French Open experts' picks: Who will win? - ESPN

The French Open begins Sunday, with plenty of intrigue. Iga Swiatek has won the past three titles in a row, but didn't make the finals in any of the three clay tournaments she entered this spring. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff are looking as prepared as ever.

On the men's side, all signs point to a Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner showdown, but who will prevail? Alcaraz is the defending French Open champion, while Sinner won the Australian and US Open — the past two Grand Slam titles.

We polled our experts for their picks to win, and for their best betting tips.

Pam Shriver: It's a top-heavy women's draw that is anchored by Sabalenka, who is still my pick to win her first Roland Garros. Sabalenka by far has been the best player over the past 12 months, winning many clutch matches. The player who seems to benefit most from being on the weaker bottom half is Gauff, who continues to struggle with her forehand and serve sometimes in important matches. If those two vulnerable shots hold up late in the tournament, Gauff could walk away with her second major. Despite Swiatek's dominance at Roland Garros in the past few years, I don't see her as one of my two picks.

Bill Connelly: Sabalenka. She's just always there in the late rounds. She has reached six finals in her eight events in 2025, and she has reached the finals in five of her past eight Slams as well. It feels odd going against Swiatek, but it's more that I'm going for the world No. 1.

D'Arcy Maine: Gauff. She has proved just how good she can be on clay in the past and had strong results at Roland Garros previously, but it feels like she's better than ever on the surface with a 10-2 record in the month of May alone. She reached the final in Madrid with