The world's best are here
at the red clay, courts of Paris, the doll. And Jo
capitulate doesn't get any better than that.
Hey, welcome. The French Open is upon is upon us at long last
and Kenny Ducey and I are here to break down the draw. Give
you our initial reactions on how to bet the French Open.
And Kenny. Of course, we represent NBC Sports Edge and
the French Open is one of the best.
One of the best tournaments in all of sports throughout
the year. Incredible historic history here and
you know, we haven't even had
Match of tennis played and we already have drama. The draw
was unbelievable. If you haven't already seen it
and in general the draw doesn't usually move the market as much
as we have seen today on the men's side of the tournament.
Kenny, as you were watching the draw live, where they're
audible gasps. When you saw
the who ended up Landing in the first quarter of the straw. And
I guess just broadly where they're a couple of players
that you thought were generally winners or losers in terms of
winning a championship Equity.
Yeah, the actual jaw itself wasn't very
Riveting. Just seeing them take those little things that they
move out. I don't even know what to call them. It's like,
it's almost looks like a key chain that they take out and
then flips, open these numbers key fob. Yeah. It did was like
a fob.
It's so that wasn't really that. I don't think I gasped.
I was just trying to figure out what was happening, but I will
say, yeah, I mean, I think everyone was in shock on one,
half of the draw. We have Novak Djokovic, Carlos.
Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal Alexander's. Very have some
very hard hitters and in the same quarter as well. We have
the On joke, b****, but look man. I mean,
I think, you know, we've go so many different places
with this breakdown. I mean, obviously there's a clear
winner here and it's everyone that's not on that half and
probably Stefano since he passed the biggest one because
Medvedev ain't making it out of that quarter. I don't think.
But yeah, I mean, I think I was just shocked to see the road
for it at all.
You know, I think that there are going to be some
potentially devastating matches on his body. Coming up, you
know, whether it's, you know, even even round 2 root X was
beaten for drink. Go before
in that in that and you know, environment like the crowd
probably going to be going crazy for moot at, although.
They do love note Rafa there. Right?
Maybe he takes a set there. Maybe that goes for and then
all the sudden he's got to play as that old Nemesis Fabio.
Fognini. You've got FAA and took to PO maybe in the draw
like Diego and or Novak, you know, obviously no back.
Probably the favorite to come out of
there. But like if he even gets to the quarter-final against
Djokovic, it's gonna be
he could be tired and I think Djokovic. Probably is the one
that's favored in that match weirdly enough. I just we
talked all all week
for box. Couple weeks Drew
about Rafa's body and whether or not it's going to hold up here.
I mean what if he just withdraw a see
this draw but if he's like, I can't do this man. I'm out.
All right, it's not it's a nonzero chance. I mean he loves
playing here. I think he would love to kind of give the fans
at least a couple of matches of entertain it but without
question, The Biggest Loser
on the draw was not Rafa Nadal and you called it. Biggest
winner was Stefan. Assistant boss, the other big winner, as
you mentioned because we have such a top-heavy draw,
you know. Any other younger guy on the bottom. Blue has never
made a grand slam. Final has the the doors is right there.
It's right open for you. We haven't seen the best of sister
pasta this year. Somebody could potentially storm through that
door. Make their first. Yeah, Grand Slam final. Doesn't it
weird, by the way that we say that
because he hasn't had a great year. You almost lost a giri.
Let's cut at a Rotterdam. But this guy has the most wins on
tour right now. We should mention like, it's he's Sign of
confusing, but he still managed to win. And in that way. I feel
like he's almost like Novak,
you know, because I feel like Novak never wins. Pretty
rarely does anyway,
but at the end of the year, you looking, I got this guy is
an insane. Referee really loses City. Pastas done, a very good
job winning matches this year. So, I don't know. I mean it,
I think that he probably has to be the favorite to come out of
this entire half of the bracket now throw. Yeah. Yeah, I'll be
at the top of
that market for sure, but just in general, the door is wide
open. Let's look at the bracket and a little bit more detail.
And let's start with the first quarter as mentioned top seed,
Novak Djokovic did not get the benefit of the soft draw by any
stretch of the imagination,
you know, his first couple matches should be imminently
winnable, but then he is going to have to face a couple of
tough test, notably potential head-to-head clash in
the quarter-final
with Rafa Nadal. As you know, the tennis Gods want it I want
it. I'll put I'll fill my bracket out. That way. I have
Djokovic and Nadal meeting head-to-head in that quarter
final but with the damaged and all
throughout this season and really through this tournament,
I would expect Novak to come out of the first quarter. Are
you there? Know where to punch his ticket to the semifinals or
do you think there's an upset here to be had?
