Posted on 4/25/2008 6:15:06 PM

French Open Tennis Betting Futures - Rafael Nadal

By Nila Amerova

The main French Open tennis betting market currently is the French Open Futures in men’s tennis at BetUS Sportsbook, which has Rafael Nadal as the clear favourite (tipped at -150 to win his fourth consecutive Roland Garros crown), and it will be a real shock to see him routed. Since July 2007, Rafael Nadal has not lifted an ATP title, but with the European clay-court season now underway, he is once again the player to beat. Of the 23 career titles the 21-year-old Spaniards lifted, 18 crowns came on his beloved red dirt and include hat-tricks in the last three years at Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Roland Garros. Defending the trio of titles is a daunting task, but few tennis bettors would bet against Nadal doing one better in all three events.

This season, the usual two-week gap between Monte Carlo and Rome is cut in half, which makes Nadal’s campaign to defend all three titles much more difficult than before, as he will have to play for four weeks in a row if he is also to compete in Hamburg – the scene where his record setting 81-match winning streak on clay was snapped by Roger Federer in the final last year. Not for nothing but Nadal is not happy about it.

Over the last three years, Nadal has posted a 110-3 mark on clay (includes his match-wins this week in Monte Carlo to reach the semi-final). Aside from Federer, only Andreev (Valencia 2005) and Gaston Gaudio (Buenos Aires 2005) have beaten Nadal on clay in the last three years.

So what makes Nadal’s game near indomitable on clay?

Nadal grew up playing on clay in Manacor, Mallorca, so he understands the intricacies of this gritty surface – the toughest of all the surfaces in the game. He has the strength and stamina required to grind relentlessly through a match hour upon hour on the dirt. His speed and agility allow him to return ball-after-ball effectively and with great control and precision. Counterpunching of the baseline from both wings his shot making is maximized to the fullest, applying heavy topspin on every ball returned, forcing opponents to succumb to the pressure of his racquet. But perhaps the real brilliance of his game is his ability to turn defence into offensive in a flash and quick flick of his wrist – a skill Djokovic is quickly becoming known for on hard courts.

In short, the word genius comes to mind, when Nadal sets foot on clay. On hard courts, while Nadal grinds as well, the manner about his game is a play at not losing the match. On clay, he plays to win and win he does, over and over again. Combining his punishing game with dogged ferocity and a healthy competitive nature and you start to get a sense of why such an aura of invincibility hangs over Nadal during the European clay-court season.

The last man to beat Nadal on clay was Federer in Hamburg. As such, Federer opens on the French Open Futures betting market at +275. In 2006 and 2007, Nadal defeated Federer in the Roland Garros final, denying Federer twice from claiming a career Grand Slam – winning all four Grand Slam titles at least once at any point in time. Will it be déjà vu for Federer in Paris once again this year?

The next candidate in line on the French Open Futures market is Novak Djokovic, who weighs in at +450. Djokovic reached the semi-final of Roland Garros last year, where he bowed out to the King himself. How will he fare this year. Is he the player to dethrone Nadal?

The European clay-court season, leading up to the French Open promises to be telling, start this week in Monte Carlo with Nadal defending the first of his three titles. Should he successfully kick off his clay court season, indeed, the betting trend on the French Open Futures market will shift in his favour. However, should Federer – or even Djokovic – deliver on their promising threat to Nadal’s rule on clay then I expect the betting trend to follow suit, with, the French Open Futures market falling in line.

BetUS Sportsbook is taking action on the French Open with the men’s French Open Futures. Check out the futures odds and start betting on the second Grand Slam of the year now!

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room.