2024 French Open Preview: Will Nadal Triumph in Paris?
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:03 Starting on Sunday in Paris on the quiet Roland Garros,
00:07 it's the 2024 French Open.
00:10 A full blown breakdown and preview of everything you need to know for
00:14 the second Grand Slam in this calendar year in the world of tennis.
00:18 Over these next two straight segments live right here on this Friday on
00:22 the early line.
00:23 But it's not really the insight from myself or Donnie right side.
00:27 It's Pam Maldonado joining us live right here on this Friday to get you set for
00:31 the 2024 French Open.
00:33 And Pam, we say thank you so much for taking the time to join us here on this
00:36 Friday.
00:38 >> If anybody is willing to listen about tennis,
00:40 I am willing to talk cuz I can go on for hours.
00:43 It's one of my favorite tournaments of the year.
00:46 Actually, that's not true, it's Australian Open.
00:48 But this year, it's one of my favorite tournaments just because of
00:52 everything that's surrounding it.
00:53 All the player injuries, players that are coming back.
00:56 Rafa Nadal in his retirement year, Djokovic maybe kind of all up and down.
01:00 So there's so many storylines, which makes this tournament great.
01:04 >> So many storylines to follow in Paris and Pam, you hit the nail on the head.
01:10 One of the main narratives heading into the 2024 French Open.
01:13 Could this be the last for Rafa?
01:16 Maybe his last tournament ever at a place that he has been otherworldly and
01:22 dominant, 18 appearances in his career at Roland Garros.
01:26 He has won the French Open 14 times, the most Grand Slam titles by
01:31 a single player at any of the four Grand Slams.
01:35 But it is the retirement tour, his game as of late has been a little bit shaky.
01:40 What does success look like for Rafael Nadal at the 2024 French Open?
01:45 >> I think that is left for interpretation.
01:49 Everybody who I have not seen on social media,
01:52 I haven't seen on other news sources, anybody giving Nadal a shot to even get
01:56 through the first round of a tournament that he owns.
02:01 Now me myself, I've been watching him since 2005.
02:05 I think it's under my belief that he's not just showing up to win a couple
02:08 of matches.
02:09 If Nadal is playing, if Rafa Nadal is playing the French Open,
02:13 it's because he wants to win the whole damn thing.
02:15 So in my perspective, he's going to lay it out on the table, success for him.
02:20 The deep run, sure, he wants a 15th title.
02:22 >> If we're taking a look at this tournament, Pam, and
02:26 explain this sometimes, cuz we look at these different surfaces they play on.
02:30 Hard court, clay, grass, why is Rafael Nadal been so good on the clay court and
02:34 what gives him those advantages?
02:36 >> It's purely because of the surface.
02:39 It is a slow clay court and because of the way his style of game is,
02:44 a super heavy topspin, the heaviest topspin player on tour,
02:49 it's just perfectly suited for his game.
02:52 It's not only that topspin that he has, but
02:54 it's complemented with a penetrating backhand.
02:56 And you wanna talk about the mental mindset that is required in a best of five
03:01 tournament, there's no other player out there who has the bull like mentality
03:06 than Rafa Nadal, he's even said it himself.
03:08 If I lose tactically, okay, but you will never see me lose mentally,
03:13 that is not okay.
03:14 When you have somebody who has that type of mindset going into not even just
03:18 a major tournament, he plays how he plays a five set major,
03:22 is the exact same way he plays a 250 best of three event.
03:25 It doesn't matter to him, he's out there as a, he wants to win.
03:29 He is a competitor at heart.
03:31 And because of that, it's just like a dominating force.
03:34 It's a collective unit of things.
03:35 And when clay, especially at rolling arrows is a slower surface,
03:39 it's about endurance.
03:40 It's about that mental mindset if you do go full five sets,
03:43 there's so many aspects that come into it.
03:45 More so it's definitely that heavy top spin that he has and
03:48 it's excels at the most.
03:50 >> So Pam, you mentioned it already a marquee matchup in round number one with
03:55 the draw coming out earlier this week.
03:58 Rafa will be an underdog in his first match at Roland Garros against
04:03 Alexander's Vera, who has the fourth best place to win the men's title at the 2024
04:08 French Open is very of coming off a victory in Rome at that Masters 1000 event.
04:14 Although Rafa is the underdog,
04:17 how competitive do you expect that opening round match against Vera to be?
04:20 >> I had to really think about this.
