Day seven of the French Open marks the final day of the third round.
As more players are eliminated, those still in the tournament battle fiercely to secure their places in the subsequent rounds. Two of those are top seed Novak Djokovic and 30th seed Lorenzo Musetti, who clash in the third round of the 2024 French Open this Saturday.
Djokovic arrives at this match after straight-set victories over Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Roberto Carballes Baena in the first two rounds. However, these victories didn’t come easily.
Djokovic has had a difficult 2024 season with no titles to his name yet. His latest defeat was in the Geneva Open, where he was ousted by Tomas Machac in a 4-6, 6-0, 1-6 loss.
Meanwhile, Musetti overcame Daniel Galan and home favourite Gael Monfils, winning both matches in straight sets.
Musetti has also faced a tough season, entering the French Open following a series of first-round exits in Barcelona, Rome, and Madrid. His best recent performance on clay came at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, where he was defeated by Djokovic in the Round of 16.
Who will emerge victorious in this matchup? Read on for our Djokovic vs Musetti prediction and betting tips.
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How the Bookies View It: Djokovic the Favourite
Bookmaker bet365 is inclined towards Djokovic in this matchup, making him the favourite at 1/6, while Musetti stands at 4/1. Set betting suggests a 3-0 victory for Djokovic, with this result paying 5/4.
Recent Head-to-Head: Advantage Djokovic
Djokovic and Musetti have toughed it out multiple times, with Djokovic leading the head-to-head with 4-1. Their latest encounter was in the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters this year, where Musetti lost to Djokovic 7-5, 6-3.
Anything Else Catch the Eye?
In his match against Herbert, Djokovic faced significant pressure in the second set. However, the Serb managed to secure an early 3-0 lead in the tiebreaker, gaining the upper hand. He eventually triumphed with a 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-4 victory.
Djokovic maintained a first-serve success rate of 72 percent and won 58 percent of his break points. He hit 43 winners, securing his victory. Djokovic’s year-to-date win-loss is 14-6.
Musetti dispatched Galan 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 with relative ease before facing Monfils, who was attempting to reach the third round for the first time in four years. Musetti handed Monfils a 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 defeat on Court Philippe-Chatrier, his first under the lights there.
The Italian struck 31 winners with only 17 unforced errors, converted six out of 11 break points, and won 74 percent of his first-serve points. Musetti has a 9-14 win-loss record this year.
Three years ago, in his Roland-Garros main draw debut, an unseeded 19-year-old Musetti led Djokovic in the fourth round before retiring in the fifth set. Last year, he also reached the round of 16, where he lost in three sets to another Grand Slam champion, Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic vs Musetti Betting Tips & Predictions
The young Italian is off to a good start in the French Open with two straight-set wins. However, he has a history of multiple losses against Djokovic, who is out to defend his title. Our bet is on the world No. 1 for this match.
- Djokovic to win 3-1 @ 9/4
- Musetti +6.5 handicap @ 5/6
Djokovic and Musetti will play on Court Philippe-Chatrier, not before 8:15pm local time on Saturday, 1 June. While you wait, make sure to check out overall predictions for the French Open 2024.
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