2018 French Open guide: predictions, betting odds and TV details

May 25, 2018

Can anyone stop ‘King of Clay’ Rafael Nadal from winning again at Roland Garros?

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Rafael Nadal won his tenth French Open title after beating Stan Wawrinka in the 2017 final

World No.1 and top seed Rafael Nadal returns to Roland Garros seeking an 11th men’s singles title at the French Open.

The 16-time Grand Slam winner and defending champion is clear favourite with the bookies to enjoy more success on the clay in Paris. With no Roger Federer in France this year, the Spaniard’s main challengers will be Germany’s Alexander Zverev, Austrian Dominic Thiem, Belgian David Goffin and 2016 winner Novak Djokovic of Serbia.

“King of Clay” Nadal starts his French Open defence with a first-round clash against Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov. Joao Sousa or Guido Pella await in the second round, the Daily Express reports.

British No.1 Kyle Edmund, seeded 16th in France, takes on Australian teenager Alex de Minaur in the opening round. Edmund is Britain’s best hope with Andy Murray ruled out because of injury.

For the full French Open men’s singles draw see rolandgarros.com.

Ostapenko starts title defence against Kozlova

In the women’s singles Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko begins her French Open title defence with a first-round encounter against Ukrainian Kateryna Kozlova.

World No.1 Simona Halep, a two-time runner-up in Paris, starts her bid for a first Grand Slam title against Alison Riske of the US.

Three-time winner Serena Williams is unseeded, the BBC reports, and she plays her first Grand Slam event since the birth of her daughter last year. The American faces Czech Kristyna Pliskova in the first round.

Maria Sharapova, the winner in 2012 and 2014, takes on a qualifier first up in Paris and Sky Sports reports that the Russian could face Williams in the quarter-finals.

Britain’s Johanna Konta and Heather Watson will also compete in Paris. Konta faces Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva while Watson goes up against France’s Oceane Dodin.

For the full French Open women’s singles draw see rolandgarros.com.

2018 French Open guide

When: Sunday 27 May to Sunday 10 June
Where: Roland Garros, Paris, France
Surface: clay
Official website: rolandgarros.com

Who are the defending champions?

Spain’s Rafael Nadal is the reigning French Open men’s singles champion while Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko won the women’s singles title in 2017.

When are the French Open finals?

The French Open women’s singles final is on Saturday 9 June and the men’s final is a day later on 10 June.

How to watch the French Open on TV in the UK

ITV 4 will show free-to-air coverage of the 2018 French Open from Paris. ITV’s coverage will be presented by John Inverdale and he will be joined by 18-time Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova, Marion Bartoli, Jim Courier, Mark Petchey, Fabrice Santoro and Sam Smith. The broadcaster will also live stream the action on ITV Hub.

French Open predictions

Henri Leconte, French tennis legend (via the Daily Express): “I think everyone bets Rafael Nadal will win, but I think we’re going to have a surprise. I do not know why but I feel the winner will be amazing this year in the men’s box. I think someone from the new generation will finally get their chance.”

Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated: “Elina Svitolina comes in having won Rome, dispatching [Simona] Halep in a one-sided final. But in Slams, Svitolina still needs to convince us [and herself] she’s varsity over jay-vee. But, increasingly, you sense that the breakthrough seems to be a matter of when, not if. We’ll say now.”

Stanley Kay, Sports Illustrated: “Rafael Nadal is a decent clay court player, eh? Just when you think the Spaniard can’t wow us any further on his best surface, he reels off 50 straight sets on dirt. Dominic Thiem and Sascha Zverev both put together nice clay court seasons, but neither appears a worthy rival to Rafa - at least not yet.”

Leye Aduloju, LiveTennis.com: “Nadal doesn’t exactly need much help in his quest for an 11th French Open title, but the great Spaniard has been lent a big hand by the draw, with his most realistic title rivals set to cancel each other out in a ridiculously heavy bottom half.”