04:24 As far as me being the better and me being the fan,
04:28 how am I going to relay information to my audience when it comes to this wager?
04:32 Because why it was totally unexpected by everybody through us all off guard.
04:38 That it is such a, this is something that you would see in a semi final or
04:41 a final of a major, not in the first round.
04:44 So because of that, I'm really having to dial back my fandom and
04:49 look at this as objectively as I could.
04:51 And I still want to go with Rafa Nadal not only has a chance to cover the game
04:57 spread cover a set spread, but to come out as the outright underdog in this matchup.
05:01 The last time that these two players face is very of an adult was back in the 2022
05:05 French Open.
05:06 The doll in his career has only had three losses at Roland Garros.
05:12 He's 18 and 0 in the first round.
05:14 Now this is an entirely different situation, but
05:17 his earliest exit was in the round of 16 against Robbins Otterling.
05:21 The reason why he left so early was there was a lot going on in that year.
05:25 His parents were getting divorced.
05:27 He didn't have the mindset and the following year, he whooped them in straight
05:30 sets to be like, okay, you know what?
05:32 That was a mistake.
05:33 This is no longer gonna happen.
05:35 The doll is combat ready.
05:36 He's rested.
05:37 He has a mentality of a bull.
05:39 And he's not just like I mentioned, he's not just showing up to win a couple of
05:41 matches.
05:42 He's not here to show face.
05:43 He's showing up to win all of it.
05:45 And it starts with the doll.
05:47 His game style still suits.
05:49 It doesn't matter if he is 37 years old or 27.
05:52 His body may not be the same, but his game tactics, his ability is still there.
05:57 He's coming into this rested.
05:59 This is the best shot.
06:00 Getting him in the first round was what he could have best asked for.
06:03 If this was very in the fourth round quarterfinal,
06:06 I would have some hesitation.
06:08 But his best opportunity to win as an underdog is in the first round.
06:12 >> It's pretty crazy to see him plus 290 in round number one.
06:15 You'd be looking at a plus 290 typically to win a major championship here.
06:19 But let's take a look at also the men's singles odds to win it all.
06:22 Alcaraz at a plus 250 price, Djokovic at a plus 270,
06:25 followed by Sinner, Zverev, and Tsitsipas.
06:27 Is there a favorite that you like in this tournament, Pam?
06:29 And also, is there a dog price that you like where somebody like,
06:32 you know what?
06:33 Not paying attention to this person, maybe we should be.
06:35 >> So Novak Djokovic would be my straightforward bet to win.
06:42 If there's only one winner to make, it's gonna be on Djokovic.
06:44 He's won seven of his last 11 slams, four of his last six, and
06:48 two of his last four French opens.
06:50 The last two losses that he had was against Andal.
06:53 This year, 2024 has been really rough.
06:56 No titles, no top ten wins, and a couple of bad losses.
06:59 But what I'm seeing from him right now in Geneva is that he is more so looking.
07:03 He's fired all of his team.
07:06 He hasn't won anything, but he's looking for that confidence.
07:09 And you see it, if you're watching his Geneva matches at 6 AM,
07:12 he has found it.
07:14 And you're looking for situational spots, he's getting comfortable with those.
07:18 He'd be my pick to win.
07:18 >> More with Pam up next.
07:21 We continue our 2024 French Open preview live right here on this Friday on
07:26 the early line on Sports Grid Action.
07:29 At the second Grand Slam of this calendar year in tennis
07:32 gets underway on Sunday over in Paris.
07:35 Pam Aldonado joins us for a second consecutive segment.
07:39 Pam, we looked at the men's draw, now to the women's title race in Paris at
07:44 Roland Garros.
07:44 And there is already an odds on favorite before the tournament has even begun.
07:49 Iga Sviyantek, minus 160.
07:52 The heavy odds on favorite to win the women's title at the 2024 French Open.
07:57 You can see the minus money price in the large gap in front of everybody else.
08:02 Irina Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, everybody in there with less than a 10 to 1 price.
08:08 Pam, you see the odds.
08:09 How would you describe how far ahead Iga Sviyantek is versus the rest of the field?
08:14 >> It is Sviyantek and the rest of the field.
08:18 Now you can talk about Irina Sabalenka catching up to her and
08:21 Robacona catching up to her.
08:23 Sure, maybe on hardcore surfaces, but this is the French Open and
08:28 slow clay is Sviyantek's wheelhouse.
