Djokovic to sweat for Career Slam in tight French Open final
Published:
Novak Djokovic stands on the cusp of history and although Stanislas Wawrinka won’t lie down at Roland Garros, the world number one has proven he is virtually unstoppable at this year’s French Open.
Having dispatched nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the quarters, before ending Andy Murray’s perfect clay court season in their titanic semi-final, Djokovic will not entertain letting the Career Slam evade him in 2015.
From the very start of the year when winning a fifth Australian Open crown, Djokovic has been imperious, forging himself a 16-0 record on the clay ahead of his second Grand Slam final of the year.
All the talk before the French Open centred on a changing of the guard as Nadal’s monopoly on this trophy has never been more threatened after a really poor season and so it has proved.
Odds of 1/8 for Djokovic opposed to 5/1 on Wawrinka are probably a little too imbalanced, but then it would take a brave man to back the Swiss underdog in the circumstances.
Although Stan beat Roger Federer in straight sets en route, he trails Djokovic 20-3 in career meetings, crucially losing all five encounters on this surface.
He has how ever played brilliantly well to make a first ever French Open final and having pushed his opponent all the way to five sets in their Aussie Open meeting in January, Wawrinka looks good value to pinch a set at least.
The eighth seed is 4/5 to do just that, while the match exceeding the 36.5 games mark at evens looks a profitable punt.
With each of their last four Grand Slam collisions going the distance – 3-1 in the Serb’s favour – the 15/2 on Djokovic prevailing 3-2 is another potential money spinner.
As Murray found out yet again, when the going gets tough the world number one seems able to raise his game to another level and that should be the difference again here.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
Fancy a flutter? Sign up today to claim up to £25 in free bets.