Now? I am, I think Djokovic comes out of this one pretty
pretty easily. Frankly, it look, I think any other year
you'd thrown a doll and Sharpie in the quarter-final of this
draw, but look, I mean, Jordan Thompson, he'll beat him like
12 and 2
and then all the sudden it's going to get tricky. As I said,
like I have him actually going out to fit any. I just think
that match is going to be a long life and he's obviously
beat him four times three times on Clay, beat him at Monte
Carlo, couple years ago. Go or 23 years ago. Now,
it's going to be a very tough match for him physically. And
I just think that could be the match if they go to a fifth
set. His foot could give out or shrimp. Is you got two chances
really with Rafa.
But I mean, even if he makes it out of that match, I mean
FAA has been playing some great tennis on the clay
to be obviously had a great start to the season. He's very
talented one of those guys could push him as well. I just
think, I don't even know if he gets there the quarter but
even if you make them,
you know, the favorite all the way there. I still think
Djokovic comes out of this course, I With you,
okay. Well, I would be something if the 13-time
champion didn't make to the second week of the French Open,
but crazier, things have happened. So we will see. As we
look at the second quarter
in a lot of ways, this kind of feels like a quarter of death,
for lack of a better
word. I feel like everybody that had a puncher's chance
that had a realistic. Hope of making a mark in this
tournament. That wasn't a top-line named kind of landed
here and a lot of those players. Very of is going to
have to have play Early in this tournament, is very of, of
course.
Looking for his first ever Grand Slam. He was the second
choice at the Australian. Open under cheap there. He's just
a perennial slam underachiever. And he had now potentially
draws by as in the second round,
davidovich for Kenan the third round, both very tough outs.
Taylor Fritz your Indian, Wells Champion, potentially in
the fourth round. And then the almighty Carlos, Al Perez, who
is your effectively, your Co favorite for this tournament
and obviously the heavy chalk to come out of round of
Q2. I don't see anyone in this. Order stopping alcaraz, his
game is too sharp right now. He may have a couple of bumps in
the road as he kind of
figures out best-of-five tennis, but this looks like
alcaraz this quarter to lose. Do you agree? Yeah. Absolutely.
I there has been really up and down all year.
You know, you Matt, I think you called him as I think that was
the person who called a slam under it cheaper. I mean, you
also to hit the nail on the head with like, the young guys
trying to make an impact. Like you talk about a guy tellin
grief sport, who's got a lot of talent as finally starting to
win again.
Now, he's got to play ADF in the first shot. I actually
think Reese Sports gonna win that match and then Baez is.
I mean, he's he plays some very lethal Tennessee at a tough
loss,
you know, this week to Camp Nori, but I think he could
maybe beats thereof and the in a second round there. And if
you want to look for a winner in this drawer, I bought Taylor
Fritz. I feel like he walks to the fourth round, very easily.
And then hey, if he faces very up there. He's beaton's there.
If you just talked about Indian Wells, he beat him at Indian
Wells, you know, last October. So
I mean, he's not like known as a big clay-court guy, but he's
Really improved. He has a game that can play there.
He could be looking at a quarter final Burke, just by
the simple fact that I think he gets to the fourth round very
easily. And then maybe he's left to pick the bones of
zverev or or maybe one of the upstart youngsters that upsets
him. So I
think this quarter could be very interesting but I still
would agree. Alcaraz is to lose. Okay. So we agree that in
Djokovic. Alcaraz is our semifinal and honestly, this
would be a rematch of the best tennis match. We
saw all year and Lionel
the best clay tennis match. We saw a year in Madrid
in the semifinals. There, who's your pick for that?
Head-to-head? I'd go Novak. He probably would have won that
match against Carlos
in Madrid. If it weren't for the black of matches, I think
now he's got to the fitness underneath them. So I would
probably go with Novak
pot best-of-five. We just still haven't seen Carlos prove
himself and best-of-five Tennis. We don't know if he has
the fitness. He almost lost it. Peter K object at the US Open.
He was so tired and had to pull out against Felix and then he
lost a team this year. Like
what how are you reading him
in best-of-five conditions because I feel like
That scenario Novak's gotta be the favorite here and
got to be your pick, your big fatigue guy. I know that about
you. Yeah, I know. And I think realistically, this is Djokovic
in five.
I think it's going to be a war
and you know as you mentioned if it is as physical and as
challenging as we were saying the winner of this is going to
have to have a quick recovery for the final. Let's look at
the bottom of the draw here. Starting with the third
quarter.
This is effectively. The Sisyphus quarter says Apostle,
of course is last year's semi last year's final final.
