French Open Betting Tips: Zverev can overcome semi-final curse

Only four male players remain in the 2024 French Open but the cream has risen to the top with the star-studded semi-finals featuring three of the world’s top four plus last season’s runner-up, Casper Ruud.

Having received a bye into the final four following the high-profile withdrawal of defending champion Novak Djokovic, Ruud meets fourth seed Alexander Zverev, who he defeated in straight sets at this stage last season.

The other last-four encounter pits together Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner against fierce rival Carlos Alcaraz, with the two young guns expected to dominate the ATP Tour for many years to come.

Alexander Zverev to win 3-1 v Casper Ruud @ 18/5

Zverev has fallen at the semi-final stage of the French Open in each of the last three seasons, including against Ruud last year, but he may be able to overcome that hurdle at the fourth time of asking.

A tough test awaits against Ruud, who is bidding to make a third successive final in Paris, but Zverev is serving superbly and appears to be performing at the peak of his powers.

The German arrived at Roland Garros on the back of a title triumph in Rome and he has dealt particularly well with a tough schedule in Paris, which started with victory over Rafael Nadal and has also featured wins over Holger Rune and Alex De Minaur.

Zverev recorded a routine straight-sets success over quarter-final victim De Minaur and, while he is fancied to prevail against Ruud, he may have to dig a little deeper.

Zverev has twice gone the distance in the French capital, coming from behind to defeat Tallon Griekspoor and Rune, and backing him to win but Ruud to claim a set is what appeals most.

Ruud should be the fresher of the pair with Djokovic withdrawing prior to their supposed quarter-final clash.

However, the Norwegian needed five sets in round two to see off Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and has also dropped sets in wins over Tomas Martín Etcheverry and Taylor Fritz, suggesting he may be a bit below the level of last season.

Carlos Alcaraz -1.5 sets on handicap v Jannik Sinner @ 11/10

Alcaraz and Sinner both had injury concerns coming into the French Open but they’ve found a way to make the semi-final and have gotten stronger as the tournament has progressed.

They have dropped only one set each and both put in their most convincing performance of the tournament in the quarter-final, with Alcaraz outclassing Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 7-6 6-4 and Sinner brushing aside Grigor Dimitrov 6-2 6-4 7-6.

However, there appears to be more substance to the form of Alcaraz, who has also recorded 3-0 wins over Sebastian Korda and Felix Auger Aliassime, and he is taken to run out a comfortable winner.

Alcaraz narrowly leads their personal series 5-4 and he looks more complete than Sinner on this slower surface, so can prove at least two sets too good for his Italian counterpart.

Find more Tennis Betting Tips here at Betfred Insights