2013 French Open Odds, Free Picks and Predictions: Roland Garros Favorites and Sleepers

2013 French Open Odds, Free Picks and Predictions – Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers: The second major of the tennis season begins Sunday when the top players in the world head to Roland Garros for the 2013 French Open. Thanks to the tournament’s famous red clay surface, the French Open is arguably the trickiest of the four Grand Slam events. The clay has a major impact on the speed of the game and changes the way the balls bounce. As a result, many players must approach each match differently than they normally would and make adjustments to their styles. Not surprisingly, some of the best players of all-time have struggled with the unique surface, and some simply never master the clay.

Last season, Rafael Nadal had no issues handling the clay as he won the French Open for the third year in a row and the seventh time in his career. He was basically in control of things throughout the tournament, running his streak of consecutive matches won at Roland Garros to 21 following his victory in the finals. Speaking of the finals, Nadal faced his nemesis Novak Djokivic, but even the one player that has had his number was no match for Nadal on the clay as he dispatched “The Joker” in four sets.

The Favorite

While four players have separated themselves from the pack in men’s tennis, nobody is on the same level as Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros. He is the three-time defending winner of the French Open, and he has won the tournament seven times in eight years. Overall, he has a 52-1 record in matches at Roland Garros and has won 21 straight. Heck, we are talking about a player that rarely loses sets at the French Open, let alone matches. Nadal’s hard-nosed style and seemingly relentless ability to extend points are a perfect fit of the clay, and his 41 career titles on the surface to prove it. Throw in the fact that he has looked great since returning from a knee injury, and this tournament is Nadal’s to lose yet again.

The Dark Horses

He enters the French Open as the top-ranked player in the world, but a title at Roland Garros remains the lone Grand Slam missing from Novak Djokovic’s resume. Of course, he has been inching closer, reaching the semifinals for the third time in 2011 and reaching the championship match last year. However, the aforementioned Rafael Nadal handled him easily in the title match, and while Djokovic has had Nadal’s number on just about every surface, the red clay has remained an exception so far in large part because Djokovic’s punishing strokes from the baseline are somewhat neutralized by the slow speeds that the clay surface produces.

His 17 major title are the most in history, but the French Open is the only Grand Slam that Roger Federer hasn’t won multiple times. Granted, he has reached the championship match five times, but he has just a 1-4 record in those appearances with all four losses coming at the hands of Rafael Nadal. Aside from the fact that Federer never dominated on clay even in his prime, he recent decline is even more concerning. Yes, he won Wimbledon last year, but since the start of the 2010 season, he has reached the finals in just three of the 13 major tournaments and has been bounced before the semifinals four times during the stretch. Federer can never be counted out completely, but he is facing an uphill fight.

The Sleepers

While David Ferrer isn’t a clay specialist or anything, there is no denying that he has been playing his best tennis the past couple of years. He has reached at least the quarterfinals in five straight major tournaments, reaching the semifinals three times during the stretch. One of Ferrer’s appearances in the semis came in last year’s French Open, and while he has yet to proof he can consistently take down the elite players, he is quickly establishing himself as the best of the rest.

Bettors looking for serious longshot may want to consider Ernests Gulbis. Yes, the guy is basically an unknown and totally unproven, but he has been rocketing up the rankings thanks to strong play in 2013. More importantly, he has played well on clay surfaces and has pushed Rafael Nadal to the brink in two separate meetings. Since Gulbis has held his own with Nadal on clay, he at least has a puncher’s chance of making a surprise run in the French Open.