French Open Tennis Betting 2009
2009 French Open betting - Federer and Nadal Resume Hostilities
Roger Federer wins the French Open and becomes the best player in history.
The 2009 French Open - or Tournoi de Roland-Garros - is being held over two weeks between May 24th and June 7th in Paris, and provides free betting fans the opportunity to back the world’s current in-form tennis players from the outset of the season’s second major grand slam event.
The Tournament - sometimes simply known as Roland-Garros –takes its name from the French World War one pilot in whose honour the Tennis stadium is named – and of the four majors is often arguably referred to as the most physically demanding, due in part to its slow playing surface notoriously producing enduring rallies, which often result in – as many online betting forums will concur - men’s matches going to the wire; and five sets with no tiebreak in the final a common deciding factor.
French Open Men’s Singles Title Set To Epic
Clear early market favourite to lift the French Open Men’s Singles trophy is Nadal, who’s priced at 4-11 on average, with Federer considered his main challenger at 6-1. Novak Djokovic represents a good price for the online betting community at 10-1, whilst Andy Murray is well worth a punt at an exciting 14-1. Elsewhere and money might find favour with Davydenko (40-1), Nalbandian (40-1) and Tsonga (50-1).
With regards the recipient of the 2009 French Open Ladies Singles title and ante post odds see Anna Ivanovic installed as pre-tournament favourite at 9-4 to defend her trophy, with Serena Williams priced at 7-2. Jelena Jankovic is good value for money at 6-1, whilst Maria Sharapova is always worth a free bet flutter at the same odds. Meanwhile Elena Dementieva is found at 10-1 and Venus Williams is quoted at 16-1 for a tilt at the title.
the courts at Roland-Garros are a distinctive red clay (or “terre battue”), made from crushed and powdered wastes of red brick. This gives rise to the very peculiar French Open phenomenon of umpires getting out of their chairs to supposedly identify the exact mark made by the ball bounce on the court, as well as players habitually hitting the soles of their shoes to clear the treads of clay dust and the courts being swept between sets and occasionally sprayed with water between matches.
Big Servers Favoured On Clay Courts At Roland-Garros
This playing surface in effect generates a higher ball bounce and slows down the ball to a much greater extent than what might be expected on a grass or hard court and the ability to slide into a ball during the stroke can be difficult for players to master; thus reducing the advantages of big, fast serves and meaning that serve based players find it hard to dominate on this surface where consistent baseliners can thrive. In the men’s game Pete Sampras, known for his massive serve, never won the French Open, nor did serve and volley players such as John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker. More telling is Roger Federer’s omission from the roll call of French Open Men’s Singles honours, who as the former World Number One, has won all three of the other Grand Slam Titles yet never at Roland Garros.
Players whose game is more suited, or adaptable to a slower playing surface have found success at the French, such as Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Andre Agassi and of course most recently, Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard was at one time widely seen as a clay court specialist, taking the French title in four consecutive years, but has since proved himself adaptable enough to take the World Number One spot away from Federer. Chris Evert holds the record for the most consecutive wins on clay, for either sex, at 125 matches, although ‘King of Clay’ Nadal may one day surpass this.
In the women’s game Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and the vocal Monica Seles have all enjoyed success in France. More recently Justine Henin won four times before retiring from the game and last year Anna Ivanovic beat Dinara Safina in the final, with fans keen to see if she can collect back to back French Open titles this year.
Nadal Favourite for French Open Men’s Singles Titles
Rafael Nadal is a clear favorite to take his collection of French Open titles to five, however many will hope for a resumption of the now traditional (and somewhat predictable) Nadal - Federer final position posturing. Of course Djokovic has considerable experience on clay and could be there or thereabouts, whilst Andy Murray has expressed a liking for the surface and his much improved fitness may now be at the level needed for an extended run on the red stuff. And of course there is usually a surprise contender, a clay and baseline specialist ready to hit form and reward the canny better.