2019 French Open Props: Odds on Nadal vs Djokovic Final, Kyrgios Hurling a Chair & More

• Rafael Nadal is coming off a win at the Italian Open, the final clay-court event prior to Roland Garros
• Nadal has lost on clay three times this year; he had won 35 of his previous 36 matches
• Nadal has only faced Novak Djokovic in the final at Roland Garros twice

The 2019 French Open is just about to get underway and sportsbooks have posted a slew of props related to the event.

Of course, Rafael Nadal is the headline act but many people are also wondering about whether or not Nick Kyrgios will flip-out again after his viral tantrum at the Italian Open. Let’s take a closer look at the props and see what the best bets are.

Rafael Nadal to Win French Open Odds

*All odds taken May 22, 2019

This is one of the best props on the board because it gives you the ‘No’ option. Of course, you can always bet on a player to win the event whereas you can’t always bet on him not to win the event; typically, you have to bet on who you think will win.

I like ‘No’ here because it feels like Rafa is a bit vulnerable this year. Yes, he did seem to get back on track at the Italian Open, but that was his first tournament win on clay this year. He hadn’t even been to a final before that. To put that in perspective, he had won multiple clay-court events every year since 2005.

There have been rumors of a wrist injury but even if that’s just speculation, it’s hard not to be surprised by losses to Stefanos Tsitsipas, Fabio Fognini and Dominic Thiem. Nadal had won 35 of 36 matches on clay entering the season; he’s lost three times this year.

Would I be surprised if he won the event? Of course not. Is it smart to bet against him here? Not usually. However, if there was a year to do it, this would be it. And with this prop, we don’t have to pick who’ll unseat him as we get everyone else, so that’s why I’d bet it.

Nadal or Djokovic to Win French Open Odds

It’s hard not to like getting the top two dogs in tennis versus the rest of the field. Nadal is the King of Clay while Novak Djokovic is the No. 1 player in the world.

These two just met in the finals of the Italian Open before Roland-Garros. While it’s probably a reasonable bet, I don’t like the value here at -270. This isn’t Djokovic’s best surface and it hasn’t been Rafa’s best year on clay.

Nadal to Meet Djokovic in French Open Final Odds

The two are on opposite ends of the draw, so the only time they could meet is in the final. The question is whether both will survive up until that point. It’s happened twice in the past as the two met in the 2014 and 2012 finals. However, it’s only happened once in the last six years. I would bet against this.

Odds for Nadal to Win French Open Without Dropping a Set

This is a tough prop as when Nadal’s on, he can cream the competition and do it without breaking a sweat. He did end up losing one set last year but prior to that, he hadn’t lost a single set at Roland Garros since 2015.

My concern is his recent form as he’s lost on clay three times this season. He also dropped a set to Djokovic in the final at the Italian Open. The payout is nice but I wouldn’t bet on him being perfect at the 2019 French Open.

Odds On Nick Kyrgios to Get Disqualified

Nick Kyrgios is fresh off another epic tantrum as he kicked dirt and tossed a chair during a loss at the Italian Open. I’d imagine that after that meltdown, he’ll be far more behaved in Paris. It’s also a good bet to assume that the tournament organizers have spoken to him.

In my view, he’s more likely to lose straight up than to throw another hissy fit and get disqualified. He’s just 10-7 on the year and just 3-4 in his last seven matches.

Kyrgios Penalized for Racquet Abuse Odds

It’s interesting to see that the betting line is at -115 both ways. The oddsmakers seem to think it’s quite likely. Of course, he has a long history of this but in my view, he’ll be on his best behavior after the drama in Rome, so I’d bet ‘No’. At the same time, it’s not as if he respects the tournament all that much. On Tuesday, he said it “sucks” compared to Wimbledon.

Odds Kyrgios Hurls a Chair at French Open

This is a tip of the cap to Kyrgios’ “performance” at the Italian Open where he was filmed hurling a chair onto the court. It was seen on almost every sports highlight show around the world. While tantrums are common place for Kyrgios, throwing chairs is not. He’s much more likely to smash a raquet, so I wouldn’t bet on this.