composed in her 7-5 6-3 semi-final triumph over 1,000-1 shot Tamara Zidansek. Her second serve was considerably better than Zidansek's – 54 per cent compared to just 28 per cent – and the Samara native also converted six of ten break points against the Slovene.

Pavlyuchenkova has also been in great form in the last fortnight, seeing off Ajla Tomljanovic, Aryna Sabalenka, Victoria Azarenka and Elena Rybakina on the way to advancing to the title match.

She could be tough to beat, but Pavlyuchenkova's stats in her semi-final outing were more conservative than in earlier rounds and it's just possible the Russian may be tightening up as the finishing line draws nearer.

Krejcikova, who is close to her prime, doesn't look as if tightening up is part of the equation, and that could go a long way to her edging favouritism against Pavlyuchenkova.

That said, both players look to be performing well enough to respond to, say, the loss of the opening set, so there may also be value in a punt on over 20.5 games being contested.

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