After a couple of profitable days at the start of the French Open, Andy Schooler returns with his best bets for Friday’s action at Roland Garros.
Tennis betting tips: French Open, Friday June 4
1pt first-set tie-break in Stefanos Tsitsipas v John Isner at 2/1 (Sky Bet)
1pt five sets in Fabio Fognini v Federico Delbonis at 11/4 (William Hill)
1pt over 32.5 games in Alex Zverev v Laslo Djere at 4/5 (William Hill)
Stefanos Tsitsipas v John Isner
Let’s cut to the chase.
Seven of the 11 sets these two have played have gone to a tie-break, including three of the five first sets.
In short, serve has dominated when this pair have met and it’s a pattern which I see continuing in Paris.
Admittedly, none of those previous matches has been played on clay but both men hit a seriously heavy serve and I’d still expect the returner to really struggle, even with the added factor of this match being scheduled in the night session when conditions will be slower.
Perhaps that explains why Sky Bet are prepared to boost the chance of a first-set tie-break from 2/1 to 5/2.
Isner has broken serve just once in those five previous meetings, Tsitsipas four times.
Both men have started well this week, with neither having lost a set so far. Isner hasn’t even lost his serve.
Both of the American’s matches have opened with a first-set tie-break, while one of Tsitsipas’ has.
Frankly I’m happy with either price.
Fabio Fognini v Federico Delbonis
Delbonis landed us a nice 9/2 winner on Wednesday and I’m backing an 11/4 shot in his match with Fognini in round three. The Argentine has been in good form in recent weeks and should present Fognini with his first real test at this year’s tournament. He certainly has troubled the Italian in the past.
The duo have met seven times and only one of those contests has been settled in straight sets. Three of six on clay have gone to a final set and I like that option here at 11/4.
As I mentioned the other day, Delbonis is prone to fluctuating mid-match levels, and the same can certainly be said of Fognini, a man who regularly finds the word mercurial next to his name. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see this one ebb and flow all the way to a decider.
I did consider overs in the total games markets but Fognini’s meltdowns can be pretty bad – 6-0 or 6-1 sets against him are too common for his, and on this occasion, my liking.
That could bring in Delbonis on the handicap but instead I’m going with the bigger price about a fifth set being played.
Alex Zverev v Laslo Djere
This is exactly the sort of match Zverev has struggled in time and again over the years at Roland Garros. Djere is no mug on clay – he’s already reached an ATP final on the surface this season – and can make things awkward for the sixth seed. Over 32.5 games looks a decent play at 4/5.
Zverev has been over this mark in both rounds so far despite having only faced qualifiers Oscar Otte and Romain Safiullin. The famous double faults have been back in evidence, 18 so far, including 10 in three sets against Safiullin on Wednesday.
Zverev has only won five of 20 Roland Garros matches in straight sets and if Djere nicks a set here he surely lands the bet. I think he’s more than capable.
Posted at 2200 BST on 03/06/2021
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