We’re less than two weeks away from the 2022 edition of the French Open, where Rafael Nadal could add to his record of 13 titles (and to his total of 22 Grand Slam titles). He comes in with a nagging foot injury, adding suspense to the situation. He won the Australian Open back in January, but the foot pain that dogged him last year is still a problem. It is an injury that dates all the way back to 2005, but it is clearly still bothering him, as it manifested itself at the Italian Open, where Nadal fell to Denis Shapovalov in the third round. He has described the problem as “a chronic injury which has no treatment” but will still bring a doctor to the French Open. Can he pull off the win? Read on before you lock in any tennis betting on this 2022 French Open.
Tennis News: Can Rafael Nadal Win his 14th French Open?
To assuage concerns about his injuries, Nadal posted a picture from his academy in Mallorca, and he looked to be training at full strength. The caption on the picture: “See you on Wednesday, Paris.” Just last week, Nadal had said that training each day was a challenge. Nadal has also recovered from a stress fracture in a rib, and he clearly struggled against Shapovalov, winning the first set 6-1 but losing the next two 7-5 and 6-2.
According to Nadal’s rival, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Nadal is not one of the favorites to win. Tsitsipas had just lost the final of the Italian Open to Novak Djokovic, 6-0, 7-6. Djokovic won his first title in 2022 after missing the Australian Open due to COVID-19 vaccination requirements, which also left him out of a number of other tournaments. Tsitsipas listed Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic as his favorites; Alcaraz won in Miami, Barcelona and Madrid in 2022 despite being just 19 years old.
So, while the answer is that Nadal certainly can win his 14th French Open, there are a number of other picks I’d look at as well. Novak Djokovic has plenty of motivation after getting international notoriety for his vaccination scandal in Australia. He rolled to a title at the Italian Open, showing that his game is sharp at just the right time.
Then there’s Alcaraz, who has beaten both Nadal and Djokovic this year. Obviously, Grand Slam tennis brings an entirely new level of pressure, but with wins over these two, Alcaraz should come in with plenty of confidence. He has a style similar to Nadal’s which will help him on the clay surface.
If you’re looking for a slightly darker horse, there is Jannik Sinner, the youngest player to win five ATP singles championships since Djokovic did it 15 years ago. Just 20, the Italian has shown a great deal of composure and maturity. Sinner could put a streak together and, with the right sort of deep run, could pull off the upset.
Finally, there are Nadal’s own physical issues. He was able to fight through the foot pain to win in Melbourne, but that stress added to what looks like recurring pain from his rib rehab apparently cost him in Rome. The French Open is a gauntlet, going to best-of-five instead of best-of-three, so it will be interesting to see how long Nadal can last, let alone whether he can win.
French Open Tennis Betting Odds
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