French Open 2023 tips: Men's singles day one guide and suggested bets
- Planet Sport writer
- 26 May 2023
The French Open gets underway on Sunday May 28 2023 with play starting at 11:00 local time (10:00 BST) across all of the courts. Check out our selected bets for selected matches.
The French Open gets underway on Sunday May 28 2023 with play starting at 11:00 local time (10:00 BST) across all of the courts weather permitting.
Action will be split across the Stade Roland Garros' three show courts and its expanded sprawl of outside courts.
The men's singles draw will take a prominent place on a busy opening day of the year's second Grand Slam.
Day one guide - Selected men's matches
(All times subject to change)
Alexander Zverev vs Lloyd Harris, Sunday, May 28, Time: 10 am
Last season's semi-finalist Alexander Zverev opens his campaign against South African No 1 Lloyd Harris whose efforts this term have largely been confined to the Challenger Tour.
Zverev hasn't looked like the player who reached the last four at Roland Garros last season and might be vulnerable to a massive upset.
The German has won all three of the previous meetings between the two players, including a straight sets victory in their last meeting at the 2021 US Open.
Suggested bets
Set score prediction:
3-1 to Zverev
Benoit Paire vs Cameron Norrie, Sunday May 28, 10am
Cameron Norrie has had Benoit Paire's number in their two previous meetings but both of those clashes were on hard courts.
Paire is 0-4 for the year in ATP Tour-level main draws but has enjoyed some success on the Challenger Tour's clay swing.
Norrie chose to defend his Lyon Open title rather than spend a week practising at Roland Garros and enjoyed a run to the semi-finals before an exit at the hands of Francisco Cerundolo.
Suggested bets
Set score prediction:
Norrie to edge Paire 3-2
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Fabio Fognini, Sunday May 28, 10am
Felix Auger-Aliassime and Fabio Fognini have met just once with that meeting coming on the clay of Rio de Janeiro back in 2019.
Auger-Aliassime got the better of Fognini in that first meeting, but the Canadian No 1 was forced to withdraw from the Lyon Open with injury sparking fears that he might not be at full fitness for the French Open.
Former top 10 player Fognini has slipped to 130th in the world but picked up top 50 wins at the Rome Masters when he bested Andy Murray and Miomir Kecmanovic before losing to Holger Rune in the Round of 32.
Suggested bets
Set score prediction:
1-3 to Fognini
Laslo Djere vs Andrey Rublev, Sunday May 28, 10 am
Andrey Rublev faces a big test of his Grand Slam title credentials first up against a reasonably familiar opponent.
Rublev takes on Laslo Djere, a player he beat three times in 2022 in highly competitive clashes.
Their only Grand Slam meeting, at the US Open, went to five sets and a second battle on clay is an intriguing prospect.
Suggested bets
Set score prediction:
Rublev to win three sets to one
