French Open Betting on Bodog.com - 2007 Womens French Open

Bodog has just released odds on the upcoming French Open. This particular bet is the 2007 WTA French Open. That's the womens' draw. The tournament begins on May 27 and goes through June 10.

If you like going for underdogs, fhe French is the best major tournament on which to bet. The clay courts make the tournament different from all the other majors, which are played on either grass or hard court. Clay slows down big serves and powerful ground strokes. This is a great equalizer in pro tennis.

There is more of a premium on movement and endurance in the French Open. A solid baseline game which can grind out long points is a virtual must. This allows more lower ranked and younger players to compete with the usual list of veterans.

Justin Henin has won three of the last four French Open. The only year she didn't win, the French title went to Anastasia Myskina, a little known Russian.

Justine Henin-Hardenne - 7/4
Serena Williams - 7/2
Amelie Mauresmo - 5/1
Maria Sharapova - 7/1
The Field (Any OtherPlayer) - 10/1
Nadia Petrova - 12/1
Nicole Vaidisova - 14/1
Venus Williams - 16/1
Jelena Jankovic - 20/1
Martina Hingis - 22/1
Svetlana Kuznetsova - 22/1
Shahar Peer - 25/1
Anna Chakvetadze - 33/1
Tatiana Golovin - 33/1
Lucie Safarova - 40/1
Daniela Hantuchova - 40/1
Dinara Safina - 40/1
Vera Zvonareva - 50/1
Elena Dementieva - 50/1
Ana Ivanovic - 50/1
Na Li - 50/1

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

Justine Henin is a big favorite to win the tournament. She's the only favorite I have any confidence in winning. If you don't pick Henin, then goes for one of the lesser known players who are less than 10-to-1.

Serena Williams is having a career revival. But clay is her weakest surface. I'm still not sure if Serena is fully in tip-top shape after returning from injuries. The courts at Roland Garros will slow down her power, which is usually such an advantage for her. I'm just not sure if she'll have the stamina to win seven matches in Paris.

Being a Frenchwoman, Amelie Mauresmo is always a fan favorite at Roland Garros. But she has never been past the fourth round, sometimes wilting under the pressure of winning her national tournament. She also missed tournaments this spring with apendicitis. I wouldn't expect her to pull it all together to win the French this year, and personally believe her odds should be much lower.

Maria Sharapova falls into the same category as Serena Williams. Sharapova's big serve and groundstrokes are somewhat negated by this surface. She has shown cracks in her fabled steely determination this year, losing in two blowouts to Serena Williams. Maria will challenge at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, where she is the defending champ, but she won't win the French.

LONG SHOTS

That leaves a collection of Russian players whom most Americans are unfamiliar with. Nadia Petrova, Nicole Vaidisova and Jelena Jankovic are dangerous players, though they have never been able to take their game to the next level. If you want something better than a bet "on the field", you might consider spreading some money between several of the Russian players. One of them will probably make a strong push in this tournament.

This is when the tennis season starts to get interesting. Henin is the person to beat. But she is coming through a nasty divorce, so it isn't certain Justine will be on the top of her game. If she goes out of the tournament like she did three years ago, the field is open.

OTHER TENNIS STORIES

2007 Mens French Open
2007 Womens Wimbledon
2007 Mens Wimbledon

French Open Betting on Bodog.com - 2007 Womens French Open