2016 French Open betting guide – can anyone stop Novak Djokovic?

2016 French Open of Tennis, Roland Garros, France, May 22 to June 5

WHETHER he wins or not is almost irrelevant – all the competitive beast that is Novak Djokovic has to do in this year’s French Open is reach the quarter finals and he will become the first tennis player in history to break the $100 million US mark in tournament winnings.

And that is almost a fait accompli, with the Serbian superstar having reached the final four in each of the past six French Open tournaments, dating back to 2010.

It is a remarkable statistic that only adds to the legend that is Djokovic and provides even more backing that, if he isn’t already, he will retire as the greatest male tennis player to every set foot on a court.

The best of the best will be mixing it with the Djoker, kicking up dust on the clay courts of storied Roland Garros when the French Open kicks off of May 22.

He will be the number one seed for the fifth time in the past six years, but could end up facing nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal as early as quarter finals, in what would deprive followers of a potential dream final match-up. The Spaniard fell outside the top four, but recent form has him fit and firing and ready to make noise.

The top chances – men

Novak Djokovic ($1.80 with CrownBet.com.au)

Need we say much more? On the hunt for a 20th visit to a grand slam final, Djokovic has remarkably never won a French Open final. He’s made it to the final two three times, only to be bundled out at the final hurdle. But, with the Australian Open in 2016 already in the bag, if the Djoker wants to to truly be remembered as the best of all time, he needs at least one French Open. Were he to win, it would give him a rails run to a grand slam of grand slams in 2016 and a pathway to tennis immortality.

OUR PICK: Rafael Nadal ($4)

Arguably still the best clay court tennis player walking, the Spaniard owns a record nine French Open titles. But, after a wretched run of injury and poor form over the past two years, he had faded from the limelight. Now fit and firing, Nadal looms as Djokovic’s kryptonite in this tournament and, if he gets going – which we think he will – he will be unstoppable. A genuine clay court pro. Consider this man heavily.

Andy Murray ($6)

The Scot managed to beat Djokovic as recently as last week in the final at the Rome Masters and, were the Djoker not on this planet, this guy would probably have no tennis peer. Unfortunately, he is too often the bridesmaid and, while he is a sublime tennis player, it’s harder to see him taking out the title on clay. Watch out for him at Wimbledon in a couple of months, though.

Stan Wawrinka ($11)

The mighty Swiss has already sent Djokovic packing in the French open last year to claim the title and we love the double figure odds about him to repeat the dose in 2016. Big, powerful and tends to play the clay courts as good as anyone, he is a legitimate chance in this tournament and not to be ignored.

Our men’s roughy

Nick Kyrgios ($41 with CrownBet.com.au)

Could he do the unthinkable? Only a kid, Kyrgios’ considerable talent is sometimes overshadowed by his lack of maturity. But strong recent grand slam showings and getting his grips on his first career ATP tour title earlier this year might point to a shift in the way things go. If his head is right, he is a chance in this one, at monster odds.

The top chances – women

OUR PICK: Serena Williams ($3.25 @ Sportsbet.com.au)

Undoubtedly the finest women’s tennis player in history, Williams has traded the past four French Open titles with Maria Sharapova. With the stunning Russian off the circuit thanks to a drug suspension, it appears Williams already has one hand on back to back titles and a fourth French crown. Hard to see any one knocking her off, but stranger things have happened.

Victoria Azarenka ($6)

Will she play? That’s the big question surrounding Azarenka after she pulled out of the quarter finals of the Madrid Open due to a back complaint. On her day, the Belarusian is as good as any female tennis player not named Serena Williams and, if she is passed fit, will be a heavy challenger for this title

Simona Halep ($7)

The 2014 finalist will be looking to go one better in 2016 and is probably the chief competitor to Williams. Halep had looked any thing but the player she had been over the past two years to start this season, but her game seems to be coming good at the right time, with a recent win at the Madrid Open.

Garbine Muguruza ($11)

The Spaniard reckons clay courts are “my territory”, but we’d beg to differ, considering her best runs have come on grass and hard courts. We reckon Muguruza’s power game is not quite suited to the slowness of clay and suggest you look elsewhere.

Our women’s roughy

Ana Ivanovic ($41)

The Serbian holds the 2008 French Open crown and, while she is probably not the player now she was back then. She is in a serious form slump, having lost five of her last 10 matches, but maybe this tournament is what she needs to snap out of her funk. She is clearly capable on the clay and, at $41, you could do worse

French open winners markets

Men

Novak Djokovic ($1.80)

Rafael Nadal ($4)

Andy Murray ($6)

Stan Wawrinka ($11)

Kei Nishikori ($21)

Roger Federer ($21)

Dominic Thiem ($41)

Gael Monfils ($41)

Nick Kyrgios ($41)

David Ferrer ($51)

Tomas Berdych ($51)

Milos Raonic ($51)

Odds provided by CrownBet.com.au

Women

Serena Williams ($3.25)

Victoria Azarenka ($6)

Simona Halep ($7)

Garbine Muguruza ($11)

Angelique Kerber ($15)

Petra Kvitova ($19)

Timea Bacsinzky ($34)

Belinda Bencic ($34)

Lucie Safarova ($34)

Carla Suarez Navarro ($34)

Agnieszka Radwanska ($41)

Ana Ivanovic ($41)

Sloane Stephens ($41)

Madison Keys ($51)

Eugenie Bouchard ($51)

Ekaterina Makarova ($51)

Odds provided by WilliamHill.com.au