The French Open first round on May 24 features several players looking to make strong starts on the Paris clay. Alexander Zverev appears heavily favoured against Benjamin Bonzi thanks to his consistency and recent success at Roland Garros, while Tomas Machac looks well-positioned against Zizou Bergs if he has fully recovered physically. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina should also have the edge over Damir Dzumhur, although the experienced Bosnian has shown enough form on clay recently to potentially keep the contest competitive.
ATP French Open 1/64-Finals
Davidovich Fokina – Dzumhur: 24.05.2026 11:00 CEST
H2H: 2-0
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has lost three of his last five matches. Last week in Hamburg, the Spaniard lost to de Minaur in the 1/8-Finals in three sets. He was the quarterfinalist here in 2021. Last season in Paris, he lost to Lehecka in the second round.
Damir Dzumhur has lost three of his last five matches. The last match he played was in Valencia, where he lost to Munar in the 1/8-Finals in straight sets. Last season at the French Open, the Bosnian lost to Alcaraz in the third round.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Dzumhur is the heavy underdog in this matchup, but we disagree. He had a solid run in Paris last season and has played well over the past few weeks. We expect him to keep this match close.
That being said, Dzumhur covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Damir Dzumhur +7.5 games handicap @1.73 @bet365
Machac – Bergs: 24.05.2026 13:00 CEST
H2H: 2-1
Tomas Machac has lost three of his last five matches. The last match he played was in Rome, where he withdrew from the second round match against Medvedev. Last season in Paris, the Czech retired in the opening round against Halys.
Zizou Bergs has lost three of his last five matches. Last week in Valencia, Bergs lost to Vallejo in the quarterfinals in straight sets. Last season at the French Open, the Belgian lost to Mpetshi Perricard in the opening round.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Machac is the slight favourite in this matchup, and we agree. He fully recovered from an injury and is a solid clay-court player. On the other hand, Bergs usually struggles on clay. We expect Machac to deliver his best tennis.
That being said, Machac winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Tomas Machac winning @1.57 @bet365
Bonzi – Zverev: 24.05.2026 13:30 CEST
H2H: first meeting
Benjamin Bonzi has lost three of his last five matches. Last week in Bordeaux, the Frenchman lost to Griekspoor in the 1/8-Finals. Last season in Paris, Bonzi lost to Herbert in the opening round in five sets.
Alexander Zverev has won three of his last five matches. The last match he played was in Rome, where he lost to Darderi in the 1/8-Finals in three sets. He was the finalist here in 2024. Last season, the German lost to Djokovic in the quarterfinals in four sets.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Zverev is the clear favourite in this matchup, and we agree. He is in the top 3 in the world and enjoys playing in Paris. Bonzi has no weapons to match his game.
That being said, Zverev covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Alexander Zverev -8.5 games handicap @1.91 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
