The WTA French Open women’s qualifying tournament begins. These matches won’t receive the same attention that the main draw of the tournament will get, but these are huge moments for tour professionals. Getting into the main draw of a major tournament means a bigger paycheck and an opportunity to make a huge gain in the rankings. A lot of players are pursuing money, points, and the important opportunity to be able to directly qualify for smaller tournaments later this season and in the future. These are season-defining moments for many of the players involved. LWOS has our best bets for three matches. Post your best bets and thoughts in the comments.
WTA French Open qualifying
Leonard – Sakatsume: Time 12:00 EST
H2H: 0-1
Manon Leonard takes on Himeno Sakatsume to start French Open qualifying. Leonard is 1-4 in her last five matches. Sakatsume is 3-2 in her last five. In terms of what these players have done in recent weeks, Leonard has made the Round of 16 in two recent ITF Challenger events. Sakatsume reached the semifinals of the Saint-Gaudens ITF Challenger event. She then made the main draw for the Paris WTA tournament, a 125 event, and lost in the first round. Both players are trying to make a mark for themselves, and this match at the French Open needs to be a catapult for the 2026 season.
Best Bet to Make
Sakatsume’s recent results and overall form are clearly better than what Leonard has managed to do. It’s not just about wins and losses, though they matter. Sakatsume has played better competition. She might have lost in the Paris 125 WTA event, but she at least competed in it. That’s a higher level of competition than what Leonard has recently faced. You won’t get a tremendous price for Sakatsume in straight sets, so go with the game spread.
That being said, betting on Sakatsume -5.5 games is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Sakatsume -5.5 sets @1.80 @Bet365
Von Deichmann – Garland: Time 12:00 EST
H2H: 0–0
Kathinka Von Deichmann and Joanna Garland have not played a lot of matches recently. Von Deichmann has played three total matches since April 11, none since April 24. Garland has played one match since March 2. Interestingly enough, that one match was on May 13, so while Von Deichmann played far more matches than Garland did in April, it’s Garland who has played a match much more recently. Having played just a few days ago, Garland might actually be in more rhythm than Von Deichmann, though one match might not be enough to establish real form or confidence.
Best Bet to Make
Given how little both players have played in recent weeks, we advise that if you bet on this match, you don’t bet a lot of money. Neither player has achieved much over the past few months, so the idea of really buying into one player or fading the other is hard to trust. If we had to lean in one direction, Garland having played a match on May 13 whereas Von Deichmann has been idle for over three full weeks makes us choose Garland.
That being said, betting on Garland winning is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Garland winning @1.65 @Betway
Inisan – Avdeeva: Time 12:00 EST
H2H: 0–0
Eleejah Inisan faces Julia Avdeeva. Inisan is ranked outside the top 600, whereas Avdeeva is well inside the top 250, so there is a large rankings gap between the two players. Inisan is 2-4 in her last six matches, while Avdeeva is 1-5. Neither player is in good form entering this tournament. Inisan played a busy schedule in April, going from one tournament to another. Avdeeva, on the other hand, did not play much in April. She has played two matches since April 1, both in the past two weeks.
Best Bet to Make
Neither player inspires a lot of confidence, but with a rankings gap of over 300 spots, it seems really hard to trust Inisan here. Avdeeva has been struggling, but against lower-level competition, she should be able to dictate the match and hit the shots she wants to hit. This match is more about fading Inisan than fully trusting Avdeeva, but the final conclusion is the same, regardless of which point of emphasis you want to lean on. Avdeeva will win a straightforward match.
That being said, betting on Avdeeva winning 2:0 is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Avdeeva winning 2:0 @1.62 @1xBet
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports