This article is part of our Tennis Picks series.
Both of the French Open women's semifinals are on the schedule Thursday. One match features two of the top three players in the rankings, but their head-to-head history implies a large disparity in their chances of winning. The other involves two players who have already reached new highs at the Grand Slam level but now have the opportunity to break through to a major final for the first time.
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 women's singles matches are best of three 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: Swiatek vs. Gauff
Iga Swiatek (-650) vs. Coco Gauff (+475)
Swiatek has absolutely owned this head-to-head, and the top seed's near-exit in the second round here seems to have settled her down. Since surviving a match point against Naomi Osaka, Swiatek has lost just eight games in three matches while logging a trio of 6-0 sets over that span. Both of these players have lost just one set all tournament, but Gauff's form heading into a match against Swiatek hasn't made the difference in the past. Swiatek has a dominant 10-1 edge against the 20-year-old American, including wins at each of the previous two French Opens and a victory on clay at the Italian Open less than a month ago. Remarkably, Gauff has actually prevailed the only time they went to a deciding set -- last August on a fast hard court in Cincinnati -- as all 10 of Swiatek's wins have come in straight sets.
The queen of clay is pushing for a fourth French Open title in five years, and it usually takes a big hitter to rob Swiatek of time in order to trouble her on any surface. That's hardest to do on clay, nor is Gauff's skill set conducive to executing such a strategy. Gauff can go backhand-to-backhand with anybody, but she has trouble dictating play off the forehand wing and usually relies on her phenomenal defense and speed to cover that gap. Unfortunately for Gauff, Swiatek is one of the few players capable of consistently penetrating Gauff's defense by staying on the front foot and employing controlled aggression to construct points. This matchup naturally produces long rallies, which help Swiatek find her rhythm and timing. Like a snowball rolling down a hill during a Polish winter, Swiatek just keeps picking up momentum, getting harder and harder to stop. For Gauff to have a realistic chance, she'll need to take more risk than usual and try to knock Swiatek off her game.
French Open prediction: Swiatek def. Gauff 6-3, 6-4
French Open Odds: Andreeva vs. Paolini
Mirra Andreeva (-140) vs. Jasmine Paolini (+115)
Andreeva was already a familiar name for tennis fans, but she's quickly turning into an outright superstar. This is her first Grand Slam since turning 17, and Andreeva's taking her game to the next level. She notched the biggest win of her young career in the quarterfinals, defeating world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4. Paolini's also coming off a career-best win in a Grand Slam, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 over fourth-ranked Elena Rybakina. Those were the first Grand Slam quarterfinal matches for both Andreeva and Paolini, who are now both in the semifinal stage for the first time. Paolini proved she can deliver in the later rounds of a big tournament by claiming her first career Masters 1000 title in Dubai in February.
This match will likely come down to which player can better handle the moment. Andreeva's youth will likely be an advantage in that regard, as she probably has numerous similar opportunities ahead of her. Paolini's already 28 and knows these chances don't come around often. The 38th-ranked Andreeva has a wonderful tennis mind coupled with terrific variety and ability to change the ball's direction, while the 15th-ranked Paolini's a relentless bulldog that can pummel the ball off the ground all day. Their only previous meeting came just over a month ago in Madrid, with Andreeva winning 7-6 (2), 6-4.
French Open prediction: Andreeva def. Paolini 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
