French Open odds indicate Nadal-Federer battle, wide open ladies' side

The 2010 French Open begins play on Sunday, May 23rd. In this year’s tournament, said to be the single most-popular tennis tournament in the world as well as the most demanding competition, the focus will once again be on the rivalry that has dominated the game for a decade: Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer.

Nadal’s disappointing finish in the 2009 Open has led to a dismal 2010 for the Spaniard, though recent wins in Monte Carlo and Rome indicate he’s coming back into form in time for the big clay tournament. Federer is the defending champion in France.

On the men’s side, all eyes will be on Rafael Nadal at the 2010 French Open as the former world number one looks to recapture the title he lost in 2009. Nadal has finally shown signs of returning to form following a dreadful season in 2009, and wins on the clay of Monte Carlo and Rome suggest that he’ll once again be a force to be reckoned with in 2010.

The twin towers of tennis are well ahead of the pack on the odds table. Paddy Power has Nadal as the overwhelming 2/5 favorite, while Federer starts the competition at 7/2. BroburySports has Nadal at 1/3. Last year’s runner-up Robin Söderling starts the tournament at 35/1.

The ladies’ side is wide open in this year’s French Open, with six players getting 10/1 odds or shorter. Serena and Venus Williams are at 5/2 and 7/1, respectively, making Serena the overall favorite. Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin are at 4/1. Martina Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka start at 9/1 and 10/1, respectively. The 2009 champ Kuznetsova is a longshot at 22/1.

For those punters residing in the U.S., we would recommend Brobury Sports or Bodog for betting on the French open. We suggest that others use Paddy Power, Bet365 Sportsbook or Unibet.