French Open Men’s Draw: Alcaraz Seeks First French Title

The French Open has publicized the 2024 men’s draw, and the BetMGM online sportsbook has updated its futures market to reflect the various paths through the bracket. 

With qualifying matches wrapping up and the main draw beginning Monday, it’s time to take a look at the odds and tournament pathways for some of the top competitors. 

French Open Men’s Odds 2024

French Open Men’s Draw: Carlos Alcaraz Is the Betting Favorite

For seasoned tennis bettors, it comes as no surprise that No. 3 seed Carlos Alcaraz will play the favorite in this tournament. The Spaniard has spent time recently as the world No. 1 and is the successor to Rafael Nadal’s mantle as the king of clay.

Still, it’s worth noting that Alcaraz has yet to climb the tallest mountain of clay season. That is, of course, Roland Garros. He’s won big clay tournaments in Madrid, Barcelona, and Rio de Janeiro since the beginning of 2022, but Paris has eluded him so far. 

Last year, he lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals 3-6, 7-5, 1-6, 1-6.

Alcaraz will be a popular pick to finally seize the French Open crown this year, but he’s been battling an arm injury this spring and hasn’t played competitively in nearly a month. 

Alcaraz is a rightful favorite, but there is certainly risk in buying Alcaraz at the top of the market. 

French Open Men’s Draw: Rafael Nadal’s Swan Song

Alcaraz isn’t the only notable player dealing with injuries. Nadal has spent most of the last two years dealing with various maladies. The 14-time French Open champion is currently ranked 276th in the world because he has only played 15 total matches since the beginning of 2023. 

As a result, Nadal must play his way through a much tougher draw than he’s used to at Roland Garros. The Spaniard, who turns 38 in just over a week, will open the first round of the main draw against No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev. 

Zverev is a steep -350 favorite to win. If he does, there’s a real chance it’s the last-ever match for Nadal at the French Open.

French Open Men’s Draw: Novak Djokovic Clings To No. 1 Seed

With Alcaraz and Nadal both on the mend, Djokovic has had a relatively easy time maintaining his world No. 1 status. But Djokovic hasn’t shown the week-to-week dominance one might expect when considering a bet on an all-time great ahead of a competitive major. He lost to Casper Ruud in the Monte-Carlo semifinals and Alejandro Tabilo in the third round of the Rome Masters.

The likely explanation for these results is boredom and nonchalance. When you’re Djokovic, who’s now won more slam titles than any other man in tennis history, it’s probably a bit harder to care about a more mid-sized tournament in Geneva. 

Still, Djokovic is aging, and clay has always been his weakest surface. If one of the young, hungry guys really has it going over the next two weeks, Djokovic can easily lose. 

French Open Men’s Draw: Jannik Sinner’s Quiet Positioning

Jannik Sinner might not be a household name like Djokovic or Nadal, but those who pay attention know the Italian is playing some of the best tennis of his career right now. He’s 28-3 in 2024 with tournament titles at Miami and Rotterdam.

Oh, and he won the Australian Open. 

Sinner has always played against type as an Italian who’s better on hardcourt, but he’s arguably the hottest player on tour this year. His +400 odds in the table are no accident, and he’s the No. 2 seed coming from the bottom of the draw. 

If Alcaraz suffers another early exit, Sinner could enjoy a very manageable walk to the final round. If they’re both healthy, the Alcaraz vs. Sinner semifinal duel could be epic – and Alcaraz has yet to show he can definitively own the moment in Paris.