Iga Swiatek continues to remain an odds on favourite to lift another title at the French Open despite facing a match-point in her second round win against multiple Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka.
Having gone into her second round encounter against Osaka at 1/8 to win it in straight sets, Swiatek had some early struggles but managed to take the opening set in a tie-breaker.
Little did she know what was to follow as Swiatek lost nine of the following 10 games to hand Osaka a golden chance to grab a shock win. While Swiatek earned herself eight break-points in the final set, she fell 2-5 behind and soon saw Osaka serve for the match.
Swiatek then faced a match-point in that ninth game, saved it and off the 10th break-point of the set, managed to break a now nervous Osaka. Soon after she broke Osaka for the second time and served it out to win 7-6 (1), 1-6, 7-5 in a whopping three hours to reach the third round.
And despite the narrow nature of this victory, Swiatek continues to remain a heavy favourite with offers of 4/7 (get all the French Open betting information here) for her to clinch her fourth French Open title.
On a rain-affected day, Cori Gauff was the other women’s player who made it through to the third round with a straight-set win over Tamara Zidansek. She is a former French Open finalist and won the US Open last year but her returns this year have been tepid by her own lofty standards.
Gauff remains fourth in the list of favourites for the title behind Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina with bookmakers offering 12/1 for her title victory.
Ons Jabeur (66/1 title odds), whose form has fallen away in recent times, needed three sets to squeak past Camila Osorio while Sofia Kenin stunned Caroline Garcia in the other second round matches.
Here’re the French Open 2024 betting tips for Thursday, May 30.
Photo Credit: Peter Menzel – Iga Świątek