It’s been a wild start to the French Open with Naomi Osaka pulling out.
Our team preview the best games from both the men and women’s sides of the draw with a handful of Australians in action tonight.
Alex De Minaur vs. Stefano Travaglia
1st June 7:00pm
Alex Di Minaur has not had the fastest start in the world to his clay season in 2021 but he has played both Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem during that run.
The 22-year-old Australian now faces Stefano Travaglia, who he convincingly defeated on clay with a straight sets victory at the Paris Masters in 2020.
Despite losing to Gianluca Mager in the first round of the Italian Open last month, De Minaur should be able to account for the 29-year-old Italian given his speed and ability to cover the court.
De Minaur has a knack of starting his matches off quickly and that should put him on the front foot early.
Suggested Bets:
First set winner Alex De Minaur at $1.71
Alex De Minaur head to head at $1.58
Albert Ramos vs. Gael Monfils
1st June 8:00pm
14th seed Gael Monfils takes on spanish clay specialist Albert Ramos-Vinolas in what could very well be a long, epic five-setter.
Monfils leads the head to head record against Ramos-Vinolas with a 4-2 advantage but it is Ramos who will take the confidence heading into this game.
The 33-year-old Spaniard won the most recent encounter on clay against Monfils with a dominant 6-3, 6-1 drubbing at the 2019 ATP Rome Masters.
Monfils is clearly the more talented of the two players and has had the more successful career, but not sure he has capability to deliver on clay.
Looking towards a couple of set bets here.
Suggested Bet:
Albert Ramos-Vinolas 3-1 at $3.80
Albert Ramos-Vinolas 3-2 at $5
Salvatore Caruso vs. James Duckworth
1st June 8:00pm
Australian James Duckworth faces Salvatore Caruso in the first round of the French Open.
Caruso holds sway in the head to head having defeated Duckworth in the only match these two have played against each other.
The 28-year-old Italian recorded a four-set 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-2 over Duckworth at the US Open last year and is probably now more suited on the clay courts around Roland Garros.
However, Caruso has struggled on the clay this season as he comes into this game with a four-match losing streak.
This match is likely to chop and change momentum at any given time and the questionable form of Caruso might be what Duckworth needs to pull off the upset.
Caruso should have enough in the armoury, as he did in the US Open, to account for Duckworth but predicting this will be a slog.
Suggested Bet: Salvatore Caruso 3-2 at $6
Ashleigh Barty vs. Bernarda Pera
1st June 9:00pm
French Open number one seed Ashleigh Barty begins her French Open campaign against Bernarda Pera.
This is the first time both women will meet each other in a competitive capacity and it can sometimes can be fraught with danger leaning heavily towards a very short-priced favourite in these situations.
Barty has shown her brilliance on the clay yet again this season and is expected to add, or, at least, go close to adding to her French Open success of 2019.
Pera, however, presents a tricky round one match.
The 26-year-old Croatian may be ranked 70th in the world but her court coverage on the clay, combined with a lethal forehand might trouble our Australian hope.
Barty should be the victory but it might not be as easy as many think.
Suggested Bet: Total games over 19.5 at $2.16
