| Tweet |
|
Andy Murray |
|
It can of course be said that everyone other than Rafael Nadal is an outsider in Paris, such is the world number one's dominance on clay. It is difficult to bet against the five-time French Open champion, but it seems Murray is less likely to cause an upset than most of the rest of the world's top 10 and the Mens French Open betting reflects this.
It should be remembered that Murray pushed Nadal close in Monte Carlo and has the pedigree to turn his current form on its head, but the Scot's inconsistency suggests a showdown with Nadal in the latter stages is unlikely.
Murray's 90-minute, straight sets collapse against Thomaz Belluci continued a worrying pattern of early exits in tour events this season. He lost to qualifiers in Indian Wells and Miami and has struggled to gain any momentum in an injury-affected season. Although he is still likely to attract plenty of Wimbledon tennis bets, he has done little to show he is any closers to landing his first major this season.
The latest fitness setback, an elbow problem that forced him out of the Barcelona Open, cannot have helped him against Belluci and has contributed to preparations for Paris that have been far from ideal. The lack of full-time coach means Murray must get his game and confidence back for the French Open on his own. A decreasing number of people expect him to do so.