Runner-up,
and, of course, blue,
what looked to be a very winnable match against Djokovic,
but that's what happens when you're trying to win your first
slam for my, for my taste. I thought he was in better form
last year than what we've seen from this year. But, you know,
potentially, last year had peaked too early. You may be
coming into
the peak of his form this year. So he should not be looked past
other than sister passed in this quarter. This is pretty
weak stuff here.
You know, I would say Casper. Rude, looks to be your second
best player in this quarter. He is of course, the Seeded player
in this quarter at the top of the draw. And this does look
pretty chalky. To me that we are ultimately going
to see system. Pause
take take on all of these Challengers and
honestly, some of the other seeded players could lose early
here. I would not Shock me, but I think it's just a possible
route. Is your quarter-final and says pause punches. His
ticket to a semifinal. Is that where your head is at here?
Yeah, I think since he passed wins this, I think it goes to
the final actually think that he may get his revenge over
Novak. In the final. We will talk about that potential.
Final winners and hold it. But yeah, I mean I
look I think that this is a
you like the chalk here. I don't blame you. I personally
have not seen enough from Casper rude here this year that
to really give me confidence that he's going to go ahead and
get just March to the quarter-final. I think anything
could happen here to Hubert. Her cats could go there.
I think Francis teofilo who's putting a lot of work on
the clay. Over the last couple of years could go there.
Rude, is tailored his. I'm curious your impressions of
rude because he is like tailored his game towards hard
courts. Now, he's tried to get so much better on hard courts
that he's almost lost. Step on Clay
like use doesn't look to be the dominant clay guy that he was
a year ago, like winning all these big play tournaments that
small concurrence but big matches against big opponents
on Clay. Like,
do you feel like he's in a position where you're just
going to pencil them? Or Sharpie am into the quarter
here? Quite
rude is now the clay barometer
like he's going to lose to a top 10 player on clay and he is
going to beat a guy that is below him. Right? But he used
to be a guy that would challenge the upper guys,
right? Like now he's sort of lost. I feel like he's
He's, he's put too much work into the hard courts. Yeah,
it's possible.
But either way, I don't give him much of a shot to defeat
this possible. Well, minions is a pasta in here to
the semifinals, which leaves us with the quarter of mystery,
the fourth quarter.
Obviously the top seeded player here, is Daniel Medvedev, not
only is he wildly out of form coming off injury, but a very
poor clay-court player in general. So this looks wide
open for someone who has never punched their quarter. Yeah,
punch their ticket to a semifinal will likely make it
through.
The obvious First Choice at least in the betting Market is
going to be Andrei. Rublev. Your top seed Yannick Center,
of course, has been a very popular young player to back in
the market and he has life.
I have ever having to go crazy crazy crazy here and I'm going
to take the number 28 seed Mirror Mirror car wreck manav
itch to come out of this one. Just because I have absolutely
been loving what I've seen from him in terms of clay form this
year and the path breaks. I think favorably for him.
He's only going to have to be one of rublev or Sinner
and You know, really the rest of that section besides
Medvedev are all players that I would write him at least as
a small favorite, if not a large favorite against. So I'll punch
a ticket for a player. Not many, not a household name but
Keck manovich
gets through to a
semifinal appearance for the first time in his young career.
He's added a lot of miles an hour on the serve in the for
he's playing. Unbelievable tennis to from for me. I agree
with you that I think this is going to be a kind of a crazy
quarter. I see here. You have rublev going down to Center.
I think Group Love Goes. Potentially to Tommy Paul who's
a great clay-court player. He beat rublev at Indian Wells.
He loves playing at Roland Garros. He's always challenged
the top players.
And what about last year, lost its roof in the first round,
which was a shock. I think Tommy could get there to
the third round and then maybe even beat Center. I just don't think
it matters because this is this is Murr. Marin cilic is bracket
to lose here. This is Mary. Jo's
murder. Marin cilic. You got to remember, he's going to have to
face our kids, Matic gonna have to go up against cilic. They
had an epic three.
Set match, the only time that they met, which was this year
at Indian Wells, that which cilic, frankly, I thought
should have won. It was six, seven six, three, seven, six.
You mean, I think that's going to be a Clash of the Titans.
I think cilic wins that match and I think with that cilic wins
the quarter because
we haven't seen it at best-of-five
with center. Right? I mean, he just completely folded into
himself again since he passed in Australia. This year. I've
Medvedev, we know is not a clay-court player. The only
reason he had success last year. It's worth noting too.
Was that they had? For tennis balls that he said he loved
he's he's been on record saying do not advertise for people to
buy Dunlop. Tennis balls. They are terrible. So he's not
I don't think he's gonna have a fun time at this tournament.
I cilic man. I mean you guys I think you gotta go for cilic
here. I think he's gonna just run through everybody. This guy
is been a winning machine and for the last five or six months
and he can play on Clay.
