After a bit of rain interrupted play on Day 1 from Roland Garros, let's hope the second day of action at the French Open features a bit less precipitation.
As for the matches, let's take a look at a pair of underdogs that might be worth a wager and why that is.
Find picks for Ludmilla Samsonova vs Magda Linette and Anhelina Kalinina vs Camila Osorio in my Monday French Open predictions.
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Monday French Open Predictions
Liudmila Samsonova (-189) vs Magda Linette (+150)
5 a.m. ET
The world No. 17 may have turned up at long last in Strasbourg and reached the semifinal in her final tuneup for Roland Garros, but I'm not buying the result. Not only has Samsonova been terrible this season, but the results in Eastern France weren't that impressive either.
Samsonova beat a struggling Barbora Krejcikova (who hasn't won since February) 6-4 in a third set and then had to come back from a set and break down to beat a floundering Leylah Fernandez, who herself has lost more than she's won in 2024.
She did throttle Beatriz Haddad Maia, but was subsequently dismissed with ease by eventual champion Madison Keys (who also sent Linette packing by the same scoreline).
Samsonova has been erratic as ever so far this year and her serve has been a bit too vulnerable. Mix in some of the slower conditions on tour and a strong baseliner and decent returner and I'm struggling to see why the Russian is the clear favorite in this matchup.
I'm not a big believer in Linette on the dirt, but she's proven me wrong plenty this clay season, enters the tournament in decent form and has the more consistent style that is typically rewarded by the slower clay courts in Paris.
I'm happy to take this bet with a 40% breakeven percentage when I see this as a very close encounter.
Pick: Linette ML (+150 via BetRivers)
Anhelina Kalinina (-167) vs Camila Osorio (+138)
7 a.m. ET
In a very similar handicap to the one above, I simply cannot get behind a hard courter playing in slower conditions with very little to like on the resume as a clear favorite.
This time, however, I have a clay court natural as the underdog to back. Not just that, but an underdog who plays a grinding, defensive style, yet can also unleash from the forehand side when she's presented with a short ball or ball that gives her time to do so.
Kalinina's first serve isn't exactly imposing, and other than a run to the final in Rome last year, she's been as average as they come. Even the blended Elo rating — which typically plays a big role in how the market prices up matches — has the two separated by just one point.
The Colombian doesn't have all that many losses to non clay courters either since the start of the 2023 clay campaign, and I'm not sure she should be the decided underdog here either.
She should generate chances on return, has the much more consistent game and has far more feel and comfort on the surface.
Pick: Osorio ML (+138 via FanDuel)
