Federer back among the elite
After a thrilling Australian Open conclusion over the weekend, expectations are supremely high for the next major on the men’s side. So who’s the early favorite to taste French Open glory?
Despite his second-round slip-up Down Under, Novak Djokovic remains the most feared player on the planet. Online sports book Bovada.lv gives the 29-year-old odds of +165 to reign supreme at Roland Garros in June. Last spring, Djokovic completed a career Grand Slam by defeating Andy Murray in Paris.
Handicappers have nearly as much confidence in Rafael Nadal (+250). The lefty with a record nine French Open championships lost an epic final to Roger Federer about 24 hours ago, suggesting his health is finally on the upswing. Somewhat surprisingly, Nadal’s shooting for his first Musketeers’ Trophy since 2014.
While not known as a clay-court specialist, Federer (+1600) shouldn’t be discounted in several months either. The Swiss native downed the likes of Kei Nishikori, Stan Wawrinka and, of course, Nadal en route to winning the Aussie Open. Federer has four more Grand Slam titles than anyone else in tennis history.