French Open Predictions and Best Bets: The Ultimate Test of Claycourt Skills

• Defending champion Alcaraz a worthy favourite

• Gauff can capitalise on Swiatek dip

• Two first-round underdogs to consider

Grand Slam tennis returns in Paris on Sunday with the French Open getting under way at Roland Garros.

This is the ultimate test of claycourt skills and it’s no surprise to see Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning champion, leading the market ahead of world number one Jannik Sinner following his success in the warm-up events.

On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek has won four of the last five editions of this tournament but arrives here having suffered a dip in form. World number one Aryna Sabalanka and American star Coco Gauff will both look to capitalize.

French Open Men’s Singles Picks

Most Likely Winner – Carlos Alcaraz (+120 with bet365)

Proved he is the best claycourt player in the world with victory over world number one Jannik Sinner in the final of Rome recently. Also won the Monte Carlo Masters in the lead-up to this event with his only clay loss this season coming against Holger Rune in Barcelona, when he was struggling with an injury. Knows how to win here, having claimed the title 12 months ago. Does have the odd mid-match blip but the best-of-five-sets format gives him some leeway on that front. Answers the question of most likely winner, although how much value is left in his price is open to question.

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Contender – Lorenzo Musetti (+2500 at BetRivers)

Has been one of the best performers on clay this season, reaching the Monte Carlo final and the last four in both Madrid and Rome. Power seems to come easy to his groundstrokes, while there’s also the touch required on this surface in the Italian’s game. Will be remembered by some at Roland Garros for his two epic battles with Novak Djokovic, although those two five-setters also show the potential worry in backing Musetti. Both saw him fade in the latter stages and fatigue could derail the Italian if he’s sucked into lengthy matches.

However, he looks well drawn in the weak-looking third quarter so he’ll be aiming for a comfortable first week to set himself up for the big challenges at the business end.

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Outsider – Francisco Cerundolo (+7000 at FanDuel)

The Argentine has more claycourt wins than any other player on the ATP Tour in 2025 so should arrive in Paris with confidence pretty high. It’s taken good players to beat him at the recent Masters 1000 events on clay - Carlos Alcaraz in Monte Carlo, Casper Ruud in Madrid and Jannik Sinner in Rome. Perhaps that’s where Cerundolo is at on this surface - just below elite level.

Still, with a little bit of luck, he could contend. He’s already had some in the draw. He’s in the second quarter alongside Alex Zverev, whom he beat in Madrid, and Novak Djokovic, whose form remains a concern despite his run in Geneva this week. Certainly worth considering at a big price.

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Potential R1 Upset – Laslo Djere to Beat Alex de Minaur (+300 at bet365)

Djere looks an underdog with potential in the first round. He’s very much a claycourt specialist and has already won an ATP title this season in Santiago. He played well in Rome before running into eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, which is also what happened in Barcelona. With a bit of better luck, he could be arriving in Paris with more wins under his belt but, as it is, he may be coming in under the radar somewhat.

De Minaur has improved on clay but the fact is he holds a losing record (7-8) at Roland Garros and this looks an awkward opener for his campaign.

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French Open Women’s Singles Picks

Most likely winner – Aryna Sabalenka (+275 with BetMGM)

With Iga Swiatek in something of a funk - the winner of the last three French Opens has failed to win any of the major warm-up events for the first time since 2020 - Sabalenka is now top of most bookmakers’ markets. The world number one has shown much better form, winning the title in Madrid. She’s also been to the final in Stuttgart and last eight in Rome, losing to Jelena Ostapenko and Qinwen Zheng respectively.

There have also been other days when she’s clearly been below her best so she’s clearly not bombproof. She does, however, fit the bill as the most likely winner.

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Contender – Coco Gauff (+500 at BetMGM)

Gauff has been something of a ‘nearly girl’ at Roland Garros in recent years. The American finished runner-up in 2022 and has also made one other semi-final (2024) and two quarter-finals in the past four years. That consistency has been mirrored in her warm-up results - she’s made finals in both Madrid and Rome, beating the likes of Iga Swiatek, Qinwen Zheng and Mirra Andreeva along the way. Maybe she’ll just fall short again - she does have a tendency to throw in a bad service day, while the forehand can also go awry.

However, few fight harder than Gauff, who has won at this level before - at the 2023 US Open. Has landed in the weaker half of the draw so looks to have a strong chance.

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Outsider – Elise Mertens (+50000 at BetRivers)

The third quarter looks the weakest of the four. It’s led by Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva, both of whom have the ability to take it by the scruff of the neck, yet recent form suggests they may struggle to do so. Mertens may be able to take advantage. She’s long enjoyed the clay and while wins haven’t been in great supply on the surface this season, look deeper and you find reasons for that. Twice she’s run into world number one Aryna Sabalenka, while Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng also toppled her.

Mertens did win a set in two of those matches, while Pegula was among her victims in Rome. The pair could meet again in the last 16 here. The Belgian has been to that stage here before on three occasions and could give punters another run for their money.

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Potential R1 Upset – Belinda Bencic to Beat Elena Rybakina (+205 at FanDuel)

Bencic has been pretty impressive since returning to the WTA Tour as a mother. She won the title in Abu Dhabi earlier this season and has also made the last 16 of the Australian Open and the quarter-finals in Indian Wells. On clay, she beat two seeds en route to the last 16 in Madrid, albeit there has since been an injury scare.

That said, Rybakina is a player who rarely seems fully fit and she continues to underperform given her talent. Early losses in Madrid and Rome sent her to Strasbourg this week in a bid to find some form but that brings its own problems in the sense that she’ll be a late arrival in Paris and, potentially, not in tune with conditions. Bencic leads the head-to-head 2-1, including victory in Abu Dhabi this year, and looks a decent price for a repeat.

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How to Watch the 2025 French Open

• What: French Open tennis

• Location: Roland Garros, Paris, France

• Time: Sunday, May 25 to Sunday, June 8

• How to Watch: TNT, Max, and Tennis Channel