Andy Murray will retire after enjoying in his fifth Olympics, Rafael Nadal might conceivably do the identical if he wins gold and Novak Djokovic needs to put on a medal round his neck at the very least however would like to triumph in the one main match which has eluded him in his outstanding profession.
Success for any of them would deliver a fairytale factor to the Paris Games, despite the fact that it doesn’t want the hype.
But it’s a moot level actually as not one of the three veterans will stand on prime of the rostrum at Roland Garros as that honour goes to Carlos Alcaraz.
The 21-year-old Spaniard is contemporary from successful his fourth grand slam when he beat Djokovic in straight units at Wimbledon simply a few weeks in the past and that adopted victory within the French Open.
He is destined to be the following tennis celebrity and could possibly be simply as dashing and dominant as Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic of their pomp, and he’s already the game’s glamorous new poster boy.
He returns to his favoured clay courtroom at Roland Garros looking for to increase his outstanding run and it’s troublesome to see anybody standing in his approach.
Alcaraz merely needs to be backed at 7/4 with Bet Victor, Sky Bet and StarSports, despite the fact that it’s a skinny value.
Italy’s Yannick Sinner might present robust opposition however can be brief at 3/1 with Paddy Power and Betfair whereas Serb star Djokovic has been affected by accidents and isn’t price following at the identical odds with a number of companies.
Anyone looking for a little bit of worth from a good outsider might have a dabble on Norway’s Casper Ruud, a overwhelmed finalist at Roland Garros in 2022 and 2023, at 8/1 with Unibet and MGM whereas Alexander Zverev is the defending champion and the German ought to give punters an each-way run for his or her cash at 14/1 with Sky Bet amongst others.
It’s an analogous story within the race for women’s gold with Iga Swiatek streets forward of the remainder of the sector, particularly on clay, as she has gained the French Open 4 occasions.
The Pole isn’t any higher than 4/7 with BetUK, although, and the desire is for an each-way flutter on certainly one of Coco Gauff (6/1 William Hill), Mirra Andreeva (16/1 Paddy Power and Betfair) or this 12 months’s French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini (35/1 Bet Victor) if they’re drawn within the reverse half to Swiatek on Thursday afternoon.
• There’s just one crew who cease a United States squad rammed with NBA stars from successful basketball gold and that’s themselves. They have needed to come from approach again to beat Germany and South Sudan in warm-up video games and additionally scraped previous France however they will energy to gold in the event that they keep away from complacency and are not any higher than 1/4 with Paddy Power and Betfair.
Canada are 7/4 with the StarSports market with out the USA whereas LeBron James is 11/4 with Sky Bet to offer probably the most assists for the United States and 7/1 with the identical agency to attain their most factors.
• Team GB gained 22 gold medals within the final Olympics in Tokyo, 27 at Rio 2016, 29 4 years earlier in London and 19 in Beijing in 2008. Far cries from the 9 collected in Athens in 2004, the 11 in Sydney within the Millennium Games and only one at Atlanta 1996. Hopes are excessive for one more huge haul in Paris. Over 17.5 Team GB golds is 5/6 with Betway.
MORE : When are Team GB’s largest stars in motion at Paris Olympics 2024? Full schedule and listing of British athletes
MORE : When are Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic enjoying at the Olympics? Dates, begin time and format