I mean, I don't know.
I mean, it's Gotta Be him or cut some out of it. I would
agree that could come out of it has a very good chance. It's
probably the bed I would make, but I think people are going to
sleep on Sheila. Cheer, and I'm not even a big Jewish fan, but
I just love, you can win it.
Want to check out his quarter price, but it's going to be pretty
impressive. You might get 20 to 12
in the fourth quarter for cilic, and of course, he is one
of the few players in this bracket over all that has ever
won a slam. So that is obviously where, something,
thanks for all of that Insight your final predictions. If it
is a Djokovic sisupala's final, which it sounds like we both
think it is. You going with the
the 20 time slam Champion to punch number 21 or the for
the debutante to We break his Maiden.
I think. I think since he passed can get it. I think he
played it. I think Djokovic. Physically was tired last year.
I mean, I don't know. He turned on his Djokovic switch there
and just completely came back from from 0 to down. I think
that's
a pasta can win this time.
I also think winning for two weeks will get get him to
the level. He needs to be a, we know, he's very talented and
a very good clay-court player. These are great Courts for him.
I also want to say in my predictions. I predict a big
fight in the Dan Evans. Michael
Emer second round. Match you.
Guys are going to want to watch that match, your going to want
to get it on and just watch just to sit down have a cup of
coffee and you gotta, you gotta see what happens. Is, these
guys are going to go at each other.
I don't know if they've ever played, but I know that they
always get in fights on the court. It's going to be, it's
going to be very entertaining, and I really hope that it goes
five sets. I think it will because I want to see more more
and more fighting. I
want to see escalate throughout the match.
Well, yeah, that's a wild. That's a wild prediction.
I don't need to see physical violence. I dont think im gonna
fistfight, but they're gonna hit. Be like, oh mate mate
while you smile like a mate,
why you smiling at me and then you know, they're gonna just
they're gonna go at it'll be alright that most parents want
the match. I'm the most excited to see would be round 3. Seb
kurta, our guy, America's. Hope Great. America's Young Tennis.
Hope against Carlos alcaraz around, 3/4 got him in Monte
Carlo would love to
see him. Go toe-to-toe with I'll call ya that's gonna be
great. It's gonna be great.
So with that, let's wrap it up here and but I guess
really we didn't give the women much shine.
We both kind of feel pretty strongly that this is a
August warnimont to lose and nothing about the drawer.
Really changed my mind. I'll be honest with you. You can
shantak. Of course, is your 2020
Champion here and
current market, overwhelming favorite.
The draw did her plenty of favors. She still looks like
clearly the class
of the women's field and
you know, realistically if she
I guess I would say this I will be more surprised if he go
loses. This tournament that I would be if she wins without
dropping a set. That's how good she's playing right now. Yeah,
make her badly. - 400 if not higher
against every other women. And,
you know, other every other woman on this field
and if we're making predictions, I'll take eegah
over. Daniel Collins Rose.
Danielle Collins
is Daniel Rose. Colleges
America's hope to get to a semifinal here in my opinion.
I think Egan nips are in the semifinals
and then on the bottom half of the drought Akon's djebbour
over.
Gosh. This is awfully tough. Everybody down here. Looks like
sand. Only
beatable so I gotta see cont'd. It comes out? Yeah, we'll take
octave it only because there's no art. No one else that really
stands out in terms of quality. So
honest your bore losses to Ego and straights in the final you
can see on Tech Windsor. So as ever of what will be
many future grand slams and probably many future fridge,
opens it, for being honest, or clicking is unbelievable.
Any other players to watch on the women's side for you?
Yeah, I think Paul abydos. I know she has not a great
season, but I mean, I think that that's her quarter,
sampling cannot a clay-court player. And I know you like
Daniel Collins to come out of there at she's kind of been up
and down this clay Court Season.
Obviously, she had the great result of the Australian Open.
She could certainly do it, especially with the Dosa, kind
of with reform being a little wishy-washy, but I do think
that she's she's going to challenge here.
Actually challenges to be authentic in the semi.
But yeah gibber's playing an unbelievable
brand of tennis right now. So I think it's very tough to bet
against her. She's even shown last week that she She
couldn't, she can win matches after a long week at a big
tournament. Right? Like, she's she has the stamina. She has
hidden
winners from everywhere. She's a very exciting player to
watch, and I would, really hope that we get her into the optic
and the final, because that would be an epic Clash. It
would be well, that was excellent. Thank you Katie, for
all that. We got, you entirely caught up with everything you
need to
know to bed the, the draw, and the quarters, and the final
prices for the French Open.
Enjoy
the tennis. And best of luck this fortnight.