08:32 Exactly as I was mentioning with Nadal, a heavy topspin forehand,
08:36 complimented with a flat, disastrous, like a good for your opponent backhand.
08:41 It is just so penetrating and so difficult to defend.
08:44 That's just Sviyantek on offense.
08:47 You're talking about these weapons because of the slow surface,
08:50 because of the temperatures and the environment that is of Roland Garros.
08:54 It even makes her weapons that much more potent.
08:57 It is her against the rest of the field and that's it, that's all.
09:01 Sviyantek as low as minus 130.
09:04 You can find that number shop around and as high as 165.
09:07 That's up to you if you wanna take that risk.
09:09 But yeah, I wouldn't blame anybody for
09:12 wanting to take that high price as such a heavy favorite in a major tournament.
09:17 >> If we take a look at Sviyantek being that heavy of a favorite,
09:20 that means there's some really good price points here, Pam,
09:23 behind the scenes that you might be able to find.
09:25 If there was one person that can take it to distance here, maybe upset her,
09:29 who would that be in this tournament?
09:31 >> If it would be, it would not come until the final potentially facing
09:36 Arina Zabalanca, who she's already faced a couple of times this season.
09:40 But the one time that she did even overpower her,
09:43 looked competitive, was in Madrid.
09:45 But Madrid is not the same surface than that of Roland Garros.
09:49 Madrid has the altitude, first off, to think about.
09:52 And then also it is a faster, it is clay court, but it is a faster clay court.
09:57 So it really heavily favors those with a lot of power, a lot of force, and
10:01 big heavy serves like Zabalanca.
10:03 But as mentioned, this is Roland Garros, this is different,
10:05 this is a very slow clay.
10:07 So I actually don't expect that Sviyantek is going to have a lot of problems
10:12 if there was to come into play where maybe she can drop a set,
10:16 maybe the quarterfinals against the American in Danielle Collins.
10:20 But I think she has a semi-final potential matchup against Coco Gauff and
10:24 a potential final matchup against Zabalanca.
10:27 There's a really good chance here that Sviyantek could go on to win this
10:29 tournament and do so without dropping a set,
10:32 which you can find at least four to one odds.
10:35 >> Wow. >> Not a bad price, honestly, for
10:38 somebody that is already odds on favorite entering the tournament before we get
10:42 underway in Paris.
10:44 It was Sviyantek versus Zabalanca in both of the previous Masters events on clay
10:50 in Rome and Madrid as well.
10:52 Sviyantek getting the better of Irina Zabalanka in both of those finals.
10:56 You mentioned Coco Gauff, she has the best price of any American man or
11:01 woman to win over in Paris at the 2024 French Open.
11:05 Pam, what do you think the outlook is for
11:07 the Americans either in the men's or women's draw?
11:10 >> I think when you're looking at the WTA side,
11:14 Danielle Collins is the one that catches my interest more so than Coco Gauff.
11:18 She's highly aggressive, fearless playing style.
11:21 She's been described as a ferocious player and you can see that.
11:24 Just the simple eye test tells you that, hey, she has nothing to lose attitude.
11:29 And it's because of that attitude, she is in her retirement year at 30 years old,
11:33 that she kind of has this free flowing aura around her of,
11:38 you know what, I'm here to have fun and if I win, great.
11:41 And guess what, she is winning.
11:42 She's won 19 of her last 21 matches with her two losses being against Zabalanka.
11:49 So she has a really good opportunity here to run deep into the quarterfinal,
11:53 of which that should be where it comes to an end when she faces a Shviatek.
11:57 But power doesn't beat Shviatek on clay, which is why I think is where it ends.
12:01 Inconsistent power is gonna have a lot of unforced errors.
12:05 And could she win a set?
12:07 I think that's what I would be looking at for
12:09 Collins to potentially win a set against a Shviatek.
12:12 But to win the match, I don't see that happening.
12:14 But at least Collins has my interest.
12:16 Now on the men's side, it's gotta be with Taylor Fritz.
12:20 He is the one player that's been on the American side that he did well in Munich.
12:25 He made the final, Madrid semifinal, the Rome quarterfinal.
12:28 He's had a really good clay season,
12:30 which is why he's been dubbed the nickname Claylor Fritz.
12:34 He's had back to back major quarterfinals, but
12:37 he's never passed the third round at Roland Garros.
12:39 [MUSIC]
12:42 >> Family appreciate it, but we gotta get the break.
12:43 Thank you so much.
12:44 [MUSIC]
12:47 (bells chiming)