Rafael Nadal has won the French Open nine times over the last 11 years. The King of Clay will try to lock up a 10th French Open title this year at Roland Garros in Paris, France.
French Open 2016 odds: Nadal trails just favorite Djokovic on tournament betting lines
Rafael Nadal looks to hold off a field including Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in the French Open at Roland Garros starting this week.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Nadal entered the tournament as the second favorite on the odds to win the French Open at +350 at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. The Spanish veteran has looked healthy early in 2016 with wins in the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and in the Barcelona Open, both played on clay surfaces.
Nadal has won nine singles titles since the start of the 2014 season, and seven of those nine titles were won on clay, including the 2014 French Open.
Novak Djokovic (-125 to win the French Open) is the undisputed No. 1 player in the world today, but the French Open is the one grand slam title that has eluded him. Djokovic won a career-high 11 singles titles in 2015, and looks to be on pace to match or break that total in 2016 with five tournament wins already -- including a major win in the Australian Open and a clay win in the Madrid Open.
The world’s top player has won four of tennis’ last five major events, with the 2015 French Open being the only thing stopping him from the calendar grand slam last season.
Andy Murray’s one singles title win this season came in Rome when Murray defeated Djokovic on clay. Over the last 52 weeks, no player in the world has had a higher winning percentage in clay court matches than Murray, who is 18-3 in his last 21 games on the surface.
With the back problems that used to plague him a thing of the past, Murray could provide some betting value at +400 on the French Open betting lines.
Roger Federer will not participate in the tournament due to injury. Rounding out the contenders to win the French Open are Stan Wawrinka (+1600), Kei Nishikori (+2200), Dominic Thiem (+2800), Gael Monfils (+4000), Juan Martin del Potro (+5000) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (+5000) and Tomas Berdych (+5000).
Wawrinka is the defending champion in this event after winning the French Open in 2015.
