Andy Schooler highlights the potential for upsets at the French Open on Sunday.
Tennis betting tips: French Open matches
1.5pts Amanda Anisimova to beat Aryna Sabalenka on the game handicap at 4/5 (BoyleSports)
0.5pt Amanda Anisimova to win the first set v Aryna Sabalenka at 11/4 (bet365, BoyleSports)
1pt Elena Ryabkina to beat Iga Swiatek at 15/8 (BoyleSports)
Aryna Sabalenka v Amanda Anisimova
I think the women’s matches are much more interesting than the men’s on Sunday’s order of play.
One of the reasons for that is that none of the four favourites holds a winning record against their opponent, with three down on the head-to-head.
In this one, Anisimova leads title favourite Sabalenka 5-2 across their previous meetings. On clay, it’s 3-1 with one of those victories coming here in Paris.
Now, ittedly, several of those contests came before Sabalenka reached world number one or had won a Grand Slam title but there’s no doubt the American has caused her problems in the past. For the record, the most recent win was on the hardcourts of Toronto last summer.
Anisimova is capable of fighting power with power and comes into this one having yet to drop a set at Roland Garros.
That’s perhaps being overlooked a bit given how everyone is talked about how Sabalenka has powered her way through to this stage. She’s lost only 10 games thus far but I’m certainly interested to see what happens now the level of opponent rises significantly, especially one who has troubled her so much previously.
Anisimova has landed big-match upsets in the past too. She’s beaten Coco Gauff at Wimbledon, while prime versions of both Simona Halep and Naomi Osaka have been defeated by the American at Slams.
I’m a little tempted to back her at 4/1 but Sabalenka often finds a way to dig herself out of any trouble these days.
Anismova to win the first set at 11/4 is perhaps a better option, while Sabalenka to win 2-1 at 16/5 is another to consider but the most obvious bet is to side with Anisimova on the handicap where she gets a 5.5-game start.
Elena Rybakina v Iga Swiatek
After her worst run into Roland Garros for many years, it’s been a case of so far, so good for Swiatek in Paris.
However, I can’t be the only one wondering what will happen when she’s properly tested and that’s what should happen here.
Rybakina was very good in disposing of Jelena Ostapenko on Friday and she seems to be playing her way into the tournament well.
It’s not forecast to be quite so hot on Sunday but 24C should still suit Rybakina. Her big serve has the ability to get Swiatek on the back foot early on, something the Pole is not used to, and that’s shown in the head-to-head record which stands at 4-4.
Notably, the claycourt record is 2-0 in Rybakina’s favour, something many will find remarkable.
And it’s not as if those wins are in the distant past – she’s beaten Swiatek in each of the past two seasons, in Rome in 2023 (albeit Swiatek retied in the final set) and Stuttgart in 2024.
Swiatek has looked mentally frail when things have gone against her in recent tournaments and it’s worth ing that she’s not won a title since this event 12 months ago.
In short, I think it’s worth taking a chance on the underdog here at 15/8.
Posted at 1755 BST on 31/05/25
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