French Open 2015: Dates, Draw Info, Latest Odds, Betting Tips and Predictions
The French Open 2015 threatens to be one of the most fascinating in recent memory, and the men’s singles competition, in particular, has the potential to crown a new champion at Roland Garros.
Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal’s form has seen the Spaniard’s world ranking drop to No. 7, and he will face his most difficult challenge yet to reach the final of a tournament that has long belonged to him.
In the women’s singles, Maria Sharapova is bidding for a third title in four years, and she comes into the second Grand Slam of the year on the back of winning the Italian Open.
Here are all the details you need for the French Open 2015, including dates, latest odds and predictions:
Date: Sunday, May 24, to Sunday, June 7 (for full schedule, see the official tournament website)
Draw: Friday, May 22 (10:30 a.m. BST)
Top Seeds (TBC): Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams
Format: 128 players, 7 rounds
| 1 | Novak Djokovic | 11/13 |
| 7 | Rafael Nadal | 10/3 |
| 3 | Andy Murray | 9/1 |
| 5 | Kei Nishikori | 20/1 |
| 2 | Roger Federer | 25/1 |
| 9 | Stanislas Wawrinka | 40/1 |
| 4 | Tomas Berdych | 50/1 |
| 8 | David Ferrer | 50/1 |
| 11 | Grigor Dimitrov | 100/1 |
| 14 | Gael Monfils | 100/1 |
| 1 | Serena Williams | 11/4 |
| 2 | Maria Sharapova | 5/1 |
| 3 | Simona Halep | 11/2 |
| 27 | Victoria Azarenka | 10/1 |
| 4 | Petra Kvitova | 12/1 |
| 8 | Carla Suarez Navarro | 25/1 |
| 5 | Caroline Wozniacki | 25/1 |
| 6 | Eugenie Bouchard | 33/1 |
| 21 | Garbine Muguruza | 40/1 |
| 11 | Angelique Kerber | 50/1 |
Odds correct as of 11 a.m. (BST) on Tuesday, May 19
Men’s Singles
Novak Djokovic is the favourite at 11/13, per Oddschecker.com, to win the French Open for the first time after enjoying a stellar 2015 so far. The Serb has already won the Australian Open, and he was victorious in both the Monte Carlo Masters and Rome Masters on clay.
He is the deserved favourite on form, but the big story heading into Roland Garros is the form of Nadal.
The Spaniard has failed to win in the European clay-court season, with his best effort coming when beaten in the final of the Madrid Masters by Andy Murray.
Nadal struggled with injury and illness in the second half of last year, and he knows he will be in for a battle at Roland Garros this year.
He said, per Kamakshi Tandon of Tennis Magazine: “I’m going to be ranked lower than ever playing Roland Garros, so that will mean the chance to play against very tough opponents.”
His likely seeding of No. 7, unless a foot injury forces Milos Raonic out of the tournament, per the ATP Tour’s official website, means Nadal may come up against Djokovic in the quarter-finals. However, the draw has the chance to be kind to him if he is in the same half as Roger Federer and, at 10/3 with Oddschecker, there is some value in Nadal given his imperious record at Roland Garros.
In contrast, all the value has gone out of Murray’s price following his wins on clay in Munich and Madrid, and he is now 9/1, per Oddschecker, to win. Murray has yet to reach the final of the French Open and was thrashed in the semis by Nadal last year.
But Annabel Croft, per Sky Sports, feels the Scot must be rated the second favourite:
"Beating Nadal in Madrid was a really big win mentally for him because he's always looked up to Nadal but he also knows Nadal is well, well beneath his best. Now he can always say he beat Nadal on clay and in my mind, he's the second favourite going into the French Open. If he meets Djokovic, I would have to pick Djokovic to come through because Djokovic has beaten Murray seven times in a row, so he has the edge over him. But if something happened to Djokovic along the way, I'd say Andy is next in line on current form.
"
Federer has one French Open title under his belt and has been a four-time runner-up to Nadal, but the way he was beaten by Djokovic in Rome makes it hard to fancy his chances.
Kei Nishikori has won in Barcelona for the last two years, and the 2014 U.S. Open finalist is a dangerous customer.
But it is impossible to get away from Djokovic as the likely winner of the French Open. If Nadal can avoid the Serb in the draw until the final, though, he has to be considered.
Prediction: Novak Djokovic
Women’s Singles
World No. 1 Serena Williams will go into the French Open as the favourite to win at 11/4, per Oddschecker, but the value lies elsewhere in the women’s draw.
Williams beat Sharapova in the final in 2013 and has ensured she will go into the tournament in the best shape possible after pulling out of the Italian Open, per the Associated Press, via The Guardian. Williams was eager to ensure she didn’t aggravate an elbow injury.
It will be interesting to see how Williams plays in the opening couple of rounds at Roland Garros, to note if there is any lasting damage. Seven matches on clay will be a test of the elbow injury.
Sharapova, who won in Paris in 2012 and 2014, heads into the tournament in good form after coming from a set down to beat Carla Suarez Navarro in the final of the Italian Open. Sharapova has been building up to peak at the French Open, and she looks the one to beat.
Simona Halep was beaten in the final last year, but few of the leading contenders in the women’s singles have experience of playing in the French Open showpiece.
Petra Kvitova is a two-time Wimbledon winner, but clay is not her best surface. The 25/1, per Oddschecker, on Suarez Navarro is a tempting each-way price given her run to the final of the Italian Open.
But it’s hard to look beyond Sharapova claiming her third French Open crown in four years and, at 5/1, per Oddschecker, she is much better value than the favourite, Williams.
Prediction: Maria Sharapova
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