This article is part of our Tennis Picks series.
The two French Open men's semifinals will be played Friday. Both matches involve opponents with even head-to-head records and extensive experience in the latter stages of big tournaments, so we could be in for a day of close, high quality matches.
All Tennis Odds & Lines are taken from DraftKings Sportsbook, but you can sometimes find more favorable odds on some of these matches by checking mobile sportsbooks such as FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, or any of the other best sports betting sites. We offer exclusive sign-up bonuses for some of those sportsbooks in states where sports betting has gone live.
All men's singles matches at Grand Slams are best of five sets. A mix of players' previous clay court results, recent form and stylistic matchups can help pinpoint intriguing betting opportunities, both among favorites likely to cruise to victory and underdogs ready to pull off upsets.
French Open Odds: Alcaraz vs. Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz (-170) vs. Jannik Sinner (+140)
Novak Djokovic vs. Alcaraz has produced some all-time classics and Djokovic-Sinner has had its share of memorable moments as well, but for a substantial portion of tennis fans, Alcaraz-Sinner is the sport's most thrilling and anticipated matchup. Their overall head-to-head is 4-4, and the two young stars have split two meetings at Grand Slams. In his major win, Alcaraz saved a match point in the quarterfinals of the 2022 U.S. Open and went on to win his first Grand Slam title. The Spaniard also won their only meeting of 2024 in Miami, but Sinner triumphed in their only previous clay-court encounter in the final of Umag in 2022. Interestingly, that Umag title is still Sinner's lone career title on clay among his 13 overall, while seven of Alcaraz's 13 have come on clay. Alcaraz also leads in Grand Slam count 2-1, with Sinner finally breaking the seal at this year's Australian Open but both still searching for their first French Open title. Djokovic withdrawing prior to the quarterfinals has ensured that Sinner will become No. 1 for the first time in his career when the rankings update Monday, regardless of this match's outcome. Alcaraz became the youngest world No. 1 ever at 19 years, four months and six days following his 2022 US Open triumph, but he's currently ranked third.
With such an even head-to-head, the 22-year-old Sinner is the better value bet as the clear underdog against Alcaraz, who celebrated his 21st birthday a month ago. That being said, there are a few reasons Alcaraz is favored here. He's the far more accomplished player on clay, and Alcaraz's form has been more impressive so far in this tournament. Each player has dropped only one set en route to the semis but Alcaraz has navigated a far tougher draw, defeating three consecutive seeded opponents in straight sets, including a quarterfinal win over No. 9 seed and former French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas. Sinner didn't face a seeded opponent until the quarterfinals, when he beat No. 10 seed Grigor Dimitrov in the veteran Bulgarian's first career French Open quarterfinal appearance. Alcaraz's superior touch and speed translate better to the clay, but there should be no shortage of grueling baseline rallies in this match, and there just isn't much separating these two.
French Open prediction: Alcaraz def. Sinner 7-5, 6-2, 6-7, 4-6, 6-4
French Open Odds: Zverev vs. Ruud
Alexander Zverev (-125) vs. Casper Ruud (+100)
These players aren't strangers to deep Roland Garros runs, but neither has broken through for a Grand Slam title yet. Ruud is attempting to reach a third consecutive French Open final, while Zverev is hoping for a different outcome at this stage after losing in the semifinals each of the past three years. Their head-to-head is tied 2-2, including Ruud's convincing 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 win in the semifinals of last year's French Open. That was their most recent meeting and also the only time these two have played on clay. Ruud has the far better forehand, with speed of shot and RPM rates analogous to a right-handed version of clay court GOAT Rafael Nadal. Movement is about a wash, as Zverev covers the court beautifully for someone who is 6-foot-6. The backhand and serve comparisons are both firmly in Zverev's corner, and this match could come down to which player can better impose his will in baseline rallies with his stronger wing off the ground.
Zverev's 2024 French Open has been a redemption tour of sorts, and he has had the toughest path here of the four semifinalists. The No. 4 seed drew a brutal first-round match against the unseeded Nadal, but Zverev overcame that challenge in straight sets, avenging his 2022 semifinal loss in a match that was up for grabs when Zverev had to retire due to an ankle injury. Zverev has subsequently beaten three seeded opponents and navigated two five-setters, including a third-round win over Tallon Griekspoor, which Zverev took in a fifth-set tiebreak after being down a double break in the fifth. Considering Zverev has watched a few opportunities in big Grand Slam matches slip through his fingers down the stretch, the German was undoubtedly relieved to see the shoe on the other foot against Griekspoor. Ruud had a five-set second-round win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, but the No. 7 seed was the beneficiary of a walkover against Djokovic in the quarterfinals, so Zverev is the more battle-tested of these two combatants. Having already avenged his 2022 semifinal loss to Nadal, Zverev will have a chance to do the same for his 2023 defeat against Ruud, which notably came when Zverev was still less than 100 percent in his recovery from the 2022 ankle injury.
French Open prediction: Zverev def. Ruud 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6
