The French Open 2024 has progressed to its third round on Friday, 31 May. Players are fiercely competing for the Grand Slam title, with the day featuring several thrilling matchups, including a clash between Jannik Sinner and Pavel Kotov.
World No. 2 Sinner continues to wipe the floor with seasoned players as he is on a quest to become world No. 1. So far this week, the Italian has secured a straight-sets victory over Christopher Eubanks, before defeating French veteran Richard Gasquet, earning his spot in the third round.
Sinner has showcased excellent form in the 2024 season, boasting an impressive 28-2 win-loss record coming into Paris. The young talent has claimed three titles this year, including the Australian Open, Rotterdam Open, and Miami Open.
Kotov endured a five-set thriller to edge past 32nd seed Cameron Norrie, setting up a third-round clash with three-time Major champion Stan Wawrinka.
The Russian, currently at a career-high ranking of No. 56 in the world, holds a 12-11 win-loss record for the season. He arrived in Paris following a quarter-final run in Lyon, a semi-final appearance in Marrakech, and a few victories in both Madrid and Rome.
Who will book a spot in the Round of 16 at Roland-Garros? Read on for our Sinner vs Kotov prediction and betting tips.
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How the Bookies View It: Sinner All the Way
Bookmaker bet365 strongly favours Sinner, making him the favourite at 1/33, while his opponent Kotov stands at 14/1. Set betting suggests a 3-0 win for Sinner, with this result paying 1/2.
Recent Head-to-Head: Advantage Sinner
Sinner and Kotov have played once before in the Round of 32 at the ATP Masters 1000 Madrid, where Sinner bested Kotov with 6-2, 7-5. This match took place just last month.
Anything Else Catch the Eye?
Considering Sinner's performance in the first two rounds, the injury that sidelined him from the Italian Open doesn't seem to be a major issue.
Earlier in the season, he defeated Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals and staged an impressive comeback from two sets down to triumph over Daniil Medvedev in the finals. His only two losses this season include a defeat by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Monte-Carlo semi-finals.
In the second round, Sinner achieved an outstanding straight-sets victory over Gasquet, serving eight aces and winning 79 percent of his first serves. This victory marked his ninth consecutive win at the Majors.
Kotov has exceeded expectations by eliminating both Cam Norrie and Stan Wawrinka from the tournament, marking his first appearance in the third round of a Grand Slam. Currently ranked world No. 56, Kotov is playing the best tennis of his career.
His victory over three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka stands as an example of his fine gameplay. In this match, Kotov scored 131 points, with 46 winners, and won 57 percent of his break points, securing a 7-6(5), 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(5) win.
Sinner vs Kotov Betting Tips & Predictions
Although Kotov has displayed some of the best tennis of his career, it's highly unlikely he can survive against Sinner. The second seed has outplayed top players like Medvedev and Djokovic this year, and should breeze home in this one.
- Sinner -8.5 handicap @ 8/11
- Total games under 29.5 @ 5/6
Sinner and Kotov will play on the Court Philippe-Chatrier on Friday, May 31st. While you wait, make sure to check out our overall predictions for the French Open 2024.
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