The second round of the French Open begins on Wednesday with a slate packed with some of the top names in the sport, and though we'll be targeting just one of those below, there's plenty of betting value to be found around the grounds.
I'll be backing a beloved Frenchman to keep his run going at Roland Garros and a fellow countryman, several years his elder, to put on one more magical performance as he nears retirement.
Here are my expert French Open betting picks for Moutet vs Shevchenko and Gasquet vs Sinner.
Match times are subject to change. Read here for advice on viewing French Open matches.
Expert French Open Betting Picks
Corentin Moutet (-230) vs. Alexander Shevchenko (+185)
6:45 a.m. ET, May 30
If you didn't know, now you know. Corentin Moutet is a talented and special tennis player who plays far above the level he should given his physical complexion and lack of discernible weapons. He's a nightmare to face on a clay court with his brilliant touch, instincts and creativity. When this tournament is over, his ranking will more accurately reflect his level.
That would mean that he'd take care of business against Alexander Shevchenko on Wednesday, which is something I see as highly probable. Shevchenko didn't look good at all against a rusty Aslan Karatsev last round, falling behind by a break in the fifth set before an army of unforced errors from the Russian handed him the victory.
Shevchenko is incredibly vulnerable when he's not clubbing winners given his own issues with unforced errors, which is why clay courts haven't been friendly to him.
Shevchenko is just 5-8 on this surface across all levels this year and has done most of his best work on hardcourts over the last couple of seasons. Furthermore, when you mix in the expert defense and unpredictability of Moutet plus the raucous crowd he galvanizes in France, I don't think the Kazakh will find any footing in this one.
Pick: Moutet -1.5 Sets (-125)
Richard Gasquet (+1500) vs. Jannik Sinner (-2500)
2:15 p.m. ET
We're not sure if this will be the final appearance for beloved Frenchman Richard Gasquet at Roland Garros, but in his later years, he's still proven capable of coming up with big performances under the spotlight. He won a tournament as recently as last year when he tore through the draw in Auckland, and this year he's put up a winning record between the ATP and Challenger tours.
Gasquet managed to find magic in the first set against Carlos Alcaraz at this year's French Open to push for a tiebreak, and I do think a similar story could unfold here at Roland Garros, where he's been a tough out even in his later years. He smoked Borna Coric in the first round as a decently-sized underdog, which inspired confidence that he can make one or two of these sets rather close, even if he doesn't manage to win one of them.
Sinner has plenty of physical concerns entering this tournament after a hip issue took him out of Madrid, and while he did win his first-round match in three sets, it was just about the easiest opener he could have asked for against the clay-averse Christopher Eubanks.
This will be a much trickier opponent, and I think Sinner's hip injury — which was reported to be quite serious in nature when it happened — should really be put under the microscope. I'm willing to back the experienced Frenchman in front of an amazing crowd; it seems he saves his best tennis for these moments with so few of them left before he calls it quits.
Pick: Over 29.5 Games (-105)
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