The 2021 edition of the year’s second Grand Slam, the French Open, has reached its final stages, with some of the usual suspects still gunning for more accolades at Roland Garros.
For those interested in betting on tennis, this is one competition to not miss out on.
In the men’s category, record winner Rafael Nadal has qualified for the semifinals of the competition, where he will face long time rival Novak Djokovic in a rematch of last year’s final on the clay surface which Nadal won to pick up his 13th French Open title.
The 35-year-old Spaniard is currently ranked third in the ATP rankings behind Djokovic and Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, who was sent crashing out by 22-year-old Greek world number five, Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Nadal kicked off his French Open campaign with a 6-2 6-3 7-6 straight sets victory over Alexei Popyrin in the first round, before further straight-set victories over Richard Gasquet, Cameron Norrie, and Jannik Sinner sent him through to the quarterfinals, where he defeated Diego Schwartzmann 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-0 to qualify for the semis.
His semifinal opponent Djokovic also had straight sets victories over Tennys Sandgren, Pablo Cuevas and Ricardas Berankis in the first three rounds before surviving a scare from 19-year-old Lorenzo Musetti, coming from two sets down to win the game 6-7 6-7 6-1 6-0 4-0.
He then proceeded to defeat Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in the quarterfinals to book his semifinal place against Nadal as he looks to win his 19th Grand Slam title.
In the second semifinal, Stefanos Tsitsipas will take on German world number six Alexander Zverev for a place in the final.
Tsitsipas cruised through the first two rounds in straight sets, defeating Jeremy Chardy and Pedro Martinez. He dropped his only set against John Isner in the third round before securing straight-set victories over Pablo Carreno Busta and world number two, Daniil Medvedev, to reach the semifinal.
Zverev has had a stellar competition as well, only dropping sets in the opening round against countryman Oscar Otte when he came from two sets down to win 3-6 3-6 6-2 6-2 6-0.
Straight sets victories over Roman Safiullin, Kei Noshikori, Laslo Dere and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina have helped Zverev reach the semifinal of the competition. Both Zverev and Tsitsipas will be looking for a first-ever French Open title.
In the women’s event, there promises to be a new champion this year, with the final set to be held between world number 31 Anastasia Pavluychenkova and unseeded Czech Barbora Krejcikova. Krejcikova has claimed some prominent scalps on her way to the final.
In the first round, she defeated compatriot Kristyna Pliskova before wins over Ekaterina Alexandrova, Elina Svitolina, Sloane Stephens and Coco Gauff got her into the semifinals, where she defeated Greece’s Maria Sakkari in a gruelling encounter that lasted for 3 hours and 18 minutes.
Fellow finalist Pavlyuchenkova defeated Christina McHale in the first round, before wins over Ajla Tomljanovic, Aryna Sabalenka, and Victoria Azarenka put her in the quarterfinal, where she faced Elena Rybakina and won in three sets. Pavluychenkova defeated Tamara Zidansek in the semifinals to pick up a place in the final alongside Krejcikova.