One of the four tennis events at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France is the men’s doubles section. Headlined by a superstar Spanish pairing in Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal, there are plenty of intriguing duos that could earn a gold medal next weekend. Some are experienced in doubles, and others are combos of talented singles players. Continue reading for an expert men’s Olympic tennis doubles prediction and insights into this year’s Olympic tennis betting.
- Men’s tennis (Doubles)
- 2024 Summer Olympics
- July 29 to August 3
- Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France
- Peacock, NBC Sports
2024 Men’s Olympic Tennis Doubles Betting Odds
Alcaraz and Nadal are the favorites to win gold, but they certainly are not a lock to do so. At (+380), it feels like the gold medal in the men’s doubles event is a wide-open race. A string of experienced doubles players follows the Spaniards at the top. Vavassori/Bolelli represent Italy, Reboul/Roger-Vasselin represent France, and USA’s best duo on paper is Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.
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The Problem with Betting on Alcaraz/Nadal Pairing
Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal playing together on clay feels like a wrecking ball straight through this bracket. They are two of the best clay court players ever, realistically. But a problem lies in the fitness of the older athlete, who has not looked like himself for several years now. A chronically painful foot that requires injections to play comfortably has really held Rafa back. He has taken it very easily in preparation for this tournament, so maybe his health will hold up this time.
Carlos Alcaraz has been a dominant force in the singles department, winning 2 of the 3 possible majors this season. Rafael Nadal, however, has been virtually unseen. His first-round exit at the French Open was promising though, as he looked strong and lost to the eventual runner-up in Alexander Zverev. A vintage Rafael Nadal is unlikely to return next week, but maybe a limited version, paired with Carlitos, will be still enough for a gold medal.
But another big issue with trusting Alcaraz and Nadal with your hard-earned money is the schedule. Both of these competitors are favored to go deep in the singles section of the program, which could potentially mean one (or both) participate in the final. Well, the men’s singles final and men’s doubles final are both on Saturday, August 3rd.
That could be a long day for a player that you are trusting to win one of those matches. Therefore, I would recommend going elsewhere with your futures wager, especially considering their relatively short price of (+380).
Americans Live to Win Gold in Men’s Olympic Tennis Doubles?
Two different American pairings are set to participate in the men’s Olympic tennis doubles tournament this summer. The favored duo is Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, a veteran pair of doubles players who have plenty of experience playing together. The two lost to Reboul and Roger-Vasselin in the semi-final of the German Open last week, and also played in the Davis Cup finals earlier this year. Ram is now 40 and Krajicek 33, so they have plenty of miles under their belt.
Ram won a silver medal in the 2016 Olympics in Rio with Venus Williams in mixed doubles. Their fellow American teammates Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul may serve as challengers, but neither have strong doubles records. In fact, both have losing records in doubles matches despite being top-20 singles players in the world. The best-ever finish between the two was a 2020 quarterfinals run from Tommy Paul.
Given the age of Ram and the inexperience of both Fritz and Paul, the United States do not have appealing options to win a gold medal. But both combined offer a 13.7% chance of earning gold for the USA, so there is a chance the American national anthem will be the last to be played Saturday night.
Intriguing Duos of Elite Singles Players Could Make the Perfect Match
While Ram and Krajicek offer the esteemed presence of accomplished doubles history, there are a few pairings, like Fritz and Paul, that offer intriguing combinations of talented singles players. Ugo Humbert and Arthur Fils of France fit that description. Fils has only played 9 total doubles matches and is 2-7 in those appearances. His teammate Humbert is 4-23 in his 27 career doubles matches, making them a combined 6-30.
However, those records are just from ATP events. Fils and Humbert have both won multiple ITF doubles titles, a tour considered less prestigious but still a good test of ability on the global stage. Perhaps Fils and Humbert will make for a great pairing. After all, most doubles success comes from chemistry from the two players, who must have a tremendous amount of trust in the other to stay true to their position on the court.
While Humbert and Fils have no prior experience playing with each other, Medvedev and Safiullin seemed to make a practice run for the Summer Olympics back in Halle. The two competed together in the mid-June tournament, but lost their very first qualifying game in straight sets. The two will need to put up a bit more resistance if they are to outrun their 30:1 betting line.
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