French Open Monday Tips: Two options featuring Gauff and Zverev

• Zverev versus familiar foe

• Gauff will enjoy Alexandrova match up

• Day of heavy favourites

It is a day full of short odds as top seeds in both the men's and women's draws are likely to defuse the runs of lower ranked opponents that have scratched and clawed through the opening week.

That could mean it is a day where live betting is your friend, should any of the favourites get off to a slow start.

However, I have found pre-match value in ties involving Alexander Zverev and his regular rival Tallon Griekspoor, and Coco Gauff's match against the one dimensional Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Zverev to progress

"I play against Griekspoor almost every week. He's the one I've played with the most in the last two years. If I keep playing like this, I think I'm confident in my game. I'm looking forward to this match."

That was the opinion of Alexander Zverev after his comfortable win over Flavio Cobolli. The 2024 finalist was remarking on his draw fortunes, in which he has met Tallon Griekspoor six times since the start of last season.

They are familiar foes, and although each match has been very close it is Zverev who has tasted victory far more frequently, winning all but one of those matches.

Griekspoor should have had a couple of more wins on his resumé, but he has a habit of choking strong hands against Zverev. Even in the solitary win that the Netherlander enjoyed he made a complete hash of getting over the finishing line.

Last season at Roland Garros, Griekspoor was leading by a seemingly unassailable double break lead in the final set before he threw it away. Likewise when they met a couple of weeks ago in Munich Griekspoor couldn't convert a set and break lead.

The Dutchman has the game to trouble Zverev. He goes for his shots and can hit through Zverev's strong defences. However, he lacks the composure and belief to beat Zverev, and I expect he will fall short once again.

Zverev is priced at 1/71.14 to get the job done, which is short considering that Griekspoor is capable of making that price a whole lot bigger during the match, but is ultimately a fair reflection of the German's dominance in this contest.

Regular readers will know that I like to take the player X to win and both players to win a set line, and this is a perfect match to do so.

The odds on Zverev to win are boosted to 13/102.30 when you factor in Griekspoor winning at least a set.

Coco to get Alexandrova moving

I have been very impressed by Ekaterina Alexandrova's form in this tournament. The Russian is a player that has a Plan A approach that either works perfectly, or it doesn't, and so far she has executed her game perfectly.

Alexandrova looks to control the centre of the baseline, directing traffic with a series of powerful and flat groundstrokes. She has perfectly outhit Lucia Bronzetti, Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Veronika Kudermetova through the early rounds.

However, the fatal flaw in her approach is that Alexandrova is far less effective when you can soak up her attacks and get her moving.

Unfortunately for Alexandrova she will next challenge the best defender in the women's game, Coco Gauff.

The American will soak up plenty of Alexandrova's hits and get her off her baseline perch, and work a lot harder in the rallies than she would like to do.

Gauff has been in cruise control through her first matches, making the most out of a friendly draw. Gauff was pushed to a tiebreak by Marie Bouzkova, but the Czech played like a wall digging out every lost cause and forcing Gauff to go on the attack.

This is a match-up dynamic that suits Gauff far better. She can perform the role of defender and fully neutralise Alexandrova's game. Their two recent meetings have both been played in conditions more amenable to the Russian's game, including on grass where Gauff particularly struggles. Yet, the American was able to defeat Alexandrova in straight sets.

I see value on a Bet Builder option here. Pair Gauff to win in straight sets 10/111.91 together with Gauff to win under 12.5 games at 8/111.73, which pays out a little over 6/42.50.

Day of heavy favourites

Monday is a day full of matches with justified short odds favourites. It is difficult to imagine Alexander Bublik troubling Jack Draper for any length of time, or Cameron Norrie to trouble Novak Djokovic.

World number one Jannik Sinner is also a healthy proposition to beat Andrey Rublev, although the Russian is one of the few men to celebrate a win over Sinner in recent times. Although it is not impossible for Rublev to win that match, it is very hard to make a case for it based on each player's respective form.

On the women's side Mirra Andreeva will likely have too much for Daria Kasatkina, while the experienced American duo of Jess Pegula and Madison Keys have been there and done that at this stage of a tournament and should find a way past the injury-impacted Lois Boisson, and Hailey Baptiste respectively.

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