Roger Federer falls behind Medvedev in bookmakers' list of favorites to win Roland Garros; Nadal, Djokovic & Tsitsipas lead the way
Roger Federer's long-awaited comeback to professional tennis has been far from ideal. The 20-time Grand Slam champion returned to the tour after a 13-month break in Doha, but lost his second match to eventual champion Nikoloz Basilashvili. He then made his claycourt comeback in Geneva last week, where he was sent packing at the first hurdle by Pablo Andujar.
Roger Federer is now scheduled to play Roland Garros later this month, meaning he will go into the claycourt Slam having played just one match on the surface this year. The Swiss' lack of form and match sharpness have prompted bookmakers to place him as low as 11th in the list of favorites to win the 2021 French Open, despite the fact that he won the event in 2009 and has made five finals in total.
Even Daniil Medvedev - who has never won a match at Roland Garros - is ahead of Roger Federer in the pecking order.
The list of odds from various betting sites was compiled by tennis journalist Jose Morgado. In addition to Medvedev, Federer also finds himself behind the likes of Aslan Karatsev and Matteo Berrettini.
Daniil Medvedev, as is well-known by know, hates clay. The Russian has won just one match on the surface in two years, and comes into Roland Garros looking to win his first ever match at the tournament on his fifth try.
It comes as no surprise that 13-time Roland Garros champion and four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal leads the list, with best odds of 15/16. Behind him are 2016 champion Novak Djokovic (41/10) and reigning Monte Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas (8/1).
Two-time French Open finalist Dominic Thiem has slipped to fourhh in the list with best odds of 29/2. The Austrian is struggling for both form and match practice right now, and has himself admitted that he has been better prepared for Roland Garros in the past.
Alexander Zverev (22/1), Andrey Rublev (54/1), Jannik SInner (54/1) and Casper Ruud (55/1) make up the rest of the top 10.
Roger Federer recently admitted he doesn't think he can win Roland Garros
In a candid moment following his Geneva loss to Pablo Andujar, Roger Federer had revealed that his main focus was Wimbledon and not Roland Garros.
"My goal is the grass court season, not Roland Garros," Federer had said. "Next weeks will be important to get used to the tour again. Matches are different than training sessions."
The Swiss maestro had further admitted that he didn't have much of a chance to win Roland Garros this year, which perhaps makes the bookmakers' odds easier to understand.
"I know I will not win the French Open," Federer had added. "I'm not so sure in the last 50 years in Paris somebody rocked up at 40 years old, being out for a year and a half, and wins everything straight or in five sets."