talkSPORT betting tips – Best tennis bets and advice for French Open Monday

Monday is the second day of the 2024 French Open and 14-time champion Rafael Nadal is among the players in action at Roland Garros.

Nadal faces a tough first-round test against fourth seed Alexander Zverev while there are plenty of other intriguing contests in the men’s and women’s singles draws.

We have picked out a five-fold accumulator for Monday’s first-round matches.

French Open Tennis Tips

• Alexander Zverev to beat Rafael Nadal @ 1/4
• Roman Safiullin to beat Dusan Lajovic @ 7/5
• Botic van Zandschulp to beat Fabio Fognini @ 4/9
• Linda Noskova to beat Harriet Dart @ 1/12
• Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to beat Panna Udvardy @ 2/13
• Accumulator pays 22/5 if successful.

Get £30 in free bets with talkSPORT BET

French Open icon should expect no mercy from Zverev 

Roland Garros has been Rafael Nadal’s personal fiefdom for much of the 21st century but there is no room for sentiment in betting and the 14-time French Open champion should be opposed on Monday.

Injuries have restricted the Spaniard to just 11 matches since January 2023 and any rustiness from Rafa will surely be exploited by in-form opponent Alexander Zverev.

The German was a semi-finalist at Roland Garros in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and he warmed up for his latest French Open bid by winning this month’s Italian Open.

Wimbledon quarter-finalist can make his mark on clay

Roman Safiullin enjoyed an impressive run to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last summer and he is a nice price to upset first-round opponent Dusan Lajovic.

Safiullin clearly relishes the pressure of Grand Slam events and, while this is only his second appearance in the main draw at Roland Garros, he looks the type to go well on clay – a surface on which favourite Lajovic is not entirely comfortable.

Dutchman too solid for veteran Fognini

Fabio Fognini was a force to be reckoned with on clay in his prime, reaching the French Open quarter-finals in 2011 and starring for Italy in the Davis Cup.

However, at the age of 37, Fognini’s stay in Paris is likely to be brief and Dutchman Botic van Zandschulp should prove too strong despite his modest run of form this year.

Van Zandschulp has slipped down the rankings since hitting a career-high of 22 a couple of years ago but he won the first two sets in the previous French Open meeting between these players in 2022, when Fognini retired due to injury.  

Dart set to depart after clash with Czech youngster

Britain’s Harriet Dart requires a huge performance if she is to shock Linda Noskova on Monday. The 19-year-old Czech prospect looks a potential Grand Slam winner and she started the year in sensational style, knocking out world number one Iga Swiatek on her way to the Australian Open quarter-finals.

Dart has lost in French Open qualifying in three of the past four years and she was thumped 6-0 6-2 by Italy’s Martina Trevisan in the 2022 first round. 

Back experienced campaigner to clear first hurdle with ease 

Complete Monday’s acca by backing the experienced Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, a French Open runner-up in 2021, to outclass Hungary’s Panna Udvardy.

Pavlyuchenkova has fallen at the first hurdle in only two of her 15 singles appearances at Roland Garros and she breezed past first-round opponent Linda Fruhvirtova 6-2 6-2 on her way to the quarter-finals last year. 

Get £30 in free bets with talkSPORT BET

Odds correct at time of writing

18+ New customers only. Opt in via app & bet £10 on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 3x £10 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments & Apple Pay only. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• GamCare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org