Alcaraz vs Djokovic Odds
| Alcaraz Odds | -205 |
| Djokovic Odds | +170 |
| Over/Under | 37.5 (-120 / -110) |
| Time | How to Watch | Friday, 8:45 a.m. ET | Tennis Channel |
| Odds via FanDuel. For tips on how to watch the French Open, click here. | |
The match we’ve all been waiting for is here: 22-time Grand Slam champion and one of the greatest tennis players ever, Novak Djokovic, against 20-year-old tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz.
This will be one of the most anticipated matches of the 2023 tennis season, and it comes in the semifinals of the French Open rather than the final. Nonetheless, you could make the argument that it's more than one of the most anticipated matches of the season and instead one of the most anticipated matches of recent memory.
So, what bet am I targeting for this French Open match? Find out below as I predict this semifinal clash.
Alcaraz Playing His Best Tennis
Back in 2022 in Madrid, Alcaraz toppled Djokovic in three tough sets in their first and only meeting, but boy have things changed drastically since then.
Alcaraz won his first major at the US Open back in September, and it's no secret he looks nearly unbeatable on clay right now.
He’s dropped just one set in this tournament, cruising through players like Stefanos Tsitsipas and Lorenzo Musetti, who both looked comfortable and dominant at this tournament.
The impeccable form didn’t just begin in this event, though. Alcaraz has been doing this all season since returning from injury.
He had a slight hiccup against Fabian Marozsan in Rome, but he’s 35-3 on the campaign with titles in Madrid, Barcelona, Indian Wells and Buenos Aires.
Djokovic Comfortable and Past Injury Concerns
While the 2023 season has been nearly perfect for Alcaraz, Djokovic has faced more bumps along the way.
The 36-year-old won the Australian Open and a 250-event in Adelaide, but he was unable to compete in the "Sunshine Double" and dealt with a wrist injury that forced him to pull out of Madrid.
Djokovic also didn't look sharp during the clay-court season, losing in the round of 16 in Monte Carlo and suffering an ugly loss to Dusan Lajovic in Banja Luka.
It was truly unknown as to how Djokovic would play once he reached Paris; however, he answered those questions affirmatively.
Like Alcaraz, Djokovic has only dropped one set in this event. He hasn't faced as difficult of a draw as his current opponent, but he dispatched Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Karen Khachanov, among others.
In other words, the injury and lack of form that were once issues this spring for "The Joker" are no longer even of the slightest concern.
Alcaraz vs Djokovic Pick
It's time to ramp up the level of play for Alcaraz.
The Spaniard looks a step above the rest of the ATP Tour right now — especially on this surface and with these balls — but he also hasn’t faced Djokovic on the biggest stage in the sport just yet.
It's one thing to face Tsitsipas and Musetti, but it's a whole other level when Djokovic is on the opposite side of the net — in a Slam nonetheless.
Djokovic always brings his A-game in these spots, and I truly believe we’re headed for a classic five-set match.
With that in mind, I’m going to target the over 37.5 games.
Djokovic may not win this match, but I’m going to count on his experience and GOAT status to push this one over the total and earn us a win.
